This year, we said goodbye to George, my best running buddy and constant running companion across thousands of miles. The silence on my runs now is a strong reminder of the gift of friendship, loyalty, and boundless energy George gave me. To honor George and the profound joy he brought to my life, I will pledge the money brought in from this Kodiak Mountain Series bib to the Kodiak Humane Society. By supporting the Humane Society, we can help ensure that other animals in our community receive the care, love, and second chance they deserve, ultimately connecting them with their own forever running buddies and loving families.

The non-profit I’ve chosen is Kodiak Booster Club. As a medical professional and a father of a daughter in sports, I can say with confidence extra curricular activities are extremely important to support in our community. Our kids in Kodiak face a unique disadvantage when it comes to living on an island in some ways, one of them being you have to pay to fly or ferry to other communities, Kodiak Booster Club gives 100 percent of its earning to support high school activities, I'm proud to help get our Kodiak kids a bit of a boost.

This one isn’t a non-profit but it’s just as important, Katie’s pick is to help pay off overdue lunch balances for families who are struggling to make ends meet. Our current overdue lunch balance as a district is around $30k and in the last few years we’ve helped pay a huge chunk of that thanks to generous community members, this money will go directly to help pay off overdue funds for kids who could use the lunch money love.

Like you, I appreciate the good things in life, especially community. Kodiak is a special community and the trick to getting the most of the Kodiak experience is to listen to our public radio station, KMXT. With its talented, thoughtful, and dedicated staff, its quality news services and programming, and clear commitment to keeping locals informed, KMXT keeps the unity in our community, giving us reason to tune in, stay tuned in, and to get involved. It keeps us up to date on happenings near and far, from multiple perspectives, including timely updates when the tsunami sirens sound. KMXT serves a critical role in our community and relies on donations to fund its operations. To that end, I would like to pledge the proceeds from this bib to KMXT to ensure that it continues to thrive and provide for Kodiak. 

I choose to give to the Kodiak Women’s Resource and Crisis Center because they offer safety, advocacy, compassionate care, and actively push back against norms that silence survivors, excuse violence, and limit equity. They provide life-changing support to people in our community during times of crisis, while also working to challenge the systems that allow harm and inequality to persist. Together, Let's Choose Respect. 

Spending time in the great outdoors can be a luxury when you have reliable shelter waiting for you. The Brother Francis Shelter in Kodiak is dedicated to providing shelter and meals for clients during times when a roof and/or dinner are difficult to come by. Last year, Brother Francis provided safe space to stay, meals and helped people get set up in homes of their own. Money raised from this bib will help Brother Francis continue their mission to house and feed those in need.