SCHOOL TRUSTEE SETS COMMUNITY ‘CONVERSATION’
Blaine County School District Trustee Rob Clayton has scheduled a “conversation with the community” from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, in the library at Hemingway Elementary School in Ketchum.
According to a press release, the public meeting is intended for residents of the district’s Zone 4, which Clayton represents and which encompasses west Ketchum and areas north and south of Ketchum on the west side of State Highway 75. A detailed description of the zone boundaries is available at the district website at www.blaineschools.org.
PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS DUE JUNE 30
The Blaine County Treasurer’s Office reminds property owners that property tax payments are due by June 20.
The Treasurer’s Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 17, to assist with taking payments. The office will also be open during regularly scheduled hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, June 20.
Questions can be directed to the Treasurer’s Office at (208) 788-5530.
12-YEAR-OLD RAISES FUNDS TO FIGHT DIABETES
Maddison Gittins, a 12-year-old Wood River Valley girl, has raised $1,200 from supporters at Atkinsons’ Market in Hailey and from friends and family to help find a cure for the disease.
According to her mother, Kim Gittins, Maddison was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three and a half years ago and now plans on becoming a diabetes researcher with the dream of finding a cure.
“We would like to thank everyone who donated so generously and made a difference in her dream and for the 2 million others living with T1D,” Kim Gittins said.
The disease attacks the pancreas, eliminating its ability to produce insulin, and making it impossible to digest food without taking insulin shots, which can number as high as 10 a day.
“Raising awareness in our community by a child is incredible,” Kim Gittins said. “We are very proud of her for taking the initiative to tell supporters her story and why it’s so important to get donations for the research and for T1D treatments and getting closer to a cure and making ‘type one, type none.’”
SILVA ELECTED CHAIR OF SKI ASSOCIATION
Sun Valley Resort announced on May 26 that Tim Silva, the resort’s general manager and vice president, has been elected as chair of the board of directors of the National Ski Area Association. The election took place at the association’s annual convention May 18-21 in Nashville, Tenn. The election is for a two-year term
“I couldn’t be happier to have Tim Silva as the new chair of the NSAA’s board of directors,” Michael Berry, president of the association, stated in a press release. “Silva brings tremendous value as the chair of the board, including his insights and experiences from both Sun Valley and Northstar-at-Tahoe. He brings an important voice to the northern Rocky Mountain region as our new chair.”
Silva said he considers it an “honor and a privilege to be elected to this position. I’m looking forward to the next two years working with the NSAA board of directors, organization and members.”
SUN VALLEY RESORT WINS SAFETY AWARD
For the fifth year in a row, Sun Valley Resort has won a National Ski Areas Association “Safety Champion” award, an honor intended to recognize a resort employee “showing exceptional dedication and enthusiasm toward educating and promoting safety to guests and employees.”
Linda Bowling, the resort’s mountain guest services manager, is the award recipient. The resort reported in a press release that Bowling was “recognized for her efforts with the use of short radio pieces to increase safety for both guests and employees, which was noted as very creative.”
“I’m proud of Linda and her guest services staff for this accomplishment,” said Sun Valley Resort Vice President and General Manager Tim Silva. “It recognizes the continued focus of the entire resort staff to create a community dedicated to safety awareness and enjoyment of the mountain lifestyle.”
The award was presented at the National Ski Area Association’s national convention May 18-21 in Nashville, Tenn.
MARKETING ALLIANCE LOSES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Arlene Schieven, executive director for the Sun Valley Marketing Alliance, has announced her resignation from the organization to return to her native British Columbia, Canada, where she previously worked in tourism at Whistler ski area.
Schieven has now accepted a job as CEO of tourism at Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops, B.C.
Schieven had served as executive director to the Marketing Alliance since its founding in 2010, evolving from the earlier Ketchum-Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Marketing Alliance, which operates the Visit Sun Valley website and the Sun Valley Visitor Center, is a nonprofit organization that promotes tourism in the area and is funded by local municipalities, local option taxes and various Idaho tourism grants.
ZIONS BANK REWARDS TEEN FOR GOOD GRADES
Zions Bank announced May 27 that Wood River High School freshman Jakson Albright has received a $100 scholarship savings account as a regional winner of the spring drawing through the Zions Bank “Pays for As” program.
Albright qualified for the drawing by bringing his report card to Zions Bank. Through the program, students are paid $1 per A on their report card to be deposited in a savings account. Students can also opt for cash, but receive 50 cents per card instead.
For each A on their report cards, students are entered into a drawing to win one of 150 regional $100 scholarships or a grand prize worth $1,000 in each state.
“We know it takes extra time and effort to earn high marks, so we’re proud to recognize the achievements of students like Jakson through the Pays for As program,” said Vaelene Bryant, manger of the Zions Bank Hailey Financial Center. “Our goal is to help students focus on schoolwork and motivate them to earn good grades.”
‘LUNCH IN THE PARK’ STARTS JUNE 20
The Hunger Coalition has announced that “Lunch in the Park,” a federally funded program to ensure that kids have nutritious meals in the summer, begins on June 20 and will run through Aug. 19.
Through the program, The Hunger Coalition provides free sack lunches from 12-1 p.m. on weekdays to all children under 18. The lunches will be served at the Balmoral apartments play field in south Hailey. No pre-application or identification is required; kids can simply show up for meals. Parents and guardians can also have a sack lunch for $1.
The program is funded by the Blaine County School District with a grant for about $13,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program, the same program that provides funding for free or reduced-price lunches for children when school is in session.
“When school ends, hunger begins for many local children who rely on school lunch as the one meal a day they can count on,” said Naomi Spence, associate director of The Hunger Coalition. “That’s why we started the Lunch in the Park program as a way for kids to come together, get a free, healthy sack lunch, play in the park and enjoy their summer.
