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PETS & ANIMALS home. Pets might chew on the cords and get electrocuted. Pets can get tangled up in the cords as well.
By Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates Celebrating the holidays can be such a wonderful experience for many of us.
Alaska Animal Advocates Polaris is a sweet little Husky/Rottie Mix, who is yearning for a forever home. She is approximately four months old and has just enough energy to be loads of fun, but can be mellow enough to enjoy lounging around with her humans. Let Polaris add some excitement to your life! To meet or learn more about Polaris, please email Alaska Animal Advocates at aaarescue@yahoo.com or call Angie at 841-3173.
The smells, foods, decorations and gifts make this time of year very enjoyable. Being surrounded by our pets is a true joy this time of year. However, the holiday season can be very dangerous for your pet if you are not cautious. Let’s start with the Christmas tree. If you use a real tree, make sure the water in the stand is covered so that your pet cannot drink it. The pine sap is not safe for ingestion. Also, it is best to turn off the lights on your tree when you are not
Do not use tinsel, ribbon, or other glittery items, as these can be very enticing to pets, particularly cats. Ornament hooks can be swallowed and cause damage to intestines. Decorating the bottom part of your tree with ornaments made of wood or plastic, that won’t break, can prevent intestinal blockages. Gifts that contain human food can present problems for your pets as well. Chocolate, raisins, onions, coffee, tea, and alcohol are delicious to us humans, but are quite dangerous for animals. Foods such as yams, sweet potatoes, and canned pumpkins (minus the spices) are safe for your pets to eat. Although plants add to the ambiance of our holiday celebrations, there are more than 700 plants that are toxic to pets. Poinsettias and mistletoe are dangerous to animals.
So, keep these plants out of reach of your four-legged companions or buy artificial. Burning candles can be a concern this time of year. Put these candles in areas that are not accessible to your pets. Do not leave the house with candles lit at any time. There are battery-operated candles that can be used with safety in mind. So, if you are feeling as though there are too many restrictions on you holiday experiences, just imagine this time of year, or any time of year, without your faithful companions at your side. This will make the decision to be safe an easy one. Enjoy the holidays with your animal friends!
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COMMUNITY By Jeanette Gardiner 2015 is quickly coming to a close and if you’re like many small business owners, you’re deep in planning for a successful 2016. Planning can be an exciting time – translating your business dreams into actual strategies and steps to get you to your goals. But sometimes that excitement can quickly turn into overwhelm when you start getting bogged down in all the details of turning those business growing ideas into reality. So how do you overcome planning overwhelm? Take a deep breath and read on for some simple ideas. Set just one or two major goals for
2016. If you have too many, it will be difficult to focus on any one with the clarity you need to reach it. Break those goals down into specific strategies and steps that will guide your work throughout the year. Look for strategies and steps that have worked well for your business in the past and repeat them. Review the action steps for any that should be handled by someone else on your team (and if you don’t yet have a team, maybe developing one should be a goal). Focus your energy on the steps that best use your talents. Are there any strategies or steps that could (and should) be automated? For example, if one of your strategies is to stay in touch with clients on a regular basis, create a series of autoresponders through your email marketing program
to send at specific intervals. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Solo business owners often pride themselves on being able to “do it all” which usually results in working too hard, spinning your wheels and not gaining forward momentum. Partner with a colleague to develop your 2016 plan, be a sounding board for each other, and hold each other accountable to getting your plan on paper. Schedule time together monthly or quarterly to review where you are on your plans throughout 2016. You can transform your excitement of growing your business in 2016 into an achievable plan without being overwhelmed when you keep your end goal in sight and focus on the work that energizes you (and showcases your talent).
Have you started your 2016 business success plan? If not, take a look at my “100 Ways to Fine-Tune Your Business” toolkit to help get you started: http://goo.gl/6yfjBR. There’s an entire section dedicated to planning that includes action plan templates. And the toolkit is available at the special, “Get ready for 2016” price of just $17 through December 31st. Wishing you a season of thanks! Jeanette Gardiner lives in Palmer, Alaska, and is the Owner of SeaStar Strategies LLC where she helps time-strapped small business owners discover the gift of time by streamlining their administrative and marketing systems. Learn more at seastarstrategies.com
Home For the Holidays: A Moving Story By Krista Fee The holiday season, no matter what holiday you choose to celebrate, is a time of gratitude and giving to others. It is a time when the harsh realities of homelessness and poverty become much more apparent to many of us. We reach out with donations, and much needed scarfs, backpacks and bus passes, as well as barrels of toys for the little ones who otherwise wouldn’t find much underneath a tree. In Alaska, winter is a very difficult time for those in need. This article is not about the ever present needs of this community, though there are many deserving of such attention. This is a story of tragic loss through no fault of their own, and the struggle to regain just a little warmth for the holidays. The Sockeye Fire of 2015 was disastrous for many families; leaving nothing behind of the comfortable and settled lives each had so painstakingly worked for.
