Cooper Landing Gem- April 2023

Dear Members,

The old saying is April showers bring May flowers. I don’t think the old adage meant snow showers. It is beautiful but I am ready for those May flowers. May you have a blessed Easter with your families.

A big thank you to Clay Adam who has served on our Board of Directors. He has taken a job with LifeMed and finds that it is taking more of his time so he is having to reduce his obligations on several of the boards in town. We wish him the best of luck in his job, and hope that none of us will see him in the horizontal position on an airplane having him work on us. If you would like to serve on the Chamber Board of directors, please contact one of us.

The event coming up is the Regatta. Mark your calendars for May 20th and look for the online registration for participants, and sponsors. If you want to enter a boat or raft but need a sponsor, reach out to us and we will match you up with a sponsor if possible. The more the merrier!

Last year we had a beautiful day for the regatta. Let’s hope Mother Nature will bless us again with sunshine. Happy Easter!

Thank you,

Cheryle James President

SATURDAY, MAY 20TH

SCHEDULE

11:45 am — to 12:30 pm Boats in Water at Eagle Landing Resort

12:00 pm — Pre-Race Barbecue at Eagle Landing Resort

1:00 pm — Official Drift Boat Regatta Start

1:30 pm — Official Raft River Clean Up Start

4:00 pm — Regatta & Raft Clean Up Complete at Sportsman’s Boat Launch

4:30 pm — Awards and Door Prizes at Sunrise Inn

All proceeds raised from this event are donated to the Kenai River Sportfishing Association.

DRIFT BOAT REGATTA

ENTRY FEE- $50 PER BOAT

Open to 18ft to 20ft Aluminum Drift Boats.

1st Place Prize — $400

2nd Place Prize $200

3rd Place Prize $100

RAFTS

ENTRY FEE- $40 PER RAFT

Open to all 10ft and up inflatable rafts. Help clean up trash along the river banks for spring clean up. All participants are entered into a drawing for door prizes.

Costume Award for the boat with the best dressed participants.

HOW TO ENTER:

For a complete list of rules and registration visit our website at: www.cooperlandingchamber.com/regatta

All entrants must register by May 13th

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

For more information email us at: info@cooperlandingchamber.com

Photo Credit: Best Route Productions

Cooper Landing Drift Boat Regatta

Event Sponsorship

Join the Cooper Landing Chamber for the upcoming 16 th Annual Drift Boat Regatta by becoming a sponsor. All proceeds will be donated to the Kenai River Sportfishing Association.

$250 Drift Boat Sponsor

• Sponsor receives their business name on a flag to be displayed on the drift boat throughout the race and at the awards ceremony.

• Includes the registration fee of one drift boat.

• Two free drink tickets at the awards ceremony.

• Advertising on event webpage and social media.

SATURDAY, MAY 20TH SCHEDULE

$200 Raft Sponsor

• Sponsor receives their business name on a flag to be displayed on the raft throughout the clean up and at the awards ceremony.

• Includes the registration fee of one raft.

• Two free drink tickets at the awards ceremony.

• Advertising on event webpage and social media.

Prize Sponsor

• Donate a prize for the drift boat competitors or the raft participant’s prize raffle and receive your business name on the event website and social media accounts.

All sponsors must register by April 30th

2022 Regatta Winners Tommy Bolk and Sean Coe Drifters Lodge

Cooper Landing Advisory Planning Commission (CLAPC)

Changes in Communication

The Kenai Peninsula Borough is trying to coordinate all advisory planning commission (APC) communications across the Peninsula and so have decided to centralize it. There is now a new way to contact the Cooper Landing Advisory Planning Commission. If you’d like to email the commission go to the following link: https://www.kpb.us/planning-dept/planning-commissions/ cooper-landing-apc. In the box on the right-hand side of the page titled, “Commissioner Information” scroll to the bottom and select the link, “Contact the Cooper Landing APC.” It will take you to a window where you may write your email to CLAPC. Please do not use the old CLAPC email address any longer. Please do not use personal email addresses for CLAPC commissioners.

KPB will next provide a means to reach CLAPC via regular USPS mail through a central borough means. That has not been worked out quite yet so please stand by for more information in regards to regular mail contact with the CLAPC. Our post office box here in Cooper Landing will be active only until March 31st, 2023. After that, Kenai Peninsula Borough will receive and distribute USPS mail to all APCs. More on that as soon as the method is established.

The next CLAPC meeting will be April 5, 2023. At the April 5th meeting we expect to learn from both the State of Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) about projects each has in the Cooper Landing area this year. You may read the tentative agenda for that meeting once it is posted at: https://www.kpb.us/planning-dept/ planning-commissions/cooper-landing-apc. Note the link to all 2023 meetings. If you select that link it will take you to a page with the current and past meetings for the year including all support documents. Please note as well, you may read many of the historical documents from past meetings on the above web page.

Calendar of Events

Tired of trying to keep track of Community activities, events and happenings? In addition to our printed monthly calendar check out our digital calendar to help keep track of what’s coming on and when. Any member submitted event activities will be placed on the digital calendar viewable through our website.

