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www. MAKEASCENEAK .com APRL 2016
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Outcomes Matter: Housing + Jobs = Success for MY House Youth!
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Community Contributed by Michelle Overstreet My House offers transitional housing for young adults age 18-24. With a grant from Alaska Housing for one 4 bedroom housing unit, we ask our residents to pay rent for their housing, and by doing so we were able to leverage one housing unit into three, so we have housing for 15 clients rather than 5.
Burn Relief Fund for Brad Moffitt ACCIDENTS…They happen every day and so many of them go unnoticed. Have you been part of an accident? Have you been the part of what caused the accident? I sometimes wonder how each of us really feel inside when we experience an accident? It seems to me that accidents can be seen as just random things that happen TO a person and that they sometimes cannot explain its origin, then there are those accidents that happen and we know exactly what happened as we were the one holding the cause in our very hands… Such a thing happened on Sunday, April 3rd as my twin brother’s oldest son, Brad Moffitt, 26 of Palmer, was cooking with grease and it caught on fire. Then it caught him on fire and burned his face, eyes and ear. Will you please consider emptying some change from your piggy bank, your savings account, giving up a coffee or a meal for one day, and going to the go-fund-me page under www.gofundme.com/7txxwynw and donating to the cause, Burn Relief Fund for Brad Moffitt, or simply by going to MVFCU and transferring or depositing some money, even $1.00 into Account #152665MO checking.
When they pay rent, clients earn a rental history that allows us to become a reference for more permanent housing when they are ready to transition out. It also encourages them to adopt a budget for their income and prepare for using at least a third of their income for housing. . Our housing case manager who comes and goes from housing, is able to offer rides at certain times of the day and monitor what is going on when not present through the use of security cameras that can be monitored on cell phones. While this may sound invasive, it is a safety feature that is appreciated by many residents. We are grateful to Northern Industrial Technology for the donation of the security cameras and monitoring system, and to Valkyrie Security for donating the installation and software to monitor.
This burn relief fund is to provide money directly to Brad for his rising medical costs from his original ER visit, to his multiple eye appointments and surgery to regain his sight as well as multiple appointments to scrub his dead skin away.
Of the clients successfully transitioning: Two left housing to attend college, and three went to Job Corps for continued training. Two clients currently in housing are attending college, and almost all are in training programs of some kind and completing high school or a GED equivalent.
The funds will also be used to pay for his current living expenses of rent, utilities, and other bills as he is unable to physically return to work yet and is unsure of when that may take place in the future.
With 29 of the total 44 having success at “adulting” with regard to housing, education and job training goals being met, we feel like the first year has been successful!
Read the full story online:
makeasceneak.com/mid-april-2016/burnrelieffund
Thank you Alaska Housing, Northern Industrial Training and Valkyrie Security! We are so proud to have your partnership!
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Every bit counts.
So far, we have housed 44 individuals overall. We have had 19 successful transitions and ALL those clients are still in safe and sustainable housing! There are 10 clients still in housing, and five who left but returned-usually after getting clean and sober. We have had 14 total evictions, which were due to substance abuse issues (8), mental health issues (2), both mental health and substance abuse issues (3) and one went back to jail. Nine of the 14 who were evicted were successfully referred for services to help with the challenges that caused the eviction.
www. MAKEASCENEAK .com
Contributed by Tiffany Moffitt Rye
Rules for the house are clear: Everybody pays rent. Everybody has to have a job. No drugs or alcohol allowed, period. We reserve the right to search rooms and drug test at any time. Nobody is allowed at the house between 10am and 4pm unless working a night shift and sleeping during the day. If clients are not working, then they are expected to be out doing community service. There are NO visitors allowed, period. Violating this rule will get you evicted. This is for the safety of our clients who are survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault, or those who have been trafficked.
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Non-Profit Directory Families & Children:
Non-Profit Organization? Join our growing list for as little as $15.00/mo! Non-Profit’s Help Our Community!
www.makeasceneak.com/nonprofitdirectory
ARTS:
Families & Children:
March of Dimes Alaska Chapter
Valley Arts Alliance
March of Dimes Alaska Chapter
www.marchofdimes.org/alaska (907) 276-4111 Join the March of Dimes for our annual High Heels for High Hopes this fall. To become a model or participant, call 276-4111. The March of Dimes helps moms have fullterm pregnancies and healthy babies. And if something goes wrong, we offer information and comfort to families. We research the problems that threaten our babies and work on preventing them. About 4 million babies were born in the United States last year, and the March of Dimes helped each and every one through research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. The March of Dimes: working together for stronger, healthier babies.
www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com Valley Arts Alliance, bringing the community together through the arts... We are a place for both new and established artists of all types—painters, sculptors, musicians, and those involved in the performing arts—to network and to experiment with new ideas and media. We work with local libraries, schools, museums, art councils, and music and art groups to create more venues for the arts, and to help promote art related events. Join us at our informal weekly meetings, every Thursday @ 11 at Sophia’s Cafe, 9191 E Frontage Road, Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. Check out our archives www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com
“Who Let the Girls Out” Quilt Walk Contributed by Patti Dubler During this year’s big Who Let the Girls Out event, the public will be able to get a glimpse of some local valley talent thanks to the women who belong to the Valley Quilters Guild. Their quilts will be displayed all over Palmer inside the participating businesses and malls. The VQG ladies will also be offering some hands-on projects you’ll be able to join in. At the Downtown Palmer Plaza, you can participate in an old fashioned Sewing Bee - sewing stitches into a quilt that will become one of the 200-230 quilts that the Valley Quilters Guild donates to various organizations in the valley each year.
APRL 2016
There will also be a beautiful quilt made by the VQG that will be raffled off, so come purchase a ticket – you may be the winner! And, if you are already a quilter, the VQG will also have a Fabric Swap table! Just bring in a one-yard or ½ yard piece of high quality 100% cotton quilting fabric and you can swap it for another of the same size. They’ll also accept pre-cut quilting fabrics such as unopened charms and jelly rolls. The Valley Quilters Guild was formed in 1985 and currently has about 200 members. They offer monthly meetings and quilting classes, and there are over 600 books in their lending library to share. They have quilt retreats and quilt camp every year as well as an “Open Sew” for members once a month at the Palmer train depot. We hope you participate in this year’s Who Let the Girls Out and enjoy seeing the many quilts that will be displayed throughout Palmer. For more information about VQG, please visit their website at www.valleyquiltersguild.com
www.marchofdimes.org/alaska (907) 276-4111 The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. About 4 million babies were born in the United States last year, and the March of Dimes helped each and every one through research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. The March of Dimes: working together for stronger, healthier babies.
