2021 Calista Corporation Shareholder Award Recipients Announced
鲍鱼直播 Embody Qanruyutet鈥攐r the 鈥榃ords of Wisdom鈥�
June 1, 2021
(鲍鱼直播, Alaska) 鈥� Calista Corporation is pleased to announce the 2021 recipients of the annual Calista Shareholder Awards. Drawn from nominations submitted by fellow 鲍鱼直播, these awards recognize exceptional efforts by 鲍鱼直播 and Descendants to uphold the cultural values of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and its communities.
鈥淎s a people, we subsist by following qanruyutet, or 鈥榳ords of wisdom鈥� [in Yup鈥檌k] from our Elders,鈥� said Calista Corporation President/CEO Andrew Guy. 鈥淭hey say food creates family bonds, and they say Elders wish good fortune upon those who help them.鈥�
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Calista Elder of the Year: Evan Macar (Sleetmute)
Evan is an Elder dedicated to serving his family and community. His grand-daughter Madison says, 鈥淗e鈥檚 a very hard worker and has a lot of patience.鈥� She says he鈥檚 always willing to give a helping hand to anyone in need, no matter who it is or the time of day.
Frank Neitz of the Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative serving the YK Region, says Evan is active in the community operating and maintaining heavy equipment, and is the go-to-guy regarding anything water-related. Evan loves to spend his time outdoors, hunting and fishing.
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Calista Culture Bearer: Jamie Herring (Bethel)
Jamie Herring is taking steps to preserve Calista Region cultures for generations to come. After one of her daughters was accepted into the tribe but her second daughter being denied enrollment due to her blood quantum, Jamie took a stand.
Jamie reminded people that our goal should be to foster traditional values of a tight knit community by inclusion rather than allowing people to feel marginalized because of the way they look, how they speak, or where they come from. Jamie’s actions will help to ensure that the Yup鈥檌k culture and tradition will live on in Western Alaska. Jamie’s actions embodied the Yup鈥檌k values of community, togetherness, and sharing.
Jamie was born and raised in Bethel. She is currently a CPA working from home in Missoula, Montana, and raising her two daughters鈥攖eaching them to love the outdoors by taking them hunting, fishing and birding.
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Axel C. Johnson Distinguished Shareholder: Darlene Johnson-Edwards (Emmonak)
Darlene Johnson-Edwards is a role model for many people in Emmonak and surrounding villages. Darlene not only serves her community as a judicial magistrate for the State of Alaska, but she also serves others during their time of great need and loss.
Prior to the pandemic, Darlene often joined other gospel singers to gather in people鈥檚 home where there is a deceased loved one, to provide comfort, empathy and love to the family of the deceased. Darlene has also been known to travel to another village, so she can sing and play guitar for a grieving family.
Darlene and her family live a subsistence lifestyle. They fish and hunt, as well as gather food. Every summer, Darlene is often seen cutting and smoking her fish in her smokehouse, picking berries, or putting away subsistence food like moose. In the winter, she loves to go ice fishing, or is often singing gospel songs with others in the village.
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Calista Youth/Educator of the Year: Teresa Paukan (St. Mary鈥檚)
Calista鈥檚 Educator of the Year is Teresa Paukan. She will be the first Alaska Native principal of the St. Mary鈥檚 City School District. As a teacher, she would tell her students 鈥淛ust because something is difficult, it doesn鈥檛 mean you shouldn鈥檛 try. It means you should try harder.鈥�
Teresa was born in Bethel and raised in St. Mary鈥檚. She鈥檚 a Director for the St. Mary鈥檚 Native Corporation, and she鈥檚 earned three master鈥檚 Degrees from the University of Alaska Southeast 鈥� in K-8 Math, Technology, and Educational Leadership. When Teresa is not working with her students, she enjoys baking, sewing and Yup鈥檌k dancing.
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- Raymond C. Christiansen Business of the Year: Native Village of Napaimute Transportation Department
The YK’s equivalent of ice road truckers, the Native Village of Napaimute has long played a leading role in the establishment and maintenance of the Kuskokwim Ice Road and works cooperatively with all the tribal transportation departments along the Kuskokwim. This has allowed families to travel to and from their communities along the frozen river. Advocacy by Napaimute and other partners also helps fund plowing and safety marking of the winter road.
To the Kuskokwim communities, the Ice Road is as integral a part of the rural transportation system as the Alaska Marine Highway is to rural coastal communities, and to State and federal agencies that regularly use the road to carry out governmental functions. The Ice Road made it possible for vaccine deliveries and water delivery to Tuluksak when flights were grounded due to bad weather.
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Award recipients will be recognized on July 1 during the 47th Annual Meeting of 鲍鱼直播 to be held virtually on . Recipients will receive an award plaque and financial reward.
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Calista Corporation has over 33,700 鲍鱼直播 and is the parent company of more than 30 subsidiaries in the following industries: defense contracting, construction, real estate, environmental services, natural resource development, marine transportation, oilfield services, and heavy equipment sales, service and rentals. Since 1994, Calista has provided more than $5.5 million in scholarships to its 鲍鱼直播 and Descendants. Since inception, Calista has declared more than $77.8 million in dividends and distributions, and $8.2 million in Elders鈥� Benefit Program distributions to 鲍鱼直播. Calista can be found on , and .