ANCHORAGE, Ala., May 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 28th, 2018, Afognak Native Corporation will host their third annual Afognak Youth Charity Golf Tournament at the Anchorage Golf Course.
Last year, the event proved to be a great networking opportunity for participants to connect with leaders and staff from Alaska Native Corporations, North Slope oil and gas companies, Alaska Energy Services, GCI, BDO, and others. This year, Afognak welcomes celebrity baseball player Shane Victorino – two-time MLB All-Star and World Series Champion.
Proceeds in excess of event expenses will directly benefit youth education programs operated by the Native Village of Afognak and the Native Village of Port Lions in the Kodiak Archipelago. Afognak Native Corporation supports the following Tribal youth development programs as part of its cultural and community responsibilities to strengthen Ag’wanermiut “Afognak people”:
- Dig Afognak Camp – Alutiiq culture camp for youth operated since 1998
- Afterschool & Alutiiq Week Cultural Activities
- Cultural Workshops – Traditional Food Preparation and Processing
- Tribal Library and Distance Learning
- Alutiiq Language Lessons and Resources provided to schools and the community
- Preschool Activities/Program Development
“These programs are an invaluable way for young people to learn our endangered Alutiiq language and to practice traditional harvest, survival skills, and healthy relationships.” – Alisha Drabek, Executive Vice President, Afognak Native Corporation
“Because of events such as this, we are able to continue to offer our youth healthy activities, in a safe and culturally rich environment." – Yvonne Mullan, Tribal Administrator, Native Village of Port Lions
“Tribally-led activities build a sense of pride, identity, and wellbeing in Alutiiq youth. Given the Afognak community’s traumatic history and socioeconomic challenges, it is especially important for our youth to connect to our Afognak homeland…those who live on Kodiak [and] those who return in the summer. The Dig Afognak Camp will greatly benefit from event proceeds.”— Melissa Borton, Tribal Administrator, Native Village of Afognak
Corporate sponsors can still sign up! Contact Ana Fisk, Tournament Director, at 907-244-4377 or afisk@alutiiq.com or visit our webpage at www.afognakgolf.com.
The Afognak Native Corporation is an Alaska Native ANCSA village corporation serving the Kodiak Alutiiq people of Afognak and Port Lions.
CONTACT:
Alisha Drabek, Executive Vice President, alisha@afognak.com • 907-481-2160
Malia Villegas, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, malia@afognak.com • 907-222-9587