HOMELESS YOUTH: Mat-Su Youth Housing (MY HOUSE)
CONSERVATION: Valley Community for Recycling Solutions www.valleyrecycling.org (907) 745-5544 It’s not just for hippies anymore! Everyone in the Mat-Su valley can recycle. Drop your stuff off Tues – Fri 10:30 to 6 and Sat 10:30 to 3:30. Recycle cardboard, magazines, this newspaper and more at your community recycling center. Remember to REDUCE, REUSE, and then RECYCLE! We are located at 9465 E Chanlyut Circle, next to the MSB Animal Shelter at the MSB Central Landfill. Volunteer opportunities available. Make a difference in your community! Check out our website for details www.valleyrecycling.org - Call us at 907.745.5544 with questions or comments.
myhousematsu.org (907) 373-4357 MY House is a homeless youth drop in center with two for-profit businesses that train and employ homeless youth. Gathering Grounds Cafe is a coffee shop with homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and baked goods. Steamdriven is a trendy thrift shop featuring Steampunk items made from repurposed donations by our youth designers. Fiend2Clean and Young People in Recovery offer support for substance abuse recovery with activities and events. We offer transitional housing for qualified 18-24 year olds, Outreach services to connect homeless youth, organizations and groups to services, and access to Public Health and NineStar job/education services on site.
SOCIAL ADVOCACY: Wasilla Homeless-Committee
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: Mat-Su Regional Adult Basic Education (Nine Star) MatsuAdultEd@ninestar.com (907) 373-7833 Mat-Su ABE provides basic education in math, language arts and English as a second language (ESL), aiming to raise student skills beyond the high-school level in order to pass tests like the GED, enter training programs or college, and advance on the job. Enrollment is open to all adult residents of Alaska, yearround. Youth Employment for ages 16-24 not in school -- get a job, keep a job, advance on the job. Nine Star 300 N Willow 373-3006 (in the MYHouse building)
www.wasillahomeless-committee.org (907) 521-2949 Wasilla Homeless-Committee is a 100% volunteer organization funded by private donations and regular fundraising events. Our sole purpose is to assist the homeless, those at risk of homelessness, and others who do not meet the criteria for help that is required by other advocacy agencies in the valley. Wasilla Homeless-Committee provides case management, housing search assistance, move in assistance, job search assistance, clothing, furniture, help with transportation, and resource guidance for homeless and disenfranchised in the Mat-Su Valley. Visit our website for application, or call 907521-2949. Find us on Facebook facebook.com/ wasillahomelesscommitteepage
‘Sousa Spectacular’: Band Concert Features Marches and Much More Contributed by Zaz Hollander, Mat-Su Concert Band
Come hear the range of his compositions at the Mat-Su Concert Band’s next performance. The concert is at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 8 at the Glenn Massay Theater on the Mat-Su College campus. The concert has an intermission. There will be a small admission fee at the door. Tickets are $10; $5 for students and children under 5 get in free.
The band will perform his best-known march, The Stars and Stripes Forever, inspired as an homage to his country and inspired by Sousa’s time as Marine Band leader and recollections
The program also features numerous lessfamiliar pieces not written in march style. Sousa was exceptionally proud of his 11 concert suites and they were prominently featured in his band concerts, according to Marine Band program notes. They are not as well known or as popular as his marches today, but the suites served an important place in Sousa’s unique programs as a middle ground between the heavier classics he often featured and the many lighter pieces he included as “musical sorbets.”
WHO LET THE GIRLS OUT LIVE MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS page 10
The band will perform Three Quotations, a three-part suite. Set in the form of a patrol, the opening movement The King of France is a satirical grand march, according to program notes based on The Works of John Philip Sousa by Paul E. Bierley. As Sousa described it: “The King of France with twenty thousand men, marched up the hill and then marched down again.” The second movement I, Too, Was Born in Arcadia is an essay on the gentle murmurings of pastoral life. The final movement, In Darkest Africa, illustrates Sousa’s interpretation of that country’s syncopations and rhythms. The band will also perform Beneath the Southern Cross from Looking Upward suite. The piece, the second movement of the suite, was suggested by an advertisement for the steamship the Southern Cross. The concert features many more familiar and surprising pieces. Come hear the spirit of Sousa and usher in spring with the band.
MACHETANZ ARTS FESTIVAL 2016 page 22
The band got its start in 1984 as the Mat-Su Community Band, formed by Matanuska Music owner Hank Hartman. Other directors have included Neil Long and Phil Munger. Current director, Huyck, is a retired music educator and private instructor. Under Huyck’s baton, the band performs a wideranging selection of challenging music. The band this season numbers about 70 amateur musicians who assemble every Monday night for rehearsals at Teeland.
NANCY ANGELINI CRAWFORD AT TOWNSQUARE GALLERY page 23
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Sousa was born in 1854 in Washington, D.C. and died in 1932. He conducted the U.S. Marine Band before starting his own civilian band in 1892. He toured with the band for 40 years. Sousa composed 136 marches and more than 200 pieces total. The marches are his most famous contributions to the musical world. Sousa himself said a march “Should make a man with a wooden leg step out.”
of the U.S. flag flying over the White House. Other marches on the concert program include The Thunderer, The Washington Post, Semper Fidelis, and The Invincible Eagle.
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John Philip Sousa is an American legend, a composer dubbed “the March King” for patriotic pieces like The Stars and Stripes Forever and The Washington Post. But Sousa also composed dozens of nonmarch music– operattas, suites and overtures.
