Church to hold benefit concert for Galena, Alaska

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Battle Ground will hold a benefit concert for the town of Galena, AK, Sat., Sept. 14, 4 p.m., in the church parking lot, 2400 NW 9th Ave., Battle Ground.

In May of this year, the town of Galena was nearly wiped off the map. Ice dams on the Yukon River, west of Fairbanks, AK, caused flooding in Galena that moved houses off their foundations and destroyed the community sewer and water supplies, according to a news release from the church. Galena is home to more then 500 residents who have been living in FEMA and American Red Cross housing in Fairbanks and Anchorage, AK, since the disaster.

The residents have been traveling back to Galena over the summer to work on their homes, but they are far from finished as the winter approaches. Galena is more than 180 miles from the nearest paved road and is only accessible by plane or boat.

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit became aware of the Galena disaster after a member of the congregation, Paul Rettinger, traveled there with his work for the Department of Transportation.

“You cannot believe the disaster Galena has experienced,” Rettinger said. “You will never hear about it on the news, but it is as bad as anything I have ever seen.”

As a community, Holy Spirit church members decided that they wanted to help raise funds for those residents who may have fallen through the cracks in the recovery effort.

“In every disaster there are folks that, for whatever reason, don’t receive the help they need,” said Father Jeremy Lucas, Vicar of Holy Spirit. “We are always looking for ways to help those who have no other help, those who truly are ‘the least of these.’”

The Sept. 14 benefit concert will feature area music artists, including The Kate White Trio and Six Days. This outdoor concert is free, children-friendly and open to the public. There will be free hot dogs, chips and soda available. Members of the public are encouraged to bring a chair and blanket to sit on the grass and enjoy an evening of music. Seating for the elderly and those with special needs is also available. Donations for Galena will be accepted throughout the evening.

For more information, contact Lucas at (503) 395-4659 or email him at jlucas71@gmail.com.