Willow Fund support appreciated

For the last eight years artist residencies have been a hallmark of Bunnell’s niche in Homer. We presented seven residencies this year, ranging in length from five days to two months. Our residencies included solo artists and touring companies, always with deep community engagement in mind. With all of these residencies we provided workshops, artist talks, receptions and exhibits or performances. Residences enlivened Bunnell as an interactive studio for community enrichment. More importantly, residencies sustain our creative placemaking efforts — strengthening the social, physical and economic fiber of our community — through the arts. We are grateful to the Homer Foundation’s Willow Fund for a $4,000 grant to support this program.

Bunnell’s residencies featured both local and international artists. The residencies artists included Mandy Bernard (Homer installation/visual arts), Super Saturated Sugar Strings (Alaska folk band), ALAXSXA – Ping Chong Theater for both creation and performance residencies (puppetry, Yu’pik mU.S.ic and dance, video and theater), Spiritrials (West-Coast spoken word, dj, video), Gwendolen Chatfield (Scottish singer/dancer), Wild Shore (new chamber music presented by New York-based Alaskan musicians) and Sheila Wyne (Anchorage fiber/wearable artist). More information and images are available at bunnellarts.org under Artist in Residence at the drop-down menu “What We Do,” including current year AIR activities and our AIR archive. Currently, our call for applications to Bunnell’s 2018 residency program is open at callforentry.org until November 30.

Homer Foundation’s Willow Fund grant of $4,000 was matched by $32,860 in cash support and $22,940 in-kind. Cash support included $15,829 in program fees/admissions and $17,000 in grants. We are grateful for support from the Willow Fund to continue our work.

Sincerely,

Asia Freeman, Artistic Director

Bunnell Street Arts Center

Grateful for Foundation support

The Pratt Museum would like to thank the Homer Foundation for generously supporting the tour of the Tahitian performance group, Te’arama. Between Aug. 13 and 22, 2017, 17 dancers and musicians from the Seattle-based group traveled to the Kenai Peninsula. The group conducted cultural exchanges with the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, Ninilchik Traditional Council, Nanwalek Village and Port Graham Village. In Homer, the Pratt Museum partnered with the Homer Council on the Arts to present Te’arama workshops and performance as part of the inaugural Aerial and Dance Festival.

This tour grew out of Tamamta Katurlluta, the Gathering of Native Tradition, which has brought touring cultural groups into Homer and, when feasible, to these neighboring communities. Financial support from the Homer Foundation helped to cover the costs of local housing for this large ensemble. The Homer Foundation’s support has directly increased regional cultural enrichment opportunities, allowing the Pratt Museum to travel a performing group to these villages for the first time in many years. As we have wrapped up the final details of this project, feedback from all of the participating communities and audience has been resoundingly enthusiastic, showing the very broad and positive impact of the Homer Foundation’s support.

Sincerely,

Laurie Stuart, Executive Director

Pratt Museum

Donations to R.E.C. Room helped

Our community rallies together so often to make positive change, doesn’t it? Sometimes it is in acute moments of need, and others for the long haul.

There are several community groups and individuals who have realized that repetitive, regular contributions are a key factor in sustaining stable long-term programs.

At the R.E.C. Room many of our supply needs are ongoing; and we are fortunate and grateful to have a significant share of the participants’ recurring necessities met consistently and unprompted. Not only does this support our budget, it allows staff to focus on other aspects of tending a supportive, creative, accessible, inclusive resource for 12-18 year olds.

Rotary Club of Homer Downtown regularly bring healthy snack ingredients for the teens to share; I wish they could hear the enjoyment and appreciation the teens express. Recently they also brought personal hygiene kits for us to distribute to R.E.C. participants who need them. These kits were a collaborative effort that included toothpaste and toothbrushes donated by Homer Dental Center and Eagle Dental.

Youth programs can also be supported by participation in the Rotary Club of Homer Downtown’s auction at the Elks on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Earlier this year Karen Weston requested that we provide her with a grocery list, since then she has replenished our pantry multiple times. Josh Cooper and Kostas Taxi, are also a repeat donor; since the CARTS taxi voucher system elapsed they have provided coupons for cab rides at their own expense — this generosity makes the difference in accessing healthy resources for several of our youth.

