For one GILA dorm aide, this year’s $1,100 PFD means honoring his father.

Delbert Mitchell said that he is going to “buy Christmas gifts in memory of his father to those who helped him put him to rest.”

He is 26 and has spent nearly all his life in Selawik, and he has been a dorm aide in Galena since August.

There’s a lot of different ideas about how people are going to spend their Permanent Fund Dividend check this year.

Jason Harris, the assistant principal at the SHS campus, said that he is going to put his PFD towards the education of his daughters Romay, class of 2016, and Ellen, who is one year old. He will also use the money for his airplane annual, “which is taking your airplane to the mechanic every year.”

Other teachers are also keeping the money at home and in the family.

Freda Beasley, the cultural arts teacher, said the she is going to “spend it on heating fuel, and use the left over to pay off her car.” She is originally from Holikachuk and grew up in Anvik.

Liz Schababerle, a high school science teacher, is going to use her PFD to “pay for a ticket back to home.” A plane ticket home for her is from $1,200 to $3,000. She is from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Paying off debt is a theme.

Branden Milne is an 18-year-old senior. He is using his PFD to “pay off his $750 debt for his grandfather.” He moved to Oregon when he was three, and then to Reno, Nev., when he was five and then to St. George, Utah, when he was six. He jumped back and forth from Utah and Nevada. “Galena is longest place where I have actually stayed in my life,” he said

Lowen Ashley, a resident advisor at Ptarmigan Hall, is going to “save three-quarters of it and use the rest for his bills.”

Doug McClure is also going to use the PFD to “pay his bills.” He is a resident advisor originally from Fortland, Texas.