President's Message

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

I do hope Thanksgiving was great for you all. Fun, food and family, the holidays are so fun. At Kodiak Athletic Club, we call all the goodies, the pie that you ate, we call it job security! I do hope that you took advantage of all our local Black Friday sales deals. In this day and age, of striking a few computer keys, and then UPS or Fed Ex delivers you boxes in a few days, we encourage you to shop and buy locally as much as possible. Money spent locally supports your friends and neighbors and the money stays in Kodiak. The Chamber of Commerce supports Chamber members and family, and the community of Kodiak. Participate in programs like, KVOK’s “Christmas in Kodiak” and the Chamber’s, “Kodiak Bucks” to support local business, and make your money go further. With all this shopping and fun and festivities, please do keep in your heart the reason for the season. Merry Christmas everyone and have an awesome holiday season!

It’s a Nutcracker year! Sponsored by the Kodiak Arts Council and Next Step Dance Company, the Nutcracker will be at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium Friday 12/6, at 7pm, Saturday 12/7 at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday 12/8 at 2pm. Lots of chances to see this amazing production! This is only every 3 years so don’t miss out! Tickets are available at Kodiakarts.org. and at the door or stop by the Arts Council office!

Another Christmas tradition that is really a treat that you do not want to miss, Ella Saltonstall, and. “Isle Bells”, will be coming to you live on Saturday, December 14 th , at 4pm and again at 7pm! This is also at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium. I am told that Father Christmas will be at the 4pm show!! It would not surprise me to see the Alpha Singers as well. Nothing gets you in the Christmas spirit more than listening to this world class bell choir!

Be sure to stop by Grand Slam Toys & Games on December 10 th from 5-7 for Business After Hours. It’s open to all, so it’s a great opportunity to work on your Christmas list. They’ll have “draw your discounts”, door prizes, Christmas themed snacks and drinks, and a hot chocolate bar!

Always pleases me to welcome new Chamber members! Welcome Life Med Alaska, and to the crew of the F/V Gold Rush! My thoughts have always been, that every business should be a Chamber of Commerce member! Collectively, we have a stronger voice!

We, at your Kodiak Chamber of Commerce, wish you a Merry Christmas and a Blessed and Prosperous New Year to come!


Sincerely,

Lindsay Knight
President
Our Sponsors
Chamber Swears in Board of Directors

On November 13th, the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce welcomed new and returning board members for service in the 2020 year. President Lindsay Knight swore in the entire Board of Directors.

The Chamber relies on its Board of Directors to set the direction of the Chamber and determine policies. These individuals commit to serving each month at meetings, attend & volunteer at Chamber events throughout the year, and serve on additional committees. Please thank them for their service when you see them around town!

Returning Board Members:
Lindsay Knight
Julie Bonney
Jeff Sanford
Daniel Eubanks
Ginny Shank
Ellen Simeonoff
Tyler Kornelis
Patrick Cummings
Alexandra Turner

Returning Ex-Officio Board Members:
Mike Tvenge (City of Kodiak)
Michael Powers (Kodiak Island Borough)
Aimee Williams (Discover Kodiak)
Captain Jeffery Good (USCG Base Kodiak)
Captain Bryan Dailey (USCG Air Station Kodiak)
Darron Scott (KEA)

Newly Elected Board Members:
Tyler Wallace
Diane Million

Interested to learn more about the 5 year plan the Chamber is working toward? Check out the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan !
“Kodiak Bucks” are the way to give the perfect gift and support the community, even if you don’t know what business to buy from. These $5 gift certificates can be used at any participating Kodiak business! Become the perfect gift giver by purchasing “Kodiak Bucks” at Discover Kodiak in the Visitors Center/Ferry Terminal.

"Kodiak Bucks" is the answer to your local gift giving needs this holiday season! "Kodiak Bucks" are gift certificates sold in $5 increments at Discover Kodiak (100 E. Marine Way) and can be used at a variety of Kodiak Businesses:

  • The Islander Bookshop
  • Emily's Alterations
  • Daniels's Fine Jewelry
  • Norman's Fine Gifts
  • Ardinger's
  • Alexandra's
  • RC Enterprises
  • Light and Variable / Ovation's
  • Artic Chiropractic Kodiak
  • Kodiak Chamber of Commerce​
  • Kodiak Powersports and Marine
  • The Frame Shop
  • Kodiak Island Brewing Co
  • Grand Slam Toys & Gifts
  • Sutliff's ACE Hardware
  • Kodiak Furniture
  • Vizhunz Salon
  • Kodiak History Museum