The Willow Community Rebuild Project, immediately recognized and began working on eight properties that were extremely vulnerable, unable to recover on their own with the currently available resources, and time sensitive properties to work on. The ultimate goal of this tiny, grassroots organization was to get these folks into a warm and safe space by the holidays. We are happy to report that four of our eight have been successful, while the last four are racing towards the finish line. Well not really racing at this point, the weather, financial speed bumps and the logistics of winter construction have slowed us down to something more akin to a crawl. But what matters is we haven’t given up! Slow and steady wins the race. Two of our build projects are very special, both being donated to veterans who have so generously served their nation. For one project, we must thank two very necessary and invaluable groups.
The Sunshine Clinic in Willow, who donated their old portable office modules to one of our home recipients. The other, Darrel Greenstreet of Greenstreet General Contracting LLC, who is working with us to get the donated building moved onto the home recipient’s property at about half of what it would normally cost to move such a large building. Though the work is difficult in the winter, and extremely unpleasant, Darrel is taking it on with a smile on his face and compassion in his heart.
The families of the Willow Rebuild Project are representative of society, each with a unique and touching story of life and of loss. They are young and old, families and singles, veterans and those with medical needs; they are simply you and I. We are all just one tragedy from having to count on the kindness of others to meet basic needs.
The other cabin is simply waiting for a crew and some house jacks so we can set her in place.
If you would like to contribute financially, (we are likely still about $35,000 below our goal to complete these projects) or by volunteering to assist on one of the work projects, please go to Willow Community Rebuild Project on Facebook or email rebuildak@yahoo. com.
Please watch for the follow-up where we will have photos and an update on the progress of these last four homes.
PayPal donations can be made to this email address as well or donations can be made at MVFCU account #149984.
We had hoped to have this wrapped up before this article was due so we could show you the happy ending, but it looks like we still need your to help make that happen.
We are also looking for someone up in the Willow area that would like to do some snow plowing for our home recipients.
From Resolution to Reality: Making the New Year Count By Sara Kennedy It’s almost here again: that time of year when you decide you’re making a change for good. You’re finally going to get in shape, get your promotion, become self-employed, stop yelling at your kids, or write your book. This year will be different, you say. On January 1st, you’re ready, willing, and motivated. On February 1st, you’re back to business as usual. What happened? Change is a process, and it can be a big, difficult, and involved process. Motivation is great for a sprint, but real life change is a marathon. To succeed at a marathon, planning and preparation are key. Here are some tips and ideas to help you achieve real change in 2016. Have a goal - This seems obvious. Of course you need a goal! But often, New Year’s Resolutions are not really goals at all. “Get in shape” or “Lose weight” are too vague. How do you know you’ve made it? When do you need to change your approach? How do you know
whether you are progressing or not? With this type of target in mind, you set yourself up for failure. To check that your goal is a good one, use the acronym SMART: S - Is your goal specific? “I will read one book per month” is much more specific than “I will read more”. M - Is your goal measurable? Being more involved with the community is a wonderful change to make, but how will you know when you’re there? “I will volunteer an hour every month” is much easier to track your success or need for adjustment. A - Is your goal attainable? Truly, the only good resolution is one you can actually do. Be careful, though, not to make it too easy. You never know what you can achieve until you try. R - Is your goal results-oriented? Never downplay the power of the journey, but forming an endpoint can help drive the process. Reaching the end also doesn’t
mean it’s all over, particularly if you have chosen a health-related resolution. If you’ve taken steps to get off your meds, and you reach that point, keep doing what you’re doing! T - Is your goal time-bound? Your momentum will probably lose its force if you plan on losing those 10 pounds “sometime during the year.” Can you do it in 3 months? By the beginning of March, you should have made some substantial progress. If not, it’s time to reassess your plan and approach. Have a plan. Knowing where you want to be or what you want to achieve is great but meaningless if you don’t know how to get there. Making a list of actual steps you will take can really help mobilize your action. The more actions you plan the better, because if one or two of them prove to be unworkable, you have several others to fall back on without completely derailing your efforts. If you plan on saving a certain amount of money, make specific plans to regularly deposit money in savings, cut spending in predetermined areas,
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and make a little more on the side. Get accountability - For some people, making a commitment to themselves is basically an ironclad deal. But for others, there is a tendency to cheat or waver because “no one will know”. If this is you, enlist outside help. Finding a personal trainer, for example, or a health/nutrition/lifestyle/business/ financial coach can be well worth the investment. In addition to just having someone to check in with, they will have a wealth of information and ideas in case your progress or motivation slows. Don’t despair! - This is probably one of the most important ideas. There is nothing inherently nascent about January, so if you fall off track, just start again! Make sure to be reflective in your reassessment. What was it about your first attempt that didn’t work? What might you do differently to support greater success in Round 2? Failure isn’t the end, it’s just a new beginning.
