Transitioning into the Holidays

Having a change in staffing at Nome Community Center and a background in planning events, I was once again in charge of the Community Thanksgiving Meal this year.  I kept it fairly similar to last year, but was able to tweak numbers to avoid too many leftovers.  We handed out about 250 meals again this year!  All were welcomed to the event and we encourage people to come have a sit down meal and converse with others. The chairs were all filled for the first hour and half, which was so wonderful! Then we had another large hand out of food towards the end for those who wanted to take their meals with them, especially to loved ones who were unable to attend. I was quite pleased with the turn out and how smooth things ran, but I was sure tired by the end of the event. After traveling twice in November, planning the community meal, and still maintaining my regular responsibilities, it was nice to have a three day weekend.  I made sure to keep those three days wide open for a chance to rest and rejuvenate.  Greg and I got to join friends for a refreshingly cold walk with our dogs in the rising sun, which was about 11am. We also used the time to get in touch with
our artsy side to make ornaments and other decorations for fun.  Greg put up our pallet board Christmas tree that he made last year and we decorated it. I also spent some time at the pottery studio working on some pottery pieces.  With my schedule changes this year, I was finally able to sign up for a community class and it has been so much fun.  I'm learning a lot, getting to know more people, and will hopefully have some pottery pieces worth keeping! Greg and I are still actively involved with the ambulance department.  We've been assisting the EMT 1 class and are helping our new recruits learn the ropes.

As the temperature continues to drop, Greg and I continue to find new and exciting things to do in Nome. We finally went ice skating for the first time since we've been here.  Greg is hoping to set his own crab pot this year, too (I'm sure there will be a blog post on it at some point!). It is definitely colder this winter here in Nome.  Some days if my skin isn't covered, it burns.  I have to be really careful about my choice of layers based on how long I plan to be outside.  It's not unusual to see people with face masks and hoods on here.  There are still some kids that don't wear coats or gloves, though, and it just blows my mind.

Now I am getting ready for the Boys & Girls Club Christmas party and many other events I will be attending over this month.  Greg and I also plan to deliver presents with Santa on the ambulance Christmas Eve.  The sun may not shine very long in Nome, but the events and our schedules continue to be busy!

We enjoyed a hike out of town with the rising sun and friends.

Conference here, Conference there, and another Conference!

Greg and I had the privilege of joining the Alaska United Methodist Church Workers retreat in October.  We were able to make connections to people of all different backgrounds all over Alaska. It was amazing to compare our communities and share stories. Alaska is so vast and unique.  Even though we all live in the same state, our climates and geography are so different from one another. Even though the community sizes may vary, the weather drastically different, and the dynamics unique, we all share similar struggles and joys and just love for others. We also enjoyed relaxing and rejuvenating with the theme of Sabbath for the retreat.  It was a much needed step back from our busy life to breathe and enjoy the nature setting of Birchwood Camp in Chugiak.  Not only did we get to enjoy meeting new people and spending time focusing on Sabbath and God, we also got to meet the new Bishop, Elaine Stanovsky.

I was also able to attend two Conferences in November for the second time.  The first was for the Alaska Afterschool Network conference, which I attended as the representative for Nome Boys & Girls Club.  I was able to regain some energy for our programs and I acquired some new ideas and resources.  I also continued to build relationships with other afterschool programs in the region. This was a very jam-packed conference, so it was tiring, but well worth it. I loved being able to hear about all the different ways that people are engaging youth and providing opportunities and empowerment.

The second conference I attended was as a chaperone for two high school ladies.  Lead On is a conference for high school youth who want to be leaders in their community. It is amazing to see the transformation that happen with these youth in just the short amount of time during the conference. Youth become empowered and are able to express themselves wholeheartedly. These individuals want to make a difference and Lead On gives them tools and opportunities to help make that happen.  We heard quite a few success stories while we were there from other Lead On attenders from over the years. The two ladies that I chaperoned thought about what they see in our community, both positive and negative, and what they would like to see in our community.  They decided to focus on positive outlook and attitude this year by leading a positive campaign and making a video.  Youth in our community often struggle with positive attitude and hope for the future. There is often a feeling of being "stuck" and isolated, especially in rural Alaska, which is one of the highest suicide rates in the country. I'm excited to support these two as they embrace this goal.  They were lots of fun to chaperone on our trip and I look forward to continuing that relationship throughout the year.