About Town Crier

The announcements section of Town Crier is a public service provided to individuals, nonprofit agencies and community groups.

Short announcements are generally run for two weeks, but are subject to space availability. Notices and obituaries may be edited for length, style and clarity. Events will be listed in the Calendar page.

Send notices to Homer News, 3482 Landings St., Homer 99603, fax to 235-4199, or e-mail to towncrier@homernews.com. Deadline is noon Monday to be considered for Thursday publication.

There will be a You-Can-Make-A-Difference-At-The-Border fundraiser from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday at Grace Ridge Brewing, 3388 B St., off Ocean Drive.

The simple event will provide several ways individuals can help make life better for those at the border who are seeking a better life in the United States:

■ Buy a taco or drink a beer, or both, with $1 for every taco sold and $1 for every pint sold going to help organizations providing aid to those detained at the border.

■ Learn how to make much needed hygiene kits or donate to the hygiene kit project. There will be an opportunity to put the kits together later this summer. The goal is to send 400 kits from Homer. The kits will be distributed to transitional centers along the border.

■ Get information about Homer resident Lucas Wilcox’s nonprofit organization, Altruist Relief Kitchens, or ARK. Wilcox currently divides his time between Homer and Tijuana, Mexico, where ARK volunteers feed refugees. You can learn how best to help ARK and its work with refugees.

■ Write to elected leaders encouraging change at the border.

■ Connect with others who want to help relieve the current crisis. If you have ideas or can help with the event or want to donate but aren’t available July 11, give organizers a call at 399-7767 (Lori Evans) or 399-5200 (Sherry Stead).

The Anchor Point Fire & Emergency Medical Service Area Board will hold its next board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday July 17 at the Anchor Point Fire Station, 72440 Milo Fritz Ave. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, call 235-6700.

Please report sandhill crane sightings to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org. Date, time, location, behavior, and number of cranes is helpful. Leave a name and number in case they need more details.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Homer Annex has moved to its new location at 638 East Pioneer Ave. in the Homer Borough Maintenance building east of the Homer Volunteer Fire Department. The annex door is to the right of the double garage doors. For more information call 235-9837.

Kenai Peninsula Votes tidbit by Alex Koplin:

Why is Minnesota one of the strongest voting states in our country? There are numerous reasons why Minnesota is successful with their voter turnout. They have same day voting registration to vote in all elections. (Alaska has same day voting registration when voting for President and Vice President). The Secretary of State of Minnesota, Steve Simon, and other state employees, do various activities to promote voting: they go out into the community and encourage people to vote, they make local ads, they have sports teams and local celebrities promote voting, they run statewide mock elections in local high schools. They do many positive promotions and it works.

In the 2018 mid-term election, Minnesota had a 64% voter turnout. In Duluth, alone, there was a 72% voter turnout for this past midterm.

In comparison, for the 2018 midterm elections, the Kenai Peninsula had a 58% voter turnout and the state had a 54% voter turnout. The United States had a 47% total voter turnout for this past midterm which was the second highest midterm since 1966 when 49% of the registered voters voted. However, the one thing Secretary of State Steve Simon made clear was that strong voting laws won’t get more people to vote. There is a group of people that have a, “strong cynicism towards government, and that can’t be overlooked when encouraging more people to vote.”

So, whatever we can do to get more people to vote, one of the keys is to talk about it. Make it the cool thing to do.

Ultimate Frisbee group meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at the Homer High School turf field. Contact: Sunny at 441-0314.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Solid Waste facilities are now open seven days a week through September. Hours are 8 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, contact the KPB Solid Waste Department at 907-262-9667.

Anchor Point Senior Citizens

The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Avenue, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday.

The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Bingo is at 6:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. on Friday nights. The Helping Hands Thrift Store is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. For information, call 235-7786.

Friendship Center

Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations.

Programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. Call 235-4556.

Homer Senior Citizens

The Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Lunch costs $7 for seniors age 60 and older, and $15 for those under 60.

Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Homer Senior Center.

Zumba Gold classes with Maria are 11 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Homer Senior Center.

Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 3 p.m.

Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Call Daniel Weisser at 235-4555. Duplicate Bridge is $3 for members and $5 for non-members.

Strong Women, Zumba and Tai Chi are $5 for members and $7 for non-members.

Pratt Museum

The Pratt Museum has reopened for the season, with hours daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Register for fall 2019 classes now. Save your space and register early. Payments aren’t due until September. The new fall schedule is out this week. Come by the college and pick one up, or look for them throughout the town.

Computer Game Design and Virtual Reality App Development for-credit classes are offered this fall. Sign up now before the classes are full. Call 235-7743 or visit http://www.kpc.alaska.edu/ to register.

Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center

The Islands & Ocean Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ranger-led talks and walks are Sundays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. All programs are free of charge.

South Peninsula Hospital

Homer Medical Center offers free sports physicals at a one-day clinic on Saturday, July 20 for high school students who need a physical for participation in school sanctioned activities. Appointments are not required, and exams are offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the clinic on Bartlett Street. Exams are offered free of charge by Homer Medical Center providers. Parents are asked to complete the History Form (and if applicable the Special Needs Supplemental form) and bring this entire document with them. Additional information and the form can be found online at homermedical.org or by calling the clinic at 235-8586.