Nenana Wellness Coalition
Minutes
October 24, 2006
The Nenana Wellness Coalition is an alliance of representatives from various organizations, government agencies, community groups and individuals that meets weekly to discuss, evaluate, coordinate, consolidate and help implement plans for improving the wellness and quality of life in Nenana Alaska.
There were 9 people in attendance today including Bonnie Reed, Maryellen Kanayurak, Kat McElroy, Gene & Diane Jensen, Rob Thomason, Earl Polk, Miles Martin and Donald Charlie.
We had lunch of beef and three cheese casserole, cooked by Kat. Meat was supplied by Nenana Native Council.
Kat McElroy chaired the meeting.
PRAYER lead by Bonnie Reed and was followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE
There was no formal agenda presented. Minutes from last week have been emailed by Kat to the WIN e-list with one addendum by Rita Pierce..
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: There were no guests, no special visitors this week.
SPEAKERS/TOPICS
Nenana City Public Schools –Rob Thomason announced that school will be let out early, 1:30 PM, Thursday, October 26, to allow students to attend the funeral services for Grandma Edna Ketzler. He said that this was a natural decision as the result of Grandma Edna’s service to our community and work in the Nenana schools. The basketball game scheduled that night is cancelled to allow everyone to attend the potlatch at the Tribal Hall Thursday night at 6. Maryellen interjected that Bingo for Books, part of the current Book Fair all this week at the school, is being rescheduled from Thursday night to next Monday, 10-30-06, at 2:45 PM.
Nenana Student Living Center –Earl Polk said that the NSLC Fry Bread Shakers, their newly formed dance group, performed at the International Friendship Day activities Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Park Civic Center. They were well received by the audience there and are gaining in confidence with each public performance. He showed some of the regalia and costumes the students have been making, primarily with cardboard and duct tape. They certainly demonstrated ingenuity, talent and perseverance on the part of the creators. Earl said that three months into the new semester, NSLC is cruising along. They continue looking for traditional and non-traditional ways to engage the student’s interests and talents. He mentioned they are looking at doing a language group, starting small like was done in New Zealand and probably using Minto-style Athabascan. It would be open to community members and anyone interested in learning the language.
Alcohol/Drug Prevention & Treatment Policies – Kat McElroy brought a 40 page document that is being forwarded to all of the candidates in the upcoming elections as well as to many sitting legislators by Meeting The Challenge, an advocacy group that promotes prevention, early intervention and treatment for people experiencing addictions. She talked about her own struggles with addiction and the need for multiple interventions over time before she was able to gain recovery. She said that funding for these services has been cut again and again over time. She explained her belief that funding for prevention and treatment is cost effective in light of the expense to society as a whole for untreated addictions. She described a teleconference she witnessed in Juneau, Can Alaska Afford It’s Next Drink? which brought together people from all over the state to speak to the costs, upfront as well as untold and hidden, of addiction to Alaska: emergency room, hospitalization and other medical costs, police, public safety, courts and corrections, children’s services, all these areas are impacted by alcohol and other drug abuse. She mentioned testimony that indicated over 90% of incarcerated individuals in the Anchorage jail at that time were chemically impaired at the time of the offense that caused their current incarceration. Earl interjected that in Bethel that statistic would be 99 plus %. Kat encouraged people to read the document and to use it to help talk to people about what works and what proves to be less effective in the long run for dealing with addiction. Per WIN request she is including the summary page from this document and she will forward the entire document to anyone interested in reading the entire thing. SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONSJoin Together convened this panel to address two realities: state governments pay dearly for the nation’s failure to effectively prevent and treat alcohol and drug problems. They also have enormous potential because state governments are the primary funders of prevention and treatment services. These recommendations were unanimously adopted by the panel:LeadershipGovernors, legislative leaders and chief judges need to provide personal, continuous leadership for a statewide strategy to prevent and address alcohol and drug problems. When prevention and treatment are delegated to mid-level state agencies, states can not successfully prevent or treat drug problems at thepopulation level.StructureEvery state should have a strategy that encompasses all the agencies affected by alcohol and drug problems. Responsibility for state and federal prevention and treatment funds should be held by an entity that reports directly to the governor and has direct access to the state legislature.ResourcesStates can generate two key resources needed to improve alcohol and drug services: money and skilled practitioners. An annual public report should detail alcohol and drug related spending in all state agencies. If additional funds are needed, states should consider raising alcohol taxes. States should also use theirlicensing and educational resources to improve and retain the prevention and treatment workforce.Measurement and AccountabilityStates should hold agencies and contracted providers accountable for meeting identified outcome measures. They should reward those that meet or exceed outcome targets and penalize those that consistently fail.LegislationStates should review and update the legislation that controls their alcohol and drug policies including authorization for prevention and treatment agencies and alcohol control boards. Laws and regulations that prevent recovering individuals from getting jobs, education and other services needed for successfulreintegration should also be reviewed and repealed.Sustain State Focus and AttentionState advisory councils should be created or revived with enough staff and authority to hold elected officials accountable for providing needed leadership. States should support community coalitions and recovery organizations to build a lasting constituency for continuing effective state action.