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Music
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Community Events Art On Golden Pond April 1-17 $20 per ticket Valley Performing Arts (907) 373-0195
Alaska’s Healing Hearts Spaghetti Feed 4/16/2016 - 6PM Palmer Elks Lodge #1824 2600 N Barrys Resort Dr. Wasilla Adults: $10 Children: $7 - alaskahealinghearts.com
Whale Watching 4/22/2016 - 7AM Mat-Su Central School - Resurrection Bay Students: $72 Adults: $108 www.matsucatalog.org/events
Stalking the Bogeyman April 1-24 Harper Studio Theatre Ticket Price Varies www.uaa.alaska.edu/theatreanddance
The Gunsight Mountain Hawk Watch 4/17/2016 - 10 AM FREE Gunsight Mountain - Palmer, AK
Fox Run Lodge Local Arts & Craft Fair 4/22/2016 - 11AM Fox Run Lodge & RV Campground 4466 South Glenn Hwy. Palmer (907) 745-6120 - walkingoutside@mtaonline.net
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Beyond the Classroom Art Exihibit April 6-May 5 Palmer Museum of History & Art (907) 746-7668 Kim Heacox & Kaylene with Guests, Ray & Barbara Bane Book Signing 4/15/2016 - 4PM Fireside Books (907) 745-2665 Spring Music Jam 4/15/2016 - 6PM Mat-Su College Student Government Mat-Su College, Palmer Admission: $5 - (907) 745-9774 Building Resilient Systems: Sustaining Your Community and Family in Alaska April 15-17, 2016 - 7:00 PM Northern Susitna Institute (907) 733-7111 Treasure Island April 15-23, 2016 Glenn Massay Theater 8295E College Drive, Palmer $19 for General, $11 for Students http://www.glennmassaytheater.com/ Elementary Chess Tournament 4/16/2016 - 8AM Mat-Su Central School Colomy Middle School www.matsucatalog.org/events
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Get Inspired: Freedom Rising Event 4/16/2016 - 10AM AK Republican Assembly Egan Convention Center, Anchorage Tickets: $35 - (907) 272-4553 www.alaskara.com/events
WASI Quarterly Membership Meeting 4/19/2016 - 11:30AM Wasilla Senior Center (907) 376-3104 www.wasillaseniors.com No, You’re Not Crazy-- Your Plants Are Talking to You 04/19/2016 - 7:00 PM Alaska Center for Acupuncture Palmer, Koslosky Bldg (907) 745 8688 - www.alaskaacupuncture.com Beer Meets Canvas Wednesdays Starts April 20th. Every Wednesday - 5:30 PM Arkose Brewery, 650 E. Steel Loop, Palmer Admission: $35 - (907) 746-2337 www.arkosebrewery.com Sexual Assault: Let’s End an Epidemic 4/20/2016 - 6PM Alaska Family Services & SART Mat-Su Health Services, Wasilla FREE - (907) 376-2411 Nitro Nite Thursdays Starts April 21 - Every Thursday - 5PM Akose Brewery, 650 E. Steel Loop, Palmer (907) 746-2337 - info@arkosebrewery.com Northland Pioneer Grange 4/21/16 - 6PM Palmer Public Library - 907-745-4690 Pretty Gritty and Sam Densmore Live in Palmer! 4/21/2016 - 6:30 PM 1150 S. Colony Way, Roots Studio Suggested Donation: $10-$20 www.samdensmore.com MSCS Spring Music Concert 4/21/2016 - 7PM Mat-Su Central School Career & Technical High School www.matsucatalog.org/events
Krystal’s Canine Pack Walk 4/16/2016 - 11AM Krystal’s Canines 6474 E Palmer-Wasilla Hwy, Palmer
Who Let the Girls Out? April 22-23, 2016 Downtown Palmer - (907) 982-3363 www.facebook.com/WhoLetTheGirlsOut
Bodhran Workshop with Hunter Woofter 4/16/2016 - 2:30 PM Class Fee: $10 Percussion in the Valley 832 S Colony Way Palmer, AK (907) 631-8079 - meggieaube@hotmail.com
United We Roll: State Tournament April 22-23, 2016 - 8AM Boom Town Derby Dames Curtis Menard Sports Center $15 for 2 Day Passes boomtownderbydames@yahoo.com
Earth Day Celebration 4/22/2016 - 12PM Wasilla Homeless Committee - Wonderland Park www.facebook.com/wasillahomelesscommitteepage Diabetes Self-Management Program Starts 4/22/2016 - 1PM Wasilla Senior Center (907) 376-3104 - www.wasillaseniors.com Who Let the Girls Out 5K 4/22/2016 - 6:30 PM Downtown Palmer ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=38112 Women of Science & Technology Day 04/23/2016 - 9:00 AM Girl Scouts of Alaska Mat-Su College (907) 248-2250 www.girlscoutsalaska.org Local Artisan Bazarr at Alaska Pipe Dreams 4/23/2016 - 10AM Alaska Pipe Dreams 1705 N Ranch Rd. Palmer 907-746-1500 Local Art & Flea Market 4/23/2016 - 10 AM FREE - Alaska Pipe Dreams 1705 N Ranch Rd Palmer, AK (907) 746-1500 tokawear@outlook.com Greg Gusse & the Feral Cats Concert 4/23/2016 - 1 PM The Gallery, Palmer 907-745-1420 - www.galleryak.com Reduce, Reuse, Re-Imagine 4/23/2016 - 3PM Talkeetna Elementary School Sheldon Community Arts Hangar (907) 733-7939 www.denaliartscouncil.org Bowl for Kids’ Sake Mat-Su 4/23/2016 - 4PM Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, Mat-Su North Bowl, Wasilla - Registration Online (907) 376-4617 - www.bbbsak.org/bowl
Submit Events Online www.MakeASceneAK.com
Valley Arts & Crafts Guild Craft Bazaar April 23-24, 2016 - 10:00 AM Valley Arts & Craft Guild Palmer Senior Center, 1132 S. Chugach St., Palmer Social Security Workshop 4/25/16 - 12:30PM Thrivent Financial Palmer Public Library - 907-745-4690 Everclear Concert 4/27/2016 7PM Williwaw 609 F St. Anchorage Tickets: $45 - www.williwawsocial.com STD Awareness Testing 4/28/2016 - 2PM Mat-Su Public Health Office MY House - Free (907) 373-4357
Independent Bookstore Day 4/30/2016 - 10AM FREE - Fireside Books 720 S Alaska St. Palmer, AK (907) 745-2665 - www.goodbooksbadcoffee.com Keep the Range Clean at Maud Rd: Volunteer Clean Up Day 4/30/2016 - 8AM Maud Road Gun Range FREE - (907) 707-3734
Roller Derby House Cup 05/07/2016 - 4:00 PM Boom Town Derby Dames Curtis Menard Sports Center, Wasilla, AK boomtownrollerderby.org Drag Races: Hunison Season Opener 5/8/2016 - 10AM Alaska Raceway Park 5599 Race Way Palmer Adults: $15 Seniors/Active Military: $12 Youth (Ages 11-15): $10 Free under 10 www.raceak.com Summer Open Drum Jam 5/10/2016 - 8:30 PM Percussion in the Valley (907)-631-8079 The My House 100 Hour Hockey Classic May 11-15, 2016 Brett Memorial Hockey Rink Wasilla, AK dsmith@mtaonline.net - www.100hourclassic.com Kombit: The Cooperative 5/12/2016 - 7PM MatSu District Cooperative Extension Service Matanuska Experiment Farm (907) 745-3360
