rural cap`s - Village Voices Newsletter

RurAL CAP’s Village Voices
WINTER 2008
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Board
President’s
Message
Executive
Director’s
Message
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RURAL CAP’S
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Pe o p
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Outmigration along the
Iditarod Trail
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Digital Television Conversion
in February 2009
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Sarah Scanlan
named
Deputy Director
Village Voices
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Developing socialization skills is an important part of Ketchikan Head Start
Photo by David Hardenbergh
RurAL CAP’s
Message from the Board President:
Energy Reflections
RURAL CAP
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Andrew Ebona, President
Mike Williams, Vice President
Taqulik Hepa, Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Anthony Nakazawa, Committee Member
Dina Rayburn, Committee Member
Diane DiSanto, Committee Member
Target Area Representatives
Andrew Ebona, Alaska Native Brotherhood
Boris Merculief, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
Wassilie Bavilla, Association of Village Council
Presidents, Inc.
Ted Angasan, Bristol Bay Native Association
Dina Rayburn, Child Development Policy Council
Benna Hughey, Chugachmiut
Robert Marshall, Copper River Native Association
Steve Longley, Kawerak, Inc.
Olga Malutin, Kodiak Area Native Association
Louie Commack, Jr., Maniilaq Association
Dr. Al Ketzler, Sr., Tanana Chiefs Conference
Dewey Skan, Jr., Tlingit-Haida Central Council
Private Sector Representatives
Reverend David Fison, Alaska Christian Conference
Mike Williams, Alaska Inter-Tribal Council
Andy Harrington, Alaska Legal Services Corporation
Dr. Anthony Nakazawa, Alaska Cooperative Extension Service
Public Sector Representatives
Representative Bryce Edgmon, Alaska Bush Caucus
Paul Sugar, Alaska Dept. of Education & Early Dev.
Rhonda McBride, Office of the Governor & Lt. Governor of Alaska
Eleanor Yatlin, Huslia Tribal Council
Diane DiSanto, Municipality of Anchorage
Taqulik Hepa, North Slope Borough
Ron Moto, Sr., Northwest Arctic Borough
Bernice Joseph, University of Alaska
by Andrew Ebona
Many tribal governments, school districts,
health clinics, and other businesses and
organizations are looking at renewable energy
solutions out of need — not choice. Rural
Alaskans have an opportunity to become the
leaders in implementing new and innovative
technology for renewable energy.
The cost of energy and other basic living
expenses continues to increase. The extremely
high costs of food, heating fuel, gas and propane
are hurting rural Alaskans.
Takotna residents, like many rural Alaskans,
must purchase their heating fuel and gas in
bulk before winter comes. They often buy only
what they can afford, and as a result some
may run out toward the end of winter. If it is
a particularly cold winter, they may run out
sooner. The residents of this community are
fortunate in that they are able to replenish their
supplies from McGrath if absolutely needed.
Takotna is about a two-hour snow machine
ride away or a ten minute flight from McGrath.
Many remote rural Alaskan communities are
not as fortunate to be near other communities
and may be separated by sea, mountainous
land, or extreme weather conditions.
There are other challenges to accessing emergency
sources of fuel. Temperatures in this area along
the Iditarod Trail regularly drop to 48 below zero
Fahrenheit in February, and most smaller air
carriers do not travel at 40 below or colder. Delays
due to extreme winter weather conditions are the
norm for this and other areas of Alaska.
Another challenge is that many of the fuel
and air service providers doing business
in remote rural Alaska have a monopoly on
the market. The market is usually not large
enough to support competition.
2
Monthly energy bills in remote rural Alaska are
skyrocketing and as prices go up they stay up.
According to a report by the Institute of Social
and Economic Research, in mid-2007, “energy
from fuel oil in Bethel was roughly four times
more expensive than energy from natural gas
in Anchorage.” Most people living in remote
rural villages depend on fuel oil and electricity
for heating their homes, whereas people in
Anchorage rely primarily on natural gas, which
is less expensive than fuel oil.
Andrew Ebona,
RurAL CAP Board President
Basic Costs Comparison
Nikolai
1 Quart Milk
$3.75
18 eggs
$6.75
1 Gallon Heating Fuel $6.00
1 Gallon Gas
$6.75
1 Propane Tank
$200.00
(100 lbs.)
