Letters to the Editor
Published 2:30 am Thursday, February 19, 2026
Japanese club grateful for partnerships
The Alaska Japanese Club Homer would like to say thank you to the City of Homer, Homer Public Library and Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club for inviting us to share our presentations last week.
And another big thank you to the Homer News for filming our Japanese Taiko drumming performance during the Winter Carnival Parade on Instagram!
Our students, friends and volunteers made over 350 Japanese origami cranes, pieces of a message that says, “Cranes are a symbol of eternal peace and love in Japan. May you have peace and love in your heart.” We could provide over 450 of those origami cranes, messages from our club, Japanese cute stickers from the City of Homer and delicious homemade cookies from Wendell Curney while we were drumming during the parade. We also could send five student ambassadors to our sister city, Teshio, Hokkaido in Japan in 2025.
To our incredible board members and volunteers — thank you for your tireless efforts in making our events a success. To our sponsors, your support has made all of this possible, and we’re deeply grateful. And to each and every attendee — you are the heart and soul of the appreciation, presentations and our Japanese Taiko drumming performances. Your enthusiasm, expertise and willingness to engage have made these past few years truly special.
Our next student ambassador delegation to Teshio is scheduled for 2027.
We thank you all for your support and for your desire to help us succeed in this journey.
We look forward to our continued partnership.
Megumi Beams
Homer
Our neighborhood
Over the past few years some of our neighbors have gathered our numbers onto a group text. One of the households recently built the growing group onto a group text called “The Neighborhood.” We send out aurora, bear and moose alerts, ask about subdivision road conditions before driving out, look for missing cats and dogs, and other things. I am so grateful for our wonderful neighbors!
We look out for each other.
With Duffy Murnane’s murder proceedings now coming to an end it seems we need to remind ourselves how important it is to look out for each other.
Put your cell phones down and look around. Get to know your neighbors. Take walks on your roads and say “hey.” Maybe spark up a conversation and make a new friend.
Look out for each other.
Therese Lewandowski
Homer
Grateful for municipal partnership
On behalf of Homer Council on the Arts, I’m writing to express our gratitude for the City of Homer Grants Program, administered by the Homer Foundation, which supported HCOA throughout fiscal year 2025. This is one of few unrestricted grants that help us “keep the lights on” so that we can program arts education, performances, and artist opportunities in our community.
This past year we hosted ceramics classes, workshops, gallery exhibits, six touring performances, spring and summer camps, the Nutcracker Faire, and more! HCOA can only present these programs with the support of organizational partnerships, business sponsorship, membership, grants, and donations. The City of Homer is invaluable both as a municipal partner and in this financial support. Thank you!
Scott Bartlett, Executive Director
Homer Council on the Arts
