As we celebrated the Christmas holiday and the New Year draws near, I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you and to wish you all the best for this holiday season. We have much to be grateful for. Our donors, our partner agencies, and our plethora of supporters and volunteers across Southeast make doing the work of United Way truly a labor of love. Whether you donated, volunteered, or simply followed us to learn more, your support means the world. Every time you support United Way of Southeast Alaska you bring us a step closer to enhancing the common good through Southeast Alaska.
There are numerous individuals and families in our communities across Southeast that need the assistance and support of our partner agencies. Our partner agencies do the challenging work daily to serve those in need and it is genuinely appreciated. The past year has strained our resolve and willingness to rise above the challenges, but as we begin the new year, there is much to be thankful for.
I am frequently asked how things are going, given all the angst and anxiety of the past almost two years of dealing with COVID.
Despite the continued pandemic during this holiday season, Southeast Alaska continues to pull together and support those in need throughout our community. In November we tried to gauge the giving climate by asking for input on giving habits and plans going forward. Here are a few of the takeaways from those questions.
- Sixty-eight percent said the pandemic has impacted their giving intentions - and that shift is to give more this year than they did pre-pandemic.
- 100% believe the pandemic has increased the need for charitable services in Southeast Alaska.
- Sixty-four percent planned to participate in Giving Tuesday.
During Giving Tuesday, United Way of Southeast Alaska received over $2,5000 of gifts from very generous supporters.
All this to say, one never knows what tomorrow will bring, but today I am ever thankful for the support of our efforts. I remain optimistic that we will continue to serve our communities in Southeast Alaska with the very generous support of each of you.
As we look forward to 2022, we thank you for supporting the United Way of Southeast Alaska. We appreciate all you have done to inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow.
Wayne Stevens
President/CEO
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Past Board Chair Warren Russell and Campaign Co-Chairs Shauna Thornton of Sitka and Loren Jones of Juneau shared information about United Way's work across the panhandle and introduced the campaign co-chairs at a recent presentation to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce. |
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Juneau AmeriCorps December Update |
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We're now four months into our service year in Juneau, and contrary to popular belief — and what some of us keep having to remind friends and family, is that it's not supposed to get that cold here. Some nights, however, we do feel like our toes will fall off from frostbite, especially the time when we had a bonfire at Lena Point Beach. But winter boots and wool socks do exist, so we digress. It's not too cold, especially for the many midwesterners on the team. We also all realize the importance of getting outside every day now that the sun rises at noon and sets at 1 p.m (or so it feels like).
Before the snow came and the tourists fled, we had the opportunity to go on the last whale watching tour of the season with Allen Marine. Many whales were seen and tears shed on that early October morning, and it was incredible. The highlight was following a pod of orcas around the channels.
Though we like to have fun and take in all that Juneau has to offer, we are here to make a valuable impact between individuals and community organizations. The United Way of Southeast Alaska does a fantastic job assisting members in becoming more familiar with our community needs and being supportive where we can.
On Thanksgiving Day, we collaborated with the Salvation Army and provided Thanksgiving meals to people in need. In perfect Juneau fashion, it did rain all day; however, it was well worth seeing happy and grateful faces picking up their hot meals.
We also had the opportunity to provide emergency supplies to rural communities in Southeast Alaska with the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The boxes we assembled held a blanket, a water bottle, PPE equipment, and Alaskan tea and salmon. The boxes were wrapped on pallets and will be shipped to Tlingit elders across Southeast Alaska.
Though most of our members are traveling home for the holidays, we already have a lot of service opportunities in store for when we return. Our Juneau AmeriCorps team clearly values community collaboration, and we can't wait to get more involved!
Gunalcheesh and happy holidays!
Juneau AmeriCorps
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Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine Donates $300,000 to UAS Student Scholarships |
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From left to right: Rochelle Lindley, Coeur Alaska Community & Government Affairs Manager, Dr. Jason Amundson, UAS Associate Professor of Geophysics, Mark Kiessling, General Manager Coeur Inc., Dr. Karen Carey, UAS Chancellor, and Dr. Sonia Nagorski, UAS Associate Professor of Geology. |
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The gift will significantly increase support for UAS Environmental Science and Marine Biology students.
Juneau, Alaska
Date of Press Release: December 17, 2021
Coeur Alaska, Inc., owner and operator of the Kensington Mine, donated $300,000 to strengthen the Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine Environmental Science Award, an endowed scholarship fund supporting University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) students majoring in Environmental Science or Marine Biology.
“Coeur Alaska is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and operate – both now and in the years to come. We are proud to invest in Alaska’s greatest resources, the environment and its people,” said Mark Kiessling, General Manager of the Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine. “Through our partnership with UAS, this endowment fund will help develop Alaska’s next generation of environmental stewards.”
The majority of the donation will be invested in the endowment fund for future scholarships, and the remaining $10,000 will be immediately available for awards. This donation will significantly raise the minimum award amount from $1,000 to $3,000 per student. UAS faculty members and Coeur Alaska staff will work together to raise awareness of the scholarship and award to eligible Alaskan students.
“We greatly appreciate this generous contribution from Coeur Alaska and their ongoing commitment to UAS and the environmental science program,” commented UAS Associate Professor of Geophysics Dr. Jason Amundsen. “The contribution will allow us to increase the size and number of scholarships that we give to students, making it easier for students to continue their education and focus on their studies. This can make a huge difference in the lives of our students.”
All Marine Biology and Environmental Science majors at UAS are invited to apply for one of multiple available awards. Preference will be given to full-time Juneau or Southeast residents maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA. For more information about applying to this and other scholarships at UAS, visit the Financial Aid website or contact the Financial Aid office at UAS at 907-796-6255.
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