Takotna
$3.75
$7.03
$4.20
$4.80
$250.00
McGrath
$3.29
$6.00
$4.92
$5.73
$190.00
New and innovative technology for renewable
energy sources include biomass, geothermal,
hydroelectric, ocean (through tides), solar
and wind. Utilizing these potential renewable
energy sources is part of the long-term solution
to solving the energy crisis in Alaska. These
energy sources need to be studied and tested.
The Alaska legislature is currently discussing
ways to fund renewable energy options.
Energy assistance programs or fuel subsidy
programs are helping but are short-term in
nature and cannot last forever. Power cost
equalization helps electric utilities combat the
high fuel costs, but electric utilities continue
to rely on a fuel source that is non-renewable.
Energy conservation is a big part of the solution
to addressing the energy crisis. Communities
are banding together to create regional energy
co-ops to purchase fuel in bulk.
Continued on Page 8...
Village Voices
WINTER 2008
Message from the Executive Director:
AmeriCorps and VISTA Members
“Get Things Done”
David Hardenbergh,
RurAL CAP Executive Director
by David Hardenbergh
While staying true to their mantra to ‘get things done’
in rural Alaska, AmeriCorps and VISTA members are
making a huge difference in their communities.
On February 1, 2008, I attended a ceremony to
celebrate AmeriCorps members who completed their
term of national service in Alaska and new AmeriCorps
members sworn in to a year of service. Thirty-five new
RurAL CAP AmeriCorps members and 10 new RurAL
CAP VISTA members embarked on a year of service.
RurAL CAP’s AmeriCorps programs respond to
local concerns by designing and implementing
appropriate local solutions. AmeriCorps members
bring education, training, and services to their
communities, while gaining valuable training, skills
and experience working in their communities. They
also earn an education award after completing their
service. RurAL CAP supports three AmeriCorps
programs and two VISTA programs across Alaska.
In 2007, Ben Johnson, a second-year RAVEN
AmeriCorps Member, won a $40,000 award from the
Alaska Federation of Natives’ Alaska Marketplace
competition. Ben’s project is to develop an alternative
heating source from the large amounts of wood
waste around Petersburg. Ben also created fertilizer
out of compost for use with gardening and house
plants. He, like many other AmeriCorps members, is
working to create local solutions to local problems.
Anna May Ferguson, a 2005 and 2006 BIRCH
AmeriCorps member in Togiak, established the
UNITY Youth Council, along with many other
successful wellness initiatives involving youth. Anna
May now mentors and supervises Rena Nanalook,
the 2007-2008 AmeriCorps member in Togiak. Anna
May currently works with the Traditional Council’s
ICWA and Tribal Youth Court programs, in addition
to serving as Advisor for the UNITY council.
Many of RurAL CAP AmeriCorps and VISTA
members are planning activities throughout the year
in a community near you. Look for an upcoming
health fair in or near your community. Thank you to
the thousands of volunteers who have continued to
help members with their projects to clean up waste,
plan cultural activities, and create community plans.
During the AmeriCorps ceremony, Roberta Blunka,
a second-year BIRCH AmeriCorps member
from New Stuyahok, said, “While serving as an
AmeriCorps member, I quit smoking cigarettes and
became more aware of making healthier choices in
my lifestyle.” The AmeriCorps and VISTA programs
help members to grow personally and professionally.
They also make positive and lasting impacts in their
communities. As we enter a new year, RurAL CAP
applauds the difference AmeriCorps and VISTA
members are making in their communities. RurAL CAP AmeriCorps &
VISTA Programs
Building Initiatives in Rural Community Health
(BIRCH) AmeriCorps
BIRCH AmeriCorps members help create healthy
individuals and communities by assessing community
needs, developing an awareness of resources, and
identifying and teaching positive behaviors.
Rural Alaska Village Environmental Network
(RAVEN) Youth Development AmeriCorps
RAVEN AmeriCorps members improve environmental
conditions through youth education, pollution prevention,
community clean-up efforts, energy conservation, recycling
and other solid waste management projects across Alaska.