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS Health Benefits of Olive Leaf By Dr. Altair This introspective time of year is always very special to me for many reasons. First, our light starts returning after the longest day of the year. Second, it is deadline time and yearly project come to completion. Third, I set new goals for the new year. I look at where things need to change, and how I can improve my life. Don’t get me wrong. I love life, and I love my life. I also love growing, learning, and knowing I can always improve and embrace more vitality. Insanity is a CATCH 22. Insanity has been defined by many as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. However, the change never happens and the rut of CATCH 22 keeps repeating and repeating. “Trying to change” doesn’t work either, because “try” is always in the future, and never arrives. It seems people seldom initiate change voluntarily. Usually there is a crisis that presents itself. More often than not, when a person hits a crisis, something has been wrong for a long time, and was either consciously or subconsciously ignored. The problem needed to be address long ago.
The Wasilla Rotary Noon Club is proud to present “Christmas for the Kids” For more than 20 years, Wasilla Noon Club members have sponsored a series of events for youngsters in the Valley area. The first event for our community’s
For example, people develop serious illnesses but refuse to exercise, which causes stagnation in the body. Why not exercise before illness strikes? Life finds ways to prompt us to change. Change is ever constant throughout the universe. The time, the seasons, the cycles of our lives, and every breath is changed from the previous breath. When illness or crisis arrives it is past the time when you might have first noticed it. You have been living on borrowed time. Crisis = growth + change. Crisis is an opportunity to fix what is not working and an opportunity to look for the silver lining. The reasons for a crisis can usually be found in looking at how you work, how you play, and looking at your relationships. Look for areas where you feel stuck, unhappy, or dissatisfied. I want my life to be fun and interesting. I trust many of you want this too. This season take a moment to ask yourself “How can my life become more full and vital?” Set a new direction with new goals as you grow into 2016. It all depends on you! Dr. Altair is a chiropractor who, over the past 11 years, has helped hundreds of patients toward vital health and healing. Her office is located at 3161 E PalmerWasilla HWY 907-357-1818
children is on Saturday, December 19th, at the Wasilla Pool, from 1:30 to 3 in the afternoon. The first 105 children who come to swim will get in FREE! The next event will be on Tuesday, December 29th, at the Mat-Su Valley Cinemas. This amazing event is cosponsored with the Susitna Rotary Club.
By Dori Cranmore, RN Olive oil is very important in our diet and the oil may not be the most important product of the olive trees. The omega-9 monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, is considered a “healthy” fat. It was first found to be used by ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures to treat a wide variety of health conditions. It is quickly becoming the more popular supplement for supporting a healthy immune system because of its naturally occurring broad-spectrum cell-protecting polyphenols. You’ve noticed how some people age faster than others, right? This is the effect of protecting the body with antioxidants… or not. The free radicals destroy genetic DNA, overload the immune system and destroy a cells identity. Tobacco smoke is literally a turbo-charged free radical factory on steroids! A study done by the U.S. FDA said that at least 53 cancer-causing pesticides are applied in large amounts to the major food crops. Center for Disease Control and Prevention found 116 pesticides and other artificial chemicals in human blood and urine. According to the Environmental Working Group they found the most contaminated of all were peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will air at 9 a.m. The line up at the Cinema will begin at 8:15 a.m., and the first 200 children in line will get to see the movie FREE! The last event will be held at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena on Saturday, January 2nd. Ice time at the Area will be FREE
Plants like olive trees have their own built in protection against oxidative damage. The phenolics in the olive tree have a powerful ability to eat up the free radicals in our body and are an amazing weapon in fighting our own oxidative damage and premature aging. Olive trees live thousands of years and resist attacks from bacteria, virus, fungus and a range of microorganisms. In an independent laboratory test in Australia, Barleans’ Olive Leaf Complex liquid had a higher ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) rating than Noni, Mangosteen, Acai and Gogi juice and 400% higher than vitamin C, and twice as high as green tea or grape seed extract. The amazing benefits that have been reported from Olive Leaf liquid include lowering blood pressure, boosting the immune system (an absolute must during cold and flu season), helping to regulate high blood sugar, helps destroy the replication of virus cells, and it can delay the growth of staphylococcus aureus. Be sure to use quality Olive Leaf, preferably a liquid complex. Barlean’s uses non GMO and pesticide free olive leaves in their Olive Leaf Complex. How important is antioxidant power to your health? I’ll let you decide how fast you want to age. Dori Cranmore is a Registered Nurse, Holistic Health Practitioner, Certified Clinical Thermographer and owner of All About Herbs, Inc. in Wasilla.
