The Alaska Regional Office of the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society would like to thank the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company for their generous donation, which helped in the publication of this newsletter
1998 Alaska Regional NAFWS Thank You's
This conference was successful due to the hard work and contributions of our Alaska Regional Directors, Adelheid Herrmann and Larry Merculieff. It wouldn't have been possible without the vision, and again, hard work, of the conference planning committee: Aquilina Bourdukofsky, Karin Holser, Jack Lorrigan, Wendy Neilson, Angie Olrun, Orville Huntington, George Owletuck, Cathy Rezabec and Joanne Witta.
Thank you to the NAFWS national office staff for their untiring support. We’ve appreciated the contributions of Ken Poynter, (Executive Director and favorite questionable joke source) Ron Rodgers, (our Grants Administrator and great guy) Sally Carufel-Williams, (our Summer Youth Practicum Coordinator who takes such wonderful care of our young people), Patrick Durhamn (Technical Services Director also known as “the technical guy”), and Mr. David Lee (our bookkeeper and resident Elder.) In Alaska, our great appreciation to Lianna Jack, Technical Editor, for her skills, dedication and long hours. Also to Joanne Witta, Conference Coordinator, who sincerely, warmly, and with some success, tried to organize us. Always, our warmest thanks to that remarkable woman, Karin Holser.
This conference enjoyed outstanding support from the USFWS, USDA Forest Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Many of their employees attended, and their contributions really added to the conference. We also appreciate their generosity with their expertise, insight and experience.
An wonderful, fun, and profitable auction was held to benefit the Alaska Regional Scholarship fund. Thanks to the auctioneers, Larry Merculieff and Perry Eaton, and many, many donors, enough was raised so the Alaska region was able to make one scholarship award this spring, and two awards this fall. Special thanks to Howard Luke, for his generous gift of a beautiful, hand made sled. Thanks to Barbara Carlson, The Nature Conservancy, Shirley Kelly, Dr. Dolly Garza, Patty and Dewey Schwalenberg, Ray Nielson Jr., Adelheid Herrmann, Artique, and Alaska Native Arts and Crafts for their donations of auction items. Thank you to the Tlingit & Haida Dancers for your contribution to the regional scholarship fund. There were many, many other donors, and we extend a special thanks to each one. Without each of you, the Alaska Regional Scholarship program could not continue.
As always, the Traditional feast was, well, really, really, delicious. Thank you to Adelheid Herrmann and 10th & M Seafood for the delicious caribou, Alaska Gourmet Seafood, Ray Neilson Jr. and Jack Lorrigan for herring eggs, rockfish and fresh salmon. Special thanks to the cooks, Ray Neilson Jr., Edna Swindels, Candy Asplund, Violet Wilson, and John Harris for their hard work. They prepared a wonderful dinner of traditional foods for more than 250 people. Thank you to all the dance groups for the precious gifts of your songs and cultures. We look forward to seeing you again next year. A warm thank you to the Native Assembly Church and Pastor Mike Hobson for loaning your kitchen to prepare herring eggs. Special recognition to Ray Nielson Jr. for his tireless fund-raising, excellent cooking, and most importantly, for sharing his knowledge of traditional resource management practices.
There are so many people and organizations to thank for their support. Without each of their contributions, the conference would not have been as successful. Thank you to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, CIRI Heritage Foundation, the Environment and Natural Resource Institute of UAA, National Bank of Alaska, the Nature Conservancy of Alaska and Northern Air Cargo for their generous donations. For anyone who has been left of this list, please accept our apologies and call us directly, so we may publish a correction.
Gunalcheesh, Michelle Davis
The Alaska Regional Office of the Native American Fish & Wildlife
Society would like to thank the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company for their
generous donation, which helped in the publication of this newsletter