349 E. Ship Creek Avenue Anchorage Tickets: $25 in Advance, $30 at Door www.flavorus.com City of Wasilla Arbor Day Celebration 5/16/2016 - 11AM City of Wasilla Iditapark (907) 373-9010 MSCS End of School Picnic 5/17/2016 - 11AM Mat-Su Central School Newcomb Park/Wasilla Lake FREE (907) 352-7457 www.matsucatalog.org/events Nourished: Health Coach Services Adult Cooking Class 5/19/2016 - 6 PM $60 for 1 person/$80 for 2 Butte, Alaska 907-982-9933 www.nourishedak.com nourishedak@gmail.com Friday Fling: Open Air Market 5/20/2016 - 11AM Palmer Economic Development Association Downtown Palmer Free to Attend fridayfling@mtaonline.net Taika Con: Alaska’s Fandom Convention 5/21/2016 - 10AM Glenn Massay Theater $15 for General $10 for Students FREE for Children 12 and Under www.taikaicon.org
“Valley Chrome & Wheels” May 1-3, 2016 MTA Events Center, Palmer FREE - (907) 761-3553 or (907) 745-2652 akstreetrodders.com
Annual Palmer Clean Up Day 5/14/2016 Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce Downtown Palmer Picnic/Pavilion Area 907-745-2880
Alaska Arbor Day Celebration 5/21/2016 - 10AM MatSu District Cooperative Extension Service Matanuska Experiment Farm (907) 745-3360
Palmer Public Library Book Sale May 4-7, 2016 - 10AM-5PM Palmer Public Library 907-745-4690
2nd Saturday Beer Meets Canvas 5/14/2016 - 2PM Arkose Brewery Admission: $35 (907) 746-2337 info@arkosebrewery.com www.arkosebrewery.com
Untold Stories 5/22/2016 - 7PM Palmer Museum of History & Art Vagabond Blues Admission: $15 (907) 746-7668 palmermuseum.org
Mat-Su Community Chorus: Spring Forth A New Day 5/14/2016 - 4PM Mat-Su Community Chorus Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Wasilla Tickets: $5 Seniors & Students Free
Military Appreciation Lunch 5/24/2016 Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce Settlers Bay Golf Course Lunch Sponsorship: $15 (907) 376-1299 FREE
Nourished: Health Coach Services Mother’s Day Cooking Class Event 5/5/2016 - 6 PM $60 for 1 person/$80 for 2 Butte, Alaska - 907-982-9933 www.nourishedak.com nourishedak@gmail.com MSCS Bike Rodeo 5/7/2016 - 10AM Mat-Su Central School Menard Sports Complex FREE
Darkest Hour Show 5/14/2016 - 7PM Family Tree Presents
Submit Events Online www.MakeASceneAK.com
APRL 2016
The Rotary Running Dead 5K 4/30/2016 - 11AM Mat-Su Rotary Club - Colony High School
Darkest Hour Show 5/13/2016 - 8PM Family Tree Presents 2435 Spaniard Road Anchorage Tickets: $20 in Advance, $25 at Door www.flavorus.com
www. MAKEASCENEAK .com
Ham Radio Meeting 4/29/2016 - 7AM Matanuska Amateur Radio Association Fire Station 61, Wasilla FREE - www.kl7jfu.com
Mother’s Appreciation Day 5/7/2016 - 10AM The Boardwalk Shop 701 E Parks Highway, Ste 100 Wasilla, AK (907) 357-8980
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Community Events
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Music VOICE OF THE VALLEY
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Significant Others, Mothers and Brothers...
date. This amount might cover expenses of travel and daily costs. This scale of pay, if you can even call it that, does not, “Bring home the groceries”. The family at this point starts to question the initial investment that was made in professional instruments and sound equipment, not to mention the ongoing maintenance costs, strings, equipment failure, repair, etc. . . . It becomes a battle of maintenance vs survival economically. Putting the musician and the family in a stressful relationship at home. Most are told to go out and, “Get a real job”. For someone dedicated to something most of their life, this is a real emotional blow. And clubs expect them to perform their best? Ha, some way to treat a professional.
Contributed by David Ion, Sterling Silver Band Families watch their musician members pour their heart and soul into music for years. Spending thousands of hours and thousands of dollars into their love of music. They are passionate, dedicated and become professional as a result. Then they go out and perform gigs. Returning back home after a weekend of service they are asked, “How much did you make?” Unfortunately they have to answer something like this, “I made $80 Thursday doing that duo act. I made $27 at the Friday Jam, my share of the tip jar. And I made $100 with the four piece at that Saturday event we played.” “Oh yes, I went to the Open Mic on Sunday, and none of us got paid.” . . . A total of $207 for service rendered in four different club locations, moving and setting up, performing 4 sets or more at each club
APRL 2016
Who Let the Girls Out? Music Highlights
And what is it with this current trend of running the live performers during the hours of 5pm and 9pm? Then they run the rest of the night to closing with Karaoke or a DJ, which, by the way, often make more than “the Live Band” did. The live band does not have a chance to “hold a crowd” that never existed during the dinner hour, and ends up being told, “This not working out, sorry, we’ll have to let you go.” How are they expected to make a living when they are always cast in the wrong time, the wrong space, poor conditions and in a low light? How can we suppose their self-esteem stands at this point?
Diana Z
Optimum Performance Chiropractic
2:00pm - 5:30pm Friday, April 22nd Saturday, April 23rd
Andrew Penyak Pizza Delphi 12:00 - 1:00pm Saturday, April 23rd
Feral Cats
The Gallery 1:00pm - 4:00pm SAT Saturday, April 23rd
Boogie Willis
Cover Ups 2:00pm - 3:00pm Saturday, April 23rd
Angeline Moore
Magpie Clothing Exchange 4:00pm - 5:00pm Saturday, April 23rd
The need to perform music is not a chosen profession, but rather a profession that chooses you. How sad, the REAL professional performing musician never had a chance, on the job or at home.
Woodrow
I am not done, stay tuned monthly for more.
alaskarailroad.com/who-let-the-girls-out
on the WLTGO Beer Train!
From Anchorage to Palmer & Back for Who Let the Girls Out
e d i u G s s e n i s u B g n i t a Particip
All Around Palmer!
APRIL 22 29 APRIL 23 30
t wo days of fun!
Harry Potter
House Cup Contributed by the Boom Town Derby Dames
On May 7th at 4:00 pm, doors will open to the Boom Town’s first ever Roller Derby House Cup. Skaters across Alaska can register for a chance to be sorted into one of the four houses of Hogwarts! Each of the teams (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin) will have a chance to play each other for a total of six 20-minute rounds (each team plays three times). At the end of the sixth game, all of the points will be totaled and the house with the most points wins the Roller Derby House Cup!
