Health

About two dozen people gathered near the Capital School and Terry Miller Legislative Office building on Saturday evening for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

Attendees held candles and talked about the children who were killed on Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Among other topics, they also discussed the propensity for gun-related violence and the lifting of an assault weapons ban that occurred eight years ago.

Local organizer Larry West says he got the idea for the event from the website MoveOn.org which called for similar vigils around the country on Saturday.

Adam Lanza, 20, is believed to have shot twenty children and seven adults — including his mother — before turning the gun on himself as officers converged on the school on Friday.

 

Salmon and halibut on a school lunch menu – it’s been happening in Juneau as the school district looks for healthier and more local foods for kids. Juneau schools in August received a state grant to help fund Alaska Grown lunches. The school district plans to expand the program, but for now students, staff and suppliers are still getting used to the new meals.

Students flood the hallways as lunch starts at Thunder Mountain High School. They congregate at the lunch line, speeding through so they can sit and socialize. Most choose pizza, or a cheeseburger, but 18-year-old Alora Pilgrim picks up halibut with broccoli and red potatoes.

[quote]“I usually get a sandwich or a salad, or if there’s something that looks especially yummy like the halibut I’ll get that.” Pilgrim said. “It’s really good, it seems like it’s more like actual ‘real food’ than maybe some of the other things they serve.” [/quote]

Pilgrim plans to major in biology after high school. When she learned the halibut and potatoes come from Alaska, she said she likes eating a lunch that’s better for the environment.

[quote]”I like eating food that’s local and sustainable.” Pilgrim said. “I think it’s really good because it does help our economy and it’s nice because other things that we do have to fly in are maybe not so fresh, like fruits and vegetables.” [/quote]

The day’s halibut came from Taku Smokeries in Juneau, and Matanuska-Susitna Valley potatoes came from Anchorage-based Charlie’s Produce.

Earlier in the year, the Juneau school district offered sockeye salmon from Taku and a coleslaw mix from Mat-Su. It also shipped in vegetables from Merry Weather Farms in Gustavus.

“We literally purchased all her carrots and sugar snap peas.” says Adrianne Schwartz, the food services supervisor for the Juneau School District. She learned this year that Juneau schools were eligible for an $85,000 one-time state grant that would pay for local foods in school lunches.

[quote] “Our main resource in our state I believe has a lot to do with fishing and any way that we can help maintain that or promote, I think, is really good and why not be purchasing foods that are grown right here in our state rather than ordering from elsewhere if we can?” Schwartz says. [/quote]

Schwartz says parents and staff praise the new options, and the district plans to survey students. The menu notes when a food’s from Alaska, and kitchen employees provide more details when students ask about the unfamiliar foods.

18-year-old Katherine Wray sits without a lunch at a table with other students. She has not tried the Alaska fish when it’s available.

“That sounds gross,” Wray said.

Schwartz says meals are $3.25 for a combination of an entrée, items from the salad bar and milk. Students can choose between a few entrées, but other drinks, or additional entrées, cost extra.

Schwartz says school lunches are in flux nationwide. Posters hang on the walls of the cafeteria urging students to remember the healthy food plate, instead of the familiar food pyramid. The plate is half fruits and vegetables, half grains and proteins, and a glass of milk The local food grant is one facet of a changing lunch program.

[quote]“Sometimes people just aren’t able to get out and hunt and fish or it’s too expensive.” Schwartz says. “And so, you know, I just feel like it’s a very nutritious offering that we can provide to our students and it also exposes them to our local foods and would encourage them to try to eat that type of food outside of school.” [/quote]

The grant is available to other school districts. This is not the first time Southeast schools have provided local food, but the funding allows for a more comprehensive effort to provide it on an ongoing basis. A USDA program funded Juneau school district meals from Taco Loco and Trident Seafoods. Schwartz says the Sitka school district pushed for local options even before funding was available.

The last couple of years they started a program that they were able to do because they were receiving fish donations from the community and then NANA Management Services was paying a processing fee, and so it made it so it was affordable for them to provide fish on the menu,” Schwartz says.

It’s unclear if grant funding will be available next year, but Schwartz says Juneau students periodically will be able to get local, healthy foods.

Greg Regester is the general manager for NANA management services, the food contractor for the Juneau School District. The Thunder Mountain High School kitchen provides ready-to-cook meals for eight other schools in the district. They sell about 1,500 meals a week. Regester says kitchen staff prepared 150 pounds of halibut for lunch on December 7. He’s still analyzing how much more it costs to ship potatoes in from the Mat-Su.

