Donlin Gold

it’s the time of year when hundreds of families in the Yukon Kuskokwim region are heading to their fish camps, preparing the smokehouses and drying racks, and teaching the youth how to live a subsistence lifestyle. As the salmon have returned to the Kuskokwim river, so have the native people to harvest this vital food source integral to their health and wellness.

To help families have a fun and safe fishing season, Donlin Gold community relations staff visited fish camps in the Bethel and middle Kuskokwim area to provide boating safety related items and informational cards about how to travel safely on the water. At each visited fish camp, staff passed out bags filled with safety and fish camp supplies including personal flotation devices (PFDs), rain gear, fish cutting aprons, rubber gloves and mosquito repellent coils.

One of the biggest issues Donlin staff stressed during their fish camp visits is the importance of always wearing a PFD when traveling by boat, no matter what. in Alaska, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death, and in a majority of drowning cases the victim was not wearing a PFD. By wearing a PFD when boating, we can show our children how to be safe, just as we show them how to safely set nets and use knives to cut fish. To learn more tips about boating safety, please read through the safety section of this newsletter.

Safety plays an essential part in all that Donlin Gold does and helping families live healthier, safer lives is just one way Donlin Gold can create a project that enriches the lives of those in the Yukon Kuskokwim region.

You may have noticed a new name and logo on the front of this newsletter. That’s because last month the Donlin Board voted to change the name of our company to Donlin Gold. As the project heads toward the permitting process, our company and project will be referenced more, and we felt it was a good time to modify the name of our company to one that better reflects who we are and what we hope to do.

The new name, Donlin Gold, embodies our identity better as we look to distinguish ourselves from other projects in Alaska and clarify the type of project we hope to develop if we receive the necessary state and federal permits to do so.

Despite the change in our name, our values and commitment to the Yukon Kuskokwim region remain the same. it is our priority to create a project that will enrich the lives of those who live in the region for many years to come by offering jobs, scholarships, opportunities and safe, responsible development that does not compromise the environment.

We look forward to continuing our work and building relationships with residents and their families throughout the YK region. We will continue to update you with information about the project, and appreciate your ongoing input on how we can move this project forward in a productive and responsible manner.

Stan Foo
General Manager
Donlin Gold