“With more than 450 children living in poverty in Blaine County, and hundreds of local families struggling to make ends meet, Lunch in the Park ensures our children have access to the nutrition they need.”
The Hunger Coalition reported that free activities will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays in conjunction with Lunch in the Park. Conducting the activities will be staff from the Hailey Public Library, St. Luke’s Wood River, Blaine County 4-H and the Environmental Resource Center.
WRHS SOPHOMORE RECEIVES SYMPHONY AWARD
Jorgen Lawrence, a sophomore at Wood River High School, has received the Carol Nie Outstanding Music Student Award from the Sun Valley Summer Symphony.
The award, given to a student each year, includes a $1,000 stipend. The award is named in honor of Carol Nie, former board president of the symphony and co-founder of the symphony’s School of Music, which provides free year-round music education for students ages 9 through 18.
The symphony reported in a press release that Lawrence has studied violin since the age of 8. As a part of the Harriman Quartet, he works directly with the string trio Time for Three during their residency and mentorship project with the School of Music.
Lawrence also performs with the high school advance chamber orchestra, sings with the B-Tones and accompanies the vocal group Colla Voce on violin.
“Through the School of Music, I have learned and continue to develop the kind of work ethic that can only be understood after spending hours perfecting one passage of music,” Lawrence said. “This type of work ethic is vital to playing music and it transfers to almost every other aspect of life.”
LUKE’S ANNOUNCES NEW ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
St. Luke’s Wood River announced on May 27 that orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matt Kopplin will join the staff at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center later in June.
Kopplin, who specializes in joint replacement, comes to the hospital from Billings Clinic, in Billings, Mont., where he serves as department chairman of orthopedics and has practiced for the past 14 years.
St. Luke’s reported in a press release that joint replacement surgery makes up about 80 percent of Kopplin’s current practice, but he also practices general orthopedics and participates in the emergency call rotation of a 304-bed Level II Trauma Center that serves all of central and eastern Montana as well as much of northern Wyoming.
St. Luke’s reported that Kopplin will join Dr. Alison Kinsler at St. Luke’s Clinic – Sun Valley Sports Medicine.
“I look forward to working together to optimize the care we can provide,” Kinsler said. “His [Kopplin’s] experience and familiarity with various techniques and options for joint replacement surgery will be a welcome addition, filling a major need for the active patients in this Valley.”
SENIOR BASH PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A CAR
The Blaine County Community Drug Coalition has donated a 2002 Mercedes ML 320 as a grand prize for a drawing to be held at the Senior Bash on Friday, June 10, immediately following graduation ceremonies at Wood River High School.
The car will be awarded to a graduating senior who makes the choice to avoid alcohol.
Eligible to attend the Senior Bash, an annual event to provide seniors with a graduation celebration free of alcohol or other drugs, are graduates from all local high schools, including WRHS, Silver Creek High School, Carey School, Community School and The Sage School.
“This event has proven to be very effective for reducing the amount of incidents on graduation night,” said Blaine County Sheriff Gene Ramsey. “I think it is great for the kids to have one last inclusive, positive interaction with each other before starting the next chapter of their lives.”
Senior Bash organizers reported in a press release that several local businesses assisted in getting the car ready for the drawing. Sun Valley Auto Club provided detailing, Impact Auto Body repaired the bumpers and Evans Plumbing donated funds for other repairs.
KETCHUM COUPLE ASSISTS WITH AIDS FUNDRAISER
Ketchum couple Rick and Lynn Flickinger will serve as “roadies” for the third straight year to help some 2,500 cyclists in a 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angles to raise money for AIDS prevention. The AIDS/LifeCycle event will be held June 5-11.
The Flickingers reported in a press release that AIDS/LifeCycle is the world’s largest single-event AIDS prevention fundraiser and will involve participants from every state in the U.S. and from 18 foreign countries. They are among some 600 roadies that will assist the cyclists.
“We are committed to AIDS/LifeCycle because we want to see an end to HIV/AIDS,” the Flickingers stated. “We signed on as roadies in 2014 to learn more about our daughter’s passion for her job.”
Their daughter, Kristin Flickinger, is director of the AIDS/LifeCycle, Los Angeles.
“We have the power through education, prevention and treatment to stop HIV transmission in our lifetime and AIDS/LifeCycle plays an important part in making this happen,” the couple stated.
The Flickingers reported that participating cyclists will raise an average of $6,000 each through the event.
Additional information on the event is available at aidslifecycle.org.
SOLARIZE BLAINE ANNOUNCES FIRST INSTALLATIONS
Solarize Blaine, a solar energy initiative managed by the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, announced Friday that nine solar installations now underway have achieved the program’s first price break, saving property owners involved in the program an average of $1,000 each.
Solarize Blaine reported in a press release that the first customer, Bellevue resident Joe Miczulski, “had been considering installing panels for years, but it wasn’t until the Solarize Blaine program that he took the plunge and put 14 solar panels on his roof.”
“I had been thinking about it for a long time, just waiting for the price to make sense, and with Solarize Blaine it finally did,” Miczulski said. “The upfront cost of my 4.55-Kw [kilowatt] system was about $18,000, but with the Solarize Blaine price discount and tax deductions, I’ll only end up paying about $10,000.”
With the Solarize Blaine program, the more people who install solar energy systems, the cheaper the installation for those who participate.
“One hundred and fifty people have already signed up to have their home or business evaluated,” said Solarize Blaine Program Director Katie Bray. “We want to reach 40 signed contracts before July 31 so that everyone gets the cheapest pricing possible and saves about $3,500 on their system. With these first contracts we’re well on our way to achieving that.”
Additional information on the program is available at www.solarizeblaine.org.