“Cost-wise it looks like it is a bit more expensive to have purchased these items.” Regester says. “But that’s not to say that we still wouldn’t use them, because they are fresher and closer to home.”

In the future, Schwartz plans to offer processed game in addition to more fish and vegetables.

Negations are reportedly on-going between House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Vice President Joe Biden about reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.

Key provisions for Alaska are at stake.

The last re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2005 called for a national baseline study of domestic abuse victims in Indian County.

It didn’t include Alaska Natives, which was likely just an oversight.

But the current re-authorization, which has passed both the House and Senate, would include them in future studies. And U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski says that could lead to more money for domestic violence services in the state.

[quote]“It helps us in our ability to obtain additional grant dollars. Those federal funds that would be available to help on issues that relate to domestic violence, whether it is the shelters, whether it is levels of support for victims of domestic violence,” Murkowski says.[/quote]

There are a few sticking points between the House and Senate versions. The Senate extends protections to immigrants and gays and lesbians. It also grants tribal courts in the Lower 48 the ability to issue restraining orders against non-natives.

Mary Lundquist is senior assistant attorney general for the state. She says that last provision is already in effect in Alaska … even though, in her eyes, the tribal courts are on shaky footing.

“Whether they have the authority to do it or not, I don’t think has been litigated. But it is done. And the policy of the state of Alaska is that when a protective order is issued, the state enforces them and asks later,” Lundquist says.

Both Senators Murkowski and Mark Begich voted for VAWA – as it’s known in D.C. And Congressman Don Young voted for the House version, too.

Leaders of the House and Senate could appoint a conference committee to reconcile the differences, and then have both chambers pass that fixed version. Or one chamber could just pass the other version, though that’s unlikely. Many thought the tension over politically sensitive groups would die after the election.

But it hasn’t. And Peggy Brown is nervous the Violence Against Women Act will sunset for the first time.

[quote]“If we lost VAWA here in Alaska? It would devastate, I mean devastate our work here. Prevention work, public awareness – you name it,” Brown says.[/quote]

 

Brown is the executive director of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Her group provides victims with emergency shelters, hotlines, clothing, food.

It also uses a federal grant to help victims pursue civil trials. The network uses the money on training. Veteran attorneys mentor newer ones … so domestic violence victims don’t get stuck with a lawyer who doesn’t know the ropes of family court.

“And we’ve been doing that for about 15 years. We’re one of the states that has received that grant every year for 15 years,” Brown says.

Brown says nearly all of her three million dollar budget comes from Violence Against Women Act. The state does chip in some money and resources.

But she worries, if the bill lapses, there is no way the state could cover the federal contribution, and that means less services for the people who need it most.

“There is some confusion,” says organizer Regis Andrews about Juneau Fest 2012, the six-night event taking place this week at Centennial Hall.

But it’s been perpetuated by the organizers themselves.

Since Juneau Fest posters went up around town a couple weeks ago, Juneau residents have been asking questions about it. Billed as a giveaway, fliers list more than $25,000 in sporting goods and recreation passes, electronics, toys, household items and gift cards, even cash, to be given as gifts and prizes to those who attend the nightly 7 p.m. event.

As KTOO reported last week, a number of Juneau businesses were asked to donate prizes, without being told the event is in part, a religious revival meeting.

Andrews and his wife Jody McLeod Andrews are members of the advance team from Revival Ministries International of Tampa, Florida. They were to appear on KTOO’s arts and event program Juneau Afternoon on Friday. After hearing that we had a story about Juneau Fest on Morning Edition that day, they asked Evangelist Eric Gonyon to call into the program from Tampa.

He told News Director Rosemarie Alexander there are actually two events each day this week, and the one in the morning is called the Great Awakening.

“You know it’s a church event; it’s where pastors and leaders come together in the morning,” Gonyon said.

They will hear from evangelist Rodney Howard-Browne of Revival Ministries. The event has not been advertised.

“The evening event, which is called Juneau Fest, is about the spirit of Christmas and about giving,” Gonyon said. “We personally have purchased thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars’ worth of gifts and prizes and it’s about keeping Christ in Christmas.”

But the words “keeping Christ in Christmas” did not appear in the advertising until late last week, after many questions to local Pastor Sam Dalin, of the River of Glory Church, and to the Tampa ministry.

Gonyon said Juneau Fest advertising did change last week, but said it was typical to modify an advertising message close to an event. Indeed, sometime on Friday, someone taped a Juneau Fest leaflet to my front door, which stated “Keeping Christ in Christmas,” and “God Bless America.”

During the interview, Gonyon – like others KTOO has interviewed about Juneau Fest – never answered why they hid the purpose of the event.

