ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Thursday, June 27th, 2019, Afognak Native Corporation will host their 4th Annual Afognak Youth Charity Golf Tournament at the Anchorage Golf Course.
Each year, the event provides a great networking opportunity for participants to connect with leaders and staff of Alaska Native Corporations, North Slope oil and gas companies, their vendors, contractors, and customers, such as Alaska Energy Services, GCI, AFC, BDO and others. This year, Afognak welcomes as its celebrity guest, two-time Stanley Cup champion and NHL All-Star Scotty Gomez.
Proceeds in excess of event expenses will directly benefit youth education programs operated by the Native Village of Afognak and the Native Village of Port Lions in the Kodiak Archipelago. Afognak Native Corporation supports the following Tribal youth development programs as part of its cultural and community responsibilities to strengthen Ag’wanermiut “Afognak people”:
- Dig Afognak Camp – Alutiiq culture camp for youth operated since 1998
- Afterschool & Alutiiq Week Cultural Activities
- Cultural Workshops – Traditional Food Preparation and Processing
- Tribal Library and Distance Learning
- Alutiiq Language Resources provided to schools and the community
- Preschool Activities/Program Development
“These programs are an invaluable way for young people to learn our endangered Alutiiq language and to practice traditional harvest, survival skills, and healthy relationships.” – Alisha Drabek, Executive Vice President, Afognak Native Corporation
“Because of events such as this, we are able to continue to offer our youth healthy activities, in a safe and culturally rich environment." – Yvonne Mullan, Tribal Administrator, Native Village of Port Lions
“Tribally-led activities build a sense of pride, identity, and wellbeing in Alutiiq youth. Given the Afognak community’s traumatic history and socioeconomic challenges, it is especially important for our youth to connect to our Afognak homeland…those who live on Kodiak [and] those who return in the summer. The Dig Afognak Camp will greatly benefit from event proceeds.”— Melissa Borton, Tribal Administrator, Native Village of Afognak
Corporate and business sponsors can still sign up and be recognized at the event! Contact Ana Fisk, Tournament Co-Director, at 907-244-4377 or afisk@afognak.com, or visit the Afognak Youth Charity Golf Tournament webpage at www.afognakgolf.com.
The Afognak Native Corporation is an Alaska Native ANCSA village corporation serving the Kodiak Alutiiq people of Afognak and Port Lions.