Southcentral Foundation Celebratory Gathering

Southcentral Foundation honored and celebrated the heart of the Native community at its seventh annual Gathering on Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Egan Civic & Convention Center in Anchorage.

“This year’s theme was ‘Celebrating the Heart of the Native Community.’ The heart of our community is the people,” said Katherine Gottlieb, Southcentral Foundation president and CEO. “It is important for Native families to gather and celebrate wellness by participating in healthy activities that incorporate our diverse Alaska Native cultures.”

The Gathering featured family fun, health information, Alaska Native performances, and special guests Dr. Evan Adams and Randy’L Teton. Adams, an actor and writer, is a Coast Salish from the Sliammon Band near Powell River, B.C., Canada. He starred in the Emmy-winning TV-movie Lost in the Barrens, he played Thomas Builds-The-Fire in Smoke Signals and Seymour Polatkin in FallsApart Production’s The Business of Fancy Dancing. Aside from Adams’ career in the arts, he received his medical degree from the University of Calgary in May 2002.

Teton, a Shoshone-Bannock/Cree from the Lincoln Creek district of the Fort Hall Reservation in southeastern Idaho, was the model portraying Sacagawea on the U.S. golden dollar coin. Sacagawea represents strength, gracefulness, and humbleness, representing all Native American women.

Annual Event Showcases Alaska Native Artists

Koahnic Broadcast Corporation’s Alaska Native Art Auction is renowned for featuring the work of Alaska’s premiere Native artists such as Alvin Amason, John Hoover and Sylvester Ayek.

But increasingly the Alaska Native Art Auction is known for showcasing emerging artists such as Aakatchaq and Francine Chiklak, and for featuring work by individuals better known for their day jobs driving some of Alaska’s top corporations. Last year, art from Jacob Adams (Arctic Slope Regional Corporation), Tim Towarak (Bering Straits Native Corporation) and Perry Eaton (Alyeska Pipeline Service Company) surprised attendees and commanded top dollar at the annual event.

This year’s event will not disappoint, with items such as a traditional Central Yup’ik men’s wolf head attaché by Chuna McIntyre, an original Tlingit paddle by Wayne Price, and an original work by Phyllis Fast, along with some surprises to be unveiled at the event.

The Ninth Annual Koahnic Broadcast Corporation Alaska Native Art Auction will be held Thursday, March 11 at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel. Doors will open at 5 p.m. The Auction is a fundraiser for public radio station KNBA 90.3 FM, and National Native News, the country’s leading daily Native news service.

“The Alaska Native Art Auction is one of the best opportunities in the state to see a broad selection of traditional and contemporary Native artwork presented together,” said Vernon Chimegalrea, Native arts specialist formerly with the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Alaska State Council on the Arts. “For those interested in Native art, it’s one of the best events of the year. And it supports a great cause – Native radio in Anchorage and across the nation.”

In addition to the live auction, the evening will include a silent auction featuring more than 100 works in ivory, masks, prints, baskets, and other items. For more information or to make reservations, please call (907) 743-8811.

Now Renting at Seldovia Elder Facility

Cook Inlet Housing Authority is currently filling vacancies at its elder rental property in Seldovia. The Seldovia House, historically known as “Lakeside Terrace,” is an 18-unit residential apartment property targeted at seniors ages 62 and older and/or non-elderly disabled households who earn a maximum of 80 percent of the area-median income or $42,700 per year for a family of two.

The property, located at 350 Alder Street in Seldovia, offers one- and two-bedroom apartments, a community room, greenhouse and on-site laundry facilities. Seldovia offers a unique lifestyle in a secluded community complete with plentiful wild berries and fishing right off the slough bridge for King Salmon in the spring. The community has a medical clinic, staffed by a doctor who lives in Seldovia, as well as an active group of emergency medical technicians.

“It’s a small town where everyone knows everyone,” says Honeybee Nordenson, Seldovia House building coordinator. “And if you’re in need of a kind hand, Seldovia is known for its generosity.”

For more information, call (907) 276-8822 or log on to www.cookinlethousing.org.
Cook Inlet Housing Authority owns and operates affordable rental properties for income-eligible elders and families including 328 units in Anchorage, 24 units in Kenai, 18 units in Seldovia and 10 units in Ninilchik. Some of these units are designed and equipped especially for persons with disabilities.

The Housing Authority is currently constructing an additional 40 units of elder housing in Anchorage and completed construction on a unique 60-unit family rental facility called Strawberry Village Cottages in early 2003 as well as 53 units of elder housing in summer 2003.

Are you Eligible for The CIRI Foundation Educational Funding?

The CIRI Foundation would like to remind CIRI original enrollees and their direct lineal descendants that they are eligible to apply for scholarship, fellowship and grant programs awarded by the Foundation. Lineal descendants include natural and adopted children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The next Scholarship and Grants deadline is March 31, 2004. The following is a listing of application deadlines for all scholarship and grant programs offered and administered through The CIRI Foundation. All awards are based upon available funding in each category.

Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 1
The CIRI Foundation Vocational Training Grants
Career Upgrade Grants
General Fellowships
Cultural Fellowship Grants
Internships
Vocational Grant Programs of Kenai Natives Association & Tyonek Native Corporation

Deadline: March 31
Howard Rock Foundation Scholarship Program

Deadline: June 1
The CIRI Foundation Special Excellence and Achievement Scholarships
Cap Lathrop Scholarship
George Miller Jr. Management Fellowship
Salamatof Native Association Scholarships/Grants

Deadline: December 1
Semester Scholarships
The CIRI Foundation General Semester Scholarships and semester scholarships for Kenai Natives Association, Ninilchik Native Association Scholarships/Grants, and Tyonek Native Corporation Scholarships

For more information, contact The CIRI Foundation, 2600 Cordova Street, Suite 206, Anchorage, AK 99503; phone: (907) 263-5582; toll-free: (800) 764-3382; e-mail: tcf@CIRI.com; web site: www.CIRI.com/tcf.

Alaska's People Makes a Move

Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. reminds the CIRI community that Alaska’s People has moved. Alaska’s People is the Cook Inlet Tribal Council division that provides job referral and training services to Alaska Natives and American Indians. It is now located in CITC’s main building at 670 West Fireweed Lane in Anchorage. The department’s new telephone number is (907) 265-5964 and the new fax number is (907) 265-5963.

The new space, formerly occupied by Southcentral Foundation’s Optometry and Dental clinics, improves accessibility for job-seekers and fosters further cooperation between Alaska’s People and opportunities provided by other CITC departments. This coordination is consistent with CITC’s commitment to offering an array of services to area families.

“It is important that our location be centrally located to provide our clients the services they need,” said Teresa Nelson, Alaska’s People director.

In 2003, nearly 4,300 Alaskans worked with the department, earning positions in the public and private sectors. Almost one third of those placed were affiliated with CIRI. In 2004, CITC hopes that its new location will help attract even more Alaska job-seekers and employers.