Sue Kaanta loved her town of Seward. This is among the many things that folks that knew Sue would say about her. It is said that Sue was the “collector of friends.” Ginger Allen knew Sue and said, “Her house was always open to friends for meals and good times. There were plenty of people who loved Sue and her cooking!” Once you were Sue’s friend…you were always her friend.
She was a philanthropist that gave generously to this town she called home. One of her jobs at the harbor was to clean the bathroom. Seeing that it was the only year-round bathroom in the city, she gave $100,000 to the city for a year-round bathroom project.
Sue was also dedicated to making the Mariners Memorial project a reality. She worked tirelessly on the steering committee and provided a generous endowment for the project. Because of her dedication and perseverance, the project created a bench in her honor.
Sue passed away eleven years ago, and she’s missed dearly. However, in 2012 an endowment was established with the Seward Community Foundation. She donated over $121,000 with the intent of assisting projects dedicated to the beautification of Seward. Since that time, nine projects have received funding through the Kaanta fund. Some of these projects included PTA’s bike park project, the Seward Prevention Coalition’s community garden, and most recently, the Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance Living with Bears Project.
The Kaanta Community Fund for the Beautification of Seward will long provide testimony to Sue’s love of her community. To date, $46,732 has been awarded to Seward area nonprofits with a focus on making Seward a more beautiful place. If you would like to help beautify Seward, consider a donation to the Kaanta Fund.
By Marc Swanson
SCF Advisor