Tag Archives: Merissa Koller Williams

Co-op board of directors president moves off island

Merissa Koller-Williams. (Photo by Kayla Desroches / KMXT) Kayla Desroches/KMXT An active member of Kodiak’s nonprofit community moved back to the Lower 48 last week. Merissa Koller-Williams was the coordinator of the community wellness nonprofit, Healthy Tomorrows, which closed last year after its funding from Providence Health & Services ran out. Koller-Williams and Healthy Tomorrows helped form what is now …

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Volleyball club opens up to younger students

Volleyball. (Photo via pxhere) Kayla Desroches/KMXT The volleyball community is opening up to a younger group of future athletes. Kodiak Island Volleyball Club coach Merissa Koller-Williams says, starting after Thanksgiving, the club will teach volleyball basics to kids in third through fifth grade. “Basically, in our community, there’s no opportunities to play until you get into sixth grade. So, the …

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Community Wellness Nonprofit Closes

Healthy Tomorrows logo. Courtesy of Healthy Tomorrows Kayla Desroches/KMXT One of Kodiak’s nonprofits is closing next week. Healthy Tomorrows coordinator Merissa Koller-Williams says around 2009 or 2010, Providence Health & Services adopted Healthy Tomorrows under the Affordable Care Act and took over funding. That funding is now ending. Koller-Williams explains the organization began in 2008 as the community’s solution to …

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Food Co-op More Than Halfway to Membership Goal

Merissa Koller-Williams. Kayla Desroches / KMXT Kayla Desroches/KMXT The Kodiak Harvest Food Cooperative is halfway to its membership goal, and its board president says it should get easier to encourage sign-up. Merissa Koller-Williams is spearheading the project. She hopes word of mouth will spur membership on – one person tells another person, and soon membership is doubled. She says the …

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Community Plans for Hydroponic Growing Facility

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The organizers behind the 2016 Kodiak Strong Planning Day are reaching out to the community to stand behind the goal of establishing a hydroponic growing facility. Merissa Koller Williams, Healthy Tomorrows director and Planning Day organizer, says the hope is that the facility will be powered using renewable energy. “You can grow a lot of stuff in really …

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Kodiak Strong Planning Day Leads to Two Community Goals

Kayla Desroches/KMXT This last Saturday, the 2016 Kodiak Strong Planning Day gathered community members together to decide on goals it can complete in a year’s time. Event organizer and Healthy Tomorrows coordinator, Merissa Koller Williams, says the event was small, but constructive. “This year, we had about half as many participants as we had last year. Last year, we had …

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Community Planning Day Reaches Year Two

Kayla Desroches/KMXT The second year of Kodiak Strong Planning Day brings promise for new community developments in 2017. The kick-off event last year gathered locals together to decide on goals to work toward. They ended up choosing three: a housing assistance program, a food co-op, and downtown business and cultural events. Event organizer and Healthy Tomorrows coordinator, Merissa Koller Williams, …

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Talk of the Rock: Kodiak Strong 2016

On this week’s Talk of the Rock, host Kayla Desroches speaks with Kodiak Strong organizer Merissa Koller Williams and facilitator Doug Osborne. The event brings community members together to pinpoint initiatives that will improve the quality of life and wellbeing in Kodiak. Koller Williams updates listeners on the progress the community made on last year’s goals and talks about Kodiak …

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Instructor Leads Kodiak Women in Art of Krav Maga

Instructor Kory Davis demonstrates Krav Maga technique with help from Merissa Koller Williams. Kayla Desroches / KMXT Kayla Desroches/KMXT An instructor in the art of Krav Maga flew into Kodiak this week as part of a selection of courses that focuses on self-defense for women. Kory Davis from Israeli Krav Maga Alaska says the Israeli self-defense system has its origins …

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