It has been my privilege to work with Brynn for the last year. She had obstacles to overcome and did overcome them. In telling her story, she told us that she would no longer let anyone write her story for her, she would write her own story. In many ways working with us in setting up a new program, she has not only charted her own way but helped us write the story of the Reentry Coalition in Fairbanks. Her authenticity and ability to share her life with us has made us more trauma-informed and sensitive to the re-entrants that we serve.

In October last year, we had the first Reentry Simulation with the US Department of Justice United States Attorney’s Office with the help of the Anchorage Reentry Coalition. Brynn was a participant in the first simulation. When we planned our second one with a UAF Social Work student, we found we would need our own materials. Brynn worked tirelessly to make the participant materials, phony money and help station materials used in creating the Reentry Simulation. In March, we held our second simulation at UAF with Justice and Social Work students. These materials are something that will be used over and over again in the days to come.
 
Our offices closed temporarily in March and life as we know it ended as a co-worker was exposed and possibly had COVID19. All groups, events and face-to-face halted due to COVID19 precautions. Our Reentry Coalition was presented with an emergency situation as the Warming Center was not able to serve all the homeless individuals coming for services. Brynn helped open a second Warming Center at the JP Jones Center with our Encampment Outreach program and staff from various IACNLV programs and volunteers from the community. Brynn was the friendly face at the door as we served over 126 different homeless individuals for two months. 
 
These are two unexpected highlights of the past year that Brynn was an integral part of making happen. She has been flexible, moved work stations at least 5 times, been challenged in ways that show her determined heart. All of us are better for the many ways she served and interacted with our staff and program participants. We are grateful for her year of service and look forward to her continuing to work with our agency."

- Linda Setterberg: Fairbanks Reentry Coalition Coordinator ​

​Leah wrapped up her service year on August 3, 2020. She served the Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District as their Project Development Specialist. She assisted in the development of project documents and resources that will help ensure the long term sustainability of the project, while also working with project partners to apply for various federal and non federal grants. With her spare time at the office, she worked with the Interior Alaska Food Network to develop and promote local food initiatives. After spending some time at home with family, Leah will head to Arizona State University​ to start a PhD program in Sustainability with a focus on resource economics.

Leah was an amazing addition to our team at FSWCD and the Fairbanks community.  We chose Leah for this position because of her impressive academic background in economics and community service. She seamlessly became part of FSWCD staff, the Fairbanks community, and the VISTA community.  Her dedication to the indoor community farm project began even before her first day of service and continued to be impressive in the successive months. As part of her service year, she assisted us with gathering the necessary support within the community by connecting with a wide variety of organizations. She was a part of a number of outreach events throughout her year in Fairbanks, helping with our information table at the Chena Hot Springs Energy Fair as well as a local food event at the Tanana Valley State Fair. She presented about her project to the local City Assembly, spoken briefly at the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce weekly meeting, and given information and updates at the city Housing and Homeless Coalition meetings. She assisted with the planning and leadership of our local Interior Alaska Food Network (IAFN), our local food policy group. Every chance she had to represent and share her work she jumped at without question. Her confidence and demeanor was excellent, and her representation of Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District was consistently impressive. She wrote at least two very large grant proposals during her time with FSWCD and her ability to collaborate with a large group of agencies and folks guided the process with ease. Her dedication to ensuring the positive outcome of her projects is evidence of her high standard of professionalism.  We are so happy she chose FSWCD for her VISTA service. We know she will go on to do great things with her career and will miss her smile and laughter terribly."

- Mel Sikes, FSWCD Natural Resource Education Specialist

By Kelsey Snyder, Thrivalaska VISTA '19-20

During my first 5 months of service, I repeatedly saw the importance of in-kind and monetary donations to non-profits. Due to most of our funding coming from state-grants, we do not have easily transferable funding to support projects such as the re-flooring.

In July, Ken Miller of Denali FSP Fundraising Consultants presented a fundraising seminar to the Fairbanks VISTA program.

Hydroponics in Anchorage and Racing to Build a Grow Tower
​By Leah Shaffer, FSWCD VISTA '19-20

We headed out to Alaska Seeds of Change where we were met by Sara Renard, the AKSoC staff coordinator. We stopped to discuss the successes and challenges of both AKSoC and the project I am working on, the Fairbanks Urban Hydroponic Farm (FUHF), and offered each other advice on methods of best practice.

With power drills out and at the ready, instruction packets in hand, and disassembled buckets, pipes, and screws scattered around the floor we were given a challenge: build the tower in 1.5 hours, beat the previous workshop’s record and someone will get to take the grow tower home. With our deadline looming in the near future, we rushed into action, naturally splitting into groups to tackle different aspects of the tower. I got to work helping with the sump basin, which is the foundation of the tower and holds all the water. ​