“ Winter is here and there is so much to feel hopeful , thankful , and excited about . . . as we turn this corner and welcome 2021 with a sense of wonder , excitement , and hope .”
Letter from the President
BBNC President and CEO Jason Metrokin after voting in the general election .
2020 has asked us : step up and show the world who we are . In the face of this challenge , we at BBNC have worked our hardest to deliver our very best — to you , our family and friends — during a unique and often trying year . No one will look back and say 2020 has been easy . Yet , winter is here and there is so much to feel hopeful , thankful , and excited about .
Personally , I am grateful to share a few stories of triumph as we turn this corner and welcome 2021 with a sense of wonder , excitement , and hope .
Imagine carrying a history of trauma on your shoulders , wounds so deep that they leave scars that last a lifetime . Imagine seeing no way out Where might you turn to numb the pain ? In the pages to follow , you ’ ll meet Stevi Rae and JJ , two members of our community — our family — who turned to opioids to erase hardship .
Thankfully , they both came out on the other side , the brighter side . Both Stevi Rae and JJ are thriving , thanks to their bravery , resolve , and thanks to the resources and support available to them .
BBNC is grateful for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s effort to eradicate the use of opioids and other substances as a means to bury pain . Alaska Natives are particularly susceptible to the temptation that opioids falsely promise . This is why BBNC , in partnership with other Bristol Bay organizations , has helped create the Bristol Bay Drug and Opioid Task Force . To learn more about the task force , please visit www . bbnc . net .
We ’ re here to tell you : there are alternatives . There are other ways to work through this . Read about more resources in the following pages .
The coming year will be a call to action . Alaska is facing financial hardships , unemployment , and , with COVID-19 , general uncertainty . Yet there ’ s promise on the horizon . BBNC prides itself on working with elected officials to lift up and strengthen our communities in Bristol Bay . With a new administration coming in , we ’ ll do all we can to ensure you and your families thrive in the new year and far beyond .
Please remember to celebrate this holiday season safely and take care of one another .
Happy Holidays ,
Jason Metrokin President & CEO
WORLD OF WORK ( WOW ) WEDNESDAYS
Join BBNC for World of Work ( WOW ) Wednesdays ! WOW Wednesdays are weekly virtual gatherings to learn tips and strategies from industry experts on how to prepare for employment .
For more information , visit the events page on BBNC ’ s Facebook page or bbnc . net . If you have any questions , please contact Casey Sifsof at csifsof @ bbnc . net or ( 907 ) 278-3602 .
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