Kalskag Conveniences

Schools

The children from both villages are combined into the 3 schools:  Elementary School grades Preschool through 3^rd, an Intermediate School Grades 4-6 and the High School Grades 7-12.  There is a school bus that runs the children from their bus stops to the three different schools.  Kalskag is in the Kuspuk School District (located in Aniak).  Since the poverty level is low every child has free breakfast and lunch at school.  For many children, these are their only meals of the day.

Conveniences

The two main stores, Ausdahl Mercantile in Kalskag and Anica in Lower Kalskag, carry groceries and some hardware items.  The items can cost triple what they are in the lower 48. due to shipping costs to the Bush. For example, a half gallon of milk is $8, a pound of hamburger is $8, and a gallon of ice cream is $35.  There are no restaurants, hotels, banks, coffee shops, video stores, theaters, clothing stores or even thrift shops.  We do not have a Village Police Office (VPO) or Fire Department.

Medical Facilities
There is a medical clinic in each village with Health Aids running the clinics.  Any major medical emergency will be flown out to Bethel to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corp.  Expectant Mothers are flown out to Bethel or Anchorage one month before they are due to have their baby in a hospital.  Physicians, optometrists  & dentists from other areas such as Anchorage or Bethel will travel to the village once or twice a year to do well child check ups, dental check ups and eye appointments. 

Travel

The main mode of transportation around the villages is a 4 wheeler or snow machine.  A few people have cars or trucks.  The school bus will pick up people walking if they flag down the bus. There is a gas pump between the two villages. Unleaded gas is $6.70 per gallon.  Many people walk!  I live about 1/2 mile from school and I walk everyday.