The fun doesn’t stop at game play. Skaters are encouraged to pick ‘Harry Potter’ themed names, audience members can buy their own wands, and you might even spot the Golden Snitch! This will truly be a magical event for witches and wizards of all ages, skaters and spectators alike. Bring your entire family and check out our activities and games, watch a live drum show during halftime, and sip a Butterbeer while cheering on your favorite house derby style! Come early to watch The Sorting Ceremony at 4pm and stay late to celebrate during our on-site after party until 10pm. It all happens at the Menard Sports Center in Wasilla. Children under 6 are FREE!
www.freezeframeak.com
Over four years ago, Arkose Brewery offered its first “Beer Meets Canvas” tasting at the brewery as part of the 2nd Saturday monthly Palmer Art Walk. Since then the event has expanded to include Wednesday evenings, or you can book your own day and time for you and a group of friends or family. My training in the fine arts, art therapy, and in the brewing industry resulted in this union of beer, business, and art. This creative outlet has allowed us to open our doors to the world of beer for our participants, while encouraging selfexpression. Fostering the creative process here at Arkose is something we have been committed to not only in the brewing process and recipe formulation, but it is the main thrust behind Beer Meets Canvas. At the Beer Meets Canvas tastings our motto is “Sip. Relax. Create.” A theme and a sketch are always provided as a guideline to Inspiration, although individual expression is the Rule! I am on hand for questions and guidance if desired, but participants are encouraged to make their own creative choices. While you tap into your inner artist, we tap into our brew tanks and “Beer Inspired” takes on a whole new meaning. It’s all about the process and the senses. The aroma, flavor, and taste of the beer, the feel of the paint on the canvas, brush in your hand and ultimately the natural process of self-discovery. We all possess our own personal symbols. Only through the rewarding process of letting go and allowing our own imagery to emerge before us can we truly become self-enriched. Savor the flavor of locally crafted beer while you create your own, unique, one-of-a-kind hand crafted piece of personal art unlike no other right here at the brewery. Arkose Brewery is located at 650 E. Steel Loop and has been brewing since 2011. We are Palmer’s first production brewery. Samples, pints, growlers-to-go are available in the Taproom open Mon – Sat. Noon to 7 p.m. (closed Sundays). Arkose beers are also available on tap at restaurants, pubs, and growler bars, as well as in 22 oz. bottles statewide. Learn more at arkosebrewery.com or by calling 746-BEER. Cheers!
APRL 2016
Photo’s courtesy of Freeze Frame Photography
Contributed by June Gerteisen, BFA, MA, Co-founder & Creative Director at Arkose Brewery
www. MAKEASCENEAK .com
So what’s the catch? Well, for starters the audience will be calling the shots. Teams will be sorted evenly, but that means little when witches and wizards of all ages can pay to cast spells on the players. It might be anything as simple as ‘Reducio’ to remove some of the points a team has scored, or as crazy as ‘Confundus’ which will cause all skaters to move backwards for an entire jam! Even if you’re a roller derby Seventh Year, you’ve never been in a mashup quite like this before.
Beer Inspired
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Community
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Literature, Faith Loose Screws & Skinned Knees Contributed by Care Tuk
APRL 2016
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During chemo, I joined an elite group that enjoys a camaraderie that many hope not ever to know. You get to know people in a different way. You measure the progress of your treatment by the amount of hair loss (or eyebrows or eyelashes). You can tell what kind of week they have had by the color of their skin. Is it jaundice yellow? Is it pale and accompanied by sunken cheeks and black circles under their eyes? You can tell how they feel by how many blankets they request from the warmer, or how tightly wrapped they are in their own fleece blankets that they bring. You know not to ask questions when they bury themselves under the blankets, their nose and mouth barely visible. You often times hear people joke about the “molting season” they are in, as the skin on their hands and feet peel, layer after layer, week after week. Conversely, there are those who are chatty, whose nausea is under control, or possibly who have found a chemo cocktail that agrees with their system. It may be a good week for them or maybe they are on a maintenance dose of medication—possibly on the hopeful side of remission of this ugly disease. In remission. Out of remission. Tumor markers look great. Tumor markers have risen. Blood levels are good. Blood levels have tanked. Transfusions. Infusions. Injections. Rejections. It is a white knuckle roller coaster ride. It is like being on a carnival ride that does not discriminate against age, height, weight, color of skin, ethnicity, heritage, gender, religious preference, political alliance, hair color, length or lack thereof.
Life is colored by people of all heritages, all lines of work, all social strata, all ethnicities, all ages, and all genders. And just like in life, in chemo you are thrown into the melting pot. Like any good recipe, a sourpuss attitude can ruin the whole batch, just as much as a bright personality with just the right seasoning of humor, friendliness, and levity will make the chemo go down a bit easier. So, we raise our hands high when we are at the top of our treatment, possibly in remission, possibly just having a good day. And on those days when the bottom drops out from underneath us, we know we have a cadre of new friends who will buoy us up, because they have been there. . . Because they care . . . Because they know. They remind me that I too can make it through, just as they have. We are each in our seats, belts and IV’s hooked tight, ready or not to go at it one more time . . . Until that time that we can get off the white knuckle ride, and climb back on the merry-go-round of “regular” everyday life. And so the chemo went—slow and steady with regular bouts of nausea. My new, yet again, normal. About the Author Care Tuk is a nationally known speaker, educator, and retreat/ workshop leader. She has been a school, hospital, and home health occupational therapist for more than 30 years. She has been named as a Top Business Woman in America and recognized for her work with youth, disability outreach and awareness, and the American Cancer Society.
There are no rules.
Care lives in Wasilla, Alaska with her husband Bill. They have two grown children, Jamie and Tim, who live nearby.
Yet, like the Big Top, it takes all kinds, shapes, and colors to pull off the “Greatest Show on Earth.” And the “Greatest Show on Earth” is life itself.
At the time this book went to print, Care was in complete remission from her eleventh bout with cancer.
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Denise Laney’s Story Contributed by Scott Laney
Approximately 8:25pm on February 6th, I was on Barter Island working as a cook. I ended my shift and got ready to turn in for the night when I felt a prompting to especially pray for my son, Scott. I ask our Heavenly Father to please take Scott back into his hands because whatever was going to happen, He would be able to protect Scott and keep him safe if anything should endanger his life! I was also afraid Scott was not saved and knew he was too busy to make sure he had a personal relationship with Jesus. I know in my heart Jesus is Savior, and the only true God. So this is why I put Scott in Gods trusted hands. Approximately eight hours later, an emergency call was received 911 at 5:20 am. Scott had been hit by a car going 60 mph, as he was waving down a car on KGB road. His phone was in his hand so he called his girlfriend and told her what had happened. He was of course in disbelief. “He hit me,” Scott stated in disbelief before he went unconscious. His neighbor who had seen the car hit him, ran up to his side and turned Scott onto his side to keep him breathing. Scott later on recounts his experience and said, “I found myself walking on clouds and I was in front of Heavens Gates and I thought I was going to go in. As I was waiting, I had time to notice the pattern on the trees that formed the fence as far as the eyes could see. Over the top of the gates was a very bright light emanating. All of a sudden I was back in my body.” Scott said he could see an ambulance there. But the only person he could see there was Jesus! “Jesus picked me up and I knew I was safe. He smiled at me with His love and caring. Then he brought me into the ambulance and there he began to perform healing upon my chest. A cylinder shaped gold crown began to circularly turn and Jesus just held his hand above the golden light.”
