Land Acknowledgement Pays Respect to Alaska

Working with Denakkanaaga, Explore Fairbanks created a Dena Athabascan land acknowledgement to incorporate into publications, the website, local meetings and more.

We respectfully acknowledge the Dena people on whose traditional lands we reside. We honor the Dena who have been the stewards of Interior lands and waters for centuries, the Elders who lived here before, the Dena people of today, and future generations to come. We also recognize that Alaska Native people would traditionally gather here and harvest Native foods.

The Explore Fairbanks Annual Banquet in April was our return to in-person events with a hybrid in-person/online event at the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference Center.

• The Golden Heart Award was presented to Karen and Buddy Lane.

• The Aurora Award was presented to Colonel Christopher J. Ruga and Danny Wallace, U.S. Army Garrison Alaska Fort Wainwright.

• The Jim and Mary Binkley Award was presented to Aurora Bear.

• The Raven Award was presented to Condor Airlines.

• Inducted into the Tourism Hall of Fame were: – Vivian & Bill Bubbel, proprietors of Pump House Restaurant and Saloon

– Deb Hickok, then President and CEO of Explore Fairbanks

• Staff recognition:

– Amy Geiger for 10 years of service

– Ed Malen for 10 years of service

– Charity Gadapee for 20 years of service