Highway Companion – Miles Martin handed out an update on the efforts to date to bring the annual Highway Companions meeting to Nenana and a detailed overview of who/what Highway Companions is and what Nenana would need to do to successfully host Highway Companions 2007. Diane filled us in on some facts. Miles document is incorporated below:
Highways Companion meeting in Nenana information
By Miles
Saturday, October 21, 2006
The beginnings
Diane Bud and I attend meetings representing the Nenana Chamber of Commerce (Bud representing the city) for 5 years or so.
For 3 years we discussed with the group the hosting in Nenana. It took 3 years to convince Highways Companions Nenana can host the gathering. It was decided by the group Tripod weekend would work, even though this is a little earlier then we usually meet because this is such a great event in our community to be able to see- and all present wanted to see this event. . In the past we have gathered in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Valdeze, and Kenai. Anywhere from 30 to 80 have gathered but we expect 30 to 40 in Nenana. The hosting community has the chance, and it is expected of the host, to show off the community, and show the rest what their community has to offer. This has been accomplished in a variety of ways in each community visited. In Valdez we all got a trip on a cruise ship into the harbor for a few hours. In Talkeetna we went and visited all the shops as a group. In most places various businesses had the opportunity to show themselves off with displays and speakers and samples videos etc. Usually we got introduced to bed and breakfasts and places to eat. We paid, but usually at nice discount.
What and who is Highways Companion
The main stated objective of the highways meeting is to promote tourism along the highways of the state.
We share information,. Do joint advertising. Discuss statistics and maybe a battle plan. We share problems and issues and find out who shares in these same issues, then discuss what we might jointly do about it. Often new alliances are created. We meet a new printer, a new airline, a interesting bed and breakfast. We get updated on information like Denali opening dates, Princess hotel opening dates, road work going on. Sometimes one community has an issue we all brainstorm about. Such as why news was not updated on smoke fire conditions effecting road travel to Kenai last year, and how this can be resolved so it will not happen again there, or anywhere else.
We each introduce ourselves and who we represent and have time to talk about our business or community. This is about 5 minutes each. We have the opportunity in each community visited to set up a small display representing our business and community – often with fliers samples pictures etc.
This is usually a good opportunity for chambers and visitor centers to accept delivery of brochures that go up in all the visitor centers up and down the highways. It ensures delivery, saves money, and gives a personal touch to each visitor center to have met a representative from each highway community.
Some offshoots of the stated objectives we gain, is a sense of unity and knowing each other. A building of trust. Getting burning questions and answers from a human being. What is Princess up to? What plans do the cruise ships have? What’s going on with the wolf controversy? Who is promoting Alaska overseas? Smaller communities and business get advice from those who know more. Sometimes help is offered. Sometimes deals are made, partnerships form.
It is expected there will be guest speakers during the 2 full days we meet. The topic is discussed and agreed upon, partly by the group the year before, and partly by a committee, and partly by the host community. Very little is set in stone. 1-2 main topics is usually enough. Often there are shorter speeches and updates from ‘regulars’ The main topics are important and need to be worth the trip to hear, and be of interest to enough of those attending.
One such topic was the influence of the cruise ship industry on the highways tourism, guest speaker was the head of one of the cruise ship lines. We heard at one gathering the ins and outs of the bed and breakfast industry, from one of the biggest in the state. Another major topic was border crossing issues – passports requirements, number who cross the border compared to flying in and such. There of coarse is plenty of opportunity to ask questions .
One tentative topic agreed upon as ok by the group last year for Nenana meeting is the issues surrounding animal products used in gift items- what’s legal, why, where can it be sent, border issues international issues , and such related topics – both Federal and State in gift items but also hunting and taking of fish game and birds.
What to begin doing
Contact Fairbanks Visitor Bureau who helps with hosting and let know we are beginning
We need info on who we are why we meet fliers to show people what the group does to sell it to our local organizations, and get email copies of past minutes topics and notes to review.