(including skate rental) to all children from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The Wasilla Noon Rotary Club and Susitna Rotary Club hopes that MatSu area children (and their parents) will take advantage of these safe, fun activities. We wish you a very Merry Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year!
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The People’s Paper COMMUNITY PAGE 6
The Alarming Rate of Suicide for Veterans by Major Mike Dryden, AVN USAR Retired US military Veterans are committing suicide at the rate of 22 Veterans per day, every day of the year. It’s an alarming and disturbing fact, but older veterans have a higher suicide rate than the general public, including returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. In fact, veterans over 50 years of age have a 70 percent higher suicide rate than the non-veteran general population. According to Tom Berger, executive director of the Vietnam Veterans of America national health council and a Vietnam Navy Veteran, “You know, ‘We’re just old guys, and we’re going to die, so why pay much attention to them?’ That’s kind of the feeling that some of our members have.” Sen. John Walsh, D-Mont ., the first Iraq War combat veteran to serve in the Senate, introduced one of the omnibus bills that contained an extension from five to fifteen years in which a veteran could qualify for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) benefits from the VA. But only veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars would be eligible for the 15-year extension deadline. Although the shooting at Fort Hood has
reignited the national debate over the surge of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ suicides, as it should, older veterans have been largely overlooked in the conversation. A call to our Congressional delegation is to extend this proposal to all veterans. Thank goodness the VA is recognizing PTSD as an illness that is just as real as a visible injury to one’s body and the PTSD onset can be delayed for decades. Sometimes the body heals much faster than the mind. This disorder is often overlooked by the family and friends of a WWll, Korean or Vietnam War era veteran because the illness is masked by anti-social behavior, alcohol and illegal and prescription drug abuse. These symptoms are often recognized and treated while the underlying cause is not. The good news is many resources are at your disposal if you just ask. The VA’s updated suicide information last year showed a decrease in the suicide rate for middle-aged male veterans who use VA health care, compared with an increase for the same age group of veterans who don’t. This is not a small detail. Robert Bossarte, who coauthored the VA study, said that despite initial worries that older veterans wouldn’t use
“US military Veterans are committing suicide at the rate of 22 Veterans per day, every day of the year.”
the Veterans Crisis Line, the opposite has proven true. A majority of the calls came from the over-50 age group of veterans. A booklet, “The Guide to VA Mental Health Services for Veterans and Families,” is available from the VA. Some of the services outlined in this guide are the improved focus on recovery, a coordinated mental health treatment program, a coordinator for the mental health treatment in primary care, around-the-clock services (see below) and family and couple services. This guide and other veterans’ services are available for download and pdf printing at the www.va.gov website and toll-free telephone numbers for other services are in the phone book under Veteran Administration. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring VA responders through a confidential tollfree hotline, online chat, or text. To speak with a responder by phone, call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. To chat online go to www.veteranscrisisline. net. To text with a responder, send a text message to 838255. These confidential support options are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Veterans who are homeless can get help finding mental health care at a veterans drop-in center, or by contacting the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-424-3838, or by visiting the VA’s Homeless Veterans Website at www.va.gov/homeless. VA Community Living Centers (CLCs) for Veterans are available in some areas for veterans needing temporary assisted care until they can return home or find placement in a nursing home. For more information, visit or call: www.mentalhealth.va.gov/vamentalhealthgroup.asp VA Benefits Information 1-800-827-1000 VA Medical Information 1-800-353-7574 Many valuable mental health services are available to all veterans, but the Veteran, their family or a very good friend must initiate the process. And on a personal note, I would like to thank all the medical staff at JBER’s ER and MSU for the wonderful care I’ve received. Thanks again. Here’s to your good mental health. Until next month, Mike is RTB, out.
COMMUNITY By Summer Carrington
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Many soldiers are too far away or can’t afford to go home for the holidays.
Allow the service member an opportunity to take a nap. Typically, the service members are picked up early with a long day ahead.
