Assistant Refuge Manager Abbey Kucera shares information with visitors at the Kodiak Refuge ComFish booth. Photographer - Gary Wheeler 03/16/06 Kodiak, AK

Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center Manager Tina Shaw paints the face of a young customer at the Refuge's ComFish trade show booth. Photographer - Blythe Brown 03/17/06 Kodiak, AK

On March 16-18, children of all ages with parents in tow migrated to the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge booth at “ComFish”, the annual Kodiak, Alaska commercial fishing trade show.  The Port of Kodiak annually ranks among the top four U.S. fishing ports surveyed by the National Marine Fisheries Service in terms of quantity and value of fish caught.  In what’s become an annual event, Refuge staff and volunteers painted kids’ faces with bears, butterflies, flowers, or even full hunter camouflage.  Charging a nominal fee for face painting, Refuge staff raised almost $1,000 for the Alaska Natural History Association, which co-sponsors a popular “Summer Science and Salmon Camp” with the Refuge. While children had their faces painted, the more “artistically challenged” staff spoke with adults about “Salmon Camp” and answered questions on avian influenza, Refuge public use cabins, hunting and fishing, and the new Refuge visitor center, among others.

Tina Shaw, Refuge Visitor Center Manager, and Cinda Childers, Office Automation Clerk, organized the booth and staffed it with lots of help.  Since the three-day “ComFish” coincided with the schools’ spring break, the Refuge booth had a steady stream of young customers.  Over 150 faces were painted and every accompanying adult received Salmon Camp information.  Commenting on the Refuge’s ComFish booth, Acting Refuge Manager Gary Wheeler remarked, “What a natural partnership between Kodiak Refuge, that provides quality spawning and rearing habitat for millions of salmon, and commercial fishermen, who harvest the resource. And if we can educate these children about the ways of the salmon, I’m convinced that this resource will be in good hands for years to come.”