Cooper Landing Community School Activities

Our local non-profit Community School program is offering the following activities:

Walk or Workout - Mondays-Fridays (school days only), 7:30-8:30am and 2:30-3:30pm, Cooper Landing School Gymnasium. Walk laps, or use the step climber, rowing machine, universal weight system, and free weights. Adults only, please.

Tot Time! - Mondays and Wednesdays, 12-1pm, Cooper Landing School Gymnasium

Bring the little ones out to play with friends, run in the gym, and work off some energy.

Yoga - Thursdays, 9am, Cooper Landing Community Hall

With focus on breath work, strength and yoga flow, our hope is to create a space and a practice for all community members that will be progressive through the winter. Note: We will be practicing with music. Bring your own mat. Props and modifications will be available. $7 per session. Call/text Dusty Byrd for more information, 907-202-0129.

Volleyball - Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6pm, Cooper Landing School Gymnasium Adults only. Please have clean, non-marking shoes to play in.

All activities during school hours (afternoon Walk/Workout and Tot Time) require participants to first complete a school volunteer application, found here. When the application has been approved, you will be notified by email. You can then participate in these activities. Please feel free to stop by the school between 9am and 3pm for assistance with this application.

If you have ideas for future activities or would like to teach an adult or youth class through Community School, please contact us at cooperlandingcommunityschool@gmail.com.

Contact Us:

cooperlandingcommunityschool@gmail.com

www.clcommunityschool.webs.com

Oneof the students’ favorite activities during the year is skiing at Alyeska. Starting in February the enitre school goes to Girdwood once a week for ski lessons. Students learn a variety of skills from their ski instructors during the two hour lesson. After ski school, students get to practice what they learned during free-ski with their classmates, parents, and teachers. This year we had several powder days.

A big thank you to everyone who purchased raffle tickets and donated funds to support our students’ ski lessons. We appreciate your continued support and couldn’t do it without you!

Cooper Landing Emegency Services

Welcome Spring 2023!!

As we are rapidly approaching spring weather, many may have the urge to start to burn slash piles and other rubbish. The State Of Alaska (Kenai Peninsula, AK) – Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, Kenai-Kodiak Area Office, would like to remind the public that state burn permits are required April 1st - August 31st. Burn permits can be acquired online, at Division of Forestry Offices, your local fire departments, post offices, and various businesses across the peninsula. Even with snow cover, all open burning requires a person to be in attendance until the fire is totally extinguished. As snow levels recede, exposed dead grasses become receptive to ignition and will lead to a dramatic increase in fire danger. Follow burn permit requirements and monitor weather conditions to be safe while debris burning. Burn permits are not required for campfires less than 3 feet in diameter being used for cooking or warming. If you have questions about safe burning practices or burn permits, contact Division of Forestry and Fire Protection in Soldotna at (907) 260-4200.

STAY CONNECTED:

• Cooper Landing Emergency Services: https://www.cooperlandinges.org

• DNR Burn Permits: https://dnr.alaska.gov/ burn

• DNR Newsroom: http://dnr.alaska.gov/ commis/dnr_newsroom.htm

• DNR on Social Media: http://dnr.alaska. gov/commis/social_media.htm

• DNR Public Information Center: http://dnr. alaska.gov/commis/pic/

Contact Us: 907-595-1800

operations.cles@arctic.net

www.cooperlandinges.org

Cooper Landing Emergency Services

The Fireflies

Cooper Landing Emergency Services Needs You!

As most are aware we are an unsupported 501C3, that responds to between 50-150 calls each year, operating with a combination department of 1 part time employee, and over 20 volunteer responders.

The population of CLES’s service area is approximately 350 persons, though the number can increase to nearly 5,000 during the busy summer months.

CLES members can choose to participate with one division of the agency, Fire or EMS, or both based on their comfort. We are completely dependent on our wonderful volunteers, grant funding and charitable contributions.

How You Can Help:

Volunteering

Volunteering can be done on a year round or seasonal basis. Click HERE to apply.

Fly Tying Competition

Submit a Fly or picture frame by April 26th! They will be displayed at the library from May 1st - June 14th and at the Softball Tournament during CLES’s concession day! The Fly that generates the most donations - “votes”- becomes the mascot of our Auxiliary, The Fireflies, for the year! Hype up your peeps!

Golf Tournament

Golf Tournament is a super fun filled day for all involved!! It will be held on Saturday July 29th at the Birch Ridge Golf Course. You can choose to be a Sponsor, Volunteer at the event, Donate food/ paper goods, or just compete! It’s the perfect time of the season to step away from the river and relax on the green! Put together a team or fly solo - it’s an absolute blast!

Fill The Boot

Fill The Boot this fundraiser generates the most revenue per hour and allows drivers of the highway we protect to have the opportunity to support us directly. No more than 4 hours. The dates we need volunteers for are Memorial Day May 29th, Opening Weekend Sunday June 11th, July 2nd, 15th,16th, 22nd, 23rd, 30th and Labor Day September 9th. Bring a few friends and take over one of these dates! You can also sign up solo and meet wonderful people! Two of our volunteers will be at every Fill The Boot with water, safety vests and a bluetooth speaker!

