Items of Interest

Jim and Audrey Edwards: “How is your garden growing?” Audrey asked when she called the other day. And, so, began a conversation that started at the fact that our favorite cucumber seeds failed to produce, and led to the Edwards’ summer guests from Denmark and Germany.

Jim, being a wonderful Alaskan host to numerous out-of-country visitors, enjoys taking them on various hikes throughout the area.

Recently Audrey teamed up with Carmen Russo and provided an outlet for anyone wanting to clean out closets and storage buildings. A garage sale was held at John and Carmen’s hangar on August 8 and many of us (ladies and men alike) found goodies that we just couldn’t go home without. These two energetic neighbors may well have started the means by which we can not only produce neat closets and organized outbuildings but encourage us to keep them that way. Thanks for priming the pump, Audrey and Carmen!

Ursel and Walter Mueller: Recently I received an email from Ursel and Walter in Switzerland, sharing the disappointing news that they will not be able to make their planned trip to McCarthy this summer.

Due to the death of Walter’s mom, the Muellers decided they needed to remain closer to family members. They say “hello” to all their friends in the McCarthy area while we extend our deepest condolences to them.

Kirk and Linda Shively: The word “pump” brought to mind Kirk and Linda of Sourdough Drilling – our favorite well drillers. The Shivelys spent a good portion of their summer in the local area finding good water for many of my neighbors.

I talked to Linda recently and she gave me an update on their season’s activities. Nineteen successful wells were drilled between Chitina and McCarthy this year alone with the average depth being approximately 60 feet. At least one well that I know about (one drilled several years ago and not by Sourdough Drilling) received remedial attention from the Shivelys and the water quality and quantity was greatly improved.

Another round of thanksgiving to Kirk and Linda for many wells “well done.”

Harold and Carol Michals: When I heard Carol’s voice on the other end of the phone, there was no doubt that this was one excited lady. Her daughter, Sandra Carpenter of Laramie, Wy., had arrived for a 6 day visit – one that Carol described as “a joyous occasion!” Seems Carol and Sandra were renewing their mother/daughter relationship and this quality time together was of utmost importance to these special ladies.

Sandra kept exclaiming to her mom that Alaskan mountains made Wyoming’s mountains look like hills. Sandra is a personnel officer with the U. S. Forest Service. She arrived in time to celebrate the drilling of Michals’ well (the first well for Fireweed Mountain Subdivision) on July 31.

Congratulations on hitting water, Harold and Carol and thanks for sharing Sandra’s visit with us.

Don, Lynn, Sarah and Rene Welty: As the summer season comes to a close in the McCarthy area and change is certainly in the air, so goes the Welty family with a variety of changes in their household. Daughter Sarah is off on a new adventure. Lynn escorted her to Jackson Hole Bible College in Wy. over Labor Day weekend. Sarah’s school year has begun and Lynn reports that the student is doing very well. We look forward to a full update when she comes home during school break over the holidays.

Rene enjoyed her summer in Cordova spending her time babysitting and trying her hand at commercial fishing. She is home now and has started her 10th grade studies under the tutelage of her mom.

Lynn is finishing up her job with the park service and putting on her teacher’s hat.

Don finished out his summer flying job with Wrangell Mountain Air and is now at hunting camp. A highlight for him and Lynn was a visit from Don’s dad, Don Welty Sr. of New Smyrna Beach, FL. Don Sr. spent time at their McCarthy home and also a short stay at hunting camp.

George Cebula and family: Speaking of family visits...George is pleased to have his brother Ted up from Milwaukee. Ted can hardly be classified as a visitor because he has been making annual fall trips to the area for a good number of years. Fall just isn’t fall without Ted’s arrival!

Ted’s daughter, Sharon, and her family –husband David and young son Jacob George – preceded Ted by about a month as they were here August 3-9. Rick was out of town the day Sharon and David paid mom and I a visit. Of course it was great seeing them but the main attraction was 6 month old Jacob whose winsome smile captivated us both.

George, thanks for sharing your family with us!

Elizabeth Schafer, Howard Mozen and family: NEWS FLASH! I am pleased to announce that Elizabeth, Howard and daughter Avery Rose have chosen a name for Avery’s baby brother – Owen Milton (who was temporarily dubbed “Moose” Mozen at birth).

Howard’s parents, Milton and Dorothy from Berkeley, Ca., visited McCarthy and their family recently and were seen proudly escorting their granddaughter and new grandson around town.

Brooks, Diane, Ian Ludwig and family: The catch is in BIG TIME for the Ludwig family. Brooks, Diane and Ian, 3 ½, with much gratefulness, announce that they have “caught their limit!” Twin sons, Fin Fisher and Eli Walker were born on July 31, 2003, at 11:41 pm and 11:46 pm in Fairbanks. Fin weighed 6 lb. 13 oz. at 20" and Eli at 6 lbs. 12 oz. also at 20". According to Diane “the delivery of the twins went very well; they are so cute and Ian is doing well with all of it.”

As I look out my office window and see the trees turning on their fall colors, I cannot help but think of a poem Diane wrote in 1997 after a successful moose hunt by Brooks. She has graciously allowed me to share it with you.

Autumn Whispers

In autumn we talk in whispers and the dogs are hushed...

The birch leaves yellow and fall while cranes flying south say goodbye with their call.

We walk quietly through the woods stopping, listening, looking...talking in whispers.

Dogwood leaves redden, sweet Labrador tea and pungent cranberry waft through the cool evening air.

Suddenly the bull steps out boldly, majestically...

And the rifle’s sharp crack punctures the quiet...

In autumn we talk in whispers until the moose falls.