#ShopLocal #ShopTheRock

During the holiday season, the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce challenges everyone to shop locally! Small businesses and those shopping at small businesses make a BIG impact in the community, because let’s face it, big online companies aren’t the ones supporting our Kodiak teams and clubs, our local businesses and organizations are! The 2018 Small Business Economic Impact Study even found that 67 cents of every dollar spent stays in the local economy. As an island, we support one another and realize that we are stronger together. So, keep Kodiak strong by shopping locally this holiday season and throughout the year!
December 10th from 5:00-7:00 PM
Grand Slam Toys & Games
1420 Mill Bay Road

Grand Slam Toys & Games invites you to Shop Local on  December 10th   from 5:00-7:00 . There's more to discover than you know!

This is a great time to shop their always evolving inventory of legos, pusheen, dice, games, pop culture items, and newly the released custom Kodiak Cocktail Mixes at the   December Business After Hours .

Come sample Christmas themed snacks and drinks and enjoy the hot chocolate bar! As always, we'll have plenty of fun door prizes donated by both Grand Slam Toys & Games as well as the Chamber of Commerce and 
split-the-pot!

This is a  FREE  event open to  EVERYONE !

Take care of your holiday shopping while supporting one of our great local Kodiak Businesses! What a great way to spend a Tuesday evening!
A Week of Entrepreneurship
Alaska Startup Week (Nov 18-24) kicked off with a meet and greet at Kodiak Island Brewing Co. bringing likeminded locals together with business owners to answer questions and talk about their experience.

Throughout the week, there were various Brown Bag Lunch & Learns that took place at the Chamber and Kodiak College, as well as a movie screening of Something Ventured at Kodiak Public Library .

The week wrapped up with the ribbon cutting and grand opening of The Islander Bookshop, where true entrepreneurship could be seen at its best. Over 175 individuals came to show their support!

The Chamber is proud foster Economic Development in Kodiak by offering opportunities similar to Alaska Startup Week for entrepreneurs. We also know that entrepreneurship isn’t limited to one week each year, so please visit the Chamber anytime throughout the year to have access to our many FREE resources and consulting services; no Chamber membership is required!
Works by Five Artists Added to Museum Collection
Press Release from Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository:

With a $12,925 grant from Museums Alaska, the Alutiiq Museum will purchase five works of art for its permanent collection. The pieces are the creations of five different artists with links to Alutiiq culture or to Kodiak.

From Kodiak Alutiiq artist Mary Jane Longrich, the museum will purchase Nootka Rose, a
contemporary doll made of historic and gathered materials. The doll wears a kuspuk sewn of fabric scraps from a dress Longrich made for herself in the seventh grade. It also features beaded earrings, wool hair, and scraps of land otter fur.

Two beaded headdresses are also among the purchases and reflect the museum’s
current focus on studying and sharing the beading arts. These pieces are Emerald Isle, a 24” headdress by Patricia Abston–Cox of Kodiak, and Woman’s Headdress, a 36” garment by Melinda Abyo of Anchorage. Both women are Alutiiq artists who learned to make beaded regalia while participating in Alutiiq dance groups. Abston-Cox is one of the founding members of the Kodiak Alutiiq dancers and learned to bead under the tutelage of Dee Dee Chya, Margaret Roberts, and her mother, Virginia Abston. Abyo has performed with Imamsuat, an Alutiiq dance group in Anchorage, and learned to bead from Lalla Williams.

From Andrew Abyo, also of Anchorage, the museum will purchase a model anqyaq—
open skin boat. The 41” replica is carefully modeled after the shape and proportions of a
traditional, Alutiiq, open, skin-covered boat. It is carved from basswood and covered in suede secured with imitation sinew. Before Russian conquest, these large, open watercraft were owned by wealthy families who maintained them for use in trading, raiding, and long distance traveling. They were symbolic of wealth and accomplishment.

The fifth piece is Sound of Fog, a multi-media work by Kodiak artist Woody Koning. This
work combines painting with a sculptural element to depict the foggy coastline of Kalsin Bay. The focal point is a sea stack made from cast plaster that extends off the canvas. Locally known as Helena’s Island, the islet is named for Helena Emook Schweite, an Inupiaq woman who settled in Chiniak in 1964 with her husband. Koning and Schweite were neighbors for many years. The sea stack featured in Sound of Fog is a spot where Schwiete harvested shellfish and where her ashes were scattered.