Students In Service (SIS) AmeriCorps
SIS AmeriCorps members address social and health issues,
including domestic violence, suicide, alcohol and drug abuse,
employment and training, teen pregnancy, corrections and
juvenile delinquency, child development, child welfare,
health, and vocational or other rehabilitation programs.
VISTA Village Council Management Prog. (VCMP)
VCMP VISTA members build administrative and
management capacity of rural city and tribal councils
through community planning and needs assessment,
computer training, and proposal writing.
VISTA Energy Program
VEP members work to reduce the burden of energy costs
in their rural communities, through projects like energy
efficient education and home energy auditing.
AmeriCorps Members at
2008 Oath of Service
(Left to right, front row) Justin Katheak, Nome; Taren Jones, Quinhagak; Rose Alexie, Russian Mission; Roberta Blunka, New Stuyahok; Elana Habib, Anchorage; Keri Kane, Seward; Esther Yagie-Munson,
Perryville; Brandy Christensen, Petersburg; Jennifer Belisle, Cooper Landing. (Second row) Elizabeth Steven, Kwigillingok; George Keene, Kasigluk; Deanna Etukmelra, Manokotak; Michelle Bell, Hooper
Bay; Colleen Weter, Huslia; Anuska Sears, Manokotak; Amanda Paxton, Takotna; Keri Burk, Nenana; Alexa Moore, Chignik Lagoon; Ami McLelland, Sterling; Anabell Deutschlander, Seward. (Third row)
Carrie Williams, Cooper Landing; Lanyce Smith, Tok; Charlene Tuluk, Chevak; Selina Sam, Huslia; Breanna Griechen, Pilot Point; Eliza Meier, Oscarville; Christine Grangaard, Tok; Nita Madsen, Executive
Director of Alaska State Community Service Commission; Angelina Estrada-Burney of Dept. of Commerce, Community and Economic Dev. (Back row) Mabeleen Christian, Arctic Village; Ben Johnson,
Petersburg; Keith Aguchak, Scammon Bay; Franklin Evan, Napakiak; Heidi Young, Naukati; Wanda Clark, Valdez; Amber Stephens, Seward; Sadie Ulman, Seward; Andy Bacon, Seward.
3
RurAL CAP’s
Outmigration along the
Iditarod Trail
Trail through
Takotna
by Angela Gonzalez
grew slowly or lost population between the 2000
Census and 2007. Of the 28 boroughs, 10 gained
population between 2000 and 2007 (State of
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce
Development recent release).
Outmigration is a complex Alaskan issue.
Small villages are shrinking and the impacts
on Alaska are enormous. As the cost of living
increases with few jobs and educational
opportunities available, people are leaving
Alaska’s smallest communities for urban areas like
Anchorage, Fairbanks, and the Mat-Su borough.
Many remote rural schools across Alaska are
closing or on the verge of closing because
of low enrollment. South of the Iditarod Trail
is the Lime Village School. Once a bustling
school, it closed its doors in the fall of 2007,
because its enrollment dropped below
10 students. If a school has less than 10
students, the district loses significant state
funds to keep the school open.
Carole Absher of Takotna says, “we’re all
feeling the pinch – no not pinch – squeeze” of
the economy. The shelves of village stores
are covered in dust, not from the typical dusty
roads of villages but from lack of use. Schools
are locking their doors for good and once overcrowded community centers are empty and dark.
Until 1976 there were few high schools in rural
areas, and students had to attend boarding
schools far away from their homes to get an
education. The Molly Hootch case revolutionized
education in Alaska Native villages. The court
ruled in the plaintiffs’ favor and 126 villages
Current data tracking the outmigration of
Alaskans from rural to urban areas indicates
most of Alaska’s boroughs and census areas
Population of Alaska by Labor Market Area,
Borough and Census Area, 1990-2007
Area Name
Net Migration
(In-Out)
4/1/00 to
06/30/07
Anchorage Mat-Su Region
Gulf Coast Region
Interior Region
Northern Region
Southeast Region
Southwest Region
Alaska - TOTAL
4
17,025
-2,433
-1,496
-3,161
-7,404
-4,707
-2,176
Natural Increase
(Births-Deaths)
4/1/00 to
06/30/07
Population
Change
2000 to
2007
27,249
4,182
9,547
3,025
3,650
4,579
52,232
44,274
1,749
8,051
-136
-3,754
-128
50,056
Source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development,
Research and Analysis Section, and US Census 2000, 1990.
were granted high schools. Students could stay
with their families – learning valuable cultural
traditions while also getting an education. Now
things are changing again.
