Early registration is open for the Bristol Bay Fish Expo set for June 8–9 in Naknek, Alaska, complete with a dressed for success fisheries fashion show, speed hiring for captains and potential crew members, and a new mug up history event to share canned fish stories.
Bristol Bay Fish Expo, a fundraiser for Naknek’s Little Angels Child Care Academy, got its start a year ago, bringing in upwards of $15,000, said Katie Copps-Wilson, a physician’s assistant at the Camai Health Center in Naknek, and a Fish Expo organizer. That was enough to make payroll for five part-time employees at the child care center, which Copps-Wilson, who has three children, said is an important socioeconomic issue for community.
“People started moving out because there was no child care,” she said. Then in September 2016 the Bristol Bay Borough allocated $80,000 toward materials to create the child care facility within the local high school in this town of 544.
Last year’s expo attracted 44 exhibitors, along with sponsors for the fashion show, speed hiring–which is like a speed dating scenario – and other events. The fashion show features everything from the rain gear on deck look to going to town ensembles. The speed hiring event was successful in bringing captains and potential crew members together for interviews, and some crew got hired during the event, Copps-Wilson said.
Several companies have signed up already for the upcoming expo, and sponsors are still needed for the events. “We’re still working mothers trying to pull a show off,” she said.
Information about the 2018 expo and to sign up to participation is online at www.bristolbayfishexpo.com
Bristol Bay Fish Expo, a fundraiser for Naknek’s Little Angels Child Care Academy, got its start a year ago, bringing in upwards of $15,000, said Katie Copps-Wilson, a physician’s assistant at the Camai Health Center in Naknek, and a Fish Expo organizer. That was enough to make payroll for five part-time employees at the child care center, which Copps-Wilson, who has three children, said is an important socioeconomic issue for community.
“People started moving out because there was no child care,” she said. Then in September 2016 the Bristol Bay Borough allocated $80,000 toward materials to create the child care facility within the local high school in this town of 544.
Last year’s expo attracted 44 exhibitors, along with sponsors for the fashion show, speed hiring–which is like a speed dating scenario – and other events. The fashion show features everything from the rain gear on deck look to going to town ensembles. The speed hiring event was successful in bringing captains and potential crew members together for interviews, and some crew got hired during the event, Copps-Wilson said.
Several companies have signed up already for the upcoming expo, and sponsors are still needed for the events. “We’re still working mothers trying to pull a show off,” she said.
Information about the 2018 expo and to sign up to participation is online at www.bristolbayfishexpo.com