Support for these purchases comes from the Art Acquisition Fund. Established by Rasmuson Foundation in 2003, the fund promotes the development of contemporary art collections in Alaska museums. Three times a year, museums may submit proposals to purchase recent works by living Alaskan artists. Museums Alaska, the state-wide museum association, administers the fund.

Alutiiq Museum Executive Director April Counceller said, “The stories we can tell with these objects are rich and important. For example, the use of old fabric in Mary Jane’s doll speaks to the value of recycling in our culture, of never wasting resources. Andrew’s boat model will help us talk about the Russian conquest of Kodiak and how large boats that were once forbidden are now returning to community awareness. And Woody’s homage to Helena Schweite reminds us of the many indigenous people from beyond Kodiak that have added to our community. We are so grateful to the Art Acquisition Fund for making these purchases possible.”

Since the fund’s inception in 2003, the Alutiiq Museum has received $230,078.50 in grants to purchase 144 works by 45 artists. These pieces can be enjoyed in the contemporary art gallery on the Alutiiq Museum’s website at https://alutiiqmuseum.org/explore/collections/types-ofcollections/ contemporary-art.

The Alutiiq Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the
history and culture of the Alutiiq, an Alaska Native tribal people. Representatives of Kodiak Alutiiq organizations govern the museum with funding from charitable contributions, memberships, grants, contracts, and sales.
Make your mark on Kodiak Crab Festival History! Participate in this long standing Kodiak tradition by entering your artwork in our logo and poster contest. The winners of each contest have the opportunity to win $200 and Crab Fest Merchandise!

This year, the theme is "Sea What Matters" - What matters most to you, the sea, preserving the beauty of Kodiak, recycling, spending time with family... we want to SEE it in 2020!

For full details and rules about the logo contest - http://www.kodiakchamber.org/logo

For full details and rules about the poster contest - http://kodiakchamber.org/poster

All logo submissions for the 2020 Crab Festival must reach the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce office, 100 Marine Way, by 5pm on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2020
Interested in hosting a Business After Hours in 2020?

We're now taking reservations on a first come first serve basis . Business After Hours are appropriate for all Chamber Members to host and are a great opportunity to explain your business or organization. They are open to the entire community and are free for hosts and attendees. Please email Jena Lowmaster to reserve your month now.

What Day are BAH Held?

The business host is able to choose the day of the week they are most interested in during the month. We recommend either a Tuesday or Thursday and encourage you to check Community Calendars with the Chamber, KMXT, and the School District to verify other events. The time can also be flexible, but most choose an event beginning between 5:00 and 5:30 ending between 6:00 and 6:30.

What Should a Host Do?

Hosts should be prepared to have light refreshments on hand for between 45-75 people. Alcohol is not a requirement and should only be included if distributed by appropriate venues. Please contact the Chamber about alcohol restrictions.

Hosts should also plan to have one or more door-prize give aways. Remember, the bigger and better the prize, the more attendees you will have!

Naturally, any advertisement (in addition to Chamber ads described below) is appropriate and will impact the number of attendees at the event. You may choose to advertise with KVOK/HOT 101.1 or Kodiak Daily Mirror.

What does the Chamber do?

The Chamber will build interest in the event through multiple advertising avenues including:
  • Digital flyers sent to membership, general email list, and physical flyers posted on community bulletin boards.
  • Print Invitations sent to full membership.
  • Facebook event creation with your business as a co-host.
  • News & Views radio segment will be scheduled if vacancies available.
  • Hotline promotion day of or day prior to event, space permitting.

Any additional questions can be directed to Jena Lowmaster or by calling (907) 486-5557.
A Note from the Solid Waste Advisory Board
There is no such thing as ‘away’ taking out the trash is just the beginning .

This is a new monthly column by the Kodiak Island Borough Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) to make citizens aware of how Kodiak handles all of the items we discard at our homes and businesses. The KIB encourages all citizens to help reduce the amount of materials going into our landfill.

Right now, the call is out for cardboard and aluminum cans which give the biggest payback in the recycling market. The money helps keep Threshold Recycling operating and pay its workers.

GIVE YOUR GARBAGE ANOTHER LIFE!
 
