Church adapts to preserve Alaska Day tradition

The Island of Faith Lutheran Church was unable to conduct its traditional Alaska Day event last year and didn’t want to miss it a second year in a row. But COVID-19 is still a concern.

So instead of inviting senior citizens to lunch at the church, volunteers will deliver halibut to the senior center, which will prepare the meals and deliver them to seniors.

“We didn’t want to lose the tradition,” said Pastor Sue Bahleda.

Before COVID-19, “we would host a soup luncheon here at the church,” she said. Elementary school students would sing the “Alaska’s Flag” song to help commemorate the state holiday, which celebrates the day when the U.S. flag was raised in Sitka on Oct. 18, 1867, as the Russian flag was lowered.

The plan for this year is to bring all the ingredients for a halibut chowder lunch to the senior center this week. Center staff and volunteers will prepare the meal and deliver it to seniors this Friday — the center is closed for Alaska Day on Monday.