If you see Katie Holmlund out in Petersburg, there’s a good chance you’ll see a line of children trailing behind her. This dedication to youth is what led Homlund to be named one of the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s Top Forty Under 40 awardees. The award recognizes Holmlund’s years of work in creating and expanding outdoor childcare programming in Petersburg.
In 2018, she co-founded the popular outdoor childcare program Kinder Skog, which later transitioned to become a program under the Petersburg Medical Center. Holmlund now oversees all of the hospital’s youth programs, which include Kinder Skog and Outdoor Recreation Creation Adventure, or ORCA, camps for older students.
During these programs, Petersburg’s youth go out kayaking, fly fishing, and jump into the muskeg. Rain or shine, these programs promote “healthy risk-taking,” and help young people feel safe and confident outdoors.
According to the local newspaper, the Petersburg Pilot, over half of Petersburg’s elementary school students participated in the hospital’s outdoor programs last year.
Holmlund said receiving the award was a surprise.
“It was unexpected, definitely not something that was needed, but definitely appreciated,” she said during a February Petersburg Medical Center live show on KFSK.
She said this award is about a lot more than just her. It reflects the work of Petersburg’s community.
“It highlights what can happen when a community really invests in our kids,” she said. “I keep telling people, it feels sort of ridiculous to be recognized individually for what is truly a community effort.”
Julie Walker, who oversees community wellness and public relations for the hospital, agreed that it takes a team to make the youth programs a success. But she said the programs require strong leadership from Holmlund in order to thrive.
“Just her innovation, her ideas, she takes them from ‘What if we did this?’ to making it happen,” Walker said. “And hearing from the families– my family being one of them that has benefited from the programs– she’s definitely deserving of this award.”
Petersburg Medical Center CEO Phil Hofstetter said Holmlund is a driving force behind the programs’ success.
“To me, it’s such a model for youth,” he said. “And the ability to grow the program and develop it even further, so we can meet the needs of all youth in the community. It’s just such an amazing thing.”
The Forty Under 40 awardees will be recognized during a gala in Anchorage in April and be featured in a commemorative magazine.