Thousands of cardboard packages come to Kodiak each day and most of it is ending up in the landfill. Cardboard drop off stations are located at the Harbor Spit, Senior Center, Providence Hospital, Bells Flats at former gas pumps, Safeway parking lot, Parkside, Sharatin and the helo pad on Mission Road. Businesses! Threshold will pick up!

Aluminum is the most valuable of all recyclable items.ONE aluminum can equals enough energy to power a TV for 3 hours! Americans toss out $700 million worth of cans every year, according to the US Aluminum Association. When you recycle, no need to crush the cans!  Tin cans also are accepted. Rinse, please!

Threshold, which is on Von Scheele Way right up the road from Safeway, also accepts for recycling batteries, electronics (for a fee), wiring, paper and more. Recycling for plastics is limited to “anything with a neck,” such as milk and juice jugs and bottles. Other plastics are no longer accepted because they have no resale value since China stopped buying US recyclables two years ago. In July 107,433 pounds (nearly 54 tons) of materials were recycled by Threshold.

Where does Kodiak’s recycling end up? It goes to Tacoma, WA via Matson ships.

Landfill Love

Many people ask why the landfill opens late at 10am Monday through Saturday. It is because the employees need several hours to process the trash that is collected and delivered in the early hours by Alaska Waste. Kodiak has a baler landfill – that means all garbage gets compacted into 3,300 pound bales , wrapped with wires, stacked and buried. That takes up a lot of space!

SWAB SALUTES! Henry’s ! … Chartroom/Kodiak Inn ! … Olds River Inn! - for using paper based take-out boxes instead of Styrofoam.

Do you know someone who deserves a Reduce/Reuse/Recycle shout out? Do you have ideas? Comments? Questions? Let us know via the Comments & Questions button at www.kodiakak.us or on Facebook @KodiakIslandBorough.


Thank you for joining the effort to be better caretakers of our beautiful island community!
The Kodiak Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce not one, but two photo contests!

CONTEST#1 – The 2020 Chamber of Commerce Relocation Guide Cover Contest
Open from November 1st – December 16th , this contest is specifically to be featured on the cover of the 2019 Relocation Guide. The winning image will be on the cover and the winner will receive a $400 Visa/Master Card gift card.

CONTEST #2 – The 2020 Chamber of Commerce Annual Photo Contest
Open from November 1st – December 16th , this contest is to find Kodiak’s best images featuring work and play in Kodiak and to have those images fill the pages of the 2020 Kodiak Chamber of Commerce Relocation Guide. The 1st Place winner will receive a $350 Visa/Master Card gift card, 2nd Place winner will receive a $200 Visa/Master Card gift card, 3rd place winner will receive $50 Visa/Master Card gift card.

THE DETAILS AVAILABLE ON THE CHAMBER SITE - http://www.kodiakchamber.org/relocation
Harbor Lights Festival
Kodiak Maritime Museum hosts the 7th Annual Kodiak Harbor Lights Festival on Saturday,
December 21, 5-9 p.m. at St. Paul and St. Herman Harbors, and the Kodiak Convention Center.

The event welcomes the community into the heart of Alaska’s largest fishing fleet and features vessels strung with holiday lights. Prizes will be awarded to the three best decorated boats.

The public is encouraged to walk the docks in the harbors to see the boats, and to cast ballots
afterwards for “Best Decorated Boat” at the Harbor Convention Center. The event is held regardless of weather, so we encourage folks to dress appropriately.

Kodiak Maritime Museum will serve cookies and light refreshments from 5-9 and conduct Best Decorated Boat balloting at the Harbor Convention Center. Live holiday entertainment is also planned. A schedule of performers will be posted on Facebook and the KMM website closer to the date.

The event began as a successor to a long running, but sometimes cancelled, holiday boat parade featuring brightly decorated vessels steaming through the Near Island Channel. December darkness and Kodiak’s notoriously inclement winter weather often made it hard for skippers to safely operate their vessels however, and after the parade was called off one too many times and
participation dwindled, the event was abandoned in the early 2000s.

In 2013, Kodiak Maritime Museum, with support from the City of Kodiak, revitalized the event as the Harbor Lights Festival, updated to encourage boat owners to keep their festively lit up boats moored safely in the harbor. Having the boat in their harbor stalls has made it easier and safer for skippers and crews to participate, and also allowed the community to get up close to the
vessels, and to mingle on the harbor floats with fishermen and their friends and neighbors in a festive atmosphere.