In winter, our table is blessed with autumn whispers.

Wedding bells ring! Celebrations resounded through our small community this summer. Two of those blissful events were weddings and receptions for couples Dan Myers and Marcia Bird and Jeremy Keller and Allie McVey. Dan and Marcia were married on August 9 at Hatcher Pass, Alaska, with a reception taking place at Tailor Made Pizza in downtown McCarthy on August 20.

Jeremy and Allie’s wedding was on September 10. The ceremony took place near the toe of the glacier. The reception was a community potluck at the Blackburn Community Center in McCarthy.

Many congratulations and well wishes go with these two unique couples!

McCarthy ladies enjoy second annual Mary Kay party: When Tammy Rowland, member of the well-known Rowland family, shows up in town she never comes empty handed. Somehow she manages to find room to bring along those special Mary Kay products, new and our old favorites. And, so, this year was no different. On August 21 a Mary Kay party was called and, in spite of the rain and the short notice, ten ladies ventured out to my house to sample Tammy’s beauty products.

Among the ladies in attendance, eight were mothers and daughters: Tammy and Kimberly Rowland; Michelle and Tracey Casey; Neta Schafer and Bonnie Kenyon; Peggy Guntis and Kim Northrup. Nancy and Hannah Rowland represented a grandmother and granddaughter team while Kelly Syren did her best to keep us ALL in line. What fun we had! Thanks, Tammy, for being an expert beauty consult¬ant, on our outer appearance as well as our inner one.

Downtown McCarthy celebrates Ecuadorian style: “Come and bring the whole family to our free Ecuadorian Music Concert,” read the invitation from McCarthy Lodge and their Ecuadorian Chef, Serge. The free community street event was a non-alcohol family event. Saturday, August 2 was the date and downtown McCarthy was the place. Music spilled out into the streets from the group Alma Andina who performed with great expertise and enthusiasm.

A barbecue off the Lodge’s front deck for a small fee was prepared by Chef Serge and served to the attendees by none other than Neil Darish and Doug Miller, owners of McCarthy Ventures, of which McCarthy Lodge is one.

Thanks, Neil, Doug, Serge and members of Alma Andina for all your hard word and service that made this a successful event in our town.

The Pilgrim Family Open House: Nearly the entire 17 members of the Pilgrim Family made themselves available to the local community and businesses for an open house and a gospel grass musical concert. The newly-built-this-summer visitor information booth at the Kennicott River bridge was the scene of good food, provided by neighbor and Family alike, a wealth of uplifting gospel-grass strumming and singing that this local family is known for.

People – locals and visitors – gathering around a campfire, listened to the unique Pilgrim family harmony. Plenty of feet kept time with the music, some even sang along with familiar tunes while sampling the down-home cooking.

Pilgrim family, thank you for giving and sharing yourselves with us!

Copper Valley Telephone Company says thanks: The community was invited to the First Annual Copper Valley Telephone Member Appreciation Barbecue on August 20 at the Blackburn Community Center in McCarthy. Free Hamburgers, hot dogs, pop, chips, cookies and small prizes were served to each attendee by members of CVTC management who were on hand to say thanks for the area’s loyal service to Copper Valley Telephone.

This special occasion was attended by many from the McCarthy/Kennicott area.

Fran Gagnon and Linda Warren: The other day we were thrilled to have Fran and daughter Linda pay us a visit. A terrific time for a break from the computer and sip of hot tea with neighbors.

As most of our readers know, Fran and Al have a cabin at May Creek but take to traveling some in the winter months. It’s not winter yet but the Gagnons are in our neck of the woods visiting Fran’s daughter Linda and her husband Art who are from Phoenix. They have property down the road from me and are doing some sprucing up on it this fall. The Gagnons are giving them a hand.

Fran gave mom and I a show and tell of her latest beadwork necklaces. Just beautiful!

Thanks, Fran and Linda, for taking the time to come calling.

2nd Annual McCarthy Kennicott Half Marathon:

Nearly 45 participated in the 2nd annual race this year. Proceeds benefit the American Diabetes Association serving Alaska.

This year’s race happened on Saturday, August 30 and started at the Glacier View Campground. Dan Myers was once again the Race Organizer.

Because WSEN has been unable to contact Dan since the race, the only info I have at press time is that the winner for the men’s category was Mike Murphy of Kennicott Wilderness Guides. Congratulations, Mike!

Keith and Laurie Rowland and family: The Rowland family is going into the fall season full blast ahead. Laurie has donned her home school teacher’s hat, the new curriculum has arrived, her students (Kaleb, David, Daniel, Hannah and Jubal on the side) with clean desks (I hope!) are busy doing what all good students do, right? Right, except for those occasional glances out the school room windows for the snow that is sure to come anyday now. The Rowland boys (and girl) live for snow, says Laurie. I’d just as soon not push the season as my bunny boots are still tucked away in the storage room.

Jubal turned 4 the other day and that is quite a milestone in the youngest of the Rowland kids. Congratulations, Jubal!

McCarthy Lodge items of interest for the local community: Doug and Neil are taking the months of October and November off from work. Over the past three years, they have heard McCarthy is a good place to take a vacation, so they decided to go to McCarthy for vacation this year. Equador, India and the Homestead in Fairbanks are possible additional stops.

After a successful 2003 season (Beth, their administrator, reports a 39% overall increase over 2002), McCarthy Ventures LLC, in their annual board meeting, has announced that since starting the restoration of a portion of McCarthy in 2001, MVLLC has pumped $237,662 back into the local economy to year around McCarthy businesses and residents. Neil and Doug say thanks to their many local friends and suppliers.