Community members gathered at the Senior Center this Sunday for the second Storyteller's Cafe in recent weeks. Featuring Unalaska City School history teacher Jeff Dickrell, the event was an opportunity for local elders and longtime residents to share their knowledge and stories of life on the island in times past. Mr. Dickrell displayed a variety of slides from kayak treks he had taken around the island over the years, investigating the archeological remains of native settlements and following in the footsteps of early record-keepers like Captain James Cook and Ivan Veniaminov, also known as Saint Innocent. Interspersing geological and historical information with humorous anecdotes of alarming run-ins with wildlife and inclement weather, he shared a variety of stories and answered questions from the audience members ranging from children to residents at the center. Several people chimed in when Dickrell mentioned specific villages where their parents or grandparents once lived or talked about.

The event was put on by Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence (USAFV) as a way to promote healthy families. Given the high turnout and favorable community response to both Storyteller Cafes held this year, USAFV Program Coordinator Diane Kirchhofer says she intends to organize more in the future.