The Festival is supported this year by a grant from the Kodiak Island Borough. Gift certificates for the top three decorated boats have been provided in previous years by Sutliff’s True Value Hardware and refreshments have been contributed by Costsavers.

Every year, dozens of volunteers serve coffee, hot chocolate and cookies to large crowds of residents and visitors. To help with Harbor Lights, or for more information, please contact Kodiak Maritime Museum at 486-0384, or info@kodiakmaritimemuseum.org. Find updates on the event on our Facebook
page and at our website, www.kodiakmaritimemuseum.org .
Get Text Reminders From The Chamber!
Never miss another Chamber educational or networking opportunity, event, Business After Hours or Ribbon Cutting!

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Text KodiakChamber to 31996
4 Alaskan High School Senior Students Chosen for Next Level in Prestigious Scholarship Program
o   Wyatt Alexander @ Family Partnership Charter School
o   Rachael Shaw-Rosenbaum @ West Anchorage High School
o   Cameron Blackwell @ Soldotna High School
o   Eve Downing @ Soldotna High School
 
  • 1,928 high school seniors were selected as Semifinalists from a pool of 93,075 submitted applications from across the country based on their academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in school and community activities. See the full list.

  • The Semifinalists are in the running for 150 college scholarships worth $20,000.
 
4 Local high school seniors have been named as Semifinalists for the 2020 class of the Coca‑Cola Scholars Program, moving to the next round of the selection process to become a Coca-Cola Scholar and receive a $20,000 college scholarship. A joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca‑Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2020 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 6,300 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $72 million in scholarships over the course of 32 years.
 

In addition to receiving college scholarships, those students selected as Coca-Cola Scholars will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing family of alumni that have become a powerful force for positive change in the world. Through networking, collaborations, and friendships, the group strives to make a greater impact together. Recent events and initiatives include the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit , a post-hurricane clean-up in Houston , and the fourth year of a coaching program that partners seasoned alumni with first-year Scholars as they transition to college.
 
Semifinalists are now asked to complete Phase 2 applications, which include essays, recommendations, and transcripts. An independent selection committee will review the applications and select 250 Regional Finalists by the end of January to participate in online or in‑person interviews. 150 Coca‑Cola Scholars will be named in March and come to Atlanta in April for a celebratory banquet and Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni.
 
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation celebrates and empowers visionary leaders who are refreshing the world. With its 31 st  class of Coca-Cola Scholars, the Foundation has provided more than $69 million in scholarships to over 6,150 program alumni who together have become a powerful force for positive change. Learn more at  www.coca-colascholars.org .
Productive Procrastination:
As a business owner, what is the most stressful thought you have? What keeps you up at night? Is it a fear of failing? The anxiety of the future? Worries about hiring, or firing?

Every business owner will inevitably face daunting challenges that he or she must overcome. That’s just the nature of the beast.

But the stressful thoughts – the worries that we conjure in our minds about the unknown – these are not only impacting your emotional state, they’re hindering your path forward. And it’s up to you to make the decision to take back control of your thoughts, adopt a stronger, more focused mindset, and step into the role you were meant for.

In this episode of the Real Breakthrough Series, we’re taking you back to  Business Mastery , where Tony is working with business owners who have given in to their negative beliefs, allowing these thoughts to hinder their path to growth.

Tony helps them understand that the challenge they must overcome is their own psychology. He shows them that these thoughts are ultimately just machinations of their greatest fears – and that they only have power if you believe them. But – if you are ready to step out of these limiting beliefs, then you must adopt the steadfast mindset and unshakeable state of a true leader. So that any negative thought that arises is immediately dismissed. And any challenge that comes your way is seen as an opportunity to grow.
Board of Directors
President  Lindsay Knight
Past President Stacey Simmons                                  
Vice President Julie Bonney                  
Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Sanford
Board Members               
Patrick Cummings · Ellen Simeonoff · Tyler Kornelis · Alex Turner · Ginny Shank · Diane Million · Daniel Eubanks · Tyler Wallace ·
City of Kodiak Representative Mike Tvenge
Kodiak Island Borough Representative Michael Powers
USCG Base Representative Capt. Jeffery Good
USCG Air Station Representative Capt. Bryan Dailey
KEA Representative Darron Scott
Discover Kodiak Representative Aimee Williams
Contact Us
Phone: (907) 486-5557
Executive Director: Sarah Phillips
Community Relations: Jena Lowmaster