Railbelt Mental Health & Addictions

Nenana Wellness Coalition
MINUTES
July 10, 2007

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 eight participants this week including: Rob and Susan Thomason, Maryellen Kanyurak, Bonnie Reed, Kat and Leon McElroy, David Poppe, and Miles Martin. We had lunch: moose meat, steamed vegetables and rice, green salad, and fresh cherries and chocolate chip cookies.

PRAYER was said by Bonnie Reed, followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE.

There was no formal agenda presented and there was no call for modifications.

Minutes from last week were submitted electronically by Kat with one typo corrected by Keri Frazier.

With no formal agenda, meeting consisted primarily of updates and announcements.

Rob announced there’s a school board meeting tonight at 6:30 P.M. There is only one item on the agenda, the bus contract, so the meeting should be short. The school budget will be put forward at the city council meeting Thursday, 5:30 P.M., at the Senior Center. He also said work is almost complete on the Voc/Ed building. Next they will begin installing the equipment for the wood and metal shop. The auto shop will stay where it is in the school building. Rob said that future capital improvement projects will include a new fire sprinkler system in the elementary school wing and new bleachers.

Bonnie announced that the remodeling is completed on the Senior Center. They will be having lunch Wednesday as usual at Noon at the Senior Center. They had lunch Monday at Clear Sky Lodge. The Senior Center will be hosting the wheelchair racers beginning with a community dinner the evening of Monday, July 16th, 6 P.M. at the Civic Center. This event is open to everyone. Food is being supplied by Crowley. The Seniors will also host a breakfast for race participants that will begin at 7 A.M. on the 17th. They are looking for volunteers to help cook breakfast.
Bonnie also noted that she read a good article in today’s Fairbanks Daily News-miner about the Fairbanks Neighborhood Watch programs.

Kat announced that Railbelt will be hosting their annual Dancing in the Streets celebration of National Recovery Month, September 7th. There will be a parade, community dinner, and a dance with live music. Maryellen will likely be in charge of organizing the parade as she did a bang-up job last year.

Miles announced that the TCCC roto-tiller has arrived and is ready for use.

We then had a long discussion about the Anderson Blue Grass Festival. Miles wonders if we couldn’t make some sort of attempt to encourage people not to drink or use drugs during the festival. What he envisions would be a section of the festival that would be clearly delineated as an alcohol/drug-free zone. Kat mentioned that this has been done at the annual Women’s Music Festival that occurs on the 4th of July holiday in Fairbanks. Maryellen said that alcohol and drug use is so wide spread at the Anderson music festival that she would not want to take her children there. Miles said that this is his point; perhaps more people would be willing to attend, if there was a way to avoid the substance abuse that occurs there. Kat encouraged Miles as a regular festival vendor to explore his idea with the people who organize the event.

ADJOURNMENT was at 1:15 P.M.

Nenana Wellness Coalition
MINUTES
July 3, 2007

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 nine participants this week including: Rob Thomason, Laura Vance, Maryellen Kanyurak, Bonnie Reed, Kat McElroy, David Poppe, Christine Kraus, and Donald Charlie. We had lunch: beef stew, green salad, crackers and fresh vegetables and dip.

WELCOME by this week’s chairperson: Laura Vance followed by the READING OF MISSION STATEMENT.

PRAYER was said by Bonnie Reed, followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE.

The agenda was presented and there was no call for modifications.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: minutes were submitted electronically.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: Susan Thomason was welcomed as a returning guest. She will be living here permanently now.

SPEAKERS/TOPICS

Public Relations Maryellen Kanayurak passed around two samples of flyers she has made up with information about our WIN minutes which we intend to post around town. The goal is both to let people know more about WIN and to encourage broad community involvement in our process. Discussion ensued regarding the verbiage and the format of the flyers. The wording was approved. The type is difficult to read on one of the flyers. Maryellen agreed to play around with the design and the background colors to get the type to stand out better. The clip art on the other flyer looked somewhat odd when blown up to flyer size. She will see what she can do with that as well. Discussed various locations to post flyers; agreed on: the library, Senior Center, the A-Frame, Coghill’s store, the post office, Visitor’s Center, restaurants, local churches.

WELLNESS THOUGHT
- “Real Change starts within and works its was outward.”-From the January 1985 Grapevine

OLD BUSINESS: None noted.

NEW BUSINESS: None:

UPDATES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bonnie announced that the remodeling continues on the Senior Center. They will be having a pot luck lunch Friday at the Meda Lord Senior Housing. The Senior Center will be hosting the wheelchair racers again this year. There will be a community dinner the evening of Monday, July 16th, 6 P.M. at the Civic Center which is open to everyone. They will also host a breakfast FOR PARTICIPANTS ONLY that will begin at 7 A.M. on the 17th. She also announced that the seniors will participate in a train tour to Denali and back in August. The cost will be $25.00 per person. The train will stop for pick-up in Nenana. Interested seniors may call Vickie at 832-5818 for further information.
Kat asked if anyone had information about the announcement today that Sheldon Jackson was closing. The doors were closed, staff has been laid off. The reason cited was financial. No one is sure if this is permanent or temporary. Some had heard that the closing was for a year, to reorganize finances. Laura announced that Railbelt will be hosting their annual Dancing in the Streets celebration of National Recovery Month, September 7th. There will be a parade, community dinner, and a dance with live music. Railbelt is asking for ideas for speakers. Maryellen agreed to contact Akeela House in Anchorage to ascertain if they will bring their clients again this year.
Robert reported that the school board adopted a balanced budget at their last meeting. Next it needs to go to the city council to be finalized. He said some of the cuts were difficult to make but everyone knew that such cuts were required as a balanced budget was required. He announced that the EMT training will begin August 6th. It is spearheaded by Chuck Hugney. The Alaska Native Education grant will cover air fare for the 25 student participants to come to Nenana plus room and board expenses and the costs of the “jumpbag,.” with all essential EMT supplies. Meanwhile, Kelvin and the maintenance crew are almost finished with their work at the Nenana Student Living Center and will begin next on the school building. They will also be painting the playground. The Voc/Ed building is nearly finished but Robert announced that it will not be placed into use until second semester.
Donald said that the Village Pride/Community Safety meeting last night went well. They had a good turnout, over 80 people. He has been recruited to work at Old Minto Family Recovery Camp which is experiencing some turnover in staff. He said that the current cohort changes out July 17th and that the Sobriety Potlatch there is still scheduled so far as he knows for the last Friday of the month, July 27th. He mentioned that Ch’eghutsen’ will be sending clients down to Anchrage to attend the World Eskimo Indian Olympics at the end of July.
Lastly it was announced that the Midnight Sun Intertribal Pow Wow is scheduled for July 13-15th. It takes place behind the Carlson Center; admission is five dollars at the gate with 12 and under free. For more information, go to: http://www.midnightsunpowwow.net/

OPEN FLOOR FOR COMMENTS/QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION: No comments, no discussion.

ADJOURNMENT was at 1:30 P.M.