The start of camp also means our favorite event, Artshare, is back! For the next week, Artshare will take place in the newly renovated Odess Theater in Allen Memorial every day from June 15 to June 19th at 7:00pm. We welcome all! 

July 13 

When many people think of Carol Odess, they tend to think of a wealthy donor who gave to the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. To local Sitkans and SFAC staff, however, she is known as a light-hearted, convivial woman, far from the stereotypical donor.  When Carol is not sweeping floors from sanding debris, she can be seen scrapping sheet rock from stairs. She is a true giver-one that dedicates both money and time into the restoration of Allen Hall.

Carol is a leader in the Allen Memorial restoration project. Her relationship with Sitka and SFAC comes hand in hand with her husband, John S. Odess, who was a surgeon and diagnostician. The couple shared the virtue of giving, as John worked at three local hospitals alongside his full time job in a private office and frequently gave to building and restoration projects that impacted communities.  

Unfortunately, John was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001. Determined to have one last trip together, the couple decided to spend a week at the Baranof Wilderness Lodge in Sitka, where they passed time fly and deep fishing. When John S. Odess passed away in 2003, his legacy and charitable fund was left to the care of his devoted wife.  

Carol, who continued to return to Sitka, came upon the Sheldon Jackson Campus on a walk along the beach one day. Distraught that many of the campus' beautiful waterfront buildings were vacant and abandoned, Carol spoke to Shirley Brooks, friend and SFAC Executive Director Roger Schmidt's mother-in-law, regarding the status of the campus and possible plans to save it.

Carol soon set her eyes on Allen Memorial-specifically the theater-which reminded her of John's charitable vision. "This is a very special place", Carol remarks. "I would encourage anyone and everyone to give their time, energy, and money to help save this campus. They will never find an easier place or an easier organization to contribute to."  

In addition to other disclosed amounts to the entire building, Carol contributed $500,000 to the restoration of the Odess Theater. The project is expected to be completed in the near future. "None of this would have happened if it weren't for Roger..." Carol shares, "he works with me to make [the project] satisfy both me as a donor and the fine arts camp... We have become friends. I still volunteer and I will continue to volunteer for as long as there is a project to be completed."

Even though the building restoration project has come a long way from the first day, there is always something that needs to be done - items on the check list include building wooden stairwells painting closets, electrical wiring and more wood work for the stage. "I would like [the building] to be a new beginning for the community," she continues, "I understand that certain people in the past have had unpleasant memories of Sheldon Jackson... Now that we are getting this building finished, let it be a new beginning for everybody."