The Corner Link Contributed by Donna Turner
Did you know that today’s style of prom really began in the 1950s? Proms today are an iconic, integral part of the high school experience. They come complete with stretch limos, fancy ballrooms, live bands, kings and queens, and, most importantly, dresses worthy of movie stars. However, proms have not always been the elaborate, inclusive show they are today.
The following 12 tips might assist you with your planning. 1. Prom status: Accompanied or not? This is a personal choice, best made early so as not to be disappointed, influenced or taken off guard. All options are perfectly acceptable: stag, with a special friend, a group or with a date.
4. Accepting, Declining and Changing One’s Mind: Yes: “Thank you, I would love to be your date for the prom.” No: “No thank you, but thanks for thinking of me.” A no should be clear, without excuses. If they insist: “Thanks for thinking of me but I don’t think I’m the best person for you.” No, when going with a group: “Thank you for thinking of me but I’ve already decided to make it a girls’ night out. I’ll see you there.” Changing one’s mind because of a better offer is not acceptable. It is only one night. You must be gracious and honor your word. Remember Bill Gates’ quote: “Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.” 5. Meeting the date’s family and conversing. Even in our digital era, punctuality is a must. Be on time. If you are picking up your date, you cannot text or honk to indicate that you are in the driveway. You must get out of your car or limo, ring the doorbell and meet the parents. Proper introductions are made by introducing your date to your parents: “Dad, I’d like you to meet John Jones, my date for the prom. John, this is my father, Arthur Allen. Just like you, he was a linebacker on his school’s team.”
Gentlemen, not sure about opening doors or pushing a chair in for the ladies, ask: “May I open the door for you?” When introduced, make sure to stand, smile, make eye contact, shake hands and say: “Nice to meet you.” Continue the conversation by talking about summer plans, current movies or favorite sports teams. 6. Decoding Dress Codes: Formal: Tuxedo and long dress. Semiformal: Sports jacket and short dress. Styles should be discussed ahead to avoid surprises: They range from rock ‘n’ roll eclectic to movie star glamour. To achieve harmony in colors, a swatch may be provided to the date. 7. Wearing a corsage, a boutonnière or your cell phone? A boutonnière or a corsage is worn on the left, close to the heart. Dads usually prefer wrist corsages, so young men are not fumbling around trying to pin corsages on their daughters. Cell phones, Bluetooth’s and iPods are not prom wear accessories. They should not be visible. 8. Dancing dilemmas: To dance or not, with others or not? Fast dancing is done in groups so everyone is welcome. When asked by someone other than your date to slow dance, most young men and women would agree that the important thing is respect. If you’re in doubt, don’t do it. Decline an offer to dance with a smile and a simple, polite “No thank you.” No need to make up excuses. 9. Dining Tips and Chivalry: To identify your place setting use B-M-W. No, not the car, but B: Your bread plate is on your left. M: Your meal plate is in the middle. W: Your beverage
10. Taking Selfies, Tagging and Posting: Yes, this is a once in a lifetime moment, you want to immortalize it and you should. But make sure to let others also enjoy their moment. Don’t block anyone’s view, don’t delay line-ups and ask permission before clicking. 11. How to say good night correctly? “Thank you very much, I had a lovely evening,” is the right thing to say. To turn down a kiss on the lips, offer your cheek and then take a step back. Yes, it’s difficult but it sends a clear message. 12. Thanking Gratefully: Who and How? “Hello, please, thank you and you’re welcome” are still in style. They should be used generously with friends and classmates, but also with chaperones, school and service personnel. Sending a handwritten thank-you note to the chair of the organizing committee, and requesting that it be shared with all, is classy. Email is acceptable, snail mail is better. Remember, as a prom-goer you are an ambassador of your school, your community and your family. Prom is often still the main social event of the high school season, but it is also a time for fun and the creation of memories for everyone to enjoy. For more information call or visit us at D’s Tuxedo Format Wear: www.DsTuxedoFormalWearGifts.com (907) 707-6585
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2. Inviting: Does it still mean paying? The young man or the lady, both are acceptable. Whoever asks generally pays. These days that means the tickets. The couple then discusses the transportation payment. To avoid embarrassment, communicate and plan early. Discuss the situation with your date and your parents, as they often pay the prom bill. A national survey indicates that parents will pay for 81% of prom costs at an average of $804 per teen. So planning is important.
3. Asking How, When and What to Say: In person is still the best and most appropriate. The phone is second best. Emailing and texting for a prom date are never appropriate. Asking once tickets go on sale is best. All the information will be on the ticket. Try this: “Hi, how are you? Great, thank you. Our prom is coming up and I thought it would be great to celebrate together. Would you please be my date?” If it’s a yes: “That’s great. I know we’ll have a good time together. I will buy our tickets.”
is on your right. Utensils are used from the outsidein. Circulation of the bread basket or of condiments is counter clockwise.
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Many scholars believe that high school proms emerged from the popularity of upper-class debutante balls in high society. At these balls, girls in white dresses and white gloves would be proudly escorted into a grand hall for their official introduction to the social dating scene. (The escort was generally selected by the parents.) Invitations were exclusive and official debutantes were few and far between. Indeed, the word prom is short for promenade, or the grand marching beginning to an immensely important social event.
Costs include flowers and grooming. Attire and accessories are considered individual purchases. If one’s date is paying for the celebration, bills for hairdos, manicures or gowns are not presented to the date for reimbursement. Believe it or not, it has been done.