Raffle

Raffle everyone loves raffles! Donate Items or Sell Tickets! Drawing will be on August 19th!

Continued on page 11.

Cooper Landing Library News

Zoom Book Club Dates - 9am Video Call (email cooperlandinglibrary@gmail.com to be added to the Zoom list)

• April 18 West with Giraffes by Linda Rutledge

• May 16 The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

Community Movie Night Friday, April 14th

You’ll never “forget” this “giant” of a feel good sports movie! The inspiring story of a high school football team overcoming racial barriers will have you smiling and crying with each pass and touchdown.

So “remember” to rush over to the Community Hall on April 14t at 7pm. It doesn’t matter if you sit on the left side or the strong side, you’ll be cheering in the aisles!

The movie is rated PG and free to any who wishes to attend. We ask that anyone under 16 be accompanied by an adult. For more information about the movie being shown, please visit the Cooper Landing Community Library’s website.

Also, feel free to bring your favorite movie-watching snacks and drinks!

Winter Library Hours

Monday 1-3 pm

Tuesday 3-5 pm

Wednesday 1-3 pm

Thursday 1-3 pm

Friday 1- 3 pm

Saturday 11am - 2 pm

cooperlandinglibrary@gmail.com

www.cooperlandinglibrary.com

Cooper Landing Emergency Services has an Auxiliary Group that needs your help!!!!

We are The Fireflies! We are searching for the Fly to represent us! Flies must be turned in (or mailed in) to CLES by Wednesday April 26th Include your name and/or business name with a brief sentence or two about your fly. Feel free to add why you support CLES! Flies will be displayed May 1st - June 14th at the Library!

The fly receiving the most donations will be The Fly in The Fireflies! YOUR Fly Could Represent Us!!

Fireflies Continued... Upcoming Community Events:

Open House Weekend Friday May 5th - Sunday May 7th. There will be a blood drive Friday & Saturday. Saturday we will have a Safety Day 10 AM - 2 PM with vendors including Car Seat & Bicycle Safety, Food Safety and much more! Activities for the whole family! Sunday we encourage everyone to explore Cooper Landing by supplying coffee, water, muffins and trail snacks in the morning! This is a meet-up type event where we mingle (make new friends and give everyone a chance to explore with a group) then break up to do different hikes or lounge at the lake or explore local establishments. Late afternoon we will reconvene at a day use site on the lake for BBQ & games!

WiRE (Wildfire Research Center) is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to working with wildfire practitioners seeking to create communities that are adapted to wildfire. Volunteers are needed for a community survey of 305 unique parcels in Cooper Landing (Training May 19th, Assessment May 20th & 21st)

If you wish to participate in any (or ALL!!) of the fundraisers or community events or have any questions we would love to hear from you!

Cooper Landing Community Club

Fingers crossed, Spring may be in the air! Your community club board has been busy transitioning in new officers and completing several housekeeping items to get ready for our summer season. At our March meeting we had updates from our Social Committee, Trails Committee, and our Community Liaison, the Cooper Landing Advisory Planning Commission.

We also made minor updates to our Bylaws, discussed efforts in naming the bridge being built over Juneau Creek, and received an update on the efforts being made by Safe Trails. If you would like to contribute to some of the decisions being made or discussed, we encourage you to attend our meetings! Our next one will be Thursday, May 18th, 2023.

We have several events on our calendar to be aware of. On April 8, the CLCC is hosting the annual Easter Egg Hunt, so grab your baskets and snow boots or xtratufs and come on down! We will see how creative the Easter bunny can be in the snowbanks this year! Also check our calendar for Kenai Lake Baptist Church’s Easter Breakfast, Cooper Landing Advisory Planning Committees month meeting, and our CLCC Social Committee’s Movie Night. Visit our calendar for more information on dates and times for these events.

We would also like to take this time to recognize the Kenai Peninsula Foundation for awarding us a grant that made it possible for us to replace our old oven AND add a convection oven. This donation enhances our kitchen facilities for our all of our user groups that have events with meals, such as our Soup Supper, Pancake Feed, the Softball Tournament, and private events like weddings, birthdays and memorials.

Please also give a shout out and huge thank you to LaDonna Herbert, who generously donated the CLCC and the CL Library a snowblower. This will allow volunteers to clear out the handicap ramps and make access easier for everyone to both buildings. Thank you LaDonna!

Dates for the softball tournament have be set, May 25th – June 3rd, 2023. You don’t need to get your glove out yet, but we are already on the lookout for donations for our Silent Auction and will need volunteers to help with concessions, split-the-pot, umping, and scorekeeping. If you are planning on being around at that time and interested in helping, please let us know. We would be happy to have you!

Happy Easter everyone and here is to a quick melting April!

-Yvette, Melissa, Ruth, Lorraine and Ed

Your Cooper Landing Community Club Board

officers@cooperlandingcommunityclub.com

Cooper Landing Gem News

Do you have business or organization updates you would like to share with the community?

All Chamber Members are invited to submit updates and information to the monthly newsletter. Contact us for more information.

Happy Birthday 4/30

Happy Anniversary

Photo by: Best

2023 Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce & CVB

Please support our local businesses!

April 2023