CIRI Shareholders Named Top Forty Under 40

Four CIRI shareholders were recently selected among Alaska's 2002 "Top Forty Under 40" by the Alaska Journal of Commerce and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce: Susan Anderson, The CIRI Foundation president and chief executive officer; Jaclyn Sallee, Koahnic Broadcast Corp. president and chief executive officer; Rolf Dagg, Southcentral Foundation special assistant, Resource Development Division; and Donald Kashevaroff, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium chairman and president. Individuals are nominated by their peers and selected as one of 40 outstanding Alaskans under the age of 40 who have achieved professional success and demonstrated a commitment to making Alaska an even better place for the future. This year's recipients were honored for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and personal integrity. Former recipients include CIRI shareholder and board member Ron Perry; CIRI shareholder and Cook Inlet Tribal Council President and CEO Gloria O'Neill; CIRI shareholder and the corporation's manager of public relations Allison Knox; and CIRI community relations specialist Dawn Dinwoodie; CIRI Vice President Sophie Minich; and Kim Eaton, director of Alaska Heritage Tours.

Jaclyn Sallee and Susan Anderson named as "Top Forty under 40"

New Publication by The CIRI Foundation Our Friends is More Than a Native Directory

The latest of The CIRI Foundation's publications that continue the living traditions of Alaska's first people, "Na'eda" is a comprehensive guide to Alaska Native cultures, corporations, tribal organizations, and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The handbook's title, "Na'eda," translated from Dena'ina Athabascan means "our friends." The book, by CIRI Historian Alexandra J. McClanahan and CIRI shareholder Hallie Bissett, is aimed at being the most up-to-date and comprehensive listing of Native entities available. Addresses and phone numbers are included for the 13 Native regional corporations, 168 village corporations, 226 traditional/IRA councils, four urban corporations, six former reserves and Alaska's only reservation, Metlakatla. Also listed are the 13 major regional non-profits and the 13 members of the Alaska Native Education Consortium.

Just five inches by seven inches and 128 pages, the book is designed to be a handy small guide. In addition to listing the addresses and phone numbers of the 444 Native entities, the book features a brief discussion of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 and its key components, as well as brief descriptions of the various Alaska Native ethnic groups. Maps are included for each region to show village locations, and there is a statewide Native cultural map and a statewide Native regional map.

"Our goal is to combine maps, a basic primer on Native issues surrounding ANCSA, and a directory to create a handy booklet that's transportable," said Susan Anderson, CEO of The CIRI Foundation. "This is more than a directory - "Na'eda" provides historical, geographical, and cultural context. It is a reference that is of value to everyone, whether you're a lifelong resident or a first-time visitor to Alaska."

The title was suggested by Alberta Stephan, Eklutna elder, who is familiar with the Upper Cook Inlet Dena'ina dialect, and by Professor Alan Boraas, who teaches anthropology at Kenai Peninsula College, a branch of the University of Alaska Anchorage. Boraas has taught a Dena'ina language and mythology class since 1988, first with Peter Kalifornsky and later with Donita Peter from Tyonek. Stephan points out that the apostrophe indicates that the phrase includes two words.

Information is presented with cross-references so that entities can be easily accessed by the name of the village or by the corporation or tribal name.

"Na'eda" retails for $9.95, with proceeds from the sale of the book benefiting The CIRI Foundation. The book is available at select bookstores, or it may be purchased off the merchandise section of the CIRI web site or by contacting The CIRI Foundation directly at (907) 263-5582 or at 1-800-764-3382 toll-free. For book signings and other events associated with the book, visit the CIRI web site at www.ciri.com/shareholder/calendar.htm.

Alaska Natives Needed in Search for Bone Marrow and Willing Donors
The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and Blood Bank of Alaska are seeking Alaska Natives who are willing to donate bone marrow.

Thousands of people every year are diagnosed with a disease that can be cured only by a bone marrow transplant. To receive the transplant, the bone marrow of the donor must match perfectly with the bone marrow of the patient. Often times, people with life-threatening diseases will never receive a bone marrow transplant because a match is not found.

Family member donors are most likely to match the patient, but this does not occur often enough. Approximately 70 percent of patients needing a transplant do not have a family member who is a compatible donor. All of those 70 percent will have to find a match from an unrelated donor.

Today, there is an extremely crucial need for Alaska Native donors. So far the National Marrow Donor Program has only 118 donors on the registry. Of these, only 41 of them are donors recruited from Alaska.

Becoming a donor is easy. A small sample of blood is drawn to determine your Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) type. The HLA type is listed in a database, which is linked to the National Marrow Donor Program. When a donor is needed, the NMDP searches the database for a match. If potential match is found, the donor is contacted for more information. This process does not cost you anything, other than your time.

Many potential donors are scared away or misled by the term "Bone Marrow Transplant," since the procedure is not done with any cutting of the skin or removal of any bone. The transplant itself consists of a needle being inserted into the pelvic bone to remove a small portion of the donor's marrow. For more information, contact:

Lorie Jeffers
Alaska Bone Marrow Coordinator
Blood Bank of Alaska
4000 Laurel Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
(907) 563-3110
www.nmdp.org
www.bloodbankofalaska.org

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