Thankfully, most bases have official Adopt a Service Member programs or non-profits and the local community organize to connect service members with local families to host for the holidays. These programs are known by many names such as “Operation Home Cooking,” “Adopt an Airman,” “Host a Marine,” “Adopt a Soldier,” etc. How to Adopt a Service Member: The easiest way to adopt a soldier is to reach out to the nearest military installation’s MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) office to inquire about their specific holiday programs. Tips on Hosting a soldier: Take them on a tour of the house, show them where they can locate the bathroom or relax. Give them time to warm up. Remember that they came to your home to relax and enjoy themselves. Turn on the TV and let them watch some football, basketball or other sporting event. Thank them for their service. Allow them to get comfortable. Service members will be in uniform. Suggest that they may bring a change of clothes and/or shoes to change into during their visit. Offer to let them make a call home; allow them privacy to make their call(s).
Have food, e.g. snacks, available upon their arrival especially if dinner is several hours away or more from being served. Share past photos of Holiday family time and past military relatives. Offer leftovers to take home. The number one thing not to forget is to get a few gifts that are general in nature to make them feel at home and part of the family. If you have kids, have them make cookies to take home and a family Christmas card with all their signatures. If possible you happen to have a family picture, put that in the card. It will mean so much to the soldier to have a real connection. Here is a list of what not to do:
We thank Mat-Su Health Foundation, Barrett and Associates, and Kendall Ford for their generosity and sponsorship, so that we can provide and create an awareness regarding the Adopt a Box program.
Frontline Mission will be distributing 350 Christmas Boxes this Holiday Season to families in need in the Mat-Su Valley on Thursday, December 17, and Friday, December 18 at 2001 Palmer-Wasilla Hwy, Wasilla.
We would also like to thank Machetanz Elementary School and MTA Sports Center organizing a special “Socks and Undies for Santa”, at the school and Business location.
Along with the Christmas Food Boxes we will also be giving new socks and underwear to families with children, seniors, and those who need clean underclothes. Starting November, we have been collecting food through our food drives, and businesses in the MatSu valley have participated in food drives to help provide for these Christmas Boxes. Kendall Ford will be driving their truck around to these businesses picking up the donations on Dec 14th as part of their twelve days of Christmas campaign.
Frontline Mission is a connecting place between the less fortunate and compassionate people of the community. “With Love from the Valley Toy Drive” was one such community outreach event that brought together people from all walks of life donating for one cause, to bring Christmas Gifts to those in need. When people connect with one another, change happens! For more information contact: Vandana Ingle, Director of Development & Communication 907-357-8600
Offer alcohol or drugs Be offended if they don’t share everything about their job, it may be due to OPSEC (protects U.S. operations — planned, in progress and those completed.) Over load them at once with too many questions. After a simple introduction, let them relax. Make the conversation about you and all of your military experience. Let them talk about theirs.
Adhere to military guidelines and standards.
Worry about cooking all of their favorite foods. They will appreciate the homecooked meal and eat what they choose.
Encourage them to share their Christmas traditions and customs.
Say anything that could be perceived as derogatory about political topics/issues.
Get their contact information so you can keep in touch and follow up.
Most of all, let you and your guest enjoy a beautiful and warm holiday with family. It will be the best gift ever for both of you for years to come.
Take pictures and offer to share them.
It’s hard to believe Christmas is almost here! Soon we’ll be sharing gifts, festive school concerts, staff parties and church services; but being with our family and friends will be the best part.
The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) recently welcomed Director of Finance Christopher J. Emond to its team. Chris oversees all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities for the organization, in conjunction with the executive director, board of directors, and finance and audit committees of the board. He plays a key role in the organization’s overall strategy development and implementation; serves as the management liaison to the MSHF board finance and audit committees; and supports joint venture planning and management. He also oversees key operating functions of the organization including accounting, legal and compliance, human resources, IT, physical plant asset management, and grant management function.
