John Norton and Kate Saunders pose at the Haines Save Our Ferries rally on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. (Claire Stremple/KHNS)

Haines residents rallied on Tuesday afternoon to show support for the ferry system–along with at least 7 other coastal communities from all corners of the state. Skagway plans to hold a rally on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Archie and Luck Dunbar pose with their signs at the Haines Save Our Ferries rally. February 11, 2020. (Claire Stremple/KHNS)

A small group turned into a huge crowd in the parking lot of the Public Safety Building at noon. Luck Dunbar held a sign mounted on a hockey stick. Ferry travel was a big part of his childhood in Southeast Alaska.

“You know playing basketball and traveling all the time,” he said.

“Got to know the whole southeast community from Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Ketchican.”

Now he has friends all over the region and the state.

“I feel bad for the kids nowadays, that can’t have that same experience. The ferry system is … it’s a heartbeat of Southeast. It is part of our history for sure,” he said.

That’s why he and his son Archie demonstrated with over 200 other Haines residents who gathered to show their support for the Alaska Marine Highway System. Dunbar held a sign with a hand-drawn portrait of the President and his familiar red hat, but he had a new take on the slogan.

“We’re just trying to get through to the people that kind of run the show you know? It’s kind of something off the MAGA hat, but it says ‘Make our ferries great again.’ MAFGA!” he explained.

Parents toted children too small to walk. John Norton walked by wearing a Matanuska-shaped hat. An enormous malamute named Gootch bore a sign that read “too big to fly.”

Vanessa Salmon was among the local organizers of the event and served as the emcee.

“While this group of us may be politically diverse—in fact, I’m sure we are—our shared experience and our profound need and our right to a dependable ferry system has brought us together,” she said.

“We are proud to show our community and the beautiful state that we call home that Haines is standing up in solidarity with communities across the state to save our fairies.”

Haines residents gathered downtown to show support for the Alaska Marine Highway System. February 11, 2020. (Claire Stremple, KHNS)

The ferry is part of the social fabric, but it is also the infrastructure that many services are built around. Manager of the Haines Senior Center Caroline Hankins voiced concern that seniors are among the hardest hit.

“The seniors not being able to fly because of a wheelchair or an oxygen tank. One senior had to cancel a very important meeting with a cardiologist in Juneau that only comes up once a year,” she said.

Residents bent over picnic tables to sign their names on a “Save our Ferries” banner. Sophia Armstrong’s entire first grade class walked over from the Haines School to sign their names.

“They all wrote letters to the lawmakers asking for them to fix the ferries and bring them back. They all have their own reasons, but a lot of it’s about going to see doctors and if their parents go to see doctors and not getting stuck places and a lot of them are scared of flying on airplanes,” said Armstrong.

Mayor Jan Hill pledged to take the banner with her when she returns to Juneau later this month. She’s spent time in the capitol speaking with legislators about how alack of ferries effects everything from health to the economy.

“We’re getting a lot of support from parts of the state that we’ve never gotten support for the marine highway system [from] before. So what we’re doing is working. The problem is it’s not fast enough. There are no easy answers for this,” she said.

Ferry supporters hold cardboard cutouts of the Alaska Class ferries. February 11, 2020. (Claire Stremple/KHNS)

Last week the governor’s office asked for $12 million dollars to keep the system running, but acknowledged that money won’t be useful this year. On Monday the state requested proposals from charter companies to fill gaps in regional ferry service. The Department of Transportation said there is potential to move both people and freight between the Upper Lynn Canal and the state Capitol.

Melina Shields was among the event’s organizers. She ended the speeches on a note of hope and persistence.

“This is really just the beginning. So our voices are super important today, but also tomorrow and in the time to come. So don’t stop now,” said Shields.

The crowd posed for a photo, then lingered over coffee in the icy parking lot, passing around a printout of lawmaker names and contact information.