Hope Happenings

Chugach Electric generator to stay

By Fayrene Sherritt
Turnagain Times Hope Correspondent


Per Chugach Electric’s media rep. Patty Bogan, the company decided to return the generator to Hope for the duration of the winter. There have been crews working on the generator and the lines. The company wants to have it in place, ready to operate in the event there is a disruption of power to the community. Between possible weather conditions and the possibility of trees falling across the line, should there be a power outage, it will still take some time to get crews into Hope to start the generator and switch residents over to that type of power.
In the past, getting the generator into Hope has happened in very difficult weather conditions and in situations, which has put their employees at risk of injury plus has added additional costs in providing that power to Hope. Hopefully the need for the generator will be less this winter than it has been in the past. This effort to keep power available is greatly appreciated.
The Hope School Foods class invites community residents to join the students for lunch on Wednesday from 11:30 to noon. On Thursday mornings from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. breakfast is also served to anyone who would like to join the students. By providing a RSVP call to the school, the students will know how much food to prepare. The Food Class students plan the meals by selecting the menu, preparing a shopping list, preparing the meal and by serving the meal. Donations or in-kind donations will be gladly accepted but not required.
The Hope School has canceled their fundraiser run scheduled for Oct. 20. It is hoped that the school will be able to put together a cross-country ski event later in the school year. Angie Motoyama is already making plans for the School’s evening of auctions. This year it is tentatively scheduled for February. Donations will be gladly accepted and they can be dropped off at the school beginning now. By having them earlier Angie will be able to plan for the different auctions. Anyone interested in lending a hand in planning the auction night or volunteering to help at the school, please contact the Hope School at 782-3202.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is sponsoring a community meeting on Saturday, Oct. 27, to identify the community’s capital project priorities. The Borough Assembly is in the process of developing its 2008 Capital Project Priorities List for the upcoming legislative session. The Assembly has agreed to include in this list a maximum of two capital project requests from each of the unincorporated communities in the Borough.
The Hope Community meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Hope Social Hall. Borough Assembly Member Ron Long will chair this meeting. The meeting will be conducted as an informal roundtable discussion to last approximately one hour. Please plan to attend this important meeting and let your voice be heard.
Girdwood Clinic will not have a clinic in Hope during the month of October. Anyone interested in getting a flu shot, please contact the Girdwood office at 783-1355. Currently there are plenty of flu shots available.
The Hope/Sunrise APC met Oct. 4 at the Hope Social Hall. The APC board members are Dave Scanlan, Jon Gantenbein, Jim Skogstad, Beth Kaser, Shawn Butler, Jason Skaaren and Todd Bureau. The same slate of officers was re-elected, Dave Scanlan-Chair, Shawn Butler-Vice Chair and Beth Kaser-Secretary. A copy of the Oct. 4 minutes is posted at the Hope Post Office along with the approved minutes from the Sept. 6 meeting. Depending on the business that needs the Board’s attention; the next APC meeting will either be Nov. 2 or Dec. 6. A notice will be posted for the next meeting.
The Hope 2007-2008 Phone list is now available at the Hope Post Office. This year’s color is “ivory” so please pick up the new list, transfer your notes to the new list and then toss out last year’s old “pink” phone list (if you phone list color is different, it is even older). It always seems that once the list has been printed someone will realize that there is a correction or addition needed, if so, please contact Fayrene Sherritt who will make the corrections so the next printing will have the information.
The free community breakfast, open to all Hope residents and sponsored by the Hope Church, opened this year with a record 27 people attending on Oct. 3 followed by the next Wednesday with 35 residents. The staff and students of the Hope School came for that breakfast and also as a field trip; the students learned more about the Food Bank and were shown how the Food Bank is set up for residents to use. As a service project for the community, the students are interested in helping to gather food and/or to help with other events to help the Food Bank. Coffee is available at 8 a.m. with breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend!
The Food Bank pantry will continue through the fall and winter to provide basic food provisions to those members of our community that may have a need. The food bank is open Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those folks needing to take advantage of the food pantry, outside the regular hours, contact either Tom Burgin (350-1318) or Joyce Burgin (830-5307). If you are in need of food, please come utilize this free service.