Pioneer Hone At Sitka Ranks As
1st Class Institution Of Its Kind
, t . \ 'i
Guest Payments
Save Tax Dollars
(Eel. note: The following is a
factual account of the operation
of the Pioneer Home, where senior
citizens of Alaska enter for their
declining days. We publish here
with a part, pf the article which
appeared id'i' recent issue of the
Sitka Sentinel.)
By Ernestine C. Veateh
‘The physical plant of the
Pioneers Home is evidence the
people* of Xlasklt mean to have
the elderly jteVsdns whb coble here
given the (best of care," said Les
lie Yaw; superintendent of the
Home.
Total insurable value of the
plant exclusive of land, is $1,226,
550 00. In recent years the kitchen
was entirely modernized, includ
ing installation of the-most modern
tpacitutional equipment; the entire
older portion the Home was
retiiiintuil and * the new women's
-W4j? g add^d# ?-with its pleasant
lounge wd fbeautifully furnished
rooms.
.Ks adds up to a first-class
:r T*uLon. where the senior citi
zens of Alaska pan be relieved of
the necessity of arranging for
their shelter, food, heat and 'cloth
ing —tasks'which become a burden
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to those whose health has failed
with age or whose retirement in
comes are not sufficient to provide
these.
Operation of the Home is a big
business, involving a sizeable
chunk of Alaska’s tax revenues.
A staff of 70, working a 5-day
week, operate and maintain the
Home, with daily staff wages of
$617. For. example, in the 15
month period iJuly 1, 1957 through
Sept. 30, 1958, operation and main
tenance costs were $428,017.02,
while administration , costs were
$19,255.33. This totaled expendi
tures at $447,272.35. During the
same period there was an aver
age of 198 guests a day in the
Home, so daily costs per Pioneer
were $4.94-^a most reasonable
figure when it is considered what
the Home provides.
For this daily cost each guest
receives shelter, food, clothing
laundry, medical and dental care
and drugs. In addition such extras
are provided as snoose, pipe or
cigarette tobacco, mug shaving
soap, (many of the male Pioneers
have their own electric razors,
which are usually among their
most prized possessions), and such
toilet articles as razors and blades
and tooth brushes. Full burial
costs are included in the $4.94 per
person daily average.; ,%
SUNDAY SPECIAL
|£;;;l]F£ehch Pastries •
:••*. Russian Rum CakelOc each ":
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•; VlteiititiifS ’’ 'f» ,'.K ’• ;
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- •- Phone 2062 -s^V W-v* >
DODGE - PLYMOUTH - WILLYS
" Factory'or Seattle delivery
Lowest prices ... Legitimate dealer
Large stock car ports
Mufflers and brakes a specialty .•>
' ’S GARAGE Phone 3444
KODIAK OIL SALES
UNION OIL PRODUCTS
Unoba T5x Triton
Sr eases Motor Oils
UNION
Complete Petroleum Service
Marine Service Station
STOVE OIL - BURNER OIL
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KEEP FULL SERVICE
PHONES
Oock & Plant 2411 : Res. 3141
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Up until 19S3 the entire cost of
operating tfl'e-Pioneers Home came
from tax revenues. By that date,
-the number of guests receiving
social security or other retirement
income made it obvious they
should be permitted to pay as their
circumstances allowed toward the
cost of their maintenance.
Recognizing the principle that
human dignity is a priceless pos
session, particularly to the senior
citizen, the legislature passed an
act requiring guests to contribute
all above $15 monthly toward their
maintenance at the Home. This
had a ceiling of $150 a month for
Pioneers living in the residential
portion of the Home and $195 a
month for those requiring hospital
care.
At the same time the legisla
ture provided for $5 pocket-money,
later increased to $10 monthly, for
those Pioneers guests without
social security or retirement
funds.
Of the approximately 198 guests
today at the Pioneer Home, 4 per
cent are paying the entire cost of
their subsistence; 64% are con
tributing as their income permits
and but 32% are without regular
income.
