Notes From Alex: Never Discount Yourself

As we continue developing the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation, I want to take a moment to say something from my heart:

Thank you.

Thank you for the gifts.
Thank you for the words of encouragement.
Thank you for sharing our story.
And thank you for believing that preserving our history is worth doing.

As this foundation continues to take shape, I hear people say, “Oh, I can’t really help.”

Please don’t say that.

Yes, you can.

Never discount yourself or what you have to offer.

There will soon be a need for hands on deck. We will need people willing to volunteer, people with ideas, people who can lend their skills, people who can help with projects, fundraising, research, storytelling, photography, restoration, outreach, and so much more.

And yes, we need your prayers, too.

Building something that will hopefully serve our community for generations is not something one person can do alone. It will take a community.

Every gift matters.
Every prayer matters.
Every encouraging word matters.
Every helping hand matters.
And every idea matters.

You may think what you have to offer is small, but sometimes the smallest contribution becomes an important part of something much bigger.

This isn’t just about restoring old buildings.

It’s about keeping our stories alive.

It’s about remembering the people who came before us, honoring the places they built, preserving the photographs and memories they left behind, and making sure our children and grandchildren have an opportunity to know where they came from.

And perhaps most importantly, we aren’t just preserving history—we are creating new history.

Years from now, I hope people will look back and say, “They cared enough to do something.”

That is what we are trying to do.

So if you have ever thought, “I wish I could help,” let me tell you:

You can.

We will need you.

We will need your hands.
We will need your heart.
We will need your ideas.
We will need your prayers.
And we will need your voice.

Together, we can make a difference—not only in preserving what has already been written, but in helping write the next chapters of the story of Metlakatla.

Our history matters.
Our stories matter.
Our community matters.
And so do you.

— Alex
Notes From Alex