FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Scout Project Aids Kids with Disabilities, Parents
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A trip to the grocery store can be a big ordeal for parents of children with disabilities.
“It can be challenging, because I have two other kids as well,” said Jaime Bentley, whose middle child, Jema, has intractable epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
But the members of Girl Scout Troop 4140 are hoping to turn the trip to the store into a better experience for Jaime, Jema – and other children and parents – by purchasing three grocery shopping carts that can carry a person with disabilities weighing up to 200 pounds.
Allison Winger, left, and Ariana Strickland stand ready to accept donations of canned food for the Salvation Army and cash donations for a specialized cart at their fundraiser Saturday at the Sitka Fire Hall. (Sentinel Photo)
“Wash Away Hunger,” the fundraiser for the carts, will take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Sitka Fire Hall.
The event includes a car wash to raise funds for the carts, and also a canned food drive for the Salvation Army.
In honor of their troop number, the girls’ goal is to raise $4,140 for three “Caroline’s Carts” and to collect 4,140 pounds of food.
Caroline’s Carts are similar in style to the regular grocery store cart, but instead of a small child seat, they have a large seat and safety features, as well as space for groceries.
Seventh-graders Allison Winger and Ariana Strickland, members of Troop 4140, are leading the fundraiser on their way toward earning the Girl Scout Silver Award.
The Silver Award is the highest honor that a Girl Scout can earn for their particular age. To receive the medal they need to put in 50 hours of community service and complete a project that benefits the community, troop volunteer Retha Winger explained.
The troop participates regularly in Salvation Army food drives, and has just returned from a trip south, where they sorted food at the Food Lifeline of Seattle. They said they thought a combined food drive and fundraiser would be a good idea for their Silver Award project.
“We’re going to ask for money to buy Caroline’s Cart,” Allison said.
Jaime Bentley said she was surprised and pleased when she was approached by the Girl Scouts about purchasing the cart.
She said when she goes to the store, she pushes Jema in a wheelchair while pulling the cart behind her. A Caroline’s Cart will make it easier to shop, particularly when she has her 2-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter in tow, she said.
“Caroline’s Cart will allow me to use my hands a little bit more,” Jaime Bentley said. “It’s going to be nice for Jema, too. It will allow her to get out in the community more, and experience the grocery store. This will allow her to spend more time in the grocery store.”
Retha Winger said it was a challenge for Allison and Ariana to identify a need in the community not already being met.
“There’s so many places in town that already address issues,” she said. “The challenge is to find something that isn’t already being done – not to duplicate someone else’s project.”
If the girls are successful in their fundraiser, Sitka will have the first three Caroline’s Carts in the state, according to the Caroline’s Cart website.
Other Troop 4140 service projects have included a campaign in 2012 and 2013 to provide winter coats for needy Sitkans, and serving as volunteers at the Salvation Army.
The troop meets once or twice a month, and frequently is involved in raising money for trips. This summer, the nine went to Seattle, where they volunteered at the food distribution center and Special Olympics, spent time at Great Wolf Lodge and took a class on etiquette.
“I’d been teasing the girls for years that I was going to make them take an etiquette class,” Retha said. She was somewhat surprised that such courses still existed.
They then spent the rest of the eight-day trip in Idaho.
The girls said they’re excited to get started on the project for Caroline’s Carts, and are inviting other volunteers to stop by Saturday and help out with the car wash. Anyone who wants to donate to the project may call Retha at 738-2073.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....