“Along with extensive financial management experience, Chris brings strong analytic and strategic thinking capabilities to our team, which will help enhance our hospital partnership engagement and stewardship of our assets toward meaningful community impact,” said Elizabeth Ripley, Mat-Su Health Foundation Executive Director. Chris came to the Mat-Su Health Foundation from his previous role as director of treasury at Alaska Communications Systems. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Houston and serves as an officer on the board of directors for the Alaska E-Health Network. Chris lives in Palmer with his wife and two sons. More information is available online at www.healthymatsu.org
POLITICS Contributed By Representative Shelley Hughes As Alaskans, we are accustomed to harsh weather and less-than-ideal road conditions that often grace our commutes throughout the state this time of year, but we are also accustomed to an adequate response by our state road maintenance crews. Lately the weather has been winning the battle of man versus the elements. Every year we hear complaints about slow response time or lack of attention to specific roadways, but I find myself asking, why this year more than others? I’m troubled by the conclusion I’m reaching after listening to the administration’s presentation of the Sovereign Wealth plan and communicating with Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Luiken. Could the current political climate really be playing into the fact that our roads are less safe than they could be after a snowstorm? And when weather conditions create icy streets, could the administration really be jockeying into position to protect department budgets while we pump our brakes wondering where the sand is and whether we’ll stop in time? Maintaining safe roadways to prevent accidents should always be a top priority for DOT. It is a matter of life and safety. Regardless of politics or budgets, the administration should never play games with the public when it comes to safety, not in this department or any other. Here’s how the political ploy works, and admittedly it’s been used in the past: cut where people will feel it, wait for the public outcry, and watch the
By Nathan MacPherson As the son of a West Point graduate, I am well aware of the motto, adopted in 1898, of the United States Military Academy: Duty, Honor, Country. This motto, drilled into me not so much by my father’s words as by his actions in exemplifying the motto, became known throughout our Republic perhaps due to the famous 1962 speech by General Douglas MacArthur, “Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.” But why speaks Gen. MacArthur of duty and not of rights? It has been said – and rightly so – that a duty is a right and a right is a duty; they are flip sides of the same coin. It is a matter of perspective (more on this later). Unfortunately, rights/duties have been confused and conflated with entitlements or privileges, often falsely referred to as “rights.” Our Declaration of Independence refers to “certain unalienable rights” such as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Locke referred to these as “life, liberty, and estate” or “life, health, liberty, and possessions” and Blackstone as “life, liberty, and property.” We learn from the Declaration that it is the proper role of government “to secure these rights” and from Locke that “Man being born, as has been proved, with a title to perfect freedom… hath by nature a power… to preserve his property, that is his life, liberty, and estate…”
The People’s Paper COMMUNITY PAGE 7
legislature restore the funding. It’s different this time though. Because we’re facing a $3.5 billion fiscal gap, the “restore the funding” step that the administration is proposing involves raising taxes and changing the flow of money related to our PFDs (which eventually would likely lower our annual checks). How can Governor Walker convince the public of its plan? The administration surely isn’t using Alaskans on our icy roadways as pawns in a political game of money and power, or is it? If we’d already cut the state budget to the bare bone - not just where the public feels it but where they can’t that would be one thing. If we literally could not afford adequate crews to maintain safe roads in a timely manner, the legislature indeed would be tasked to restore some funding, as life and safety issues are its priority as well. But this is not the case. The cuts thus far to the operating budget have not rendered departments down to their core. Case in point: only a handful of state employees aren’t returning to work this year, and most of those were planning to exit anyway. Activities are still being conducted by departments even though they’re not all essential, nor all required by our state constitution. With three-thousand plus employees, it’s true that Luiken has no easy task with ferries and roads and airports to oversee across a very large state. DOT did receive a 12.5% state general fund reduction in the last state operating budget, and although that’s substantial, it’s quite survivable considering the growth of the budget in earlier years and the fact that federal revenue streams for road projects are still flowing to DOT.
In addition, the department still received $144 million in state general funds for the operation and maintenance of roads and airports. Not chump change. When I urged Commissioner Luiken to pull back in other parts of the department, instead of “where the rubber meets the road,” he indicated that only $10 million of his $144 million was not in direct service. His idea of direct service and mine obviously differ, and mine does not include thousands of employees in offices at desks. So far, DOT has ceased overtime statewide for winter road maintenance, and in the Central Region, DOT has cut two seasonal positions. This equates to fewer workers out after winter storms. This also equates to unsafe road conditions for longer periods of time. Commuters are testifying to the dangerous situation. We’ve all experienced it: parents driving kids, seniors heading to their medical appointments, teenagers driving to their sports practice - treacherous conditions and scary predicaments. In fact, a dozen hours after the last major snowstorm had calmed, I found piles of snow still on the Parks Highway in the populated corridor, and the same on the state-maintained portion of Bogard Road (interestingly, at the very same time, the portion the MatSu Borough maintains at a lower cost was superbly cleared). I understand that DOT prioritizes roadways based on traffic volume, location and other factors, but this alone does not explain what we are seeing in comparison with prior years. Think of a business, a company similar in size to the combination of the various departments of the State of Alaska. What if it were facing a substantial shortfall - what would
It is clear, then, that these natural rights are also duties, as above stated. Take, for instance, the Second Amendment, which protects against government interference the “right of the people to keep and bear arms.” This is not a “right” in the sense of “privilege” or “entitlement,” but rather a duty to preserve life, liberty, and property.
interference: to provide such “rights” as, for instance, “free” healthcare, the government must take by force from those who have in order to give to those who have not. (By the way, according to these people (whoever “they” are), those who have, have no “right” to keep what they have. They are obligated to “share” for the benefit of others.)