So the total cost of $447,272.35
for the 15-month period mention
ed above—which without the con
tributions of individual Pioneers
would have been borne entirely by
the taxpayers—was decreased near
ly one-fourth, or $105,217.85. This
. resulted in a net.cost of operation
to the taxpayers for 15-months of
$342,054.50 or a net daily cost per
Pioneer of $3.78. ■
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,/■ GUests et‘ .the Howie -are free, to
come; and; go, ;as they choose. The ;
front1 tioojr i&'.neyer lojc&e<W Each .>
spring several of the men leave to*.
ffeh- and,.- return, agairt iji. vthe,v.
winter And, ysince, the Hoipe,, was
placed .p-n a ;P$y as. you go ^asis>
the attitude r.of. njosj. of the^gpests ,
has been one of increase^ ,
ciaticm for the care given. • ■ ,
,, Opening of the women’s wing
two years ago did much |o improve
the morale of guests. Of the six
married ‘ .couples living at ./the,
Home, three met and wed while
living there. The fact the dining
room is shared by both men and
women makes a . more home-like
atmosphere* while the ladies have
greatly stepped-up the social side
of life there. ,
Each guest received $30 in a
“Christmas poke”, an annual shar
ing of the Christmas fund present
ed each Pioneer at the entertain
ment held Christmas evening.
Friends and organizations all over
Alaska and in the various other
states join each year in raising the
Christmas fund.
A special holiday decoration
gleamed from over the front en
trance at the Home this year. It
was a huge brightly lighted 49,
accompanied by a star—marking
the admission of Alaska into the
union. For Alaska’s Pioneer citi
zens are vitally interested and
concerned with statehood and the
changes it will bring to their be
loved northland.
Friday
Social Evening
(OPEN TO PUBLIC)
8:30 p.m.
at
V.F.W.
Capt. E. Pagano
Visits Local NG
In town this week on an inspec
tion tour of the local Alaska
National Guard unit was Capt.
Eddie Pagano, Operations and
Training Officer, with headquar
ters in Juneau.
“The local unit has been well
trained by Lt. Jerry Valen, who
has charge of the training,”
stated Capt. Pagano, “but there is
a great need for additional men
as the complement is below the
desired point.”
“We cannot as yet set a definite
date for the dedication and open
ing of the new National Guard
armory,” he added, “but we hope
that it will be soon.”
Capt. Pagano, a former resident
of Kodiak, arrived Sunday and left
on Tuesdy to continue his tour of
National Guard units throughout
the state.
Parked Cars Are
Traffic Hazard
Elk bowling patrons are warned
to park their cars in the designated
parking lot adjacent to the Small
Boat Harbor.
Police Chief Roland Vickery
stated that cars parked along side
the building on either Mill Bay
Road or on Marine Way have be
come a traffic hazard. Vickery
stated there have been instances
when the Kodiak Shopper and
vehicles of that size haven’t been '
able to pass through between cars
parked on either side of Mill Bay
Road.
Courtesy tickets have been issu
ed. Should the practice continue,
however, the chief stated traffic
tickets will be issued.
Five Enlistees
Go To Anchorage
Five local boys have enlisted in
the Army recently, M/Sgt Archie
Zehe, procurement officer for the
Army here, stated.
Four of the boys, William
OsbekOff, Walter Bent, Artie
Torgramson and Harvey Anderson
left last week for Anchorage, for
indocrination at Elmendorf. Max
Shelikoff, the fifth of the group,
left for Anchorage Thursday.
NOTICE
A rummage sale will be held
January 31 in the Sargent Bldg,
across the street from the Post
Office. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sponsored by St. Mary’s Altar
Society. 24-2n
NOTICE
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE church
services are held each Sunday
morning, at 11 o’clock, in the Cha
pel Annex, on the Naval Base. For
information or transportation call
3184 or 0-386. tfn
WODLINGER DRUGS A\
'v;‘ . (BERTS)
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There is a place |o shop .
That is mighty friendly.
'We are Open nightly^
You don’t have to be ‘Spendy\J ;
For prescriptions or for ptlls,
The best there are in town, .
Stop in at Wodlinger’s Drug Store
And talk to Mr. Browne.
We have vitamins and cold cures
And things for aches and pain.
While Larry’s gone vacationing
Stop:— see Dorothy or see Jane!
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SHOP THE DRUG STORE :
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Hank’s Radio and
Repair Today Enjoy T.V. Tonight
1st in Kodiak T
** Our new modern method F
A enables us to give day- g
D time T.V. repair without y
I additional charge. I
0 Franchised S
Packard-Beli Dealer
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Sales — . Service_Appliances
Hours 10 to 10 Phone 4922