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Informational
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Heartfelt, Faith Remembering Tony Dimond
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Contributed by Vic Kohring Anthony J. “Tony” Dimond may largely be forgotten, but he still remains prominent in the annals of Alaska’s history. Who was Tony Dimond? Have you heard of Dimond Boulevard in Anchorage? The Dimond Center mall? The Dimond Court House? Dimond High School? These were all named after the man, a U.S. congressman from Alaska’s territorial days who was also a district court judge, a lawyer and gold miner. He holds a special place in my own personal history as I’m a graduate of the high school named in his honor. Dimond’s law career began through self-study while he also mined for gold in the foothills of the Wrangell Mountains. While trying to strike it rich, he simultaneously hit the books hard. This parlayed into success as a judge and appointment as Alaska’s territorial congressman in 1933, the year FDR became president. Dimond’s gold mine, a hundred miles north of Cordova, was nestled in a vast, forested area along a remote creek at Calamity Gulch. As a 16-year old junior at Dimond High, I had the unique opportunity to experience a piece of Alaska’s history involving Tony Dimond. My brother Jim, an assistant big game guide in the Wrangell’s, was readying two hunting camps for the winter and asked that I help. I took a week off from school and arranged to fly out from Glennallen where I helped him board up cabins and move a group of horses across a mountain pass to the Chitina River flats. It was late September, 1974. Jim and I decided to take a day off from our work and do some exploring. Our pilot wasn’t due for several days and there was a break in the weather. We heard about Mr. Dimond’s exploits at a nearby mine decades before and decided to check it out. Dimond’s mine was about ten miles from Big Bend Lakes where we were camped. One crisp cold morning, we saddled up two horses, and armed with a topographic map, departed on our little
expedition. We traveled west through rugged, unmarked terrain along Young Creek until reaching the abandoned mine perched along the edge of Calamity Gulch. Dimond’s gold mine was a remarkable visit, especially since it was largely intact after over a half-century. It was as if traveling back in time. No vandals had destroyed the place and the only real damage was from the elements. I remember old, decaying hoses and rusted hydraulic pumps used to blast water onto the sides of the valley to remove gold. The gulch was just as scarred, ugly and barren of trees, as if the mine was still in operation. A large cabin where Dimond lived was in good condition, although mostly empty and dark. He even had the convenience of a shower, heated from a barrel stove with coils that circulated hot water to a shower stall. Inside the cabin were scattered papers and law books, some of which bore Dimond’s name hand-written inside the covers. Outside Dimond’s cabin sat a derelict Model-T Ford with a flatbed for hauling gear and supplies. How a truck got to such a remote location with no road access is a mystery, although it was probably painstakingly hauled in by pieces on horseback and reassembled. The truck’s tires and wooden bed were rotted away, but amazingly, the keys were still in the ignition. Close by were remains of a storage shed, collapsed from the weather. When digging through the debris, we found rusted cans containing nails, screws, nuts and bolts. We even found old bottles, one which said “Hudson’s Bay Company” on it. There was also an archaic Listerine bottle. Amazing remnants of Dimond’s life. As I look back 42 years, I realize how significant our find was. The images from 1974 remain frozen in my mind and I still visualize a fully operational gold mine from a century ago. After the passage of another four decades, vandals and the ravages of time have probably reduced the mine to virtually nothing. A Google Earth search confirms this. It was fascinating to visit such a historic place in my youth. I’m proud of my connection with Tony Dimond and it was my honor to attend the school that bears his name.
Why is Passover Relevant to the Believer in Jesus Christ? Contributed by Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain Passover is an eight-day festival celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan and commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Exodus 12:12-17 states, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance forever.” In Luke 22, Jesus shared the Passover meal with his apostles saying, “And he said unto them, with desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16) Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover. He is the Lamb of God, sacrificed to set us free from bondage to sin. (John 1:29; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Jesus is our Passover.
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Forever Shaken by Tia Talbot
Dog of the North By Nan Potts
The dog of the North, hale-hardy hound, With large, loyal heart and ardor abound, Hears, “call to duty” as the master’s strings sound. A spurring voice, bidding, jubilant hearts pound. The lure of the chase and swift-speeds doth longed, Through fair-fickled weather, ne’er grudging nor wronged, Tails wag and tongues loll ‘mongst cheering crowds, thronged, Persist on their quest, haunting-howls, their jargon’d. These curs of the North, slight, svelte and brawn’d Cruise across sea-ice and frozen lake-pond, O’er flow and deep powder to places beyond, Through night until day and a new morning, dawned.
There is a fine old instrument, Joust two simple strings. Beautifully hand-crafted Yet common, with engraftment Wood, some glue; all earthly things.
Perplexity in each, Whom first to teach, Such exertion Gentile hands can afford. So each is touched in a merciful way, Treating both as if one, and full equal. Small variance provided, Then harmonic excited, And one made the other’s true sequel.
A most complete and pleasant work, To cause eye and soul elation. Lovingly preserved, Protected, reserved, A marvel of design and creation.
With attention received, both then yielding, From each string, such sweet sound sedate. This stretching illusive, Once thought abusive, Just learning true needs of one’s mate.
When in tune, performance is given, By the Master with consummate skill. Wonder, there be, Only two strings to see, Yet such music, a grand hall to fill.
Is conflict inevitable? So very regrettable! He tunes in a process oft repeated. Old expectations erased, Self-centeredness replaced, ‘Til dissension be finally defeated.
A sound so desired; pleasing and perfect, Descends, here below we receive. Such melody, A symphony, In reverie our hearts do conceive.
With passage of time both sing softer now, so mellow Exquisite and poignant; divine. Move closer and sigh, Listen quietly, don’t deny, ‘Tis the breaking of your heart and mine.
by Dan Renshaw
Each set of new strings create problems. Great effort, until harmony restored. One resistant to touch, The other plaint too much, Such patience! By lesser deplored. For which one is right and so proper; Which one is to blame for discord?
Oh, there is a fine old instrument, Of just two mortal strings. Long may it give, This love song we live, So useful to the Master of things.
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Age-old narrations portray their travails Of survival and courage, their blood-line prevails. This dog of the North, with no trivial tales, Delights in the risks, runs the Iditarod trails.
Marriage Song
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I know where you are, That you’re all but grown. You’re probably thinking, “How time has flown”. You want your mommy, It happened too fast. Was convinced my time, Forever would last. But to our Savior, Swiftly were taken. My entire life, Forever shaken. Now I don’t have you, In my arms to hold. A spot in my heart, Will always be cold. In my heart I know, I’ll hold you again. Our life together, Can finally begin. “Mommy please don’t cry, Know that I love you. Won’t be much longer, Til I can show you.”
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Community, Faith Generation Hope
Truly Seeing
hostile bedroom plans for Israel, would probably be able to tell Elisha his hostile plans for Elisha!
Overall, there is an inherently negative world view about our youth today (Generation Z). If you interviewed anyone off of the street who was born in the mid to early 90’s and asked them if there was hope in the future for things like job growth or world peace for example, their answers would probably be grim at best. This is the generation that questions hope, that could care less about our government or the direction that our country is going.
I have had problems with my eyes since I was 18 months old! I had my first of six corrective eye surgeries way back then, when the muscles in my left eye did not receive the right nerve signal from my brain. This caused my pupil to move into the corner of my eye socket near my nose. Yeah, like the lizards on the Animal Channel!
There is a group of our youth today, however, that see things differently. They look at the world through a different lens. These young men and women whom I attend classes with and fellowship in the halls with at the Alaska Bible College look at the world through the lens of hope and love.
Amblyopia or strabismus was my diagnosis—a condition where both eyes are not able to focus on the same object. For me this caused poor uncorrectable eyesight in my left eye. Since the condition surfaced before I was three years old, when the skill of looking with both eyes or fusion is fully learned, my brain is permanently not able to receive images from both eyes at the same time. It has served as a great excuse for my bad golf game among many other cop outs!
