2011

June 23, 2011 - Anchorage & Incheon 25th Sister Cities Anniversary
Please join Mayor Dan Sullivan,
Incheon Deputy Mayor Dong-keun Shin,
and the Anchorage Sister Cities Commission
in celebration of our Sister Cities 25th Anniversary.
The Commission is hosting a special Music in the Park
on Thursday June 23 from noon-1:00pm

July 4, 2011 -  Anchorage 4th of July Parade
Please join us in the 4th of July Parade!

First Tuesday Lunch at Aladdin’s
Thank you!  Over the past 9 months your generous support has raised over $35,000 to support the valuable programs and services provided by:
June 7, 2011 – Bridge Builders’ Education Outreach Program
May 3, 2011 - KSKA Public Radio
April 5, 2011 - Beans Café
March 1, 2011 - Salvation Army
February 1, 2011 – AWAIC
December 7, 2010 – Catholic Social Services
November 2, 2010 - Food Bank of Alaska
September/October 2010 – UNICEF

Bridge Builders’ / Newcomers’ Center 2011 School/Business Partnership
Throughout the 2010 - 2011 school year Bridge Builders and the Newcomers’ Center worked together to create a dynamic School/Business Partnership. A special “Thank You” to Ms. Imtiaz Azzam for her vision and dedication to the mission of the Newcomers’ Center and to the students and families the Center serves.  Bridge Builders looks forward to continuing and growing the partnership with the Newcomers’ Center at Wendler Middle School.

May 13, 2011  Parents and Students Succeed Together (P.S.S.T.) Program Presentation
Newcomers’ Center End-of-Year Celebration at Wendler Middle School.  Bridge Builders and the Newcomers’ Center have been actively working together in a School/Business Partnership.  As part of Bridge Builders’ Education Outreach Program a dedicated group of parents and educators have joined together to create an eight-week education program.  The program invites parents and students to work hand-in-hand and learn together. The Parents and Students Succeed Together (P.S.S.T.) pilot program will be presented during the end-of-year celebration.  For more information please call Imtiaz Azzam, Newcomers’ Center 742-7432 or email: Azzam_Imtiaz@asdk12.org

May 18 - 21, 2011 International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers
Convening on May 18, 2011 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage Alaska, the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers will open their 9th Council gathering.  The gathering is open to the public through May 21.  Visit the Events page at www.grandmotherscouncil.org for detailed information and registration.
Hosting the gathering is Yup’ik elder and healer, Grandmother Rita Pitka Blumenstein.  The theme, “Healing the Spirit from the Light Within,” will manifest through three and a half days of prayer ceremonies, healings and cultural exchanges.  

Arctic Siren Cabaret 
May 6. 2011 Arctic Sirens presented their final show of the season at the Snow Goose Theater.  The Internationally themed show featured some of Anchorage's best singers backed by the Kevin Barnett Quartet.  All performers and staff volunteered their time and talent to make this Friend and Fundraiser for Bridge Builders of Anchorage a great success.

Thank you for your support!

FIRST TUESDAY LUNCH AT ALADDIN'S
Your generous support had provided much needed assistance for:
May 3, 2011 - KSKA Public Radio
April 5, 2011 - Beans Café
March 1, 2011 - Salvation Army

February 1, 2011 – AWAIC
December 7, 2010 – Catholic Social Services
November 2, 2010 - Food Bank of Alaska

September/October 2010 – UNICEF

PARENTS AS LEADERS CONFERENCE
April 29, 2011 at the BP Energy Center
Hosted by Alaska PTA and co-sponsored by Bridge Builders and the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska (( link to flier))

ALASKA STANDS WITH JAPAN
Join us as Alaska stands with Japan to express our condolences, our compassion and our concern for the earthquake and tsunami victims and their familiesand to demonstrate our commitment to assist with Japan’s recovery.
To obtain advance tickets, you may register at the Institute of the North. The $25 cost covers room rental and appetizers, with all other costs donated by individuals and organizations.

Link to  - https://www.institutenorth.org/programs/alaska-commons/stand-with-japan

Opportunities to donate to assist Japan will be present at the reception, including the American Red Cross for Japan and the Japan Relief Fund Alaska.
This event organized - and time and resources donated - by the following organizations:

• World Trade Center Alaska
• The Institute of the North
• Bridge Builders of Anchorage
• Commonwealth North
• Japan Relief Fund of Alaska
• (many more to come)

Co-Chairs Malcolm Roberts and Greg Wolf
For questions, more information, or to volunteer, contact Greg Wolf - (907) 278-7233 - greg@wtcak.org.

