New nonprofit recognized, citizens of the year named at chamber of commerce dinner

The Wrangell Chamber of Commerce held its annual dinner last Saturday evening. Community members from all over town came to the dinner, including several out-of-town guests such as Representative Dan Ortiz and Senator Bert Stedman. Like last year, the dinner served as an opportunity for the community to come together for a good meal and to participate in a number of auctions and raffles. The dinner also served as an opportunity to recognize people and organizations that really stood out over the previous year.

During the dinner, one of Wrangell's newest organizations was recognized. Wrangell Burial Assistance was founded in 2019,

according to President Devyn Johnson. The nonprofit seeks to support those dealing with the burial or cremation of a loved one, both financially and by connecting them with resources. Johnson said that through their website, people can find applications for assistance, as well as contact information, including churches to host funerals, the Ketchikan Mortuary, price lists for local burials, and other

resources to help deal with grief. In short, Johnson said, they hope to make Wrangell Burial Assistance a one stop shop for those needing help handling the death of a loved one. Johnson was inspired to create this nonprofit because of a loss she went through.

"Almost three years ago I lost my mom unexpectedly," she said. "Her funeral and other related costs were my responsibility, which was not something I had budgeted for, my husband and I had planned for, and it ended up being fairly expensive. So instead of grieving, or just being able to be sad like you're supposed to, I was more focused on how to pay for everything ... My mission, and now the mission of the nonprofit, is to help families as much as we can avoid that stress."

During the dinner, awards were given out to those who stood out in making Wrangell a better place. Groundswell received the "Business of the Year" award. Jenn Miller-Yancey, lead teacher at Evergreen Elementary School, was named "Educator of the Year." High School student Jing O'Brien was named "Young Leader of the Year."

"I'm truly honored to receive this award, it's amazing," O'Brien said. "For 17 years I've called Wrangell my home. I'm truly grateful for the childhood memories it has given me. Despite the small size and rural location, this town has actively created opportunities for youth like myself to engage in impactful experiences and leadership roles."

This year, two people were chosen for the "Citizen of the Year" award. For their skill and dedication to the art of photography, capturing important moments around Wrangell, and doing their part to record the community's history, local photographers Vincent Balansag and Rich Einert were named citizens of the year. Between the two of them, their photographs have captured everything from wildlife, to sporting events, to weddings, and a wide variety of other community gatherings and events.

"I want to capture the beauty of our community, and for us to go out and take photos of all these events, that's just icing on the cake for us," Einert said.

"Thank you so much, Wrangell, both of us are so humbled and it's an honor," Balansag added. "We didn't expect this."