Well, the show down happens in 2 Kings 6:15-17, when the armies of King Aram surround the city where Elisha and his servant are living. Elisha’s servant was beside himself. All he could see were the chariots and swords of a very scary circumstance. I love Elisha’s response, “Don’t be afraid…Those that are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)
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Contributed by David Rusher
These students, these young men and women, approach not just community issues but world issues with a zeal to enhance the quality of life for all. There is a life that flows through the halls of the Alaska Bible College and a light that shines into the darkness from the confines of these walls. These students have the best humanitarian teacher that ever walked the face of the Earth, Jesus Christ. These students are not just preparing for a bright future but live it out daily in love through Christ. It is this love and compassion that will help shape communities, and guide the course of a nation. It is by Christian foundations that this great nation was founded upon and it is by Christian foundations that this nation will be great again. When I look around me in class and in the hallways, I see hope for the future. I see restoration in our communities and churches and local, state and federal governments. I see mighty men and women of God who will do great things in His name because they have a deep grounded understanding that they are called to do great things in His name. They understand that they are not of this world but are set apart, that they may go into the world and be a light unto darkness.
Contributed by Dave Ley
I must admit that I often struggle with spiritual strabismus! It is the inability to look at my circumstances and see them from God’s perspective! Elisha’s servant experienced this spiritual sight struggle. Elisha, in 2 Kings 6:8-23, was giving the King of Aram fits. Every time the King wanted to put a hurt on Israel, Elisha would tell the King of Israel what the King of Aram had planned. The King of Aram thought he had someone in his own cabinet that was a turncoat. It was finally revealed that it was Elisha who, by God’s divine revelation, told the King of Israel “The very words you speak in your bedroom!” (2 Kings 6:12) This made the King of Aram not too happy, and he foolishly thought that he would sneak up on Elisha and take him out. I guess it didn’t occur to him that the God who was telling Elisha King Aram’s
I think Elisha’s servant must have done a double-take look at the army of Aram and then back at Elisha. I imagine him whispering under his breath, “What in the world are you seeing, prof?” When we struggle with spiritual strabismus, we respond to our circumstances much like Elisha’s servant. “O Lord (Yaweh-“I am”) open his eyes so that he may see,” was how Elisha prayed. God answered that intercessory prayer and the servant’s spiritual strabismus was healed. He was now able to see both the armies of Aram and the greater army of the Lord at the same time. When we are struggling with spiritual strabismus and not able to see past our circumstances, let’s make sure to seek out fellow believers who don’t have that condition, and ask them to pray for us. There is never a time that the enemy “in the world” is greater than the One “who is in you.” (I John 4:4) However, as was the case with Elisha’s servant, it is only through the surgical power of intercessory prayer by one stronger in the faith that our spiritual strabismus is removed. Then, we can truly see! This gives us a renewed urgency to intercede when someone says, “Pray for me!” Doesn’t it?
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www. MAKEASCENEAK .com APRL 2016
Art Join Us for the 6th Annual Machetanz Arts Festival Workshops Contributed by Felicia M. Desimini Mat-Su College is pleased to announce the Machetanz Arts Festival 2016: 26 award-winning artists, 32 hands-on, affordable art-making workshops. May 31st through the 5th. Registration is now open and workshops are filling up quickly! Easy registration may be accessed at matsu.alaska.edu/MAF. Does 3-D printing interest you? This year, the festival offers a 2-1/2 day Build, Work With and Take Home Your Own 3-D Printer workshop at half the price that one can purchase one locally. You will build and be introduced to the workings of and how to troubleshoot your very own 3D printer. Register early as this workshop is sure to sell out! The cost of the workshop includes your 3D printer.
For writers and those that want to write, Machetanz is partnering with 49 Writers Inc. to offer six writers’ workshops and two panel discussions on 6/4 and 6/5. If you are interested in drawing, painting, printing or designing, this is the arts festival for you! Most of the workshops are for all experience levels; beginners and professional artists alike will get something out of these unique workshops that are facilitated by some of the best instructors around the State of Alaska and beyond.
Please join us for the 6th Annual Machetanz Arts Festival! There truly is something for everyone during our week long celebration of community and art! Information about the Festival is updated daily on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Machetanz
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Art
An Artist’s Passionate Journey of Discovery Meet the artist, Nancy Angelini Crawford, Saturday, May 7th, 1-4 at the Town Square Art Gallery located in the Carrs Wasilla Mall. The art show includes Nancy’s original works of art depicting her personal journey of self-discovery as she has traveled and painted her way through Alaska, the US and Europe. Nancy Angelini Crawford grew up in New England. A love of the ocean, harbor towns and crayons were her favorite things. At a young age Nancy was accepted to the Famous Artists School by drawing replicas of cartoon characters. That was her beginning of understanding concepts, instruction and critiques.
For a while, art was on hold. After residing in Wasilla, Alaska for over 30 years, her children raised, she began taking local watercolor classes and then moved on to studying under contemporary masters such as Kevin McPherson, David Gallup, Dean Larson and others. Without a formal education, Nancy continues to travel and take workshops to take her art to the next level. Gleaning bits from each artist instructor, Nancy’s work now carries her own voice. No matter what the medium, (watercolor, pastel or oil) her goal is to know the techniques well, apply them, and then embellish with her own style. Alaska’s beautiful scenery, her past life by the sea and travels are the inspiration for most of her work. She acknowledges that the beauty around her is a gift from
God, as are her artistic abilities and so feels the need to share her gifts. Nancy explains her passion, “I love the feeling of standing in a museum, or in front of any painting that makes me just stop and stand in awe. Time no longer exists and the only thing there at that moment is the interaction of all that I am connecting with, what an artist felt and lived and created. It’s like a wordless conversation between the artist and the viewer, music without sound. There are memories of moments that bring our emotions to the surface. When the conversation runs so deep or when you must keep coming back to it, if at all possible, that’s when you know it’s yours.” Please join the staff at Town Square Art Gallery for a delightful afternoon of art, conversation and refreshments while discovering Nancy Angelini Crawford for yourself. Nancy’s art show continues for the entire month of May.
For more information Town Square Art Gallery 907-376-0123, townsquareartgallery.com
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In her late teens, Nancy moved to Florida for a winter reprieve as a glass blower and soon met her husband to be. While there, she also worked as a studio assistant to a prominent artist of West
Palm Beach. In 1981, an extreme change took place. Nancy and her husband settled in Alaska. Living the frontier dream, they lived off the land, built a cabin and started their family. Building their home, working jobs and raising children took precedence.
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Contributed by Town Square Art Gallery