During recent school presentations, our friends and supporters in Port Graham and Nanwalek generously accommodated and hosted our Peer Education staff, providing comfort when we were stuck due to weather.

Other recent financial and in-kind support has come from families with R.E.C. Room teens, and Dr. Rene and Suzanne Alvarez.

The R.E.C. Room is open for youth Monday-Friday 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Please contact recroom@kbfpc.org for further information.

Appreciatively,

Anna Meredith

KBFPC’s R.E.C. Room

Coast Guard’s Haunted Hickory supported food pantry

Homer Coast Guard personnel have once again provided an evening of safe Halloween fun, filled with joyful screams as young and old braved the Haunted Hickory. The joy of that evening will echo on as the Homer Community Food Pantry distributes over 2600 pounds of canned goods collected by the Coast Guard during that event. On average 650-750 cans of food are passed out to the 125-150 households who visit the Pantry each week, On behalf of the Homer Community Food Pantry board of directors, the volunteers and clients I thank the Coast Guard and the community for the bounty of food received. A special thank you also to Chris Story who provided a truck to move all of that food into storage.

While the Coast Guard event resulted in a bounty of food there are other community businesses who contribute silently but steadily throughout the year. We would like to thank Safeway, Save U More, Homerun Oil, Essential One, and The Washboard. These businesses allow the Food Pantry to carry out our mission to help provide emergency services whether it be food, fuel, laundry or energy needs.

In addition to the above blessings the Food Pantry has been gifted with the proceeds from a chili dinner held by the local Kenai Peninsula College senior nursing students. Their thoughtfulness in making this donation portends well for these students who will soon embark on nursing careers. Thank you Senior Nursing Students of KPCC.

With sincere gratitude,

Deborah Smith HCFP Board Member

Thanks for Tiny Dances help

What a lovely evening! Homer Council on the Arts would like to extend a huge “Thank you!” to everyone that helped with Tiny Dances, an intimate evening of performances, fabulous food, and stimulating conversation. With the help of dancers Kara Clemens, Bridget Doran, Anne Gittinger, Susan Johnson, Amanda Johnston, Craig Philips, Polly Prindle-Hess, Susannah Webster, Miranda Weiss, Kirsten Wright-Cook, technical crew Tim Quinn, and Clayton Rogers, and stage manager Maggie Goedeke, the audience was thoroughly captivated and entertained. Cooks Lynn Burt, Shari Daugherty, Kathy George, Cathy McCarthy, Mary Fries, Elisa RU.S.s, and Lynn Spence created a delicious menu made with love. Volunteers Linda Robinson, Sallie Keene, Cathy Stingley, and Christina Whiting helped to keep the event running smoothly. We are so grateful for your support and look forward to many more events to come! A special thank you to Grace Ridge Brewing Company for their generous contributions.

Peggy Paver, Executive Director

Homer Council on the Arts

Ritz Noir support appreciated

The Pratt Museum sincerely thanks all of those who were able to attend the 2017 Ritz Noir fundraiser at the Museum on October 21. Attendees brought their enthusiasm for the Museum and some uniquely elegant style to this fun celebration. The money raised through this event will support ongoing education programs and collections care.

Our Thanksgiving wish, to assist another community in need, also came true this year! Thanks to the generous support of those who purchased tickets and participated in the auctions at the Ritz, the Pratt Museum will be sending $1,500 to the organization Direct Relief. Direct Relief is currently focused on supporting healthcare services in the Caribbean and Puerto Rican communities most impacted by Hurricane Maria. The lack of electricity and supplies in those areas has made people who rely on the healthcare network particularly vulnerable. The Museum is grateful to live and operate in a community that values sustainability, resilience, and neighborliness.

The Museum also thanks First National Bank of Alaska for their event sponsorship, as well as the Grog Shop for their generous supply of libations. Next year, the Pratt Museum marks its 50th anniversary as a community museum and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Sincerely,

Laurie Stuart, Executive Director

Pratt Museum