As noted by Dr. Joel McDurmon in his 12/7/15 article in The American Vision, Locke stated it best:
Returning to General MacArthur, in whose funeral my father and uncle, as West Point cadets, were privileged to march, we see that he spoke of real rights, rights of the kind mentioned in the Declaration and Constitution. He spoke of duty, honor, and country. But he did not merely speak of them, he lived them. He practiced them.
“Every one, as he is bound to preserve himself…so by the like reason, when his own preservation comes not in competition, ought he, as much as he can, to preserve the rest of mankind, and may not, unless it be to do justice on an offender, take away, or impair the life, or what tends to the preservation of the life, the liberty, health, limb, or goods of another.” Thus, we have a duty to preserve life, liberty, and property, not only our own but also that of our neighbor. The Constitution prohibits the federal government from interfering with that duty. Thus the matter of perspective: a right, in the sense used in our Declaration and Constitution, is from our perspective a duty or obligation and, from another’s perspective, something with which no man or group of men – such as the government – has the authority to interfere. We have neither the authority to shirk said duties, nor to “give up our rights,” nor to “waive our rights”; others, such as government, have no authority to interfere with our exercise of our rights, that is, carrying out our duties. Entitlements or privileges, on the other hand, are not, from our perspective, duties, but rather benefits. From the perspective of others, these require
MacArthur is the most-decorated soldier in history, earning over 100 medals including the Medal of Honor. To MacArthur, these words taught, “not to substitute words for actions, not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge; to learn to stand up in the storm, but to have compassion on those who fall; to master yourself before you seek to master others…” Rather than focusing on getting, we ought to focus on giving. As President Kennedy put it, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” This includes not merely looking to politicians to restore our Republic. “Let none hear you idly saying, ‘there is nothing I can do,’ while the multitudes are dying, and the Master calls for you.” This month we celebrate the birth of our Savior, the ultimate Creator and preserver of life, the ultimate example of focusing on duty rather than entitle-
it do? Would it scale back, look for efficiencies, trim excesses, reassess its core services? Of course it would. Now, let’s zoom in a little more. Would it scale back where the customer interfaces with the company, shortchange that experience? Or would it keep that experience intact and scale back farther up the food chain, in ways the customer wouldn’t even notice? Certainly the profit motive dictates the latter. In the case of state government, the profit motive is nonexistent. A noble motive is in its place, however. The challenge is that only those with integrity in state government will adhere to it when budgets are tight: the life and safety and best interest of Alaskans. I hope this motive spurs the administration to keep the people of Alaska / state government interface intact and scale back farther up the food chain. When Governor Walker unveils his detailed budget, we’ll find out his intentions. Sadly, many officials and bureaucrats whose vision is distorted by power and money and politics fail to adhere to this most basic mission. Let’s hope this administration resists the temptation to scale back fundamental services in order to try to win public support for a tax and spend plan. Let’s hope DOT and the other departments put the life and safety of Alaskans first. Representative Shelley Hughes, District 11 - Greater Palmer, is House Transportation Co-Chair. For more information, contact Stuart Krueger, Office of Rep. Hughes, at 907-376-3725.
ment, on giving and sacrificing rather than getting and taking. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Indeed, in ultimate obedience to His duty, Jesus preserved all life by giving up His own on the cross and rising again from the dead. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” General MacArthur put it this way: “The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training--sacrifice. In battle, and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in His own image. No physical courage and no greater strength can take the place of the divine help which alone can sustain him. However hard the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest development of mankind.” Although we have veterans to thank for the freedoms we enjoy, most of us are, by the grace of God, not called to make such sacrifices; God has called us to much easier duties. (“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not burdenous.”) If we would all diligently perform those duties to which our Creator has called us – starting at home, we would bring honor to ourselves and our families and we would restore our country to the freedom for which our forefathers sacrificed “their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.”
