Congrats to our 2022 Calista Corporation Shareholder Award Recipients
鲍鱼直播 Inspire Culture and Strength
May 18, 2022
(鲍鱼直播, Alaska) 鈥� Calista Corporation is pleased to announce the 2022 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 Region and its communities.
鈥淚n this age of business, we must remember our cultures and traditions,鈥� said Calista Corporation President/CEO Andrew Guy. 鈥�Cacetuukut [juhts-DOO-goot] means 鈥榃e are unwavering, strong and brave鈥� in Yup鈥檌k. We are inspired by our 鲍鱼直播, and we are committed to work on their behalf.鈥�
Golga Oscar, 2022 Calista Culture Bearer
Calista Culture Bearer: Golga Oscar (Kasigluk)
Golga Oscar is preserving culture through traditional arts and crafts and imparting that knowledge to others. He creates and teaches others how to sew traditional Yup鈥檌k attire, traditional dance fans, headdresses, uluaq (Yup鈥檌k knife) making, and even the proper use of the traditional skin scraper tool.
Golga attained his BFA from the Institute of American Indian and Alaskan Native Arts, and currently teaches Yugtun/Yuuyaraq for the Lower Kuskokwim School District in Kasigluk. He encourages his junior high and high school students to explore their indigenous identity despite western influences.
Ralph Sara, 2022 Axel C. Johnson Distinguished Shareholder of the Year
Axel C. Johnson Distinguished Shareholder: Ralph Sara (Bethel)
Ralph Sara was born and raised in Bethel. He shares his own story of recovery from addiction as the host of the Anonymous Eskimo Recovery Podcast.
Ralph鈥檚 focus on the indigenous perspective, and his honest and sincere approach to talking about addiction and sobriety allows others know they are not alone in their struggles.
鈥淚n order to help our people struggling with alcohol or drug addictions, we must recover out loud,鈥� Ralph says. 鈥淚ndigenous peoples need to know that they are not alone in their struggles. We can overcome and live a better life.鈥�
Marie Napoka, 2022 Calista Elder of the Year
Calista Elder of the Year: Marie Napoka (Tuluksak)
Marie Napoka has been a teacher at the Tuluksak School for about 40 years.
Her daughter-in-law Kathy Napoka says, 鈥淪he is a loving Elder who has love for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She鈥檚 kind to everyone she approaches.鈥�
Marie periodically volunteers at the school to talk about the Yup鈥檌k way of life and what to expect when living among the elements. She especially loves berry-picking.
Ledwina Ayaprun Jones, 2022 Calista Educator of the Year (pictured in center with family)
Calista Youth/Educator of the Year: Ledwina Ayaprun Jones (Scammon Bay)
Ledwina Ayaprun Jones is Calista鈥檚 Educator of the Year. She has lived and taught in Bethel for 50 years.
She helped establish the Yup鈥檌k immersion school in Bethel鈥攈er namesake, Ayaprun Elitnaurvik.
鈥淟ove your students and the rest will fall into place,鈥� Ayaprun says.
Raymond C. Christiansen Business of the Year: Michael Fredericks, SALT LLC
Michael Fredericks is the majority owner and President of SALT, a Native-owned, woman-owned small
Michael Fredericks of SALT LLC, 2022 Raymond C. Christiansen Business of the Year
business.
SALT aims to create environments for generations to thrive through strategic engagement and interior design. Her company worked on the Indigenous Place Names Project in 鲍鱼直播, a movement to bring Dena’ina culture to the modern built environment and place name signage.
Michael is currently working on the Aruqutet initiative, a program administered through Bethel Community Services Foundation to increase food security in the YK Region. Her team provides project management for the program, overseeing purchasing, logistics, and distribution of food.
Award recipients will receive an award plaque and financial reward. Recipients will also be honored on June 3 at the 48th Annual Meeting of 鲍鱼直播 for their contributions in upholding our cultural values.
Calista Corporation has over 35,100 Alaska Native 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 $5.9 million in scholarships to its 鲍鱼直播 and Descendants. Since inception, Calista has declared over $108.3 million in distributions to 鲍鱼直播, including $9.2 million in Elders鈥� Benefit Program distributions. Calista can be found on , and .