Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
A husband and wife living in Ketchikan are the new presidents of Southeast Alaska’s oldest Native organizations.
Richard and Janice Jackson were elected to head up the grand camps of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood. The Jacksons were elected during the organizations’ Grand Camp Convention, held this week in Saxman, near Ketchikan.
Richard Jackson takes over the post from Willard Jackson of Ketchikan. Janice Jackson succeeds Micalyne Kunz McGhee of Juneau.
Delegates also voted to endorse Lisa Murkowski in her race for the U.S. Senate. And they chose Klawock, on Prince of Wales Island, for their next Grand Camp convention.
The grand camp is the umbrella organization for the ANB and ANS’ local chapters, which are also called camps. ANB was founded in 1912 and was a key organization in land claims fights that resulted in passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The groups represent mostly Southeast Alaskans, but there have been chapters in Anchorage, Seattle and California.
In other grand camp elections, Ray Dennis of Haines was chosen as ANB first vice president. Seattle’s Cecelia Tavoliero won the same post in the ANS. Kake’s Jeff Jackson and Seattle’s Johanna Cabaug are second vice presidents.
Ketchikan’s Bill Bird and Juneau’s Beverly Russell are the ANB and ANS secretaries. Bradley Fluetsch and Marietta Hopkins of Juneau are treasurers. And Juneau’s Doug Chilton and Wrangell’s Rhonda Lofftus are sergeants at arms.
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