COMMUNITY
The People’s Paper COMMUNITY PAGE 8
The Start of a New Beginning By Abby Lampley One of the biggest impacts on my life has been getting connected with My House. I was in a bad situation before I got connected with My House and was in danger of being homeless. I called my mom and told her about my situation and I didn’t know what to do. The next day, my mom called me and told me about an organization called My House. She told me, “Abby, I really think this is your answer. You need to call these people on Monday.” Being me, I got on my computer & did my research on this organization my mom had told me about. When I read their website, I felt like they could help me. It was like God was opening the doors to Heaven and sending me down a present. I decided that I need to follow my mom’s advice and contact My House. So, I called My House on the morning of July 27th. I wasn’t really sure what to say when Melissa picked up the phone. I was really scared that this would just be a dead end. So, I just said that I needed help and they sent a guy named Chuck to come pick me up from where I was living in Houston. During my intake, I told Chuck and Melissa about my situation. Melissa had me fill out a bunch of paperwork and that they had an open bed in the girl’s house if I wanted it. I was shaking the whole time. I was so overwhelmed and shocked that they actually wanted to help me. I spent that night in the Mary K house. I remember feeling safe and cautiously
hopeful that things were about to get better. I fell asleep that night, thanking God for this new chapter of my life. He had come through for me once again and I wanted to make the most of this opportunity. Two days after I moved into the Mary K house, I started looking for a job. For the first week, I applied to pretty much every job within walking distance. I made a resume, I filled out applications, and put on my best smile. Nobody wanted to hire me though because I hadn’t finished high school yet and I had no job experience. I think that the biggest reason for why I wasn’t getting hired was because I have a disability. I had a major brain surgery as a little girl and my left side is partially paralyzed. I am very good at doing things with my one good hand and I don’t view myself as disabled, but some people do. One day while I was job hunting, I ran into one of the guys that I’d seen briefly at My House. I was in the middle of a mental freak out and ended up telling him about my job problem. He told me to go talk to My House staff about working in the cafe. I wasn’t really sure about that idea because I was still at the point where I never asked for help. My decision to ask for help on my job problem was the first step that I took in learning that it is okay to ask for help when I need it. My interview with the cafe manager, Kurt Hoenack, did not go as well as I had hoped. After talking for a bit, he told me, “I am not trying to discriminate you, but I don’t think that the cafe would be a very good fit for you. Let me go talk to my sister, Kyra.” Next thing I knew I was talking to Kyra about working in the Steam Driven Boutique. I remember explaining to
“...I think that the biggest reason for why I wasn’t getting hired was because I have a disability. I had a major brain surgery as a little girl and my left side is partially paralyzed...”
Kyra about my left side and saying that I might be kind of slow at first while I figured out how to do everything. I will never forget how Kyra responded. She told me, “Everyone is slow at first and that’s okay. I am not at all concerned about your left side. You had to have gotten here somehow and you seem to be doing just fine to me.” Her response meant so much to me because she was able to look past my left side and give me a chance that I needed. I had never worked before and I had no idea what to expect, but I was ready to make the most of this opportunity. I was ready to take a leap of faith. That first month was so hard. There was so much to learn and I had no idea what I was doing. I had trouble finding things to do and I was so slow at whatever I did. My feet constantly hurt too. I was quiet, insecure, and scared that I was going to be a failure. Then something happened. I decided to trust myself. After that, things skyrocketed for me. I began getting the hang of running the cash register, and I started learning to stay on task & keep busy when there were no customers. Coral and Kyra would give me ideas of what I could be doing and taught me that there is always something to do in the boutique. Whenever I wasn’t working, I was working on my schoolwork, going to therapy, or sleeping. I also had some help from our Nine Star lady and my friend, Amanda, in getting started with DVR. On August 27th, It marked my being with My House for one month. I remember looking back at that first month and thinking, “Wow, I really can live on my own without dying.” I had gone a whole month of working, feeding, and taking care of myself without failing myself. I’ve had a lot
of people tell me that I wasn’t going to make anything of myself. So, being able to succeed on my own gives me a huge source of pride and confidence in myself. I have been with My House and in the boutique for four months now. My main job in Steam Driven is to deal with the customers and keep the front of the store neat. I absolutely love dealing with the customers and checking them out. At first I was really slow at checking the customers out, but I made up for my lack of speed with my customer service. Now, I am efficient and I excel at customer service. I am also learning how to price/tag items and do the social media posts for the boutique and the cafe. Having the skill to advertise and run social media will help me with future jobs. Therapy is going well. I am almost set up with DVR to work on getting a suitable long term goal. I’ve reconnected with my family and they are so proud of me. I am making progress with my schoolwork. I’ve got friends and a wonderful support group. I’ve been nominated for the Spirt of Youth award because of my hard work. So many wonderful things have happened, and continue to happen for me. I have come so far in such a short period. I know that I still have a long way before finishing high school, getting my own place and becoming a librarian. I am not going to give up my dreams though. I know that anything is possible and if I keep working, then I will succeed. Plus, I know that I have God and everyone at My House willing to help me. I will forever be grateful to the love and support everyone has given me at My House.
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