Alan and Helen Dick moved to the Mat-Su
area when the school closed in Lime Village
in order for their grandson to attend school.
Helen was born and raised in Lime Village and
Alan has lived there for 41 years. They enjoy
the rural way of life and the life they have built
for themselves in Lime Village. If they had a
choice, they would live there today, but their
grandson needs to go to school.
100 miles north from Lime Village is Nikolai, a
Dena’ina Athabascan village. The Iron Dog snow
machine and the Iditarod Dog Sled races pass
through this
area.
Helen and
Alan Dick from
Lime Village
Village Voices
WINTER 2008
Over the last 25 years Nikolai’s population has
slowly dwindled from 150 to 75 people.
Not only has the school enrollment dropped by
20% since 2004 for the Iditarod Area School
District (IASD), but utility costs are rising at
excessive rates which is putting additional
pressure on schools. Joe Banghart, IASD
Superintendent, says, “the cost of heating fuel
has gone up 100% in the past three years.”
Currently, 28% of the district’s budget goes to
maintenance, including electricity, heat, water,
and sewer utilities.
The district is expecting a large increase in the
cost of heating fuel for the 2008-2009 school
year, and is forced to dip into reserves and
consider staff cuts. Banghart says the school
board has been working to come up with longterm solutions, including energy audits, renting
unused space in schools, identifying alternative
water wells, and using solar energy. Banghart
says, “energy costs are hitting every citizen; it is
not just a school issue.”
Master hunting guide and Elder, Phillip Esai,
is seeing less hunters because “gas is so
expensive right now.” When fuel prices rise,
everything else goes up. As airfares rise, travel
drops, and freight increases push up the cost
of food and other supplies. With fewer hunters,
Esai’s business is down.
John Runkle, Nikolai’s local advisory school
board chairman, says, “people are moving away
because there are not enough jobs to go around.
For the most part, there are no opportunities for
young people, and those 25 and younger have
left for Anchorage or the Lower 48 for education
and other job opportunities.”
Agnes Tony, the tribal administrator for the
Nikolai Edzeno’ Village Council, says, “If you
don’t have income, it is hard to raise kids. You
have to go elsewhere.”
There are 11 students enrolled at the school in
Nikolai. At the top of everyone’s mind in Nikolai
is the student enrollment number. For the past
few years the school has hovered just above
10 students; this raises annual concerns as to
whether the school will remain open.
“We’ll have to move if there is no school. I don’t
think I can home school my children,” explains Tony.
Will Thomas be able to
continue his education in
his community of Takotna?
Phillip Esai’s son, Dan, says, “to live out
here, you have to do different jobs like heavy
equipment and construction.” Dan Esai works at
the Nixon Fork mine on a ‘two and two’ schedule.
His employer pays his way between Anchorage
and the mine, and it is his responsibility to pay
the $750 airfare to Nikolai. Paying that every
two weeks is not reasonable for some. Nikolai
resident, Nick Petruska, says, “with rising
airfares, people cannot afford to go home. They
end up living in Anchorage.”
According to the Institute of Social and Economic
Research (ISER)1, “Alaska Native women of
working age are more likely to live in urban
areas. The numbers of working-age Alaska
Native men and women statewide are about
equal. But in Anchorage, there are 14% more
women and in remote areas 9% more men.”
Working age is defined as those between the
ages of 20 to 64, which includes a high number
of women of reproductive age. Steve Colt, ISER’s
Interim Director and Associate Professor of
Economics, says the “overall number of births
have dropped. That is the main reason there are
population declines in some places. The total
number of people is declining in some places, at
least looking back 20-30 years.”
Dan Esai says he would stay in Nikolai full-time if
he had a “family and a good steady job” to keep
him there. People may also be leaving villages to
search for companionship and to start families.
