Viewpoints
Non-profits
By Beth Antonsen
March 19, 2008
Wednesday
Jay Jones' letter caught my attention because it brought up the
revolving door at Gateway Human Services. Having worked at Gateway
I felt I should respond and did. When I got to the end of Jones'
letter I was taken aback by his statement about downtown Ketchikan
being infested with non-profits. The main non-profits that I
know about downtown are Community Connections and the Arts Council.
I must protest his lumping those beloved agencies in with rats
and roaches.
When my dad, Hans Antonsen, a lifelong Alaskan resident, logger,
fisherman, pile driver was sick with Alzheimer's disease, Community
Connections stepped in and helped us out. With respite care we
were able to keep dad at home as long as possible and survive
the ordeal. If Mr. Jones would pick up a copy of Ketchikan, Our
Town and read some of the vital statistics on Ketchikan he would
see that they are a substantial employer in this town. We all
know we need jobs here.
Non-profits leverage much more money from out of town with the
small amount they ask of us. In return we get much needed services
when we are in need and much uplifting when we need to be entertained
by something other than the garbage on TV. The Arts Council is
like a healing tonic. If anyone doubts that they need to go to
the Torch Night series of events. The one last week with the
Turtle Island Quartet was out of this world. World class entertainment
normally only obtained in cities like Seattle, New York, Boston,
San Franscisco, etc.
With those wonderful non-profits we get more than our money's
worth and jobs on top of it. I suggest griping about something
worth complaining about like the veneer plant, ongoing Ward Cove
issues. We were subsidizing that place to the tune of $3-400,000.00
a year before Jerry Jenkins and will more than likely be doing
the same in the future. For my money I'd go with Community Connections
and the Arts Council anyday.
Beth Antonsen
Ketchikan, AK
About: "lifelong Ketchikan
resident (50 years)"
Received March 17, 2008 - Published
March 19, 2008
Related Viewpoint:
 Why
is there high a turnover for Director at Gateway Human Services?
By Jay Jones
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