“I’d just like to ask one more time, why not put that wonderful message ‘Christ in Christmas’ on the poster and on the radio and out in the open so that people who are donating and people who think they would like to come to this, know exactly what it is?”

Gonyon said the Christmas message will be told during Juneau Fest, “but it’s not going to be anything like a church event.”

Gonyon never described what each Juneau Fest evening will be like. He apologized to businesses that were not told what type of event they were contributing to, and said Revival Ministries International has purchased most of the giveaways.

“Where does the money come from for your ministry?” I asked.

“From donations, donations from people through our ministry and around the world,” Gonyon said.

Gonyon reiterated that Juneau Fest is free to those who attend, but they will be asked to register.

He says Revival Ministries has poured thousands and thousands of dollars into Juneau’s economy and is here to be a blessing to a community that is hurting.

“Can you imagine, we could have picked any city. Chaplin Sam, Pastor Sam is a good friend of the ministry. He told us of the needs in Juneau and what is happening, and he rented Centennial Hall out of his own money, out of his own ministry, and we said, ‘You know what, if you’re going to do this we want to come in and be a blessing.’”

Gonyon said most of the Great Awakening events staged across the country include a day of giveaways to a community. In Juneau’s case, it’s six nights.

Until mid-Friday afternoon, Revival.com listed Great Awakening Juneau with Drs. Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne as Sunday through Friday beginning at 7 p.m. at Centennial Hall. That listing is no longer apparent, but a search of the website brings up a statement explaining the Great Awakening Tour in Juneau. It now notes that Howard-Browne will be teaching at morning services.

It calls the evening event an indoor outreach with big giveaways. The website states that many people will be materially and spiritually blessed.

 

Update:

Dr. Jody McLeod Andrews and her husband Regis were scheduled to be on Juneau Afternoon on Friday, Dec. 7, to talk about Juneau Fest 2012. News director KTOO Rosemarie Alexander contacted them prior to the program, to alert them to the story about Juneau Fest, which had aired on Friday’s Morning Edition. They said they looked forward to clarifying information about the event and confirmed they would be at the station for Juneau Afternoon. However, they did not appear for the interview, instead, Pastor Eric Gonyon with Revival Ministries International in Tampa, Florida, called into the station. 

Original Story:

Juneau business operators say they weren’t told the whole story when asked to donate items for an event at Centennial Hall next week.

Juneau Fest 2012 promises free gifts and other prizes worth more than $25,000: electronics to sporting goods and household items, city recreational facility passes, and store gift cards. Firefighters could win a Remington rifle and police officers are eligible for a Glock handgun.

“And thank God for Walmart,” said Juneau Fest organizer Jody McLeod Andrews. “Walmart donated a $1000 grant to enable us to buy more Christmas toys.”

McLeod Andrews said they even have a car to give away.

Businesses have variously been told that it’s holiday celebration, party for kids, benefit for local charities, or an event to honor local police and firefighters. McLeod Andrews said school buses are being used to transport people to Centennial Hall from area schools. What businesses have not been told is that the prizes will be used to draw people to a six-day religious revival.

Camera store operator Art Sutch was approached to donate a camera and related gear, but he never committed. Still, Juneau Fest organizers used his business name in at least one radio interview touting the support of local businesses.

“In this day and age, you gotta watch what you’re doing,” Sutch said.   “I was thankful the neighbors Googled them. Yeah, I don’t know what to say other than just beware.”

Photographer and gallery owner Daniel Buckscott said he donated two canvases worth about $300 each. They were pictures of a polar bear and a sunrise at Auke Lake.

“And right as she was about to leave,”  Buckscott said, “she grabbed my shoulder and hand, and started praying.  The intensity of her praying was a little intense. And then she left.”

Buckscott called the solicitation for donations “very deceptive.”

Other Juneau businesses surveyed by KTOO confirmed that they were either approached under false pretenses or not told the whole story.

Western Auto and Marine Manager John Weedman said Juneau Fest organizers were persistent in soliciting donated goods.

He said their pitch to “lift up everybody’s spirits during the holiday season” seemed “sketchy from the get-go.”

Fred Meyer cards are listed on the Juneau Fest posters as one of the giveaways. But local store director Ken Antcliff said he did not donate the cards.

Store policy includes contributing to local schools, children’s activities, or charities alleviating hunger, but avoiding political or religious causes. In this case, Antcliff said he traced the tax exempt identification number to a local church.

“It’s going to be an epic event,” said Sam Dalin, pastor of Juneau’s River of Glory Church.

Dalin is paying $7,870 to rent Centennial Hall for six days, clearly identified in the facility use agreement as ‘Church Meetings.’