Further west on the Iditarod Trail is Takotna.
The community was founded about 100 years
ago and was the farthest place a steam boat
could make it up the river. It served as a bustling
supply center for the Iditarod and gold mining
operations. Today, Takotna’s population has
dwindled to around 50 people.
There are a few full-time jobs with benefits and
according to principal/teacher, Bob Absher, the
“school provides most of the steady jobs.”
Continued on Page 6...
Denis Gardella, the principal/teacher, and his wife
Joyce Gardella, the elementary teacher have
only lived in Nikolai for a year and half, and have
seen people leave because of lack of jobs. There
are few full-time jobs with benefits. Joyce says,
“everything else is piecemeal, part-time work
for only 2-3 hours a day, and not that many jobs
to go around.” Many jobs are temporary and/or
seasonal. Denis says, “the school is not going
to keep a village alive. People need to band
together to survive and thrive.”
Phillip Esai’s daughter, Jacqueline, is currently
attending Yale Law School. Jacqueline
thinks people move away because of lack of
educational or career opportunities, and says,
“That’s why I went to school. After that I will have
to practice law in urban areas.” While Jacqueline
does not see herself coming back to the village to
live, she will definitely come back to visit family.
Many small schools in Alaska
are facing declining enrollment
5
RurAL CAP’s
Continued from Page 5...
Students like Laura have access to many of
the same tools as those in urban areas,
but their schools are facing low enrollment
Nell Huffman, Takotna Tribal Council environmental
coordinator and IASD school board member, says, “it
is up to every community to keep schools open and
to be proactive about it.” She’s worked with others in
the community to develop solutions to outmigration.
“If you live in Takotna for a year, you can apply for
a community council membership and can receive
one acre of land,” explains Huffman. The community
hopes that this type of ingenuity will draw people to
Takotna and curb outmigration in their region.
Carole Absher, Takotna Tribal Council tribal
administrator, says there are “part-time and
seasonal jobs available, but full-time jobs with
benefits are hard to come by.” The tribe is trying to
bring jobs into the community one-by-one. Tribal
members are securing funding to clean up the toxic
waste located around Takotna. Absher says they
are going to clean up “100 years of junk, including
batteries, junk cars, old three- and four-wheelers.”
A single job doesn’t sound like much but in a small
village it can be the difference between a family
staying or leaving, which can mean the school is
open for another year.
Elder David Miller thinks people leave after high
school because “there’s not enough work in the
village. They go to Anchorage and Fairbanks to
find employment and better their education. But
Takotna will always be here because there is still
lots of hunting, fishing and trapping.”
Farther down the Iditarod Trail, about 20 miles from
Takotna, is McGrath. Even though McGrath is larger
than Takotna and Nikolai with about 400 residents,
the community suffers from outmigration too.
Donne Fleagle moved to Anchorage in 2004
to spend time with family and to pursue career
and educational opportunities. She is now
the Acting General Manager of MTNT, Ltd.,
an Alaska Native Corporation representing
McGrath, Takotna, Nikolai, and Telida. She has
been commuting to McGrath from Anchorage
since January 2008. Fleagle says younger
people “want more opportunities personally and
professionally, and employment opportunities
must offer upward mobility.”
Faced with a difficult situation, McGrath is taking
the bull by the horns. Tilly Dull, McGrath Native
Village Council tribal administrator, spoke about
the “collaboration of different businesses and
organizations that has created a strategic plan
to create a good economy in order for people to
survive.” They realize the cost of doing business
and the cost of living is going up. The community
will work together to update a plan established in
1981. A survey has been sent out to community
members to determine the focus for the updated
plan. Natalie Baumgartner, McGrath City
Administrator, is creating a brochure to promote
the businesses, organizations, and the community
overall. Community members will work to create a
solution that works for them.
Businesses in the “community are trying to cope with
the energy costs” in their own way, explains Dull. She
goes on to say, “and it will take the involvement of a lot of
people and creative ideas” to reverse outmigration. “I am
hopeful for the future that things will turn around.”
For centuries, many Alaska Natives were nomadic,
moving from one place to another each season
for survival. They often had winter and summer
camps to subsist off the land. Migration is nothing
new to Alaska Native communities. It’s just more
complicated with the necessary requirements for
a stable cash economy.