We need to be honest about issues of housing and feeding
Who is in charge issues
Wellness V/S Chamber
Ask Vivian from Parks Express about transportation to Fairbanks to stay there
Offer talks entertainment on trips (Annette already volunteered but who else?)
Think of guest speakers and topics
Annette “How to start a B and B (already partly covered at a past gathering)
Miles Web site topic such as things to keep in mind when going international and or how to target your market on the web (see separate doc ‘speaker topics’)
Get input on speaker topics.
Major issues to address as priority
Housing
Where could we put or what to do about housing 30 people during tripod weekend
FBKS? With who—talk to parks express Vivian? Can Nenana handle them all or what %? What about closer then Fbks? The park? Any hotels that way? Ester or closer that direction? Skinny Dicks?
Feeding
Where will 30 people eat
FBKS? Living Center? School? Restaurant (reserve mealtimes for one hour exclusive) Cater lunches from locals? Healy Anderson Ester? Skinny Dicks?
Where to met
Where will 30 people meet
George Hall—Culture Center (Jason said he might have heater on to see how the heat bill looks)
Who to involve
Can Healy Anderson etc get involved? In what way? Who will coordinate with these people? (housing feeding ?) What about offering them a place to set up in civic center for tripod days.
Who will do what
Be in charge
Handle speakers issues
Handle housing issues
Handle feeding issues
Cater for lunches (who when costs—plenty of advance notice! Roughwoods—Marlene or my neighbor)
Who will offer any breakfast dinner and what hours
Handle where to meet issues
George Hall (closed if a funeral can we depend on?) Living Center (on a weekend?) Culture Center? (Can it be heated????)
Handle transportation issues
Rides to Fbks for housing feeding?
Rides to events
We have an airport- any chance of chartering a plane (from Anchorage or Fairbanks or Talketna
Keep guests informed
Their room reservations. Who has their own transportation, who needs to stay here in Nenana, forms to fill out, updated news letter
Rides from ice classic events to meeting place
Promotion
Involve any local biz (Chamber involved in this? Who will oversee this?)
Posters, news articles, local up and down the road
Tripod weekend issues
Keep Ice Classic in the loop for events and schedules to coordinate with our talks Opportunity to buy ice classic tickets! (a can at the meeting place)
A basic outline of how the days will be laid out
Talks mixed with ‘visit of cool events like a dog race or tripod raising ?’ Might make a good break in a day of speeches and talks.
Not offer a 3rd day for local tours as tripod weekend shows enough? (so on the last day just ‘leave’ and not offer an option) Or? Offer a visit at the reindeer farm or dog yard or?
Discussion ensued. Diane noted that larger communities have paid representatives while Nenana is smaller and everyone here who has been involved has worked in a volunteer capacity. She would like to focus on how smaller communities can host conventions such as Highway Companions, without the hotel infrastructure. Traditionally the conference is $125.00 for three days/two nights. That’s the entire budget. The conference provides one lunch; other meals would need to be coordinated amongst local eateries. She suggested having the Nenana Ice Classic for breakfast and emphasized coordinating with the Ice Classic to showcase Tripod Days activities: raising of the Tripod, dog sled races, and rope-pull in the streets. A tentative schedule could be opening with a reception on Friday night for registration and meet-n-greet, Saturday and Sunday workshops. Discussion about putting raising of the Tripod onto the schedule or a banquet Sunday night to keep attendees here.
OLD BUSINESS—None noted
NEW BUSINESS—Miles asked about how might we document the ways WIN resolves or works through conflicts. We’ve had problems, as all groups do, in the past, and will again, but this is never noted in the minutes so how would others be able to learn from our experiences? How can we document our process for resolving issues as that is a HUGE part of Wellness? Kat said that she sees many of us use skills from the Critical Conversations trainings. She also noted that conflict avoidance is a human norm. Donald added an example from a recent interaction he observed, using humor to highlight how quickly we all seem to do this (avoid conflict). No concrete suggestions were made but it was agreed that this is an interesting topic to explore.
UPDATES/ANNOUNCEMENTS—Bingo For Books has been rescheduled from Thursday night to next Monday at 2:45 to accommodate the potlatch for Grandma Edna.
There will be dinner and the community is invited to eat and then judge the student’s pumpkins/jack-o-lanterns at NSLC on Monday the 30th.
Hallowe’en celebration as usual at Civic Center the evening of Tuesday, October 31st.
Sobriety Potlatch Friday, November 3rd, at the Tribal Hall. EVERYONE is invited.
OPEN FLOOR FOR COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION— None noted
ADJOURNMENT at 1:45 PM.