MARCH 15, 2013

An exciting month!

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Senator Begich came to Juneau last week. We had a few moments to talk about Frankenfish. It’s always a pleasure to visit with Senator Begich.

The Gardens are Opening!

Winter is waning, spring is creeping in, and the Gardens at Bragaw are opening! The Anchorage Community Land Trust announced the opening of a new community garden this year. The garden is on Bragaw between 4th Ave and the Glenn Highway. Registration for Garden plots will take place on March 30th and April 6th at the Mountain View Library from 11 AM to 1 PM. I can’t wait to see you all in the garden this summer! If you have any questions, call the Anchorage Community Land Trust at 748-5848.

Honoring AmeriCorps Volunteers

This week, Alaska is joining the nationwide celebration of AmeriCorps Week. This year, we have 152 volunteers in Alaska helping students learn to read, mentoring at-risk youth, and much more. In 2012 alone, Alaska AmeriCorps members tutored or mentored more than 14,552 disadvantaged children and youth, provided more than 258,000 hours of service with a value over $6 million, recruited over 12,750 volunteers, raised more than $3.6 million in cash and earned $1.4 million in education awards.

These young men and young women are making a huge difference in our state. When you see them, please thank them for their service.

National Nutrition Month

This week, the Alaska Youth for Environmental Action were in Juneau lobbying legislators. While they were here they had a BBQ and awarded Representative Seaton (R-Homer), Representative Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka), Senator Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) and myself received the “Legislator of the Year” award.

March is National Nutrition Month. National Nutrition week was initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event but grew into a month-long observance in 1980. The month serves to raise awareness about nutrition in Alaska, and March 13 is Registered Dietitian Day! If you want to more about this, visit the Alaska Dietetic Association website to learn more.

Women’s History Month

March is also Women’s History Month. This year, the theme is “Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.” I’m very excited about the theme this year. Alaskan women inducted into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame for their contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics include Lydia Black, Irene Ryan, Rita Blumenstein, Celia Hunter, Sarah Agnes James, Della Keats, Irene Ryan, Lidia Selkregg, Esther Wunnicke, the Sisters of Providence, Ethel Lund, Helen Nienhueser, Peg Tileston, Elizabeth “Betsy” Ann Tower, M.D., Virginia “Ginny” Wood, Elaine Abraham, Joerene Savikko Hout, Helen Stoddard Whaley, M.D., Dr. Leonie von Meusebach Zesch, Arne Beltz, Daphne Elizabeth Brown, Dorothy Jones, DSW, Thelma Langdon and Emily Morgan. All of these women have paved the way for generations of women to follow in their footsteps.

To learn more about women’s history month, check out the website!

Don’t forget about your PFD!

The deadline to apply for your PFD is March 31, only two weeks away. If you haven’t done so already, you can apply online.

Upcoming Events

• Monday, March 18, Z. J. Loussac Library Master Plan Open House, 5:30 – 7 P.M. – A year in the making, the Loussac Library Facility Master Plan is a result of detailed planning by a team of architects, designers, technology and library experts, and thoughtful and creative input from thousands of community members. The recently completed plan sets a vision for a renovated Loussac that is a dynamic and interactive hub for community engagement.
   
• Thursday, March 21 – Airport Heights Community Council, 7 PM at Airport Heights Elementary School

Sincerely,

Representative Geran Tarr

To unsubscribe from Tarr's Times click here