It is apparent that communities need to proactively
seek ways to decrease the rate of outmigration
by increasing educational and career prospects.
Each community has its own unique challenges
and opportunities, and must create solutions that
will work for them. Fleagle says the solutions are
“going to involve leadership and recruitment of our
children’s generation.” She says if we want them to
remain in the villages and to come back, “we need
to take our children’s ideas very seriously.” End Note:
1. Goldsmith, Scott. (2008, January). Understanding Alaska’s Remote Rural Economy: UA
Research Summary No. 10. Institute of Social
and Economic Research. Anchorage, Alaska.
Available online at http://iser.uaa.alaska.edu/
Publications/researchsumm/UA_RS10.pdf
Correction
A previous issue of the Village Voices
used the word “retired” in reference to
the conclusion of Bill Hess’ role as editor.
Please know that Bill Hess is actively
working as a journalist, photographer,
editor, and producer through his
Running Dog Publications. Please
contact Bill directly at 907-376-3535 for
more information. 6
Welcome to Nikolai
Village Voices
WINTER 2008
Will you be ready for the
Digital Television Conversion
in February 2009?
by Angela Gonzalez
What is digital television (DTV) transition?
In 2005, the federal government mandated all
television broadcast stations transition from an
analog to digital signal as a part of the deficit
reduction act. The transition will take place on
February 17, 2009, and will impact every station
across the country. If you receive TV via an
antenna and your TV is not digital, you will need
to convert by February 17, 2009, in order to
continue to receive programs after that date. For
each analog TV you own, you need to decide
how you will continue to receive programming
after the transition.
What are my options?
1. Buy a convertor box that will plug into your
current TV;
2. Buy a TV with a digital tuner; or
3. Connect the analog TV to cable, satellite or
other pay service.
Many Alaskans pay for cable or satellite service,
and the digital TV transition will not affect them.
Why is it important for rural Alaskans to know
about the digital conversion?
Rural Alaskan households have a higher over-theair broadcast signal than urban areas. They are
going to be hit hard by this change if they are not
prepared. It is important for remote rural Alaskans
to know there are resources out there to help them.
What is the federal voucher program?
This is a federally subsidized voucher program
to offset the cost of the digital transition. Each
household can get two vouchers worth $40.00
each to go toward the purchase of two separate
digital converter boxes. Vouchers are given on
a first come, first serve basis, not determined by
income, and are only available until funds run out.
The vouchers should come with instructions on
Playing games at a
school in Nikolai
Sonia Kim at Crosby Volmer Digital
Television Transition
what converter boxes you may obtain and where
you can purchase them. Rural Alaskans can buy
them over the Internet or by phone. You will have
to apply for the coupon first, then purchase the
converter box once you receive the coupon.
Where can I get more information?
More information about the digital TV transition
can be found online at www.DTV2009.gov or by
calling 1-888-388-2009. The www.dtvanswers.
com site is a one-stop shop with the most
frequently asked questions, including important
links on the voucher applications. If you would
like to learn more about how to get the word out
in your community, you may contact Sonia Kim
at (202) 232-6799 or skim@crosbyvolmer.com.
Sonia Kim is an account representative of the
Crosby Volmer International Communications
working on behalf of the National Association of
Broadcasters on a nationwide outreach effort to
inform the public about the upcoming switch to
digital television (DTV) and the federally funded
voucher program tied to the transition. Calendar
Mark your calendars for
upcoming conferences!
For more information,
visit RurAL CAP’s website:
www.ruralcap.com
Action in the Last Frontier
Region 8 and 10
Community Action Conference
May 28-30, 2008
Girdwood, Alaska
2008 Rural Providers’ Conference
June 2-6, 2008
Copper Center, Alaska
Leading Change: Blending Indigenous
and Western Planning Tools
October 1-3, 2008
Marriott Anchorage Downtown
Announcement
View RurAL CAP’s 2007 Annual Report at:
www.ruralcap.com
7
RurAL CAP’s Village Voices
WINTER 2008
Reflections
RurAL CAP names Sarah Scanlan Deputy Director Energy
Continued from Page 2...
