United Way of Southeast Alaska
Elects Board Officers
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United Way of Southeast Alaska recently held its annual election of
members and officers. The board recognized outgoing board members and elected officers for the coming year.
Board member Joy Lyon, representing the small Partner Agencies, and recently retired, has stepped down after serving on the United Way board since she was first elected in January of 2018.
Board Member William Paneak has accepted a new position in Anchorage and stepped down after serving since January of 2020.
Past Chair Warren Russell acknowledged the contributions of both members and noted: “their service was deeply appreciated and their presence on the board would be truly missed.”
Board members Millie Ryan and Desiree Smith were re-elected to the board for three-year terms expiring in January of 2025.
During the Annual Zoom Meeting Past Chair Warren Russell thanked and welcomed newly elected and re-elected board members for their willingness to serve saying “our board members bring with them great energy and talents that will serve United Way well."
Emil Mackey was elected to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors for 2022. He is the owner of the local COUNTRY Financial office. Mr. Mackey will lead the 11-member board which is the governing body for the United Way of Southeast Alaska.
Other elected officers are Millie Ryan as Secretary, Theresa Belton as Treasurer, and Warren Russell as Past Chair, as he has stepped down from the Chair position after serving two terms as Chair of the Board.
One of the first items of business for the new board will be to review the current strategic plan and set direction for the organization for the coming year while maintaining the ongoing programs United Way of Southeast Alaska currently delivers.
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Shauna Thornton and Loren Jones Elected to Board of Directors of
United Way of Southeast Alaska
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United Way of Southeast Alaska is pleased to welcome new board members Shauna Thornton and Loren Jones, Ms. Thornton, and Mr. Jones were recently elected to serve our the Board of Directors. Both served as campaign Co-chairs for the 2021 fall workplace campaign for United Way.
Shauna Thornton currently serves as Branch Manager Lending with First National Bank Alaska in Sitka. Shauna has lived in various parts of Alaska since arriving here 30 years ago from Salt Lake City, Utah. She is actively engaged in Sitka with a multitude of organizations including Sitka Legacy Fund, Sitka Historical Society and Museum, Youth Advocates Sitka, SAFV-Sitkans Against Family Violence, Brave Heart Volunteers, City of Sitka Ports and Harbor Commission, Rotary, Salvation Army Advisory Board, Center for Community, Ocean Waves Quilt Guild. “Shauna says “I like giving back to the community I live in because my community gives so much to me.”
Loren Jones stepped down after nine years of service to the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly. Currently retired, Loren previously worked for the City and Borough of Juneau as an alcohol counselor and the State of Alaska as Director of the state Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Loren served on the Alaska Marijuana Control Board for six years. His community involvement has included the Juneau World Affairs Council, Hospice and Home Care/Catholic Community Services and he is currently working with the American Red Cross Southeast Alaska offices. Loren notes that “I have been a contributor for 40 years both via State Share Campaign and after that as an individual donor. The opportunity presented to further contribute by serving on the board was ideal for me.”
Chair Emil Mackey welcomed Shauna and Loren to the board, noting that since 1974, United Way of Southeast Alaska has been working to “advance the common good” by recruiting people and organizations throughout the region to identify community issues, focus a response and effect change.
With its recent “Live United” movement—based on the idea that extending a hand to one improves society for all—the United Way outlines a simple strategy for those wishing to take part in Southeast Alaska’s philanthropic process: “Give, Advocate, Volunteer.” Chair Mackey noted that both Ms. Thornton and Mr. Jones are leaders in their respective communities, and both will be valuable additions to the United Way board.
To learn more about United Way and its thirty-four partner agencies, visit www.unitedwayseak.org or donate below.
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AmeriCorps Members Served Breakfast
for MLK Day at Glory Hall
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Rising bright and early, several AmeriCorps members headed out to the Glory Hall to prepare a warm breakfast for Juneau’s homeless population. Filling their plates high with eggs, sausages, and homemade banana bread prepared by AmeriCorps members the day before, put beautiful smiles on their faces. Warm breakfasts are not normally served at the Glory Hall so this made the start of this day a special one.
Though temperatures hovered around freezing on Saturday, January 17, AmeriCorps members inside St. Paul the Apostle Church in the Mendenhall Valley emanated warmth during the MLK Day of Service. Americorps members collaborated with the Black Awareness Association of Juneau to collect food, household, and personal hygiene items
donated to the Glory Hall and the AWARE shelter.
Not only were items collected at the church, but at Super Bear IGA in the Mendenhall Valley and the Foodland IGA downtown. During these times of isolation and unprecedented challenges, it was relieving to see people all around the community come together to donate to the mountain of pillows, shelf-stable food items, and toothpaste for people in need.
In 1994, the U.S. Congress designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a National Day of Service. Rather than just a day off of work, Americans are encouraged to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy through acts of volunteerism — something the AmeriCorps Juneau team strives for.
Though the MLK Day of Service concludes the Americorps members' obligated service days, we are still constantly searching for ways to benefit the community — mandatory or not.
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File Your PFD by March 31, and
Don't Forget to Pick. Click. Give.
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March 31, 2022, is the deadline to file an application for your PFD. If you have already submitted your 2022 PFD application and need to provide additional information or forms, documentation can be submitted after the deadline.
Paper applications must be received by the office during regular business hours (10 AM - 4 PM) or postmarked no later than March 31, to be considered timely. Applications received or postmarked after March 31 will be denied.
The easiest way to file is online and must be submitted by 11:59 PM on March 31st. It takes just a few minutes, and you will get a confirmation number once it’s submitted. Don’t delay…file today!
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And once you have filed for your PFD you can make a donation to your favorite nonprofit through Pick. Click. Give.
United Way of Southeast Alaska is one of the many nonprofits participating in the program. Your support is truly appreciated.
How to Pick.Click.Give.
Pick.Click.Give. is available to Alaskans who file for their Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) online. Applicants may choose to contribute to one or more organizations in $25 increments, up to the entire amount of the dividend.
You may apply for your PFD using the below link. You will be asked within the PFD application if you’d like to participate in Pick.Click.Give. and if you do, to make your selection of a nonprofit and what amount you’d like to give. If you have already submitted your PFD application you can still add or change a pledge by following the link below, then select the green ‘Add or change your Pick.Click.Give. donation’ button.
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AmeriCorps Member Service Spotlight: Sarah Reed |
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Where are you from?
I’m from Fairbanks, AK, about 700 miles north of Juneau and apparently much less friendly.
Why did you decide to come to Juneau for AmeriCorps?
I came to Juneau because I was tired of living in the Lower 48 (too many damn bugs) and wanted to be closer to my family, and I hadn’t lived in Juneau before so it was somewhere new.
Where are you currently serving?
I serve at Riverbend Elementary School as a Literacy Program Support Assistant.
Have you learned anything new this year?
I’m enjoying my service year! I’ve learned some cool stuff about working with kids and how kids learn to read. I also learned that most kids don’t understand the whole “camouflage is invisible” joke (a true classic imo) and so I’ve been having a lot of fun with that. Kids are funny.
Your term here ends in a few months, do you know what’s next for you?
I’m actually thinking about staying on for another year, possibly/preferably at the same site, while I apply to grad school (wanna cultivate those relationships and learn more about speech pathology in schools).
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Rain or Shine
Learning All the Time
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When children feel secure, they learn to regulate their emotions and become curious confident communicators. |
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