Chickaloon chooses respect

Courtesy photo

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council’s Health and Social Services Department and the Sutton Public Library organized a Choose Respect event March 29. The local federally recognized tribal government chose to partner with Gov. Sean Parnell on an initiative to work toward ending the epidemic of domestic violence in Alaska. Students from the Ya Ne Dah Ah School, local elders and community members gathered together, along with Barbara Henjum, director of the Division of Juvenile Justice, and Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Warren Keogh for the weekly Elders’ Lunch program at the Chickaloon Village Government Building (Ne’iine’ Hwnax or Chickadee House).

After lunch, participants boarded the local Chickaloon Area Transit System community bus to the Sutton Fire Station before continuing the march through Sutton to the library for dessert.