Photo by Chris
Arend
by Angela Gonzalez
The Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
(RurAL CAP) recently named Sarah Scanlan as
Deputy Director. In addition to her responsibilities for
program planning, implementation and evaluation,
she will also oversee administrative, development,
and communications functions, serve as a member
of the senior management team, and act as an
external liaison for the agency. Sarah will also be
the editor of RurAL CAP’s Village Voices newsletter.
“I am excited about joining RurAL CAP because of
its dedication to tracking measurable outcomes of
those it serves and its effectiveness in the delivery
of services,” said Scanlan.
Scanlan most recently served as the Deputy Director
for the First Alaskans Institute through the end of 2007
where she developed Education Summits, Leadership
Development programs, including the Summer
Internships and the Elders and Youth Conferences,
and the Community Engagement Awards program.
Prior to that she consulted for several years with
tribal, non-profit and ANCSA organizations and was
an executive with NANA for 20+ years.
“Sarah’s experience in program development and
management makes her a great fit for our team,”
said David Hardenbergh, RurAL CAP Executive
Director. “Plus she knows almost everyone in
Alaska. I’m especially excited about her experience
working with rural Alaskans and her long history
of service with volunteer boards, committees and
councils throughout the state.”
A participant of the Boarding Home program and
graduate of Lathrop High in Fairbanks, Ms. Scanlan
attended Stanford University and graduated
from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks with a
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Ms. Scanlan is from Kotzebue, a member of the
Kotzebue tribe, and a NANA shareholder. She and her
husband and son currently live in Anchorage. Village Voices
Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
731 East 8th Avenue
PO Box 200908
Anchorage, Alaska 99520
(907) 279 - 2511
www.ruralcap.com
While it might take an act of the legislature to
really bring these renewable energy sources to
life, it will have long-lasting effects in the future.
Norway has a progressive energy policy
that promotes efficiency, renewable energy
sources and new technologies. Currently,
99% of electricity is produced by hydropower.
Norway’s highly efficient use of hydroelectric
power has resulted in an energy surplus and
that allows residents to leave their lights on all
night if they choose. However, they choose not
to because of their focus on energy efficiency.
In its efforts to bring rural issues and rural
perspectives to the forefront of people’s
minds, RurAL CAP strives to keep a pulse on
what is happening in the villages. High energy
costs are one of many issues facing our rural
communities. Another is outmigration and
the effect it is having on several communities
along the Iditarod Trail.
New energy policies are needed to address
the energy crisis in the short- and long-term.
Village councils, local city councils and school
districts are worried about how to keep the
lights on when their main focus should be on
providing services, building and maintaining
their communities and educating children. As
the days are getting longer and brighter, we
are burning less fuel and getting a reprieve
from the high fuel costs. I am hopeful of the
new solutions to come. Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit # 99
Anchorage, AK
RurAL CAP
Deputy Director,
Sarah Scanlan
She has served on a number of volunteer Boards,
Committees and Councils during the past 25 years,
including theAlaska Native Heritage Center, Business
Education Compact, Youth Success Working Group,
Workforce Investment Boards, Vocational/Technical
Education, Commonwealth North Workforce
Development Study, Section 29 Native Advisory
Board, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Education
Committee, Communities in Schools, Reinventing
Schools Coalition, Southcentral Native Educators
Association, Literacy, Teacher Preparation, Get Out
the Native Vote, KNBA Fundraising, Tundra Times
Board, World Eskimo/Indian Olympics, Alaska
Board of Game, Rural/Urban Group, YWCA, and
the Anchorage Women’s Political Caucus.
To receive the Village Voices for free,
join our mailing list! Contact Angela Gonzalez:
Attn: Village Voices Mailing List
RurAL CAP
PO Box 200908
Anchorage, AK 99520
(800) 478-7227 ext 7301
(907) 279-2511 ext 7301
info@ruralcap.com
8
Healthy People, Sustainable Communities,
Vibrant Cultures
RurAL CAP
731 East 8th Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
David Hardenbergh, Executive Director
Sarah Scanlan, Editor
Angela Gonzalez, Communication Coordinator
Alisha Drabek, Design and Layout
Photos by David Hardenbergh and Angela Gonzalez