Chickaloon, Sutton Choose Respect

SUTTON — Chickaloon Village Traditional Council’s Health and Social Services Department and the Sutton Public Library organized the scond annual Choose Respect Community Gathering March 28 for the Sutton/Chickaloon community. The tribe chose to join with communities all across the state of Alaska to work toward ending the epidemic of domestic violence in the state.

“Ending this epidemic begins with respect, which is something we are teaching and trying to model for our children,” said Council Member and Health and Social Services Director Lisa Wade. “We must begin by respecting our Elders, who are our wisdom keepers; our men, who are our protectors; our women, who are our life-bearers; our children, who are our future; our environment, which is our home; and ourselves, because we are all worthy of respect.”

Representatives from Alaska State Troopers along with Rachel Garnet from Gov. Sean Parnell’s office and Casey Stainau from U.S. Sen. Mark Begich’s office joined local Mat-Su Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss and assemblyman Warren Keogh at the community luncheon celebration.

Following the luncheon, students from the Ya Ne Dah Ah School and other community members rode the Chickaloon Area Transit bus to the new Sutton Public Library, where they were treated to cake and an anti-bullying story told by librarian Nancy Bartels.