Meet the World in Anchorage 
Saturday, February 26, 2011 - 11am - 4:00 pm at the Anchorage Museum
Thank you Anchorage for turning out in record numbers to tour the world as you visited cultural displays and met people from over 50 countries. Lively music and cultural performances entertained as you learned about our neighbors and experienced the rich and colorful diversity of our local community.   MTW 2011 Flier  
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration- Dare to Dream on January 16, 2011.  Bridge Builders was a proud co-sponsor the MLK Foundation of Alaska events.  MLK Celebration Schedule MLK Events Week Flier

2010
15th International Potluck & Membership Meeting - Friday, November 12, 2010 West High School.  We gathered together as a community of friends, we shared our favorite traditional foods from around the world, made new friends and renewed relationships. It was a colorful and delicious gathering of members and friends of all ages as we celebrated our 15th year of service in the Anchorage community.

Unity Gala Excellence in Community Service Awards. Presented by Bridge Builders, Mayor Dan Sullivan and the Municipality of Anchorage. 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 21, 2010, at Hotel Captain Cook. The purpose of the gala is to bring our multicultural city together to celebrate outstanding members, groups and projects of our ethnic communities. It creates greater appreciation of how hard each cultural community works to be accepted and respected in Anchorage. We honor those who have continuously made significant contributions to their communities through volunteer efforts such as helping youths, elders, recent immigrants, or supporting their community organization through various projects, celebrations, and more. Bridge Builders recognizes these efforts by presenting each Honoree with an Excellence in Community Service Award at this event. It is a wonderful evening of fine dining, ethnic entertainment, and dancing.(Gala Flyer)

Bridge Builders Partners with City for Ethnic Diversity Events. Please see March 24th Press Release.

Public Service Announcements brought to you by Bridge Builders of Anchorage and Alaska Common Ground.

Get involved and join Bridge Builders with our new online membership application. Join us and make a difference! For more information call: 277-1882, or Email: bridgebuilders@bridgebuildersak.org

4th of July 2010 "America the Beautiful" Parade  (photos)  You made it beautiful! Our multicultural community came together in Harmony - one of the greatest beauties we can all share!

2009
Meet the World in Anchorage.  Saturday, February 28, 2009, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center. (Photos) As part of the Fur Rendezvous celebration in February, Bridge Builders hosts this free event to educate the public about the different cultures in Anchorage. Over 30 cultural booths are set up with displays from individual communities and staffed with cultural representatives to greet visitors and explain their customs, traditions, costumes and values. Many booths have activities such as calligraphy demonstrations, games, or origami (paper folding). Attendees are given a “passport” at the entrance that has an entry from each culture explaining customs and traditions; as visitors stop by each table, that culture’s passport page is stamped with a symbol from that culture. Ethnic entertainment is featured throughout the day, offering music and dance while people get to know their neighbors. Fun for the whole family! (Meet the World Flyer)(Meet the World Invitation) (Meet the World Registration Form)

July 4th Parade. (Photos) Each year Anchorage sponsors an Independence Day Parade. In 2000 the parade committee came to Bridge Builders to ask our help in involving the ethnic communities. Bridge Builders organized over 200 marchers from many cultures and encouraged the creation of numerous floats celebrating America's birthday. Every year since, Bridge Builders and ethnic floats have become a major element in the parade. We will march again this year celebrating the contributions our ethnic communities have made over the past 50 years. Please walk with us or create your community's float. Call 277-1882 for details. (July 4th Flyer) 

14th International Potluck & Annual Membership Meeting: Saturday, November 14, 2009, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Asian Alaskan Cultural Center. (Photos) Every year the annual international potluck is a fun and meaningful event. This is one of the opportunities where members get together with others from diverse cultures and new understanding and friendships begin. Everyone brings a dish of traditional food from their culture to share. The grouping is done by a team of volunteers as the members arrive. During dinner each table establishes where and when they will hold their next get-together. ("Get Together" Form) Cultural entertainment and a silent auction round out the evening, and it concludes with a brief membership meeting. RSVP for this event by emailing bridgebuilders@bridgebuildersak.org or calling 277-1882. View E-Vite Here.

BridgeBuilders would like to thank Al George, and Lifetouch Photography for sharing his beautiful photos with us.