Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Nearly 100 people gathered for dinner and to hear Alaska LNG project manager Steve Butt speak during the first day of the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District's Industry Outlook forum. The second and final day of the forum will feature speakers from area utilities, Alaska's Department of Natural Resources, Cook Inlet gas producers and explorers, local legislators and economists at the Old Carrs Mall in Kenai, Alaska.

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Nearly 100 people gathered for dinner and to hear Alaska LNG project manager Steve Butt speak during the first day of the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District's Industry Outlook forum. The second and final day of the forum will feature speakers from area utilities, Alaska's Department of Natural Resources, Cook Inlet gas producers and explorers, local legislators and economists at the Old Carrs Mall in Kenai, Alaska.

Contributing to a healthy economy

  • By IAN FOLEY
  • Wednesday, January 7, 2015 10:47pm
  • News

The impact that the Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s Dena’ina Wellness Center has had on the tribe and the Kenai Peninsula community was described at the Industry Outlook Forum in Kenai on Wednesday.

The session marked the first time the Kenaitze Indian Tribe spoke at the annual forum, which is attended by representatives of various industries including oil, gas and mining.

Speaking on behalf of the tribe, Jaylene Peterson-Nyren, executive director of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, said that while most of the other speakers were from oil, gas and mining backgrounds, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe deserved to be at the forum.

“Economically, we have brought a lot to the community,” Peterson-Nyren said.

The Dena’ina Wellness Center had its grand opening in Old Town Kenai in June 2014. It provides an array of services including medical, behavioral and wellness programs. The project was aided by numerous grants, sponsors and the Indian Health Service Joint Venture Award. The award provides the Dena’ina Wellness Center $10 million annually for a minimum of 20 years.

Peterson-Nyren said the Dena’ina Wellness Center may have been possible without the IHS Award, but it probably wouldn’t have the scope or number of services currently offered. The funds from the award support maintenance and operations of the facility.

The new health center has also provided the community with new employment opportunities. Peterson-Nyren said that of the 270 employees that work for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, nearly half of them work at or with the Dena’ina Wellness Center. She said that the while the center is running smoothly, the tribe is still hoping to hire more employees including a new physician, dentist and optometrist.

Peterson-Nyren said that the Wellness center is seeing 30-40 new patients a month. She anticipates continued growth due to the Kenai Peninsula being attractive to a lot of Alaska Native people and the region’s current economic growth.

Before the construction of the Dena’ina Wellness Center, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe rented several facilities around the community to house medical practices. Now that the tribe has its own building with all of its medical services under one roof, it can allocate funds to other ventures.

With more funds available, the tribe has purchased an apartment complex adjacent to the Wellness Center in Kenai’s Old Town, expanded its services to include an on-site pharmacy and hopes to improve a center for the tribe’s elders.

The tribe also hopes that with more money, it will be able to invest.

“The overall goal is to not be so heavily reliant on state and federal grant funding and to be able to bring more cash back into our system to help our people,” Peterson-Nyren said.

 

Reach Ian Foley at ian.foley@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

The sign in front of the Homer Electric Association building in Kenai, Alaska, as seen on April 1, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)
HEA rates to increase Jan. 1

The cooperative’s last rate increase took effect in April 2020

AP Photo/Erin Hooley
An eight-week-old sea otter rescued from Seldovia, Alaska, peaks out of his enclosure at Shedd Aquarium Wednesday, Dec. 6 in Chicago. The otter was found alone and malnourished and was taken to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward which contacted Shedd, and the Chicago aquarium was able to take the otter in. He will remain quarantined for a few months while he learns to groom and eat solid foods before being introduced to Shedd’s five other sea otters.
Seldovia sea otter pup has a new home at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium

The northern sea otter was found alone and malnourished and taken to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward

Students from Nikiski Middle/High School and Kenai Middle School join Jesse Bjorkman, Ken Felchle and volunteers from the Kenai Peninsula Chapter of Safari Club International on an educational moose hunt in Nikiski, Alaska, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. (Photo provided by Jesse Bjorkman)
Lessons in big game hunting

Students learn to ethically and responsibly harvest a moose and process its meat for food

Cook Inletkeeper Energy Policy Analyst Ben Boettger presents information about retrofitting homes to be more energy efficient at the Cook Inletkeeper Community Action Studio on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Inletkeeper turns focus to energy for next community climate solution

The meeting marked the official kickoff of Cook Inletkeeper’s fourth installment in its local solution series

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Woman arrested after allegedly shooting neighbor’s house

The woman had been trying to break up a dog fight, troopers said

A pie chart shows Kenai Peninsula Borough School District expenditures by object for the current fiscal year. (Chart via KPBSD)
Explanation of how KPBSD organizes funds caps ‘Budget 101’ series

Finance Director Elizabeth Hayes delivered the presentation to school board members during a Monday work session

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, answers questions from constituents during a legislative update at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ruffridge predicts school funding, energy security will be top issues in Juneau next session

Ruffridge has represented District 7, which includes Kenai and Soldotna, in the Alaska House of Representatives since October 2022

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meet on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
New school board group will study 4-day school week

The group will meet regularly until next July, when committee members will present their findings to the full board

Members of the Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee raise hands to vote in favor of a proposal during a meeting at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Advisory committee supports protections for lake trout and king salmon

Advisory committee recommendations will be weighed by the State Board of Fisheries alongside public testimony as they deliberate on each proposal

Most Read