The Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
731 E. 8th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
Rural Providers’ Conference to be held in Kodiak, Alaska
For Immediate Release
Friday, April 9, 2010
Contact: Angela Gonzalez, Communications Coordinator, (907) 865-7389, agonzalez
[Anchorage]¾ The Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP) 27th Annual Rural Providers’ Conference (RPC) will be held on June 7-11, 2010 at the Kodiak High School in Kodiak, AK. Co-sponsor for the conference is the Kodiak Area Native Association. This year’s RPC theme is “Lighting the Lamp for Strength in Unity”. Keynote speakers include Amy Modig, formerly of Tanacross, Nick Pavloff, formerly from Karluk on Kodiak Island, and Gloria Gorman, formerly from the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Modig, who currently resides in Anchorage, has worked in the fields of education, alcohol treatment and prevention, and program development. Pavloff is a certified substance abuse counselor and visits tribal communities within the Prince William Sound area. Gorman has a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Social Work and is presently the Human Services Director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Alaska Region in Juneau.
The RPC is an annual gathering designed by rural Alaskans who are substance abuse service providers, youth, Elders and family members interested in celebrating and encouraging the continual growth of the Alaska Native Sobriety Movement. The RPC embraces and unites traditional Alaska Native knowledge and modern treatment methods to find solutions for alcohol and drug abuse. The conference features ceremonies, talking circles and cultural events. Workshops and general sessions are geared toward clinicians working with rural Alaskans, those in recovery, as well as Elders, youth, and other adults. UAA-Kodiak College academic credit, Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification, and continuing education (CEU) credits are available for conference attendees.
The deadline for early registration is May 1, 2010. Registration fees are $55 for adults, $30 for youth (ages 13-18), and free for Elders, children (age 13 and under) and local community members not representing an organization. After May 1, the registration fees are $85 for adults and $45 for youth. Exhibitors are being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. The exhibitor fee for the week is $30. The conference is funded by the Alaska State Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development, Alaska State Dept. of Health & Human Services, and Elihu Foundation Charitable Trust. For registration and exhibitor information, contact Janice Berry, jberry, or call (907) 865-7354 in Anchorage, or toll free (800) 478-7227, extension 7354. Conference information is available at www.ruralcap.com.
RurAL CAP, a statewide, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, has been working to improve the quality of life for low-income Alaskans since 1965. RurAL CAP employed more than 850 people in 2009 with expenditures of over $26 million. It provides resources and services to enhance child and family development, improve housing, reduce energy costs, develop leadership, protect traditional uses of fish and game, promote environmental responsiveness, support health and wellness, develop and assist with community plans, and foster independent living.
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