Eva’s House

Last year Peggy Shumaker and Joe Usibelli came to us and said they wanted to name Storyknife’s main house for Eva Saulitis, teacher, poet and their friend, who died earlier that year. For every dollar donated toward the main house they would match it with two of theirs.

This month we received a donation from Nancy Nordhoff that completed our third of that amount. Last week Peggy and Joe sent us their matching check. Eva’s House is now fully funded.

Many, many Friends of Storyknife made this possible in many donations at many different levels. Here is the story of one.

“I’ve been following you and this creation of yours, and when you put Pam Houston on your advisory board, that was my first donation,” Macrina Fazio says.

Macrina served the state of Alaska in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for 33 years. “To say that Macrina has had a large impact on the lives of all of her staff at this office would be an understatement,” says co-worker Angela Gray. “There was no send off we could do for her that would do her justice. “

Macrina announced her retirement in March. “I didn’t want a retirement party and they told me to get over it,” she says. When they asked her what she wanted for a gift, she said a donation to Storyknife.

“I started asking for donations and sharing information about your project with co-workers on April 18th,” says Angela.  “After Macrina shared her wish, she was no longer included in the planning process.  She did not know how much had been raised in her name until the day of her retirement party on April 27th.”

Macrina’s co-workers collected a total of $700. With a wave of the Shumaker-Usibelli magic wand that $700 became a $2100 donation toward the construction of Eva’s House.

“We need to hear women’s voices,” Macrina says. “If there was ever a time that mattered, it’s now. And I’m a believer that we can all do something.”

She did, and so did Angela and the rest of her co-workers, and so did Peggy Shumaker and Joe Usibelli, and so did Nancy Nordhoff, and so did everyone who donated to Eva’s House.

My heart is too full to say more. Thank you all so much.