Kevin Centers wasn't a lost CIRI shareholder. Over the years, he received his quarterly dividends and the newsletter. Adopted as an infant and raised in Oregon, he'd never been to Alaska though he knew he was of Athabascan heritage. As an adult, he tried to uncover the mystery of his past and learn more about his birth mother. He even went back to Portland, the place where he was born and adopted out, to get more facts. Unfortunately, he found little information or hope.

Yet, hope was all he had when it came to finding out more about his family of origin. For two years, he remained optimistic about his quest to learn the truth about his past. For five years, his birth mother, Patricia Lane, and his sister, Alana Coleman, were also searching for him. Over the years, they'd all been following the same trail.


Kevin Centers

Lane and Coleman had also gone back to where Centers was born and adopted out in their effort to find him. But, they too faced discouragement. Eventually, Lane and Coleman, who are shareholders of Doyon, decided to contact each of the 13 regional corporations with the little information they had: Centers' sex, birth date, birth weight and place of birth.

When betsy Peratrovich Alexander, manager of CIRI's shareholder relations department, first received their letter of inquiry she was moved by their situation. She looked up the birth date and place of birth on the department database and much to her amazement found a match ­ Kevin Centers. Peratrovich Alexander then pulled Centers' file and discovered not only was he adopted, but he also knew he was adopted. This meant she could share Lane and Coleman's letter with him. After several unanswered phone calls to Centers' residence in Oregon, Peratrovich Alexander sent a letter requesting he contact her about an important matter.

Centers carried her letter around with him for a few days while he waited for a break in his busy work schedule to call her back. Eventually, while on a lunch break at work, he wandered over to a phone booth and phoned Peratrovich Alexander. Not knowing the best way to break the news, Peratrovich Alexander told Centers that she had been looking at his file and read he was adopted. She went on to tell Centers about the letter she received from a woman and her mother who were searching for their brother and son. Before

Peratrovich Alexander could finish reading the letter, Centers exclaimed, "This is an answer to my prayers!" After they hung up, he didn't want to let go of the telephone because he felt as though everything in his life had led up to that one phone call.

Soon after Centers contacted his birth mother, he heard the rest of the story. Though a great family had raised him, Centers still wanted to know more about his biological family and how he came to be adopted. He was glad both his birth mother and sister continued their search and grateful to Peratrovich Alexander and CIRI's shareholder relations department for taking the time to help his birth mother and sister.

Recently, Centers met his birth mother, sister and the rest of his relatives at a family reunion in Oregon. He has also journeyed to Alaska to visit them in Anchorage, where he eventually plans to move.

Native American musicians in the Anchorage band Medicine Dream share a dedication to clean and sober living. The group of 10 musicians, two of whom are CIRI shareholders, were recently nominated for three Native American Music Awards, or Nammys, for music on their latest CD titled "Mawio'mi." Medicine Dream blends traditional Native music and vocals, inter-tribal drumming, flute, guitar and modern vocals. Medicine Dream will travel to

Albuquerque, N.M. in November to represent Alaska at the national awards ceremony recognizing indigenous artists.

Medicine Dream, which includes Paul Pike (left) and Cea Anderson (right), performed at the 1999 CIRI Friendship Potlatch in Anchorage.

Trenton is a descendent of both CIRI and Tyonek Native Corporation. His parents are Cassandra Trenton and Jerry Peter. He was raised in both Tyonek and Anchorage and is of Athabascan heritage. He currently is an accounting technician for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in the department of environmental health and engineering at Alaska Native Medical Center. He eventually plans to pursue a double major in business and accounting and would like to go on to achieve a master's degree in business.