“Just six nights of celebrating the spirit of Christmas and keeping Christ in Christmas, singing Christmas carols, (and) Christmas songs,” Dalin said.

“That’s what I believe spirit Christmas is. That’s what I share with people. And the thing just kind of exploded,” he said.

Dalin has been promoting the event while identifying himself as chaplain for the Juneau Police Department and Capital City Fire and Rescue. Representatives for both agencies said they are not involved.

“I didn’t know it was a problem to anybody and anybody would think that I’m trying to do anything underneath the table or behind closed doors,”  Dalin said. “I have two titles. I am a chaplain and I am a pastor.”

Dalin writes on his church website that he has been friends with Rodney Howard-Browne for more than twenty years. Howard-Browne runs Revival Ministries International, an evangelistic operation based in Tampa, Florida. Juneau Fest 2012 is labeled on the website Revival.com as just another stop on Howard-Browne’s Great Awakening Tour.

Evangelists Christopher and Victoria McKaskle state in a newsletter that Junea (sic) will feature a new strategy by Pastor Rodney:

“We will draw the unsaved in using prizes and giveaways. Then, we will preach the gospel and see the power of God fall on the unsaved,” McKaskle’s write.

(The McKaskles took down the November newsletter from their website on Friday, but it can still be viewed by clicking here.)

The strategy, said Seattle Pacific University theology professor Priscilla Pope-Levison, skews the gospel message.

“So, the people don’t become Christians because they believe the message, but because they want whatever’s promised,” she said.

Pope-Levison said proselytizing, or presenting a message with a promised material reward, is often viewed as suspicious by the general public.

“There’s a power dynamic then that’s introduced. This has really come into play in mission theory where missionaries would go into foreign fields and they would promise something,” she said.  “And the pejorative term that has arisen for this is ‘Rice Christians.’ ”

Pope-Levison is concerned that people coming to the event are not being told what it is. She also describes how the organizers have approached local businesses as “a sketchy and potentially damaging practice.”

“I think it’s wrong. I think it’s really dangerous. So much of society is skeptical of Christianity. And rightly so. Christians are considered hypocritical. I really do believe in the importance of evangelism,” said Pope-Levison, who is also an ordained Methodist minister.

“For me, it’s all about integrity and being as honest as one possibly can. I would never affirm a strategy that was not as transparent as possible,” she said.

Pope-Levison says the South African-born Rodney Howard-Browne has been associated with the “Holy Laughter” movement in which someone is seemingly over taken by the Holy Spirit.

In a YouTube video, Howard-Browne and revival participants erupt in extended laughter or dance after a man tells of being healed.

Howard-Browne had this explanation on WSTK-TV’s “It’s Supernatural” program, also available on YouTube.

“So what you are seeing and the people are seeing is an outpouring of the spirit of God into the hearts of people, causing an overflow of God’s joy, bringing refreshing, bringing restoration, healing broken hearts,” said Howard-Browne in response to a question by program host Sid Roth.

It is not known if Holy Laughter will be part of Juneau Fest 2012. During a recent interview, Sam Dalin seemed reluctant to explain everything happening at the event until he was asked about Howard-Browne’s potential appearance and pressed about misleading solicitations to local businesses for donated items.

“I can apologize if they feel they’ve been misled. If they want to take their items off the table, they’re more than welcome to,” Dalin said.

Juneau photographer and gallery owner Daniel Buckscott said he’s “definitely open to all walks of life and people’s beliefs,”  but he doesn’t want to be tied to an organization that’s not upfront about its activities or standings on issues. He said Juneau Fest organizers’ lack of transparency is frustrating, especially during the holiday giving season.

“I definitely learned to pay a little bit more attention in the future,” Buckscott said, “which is unfortunate because there’s a lot of great organizations in town that I enjoy supporting.  I’m always looking for new ways to help out the community.”

For now, Buckscott said, he’ll be asking for his pictures back.

 

 

Click here to see pictures from the Great Awakening Tour/Juneau Fest events that have been posted by Revival Ministries International.

Click here to view a copy of the Centennial Hall Convention Center Use Agreement that was obtained by a public records request. Pages that include copies of receipts issued by the CBJ and checks drawn on an account used by the River of Glory Church were omitted from our web posting because of privacy concerns.

Click here to see the November 2012 newsletter by evangelists Christopher and Victoria McKaskle that explains the new strategy for the Junea (sic) stop on the Great Awakening Tour (GAT). In the newsletter, the couple from Mango, Florida is also soliciting “love gifts” of $850 for airfare and $300 for special winter gear for each of them.