Calendar of Events
Matsu Valley Rebuild
Forever Home Fundraiser
Matsu Valley Rebuild
Used & Surplus Building Materials Store
Online and In-store
matsuvalleyrebuild.com
(907) 745-1177
Kids Explore: Educational Outdoor Activities A 6-10
Every Wednesday thru August 9
Revel Treks and Tours
(907) 903-1664
reveltreksandtours.com/events
info@revelak.com
(907) 903-1664
Zumba in the Park
Hosted by Matsu Kabayan
Filipino-American Community
Saturday’s in August @ 3PM
Wonderland Park, Wasilla matsukabayan.org
July 18th @ 7:00PM
Irish Club of Alaska
Presents an Irish Open Mic
Reilly’s Irish Pub
Irish Club of Alaska
irishalaska.org
irishclubak@gmail.com
(907) 602-2626
July 19th @ 5PM
Three Days Grace LIVE
At Matanuska Brewing Co.
11901 Old Glenn, Eagle River
matanuskabrewco.com
July 21st @ 6PM
College Fund Concert
Caitlin Buxbaum
at Black Birch Books
2901 E Bogard Rd, #104, Wasilla
WEBSITE: fb.me/e/e4undq3CK
July 22nd @ 12PM
4th Annual Underground Pride
The Queen’s Guard
Alaska State Fairgrounds
2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer
contact@thequeensguard.org
July 22nd @ 11AM
MiniMoose Preschool
Free Open House Event
Bounce House & Tour
4230 E Quebec St, Wasilla Minimoosepreschool.com
July 22nd @ 11AM
16th Fireweed Festival
Trapper Creek Community Services Assoc., Inc.
Trapper Creek Community Park (907) 355-7147
trappercreek.org
July 25th @ 6:00PM
Irish Song Circle: Open Sing-Around
New Sagaya City Market
Irish Club of Alaska (907) 602-2626
irishalaska.org
July 25th @ 6PM
Ladies Night Out(doors)
Monthly, Date Varies
Revel Treks and Tours
Meeting at Independence
Mine in Hatcher Pass
(907) 903-1664
reveltreksandtours.com/events
July 28th @ 6:30PM-9:30PM
Passerine Party
Beer, Food Trucks, Raffles
Wildbird Rehabilitation Center
Big Lake Lions Club 2942 S Lions Ct, Big Lake 907-892-2927
July 29th @ 10AM
4th Annual Rev’Revival
Rev’Revival
Denali Harley Davidson
(907) 373-3366
www.harleyalaska.com
July 29th @ 5PM
Stick Figure LIVE
At Matanuska Brewing Co.
11901 Old Glenn, Eagle River matanuskabrewco.com
August 4th-6th
Salmonfest 2023
Music Festival
Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds
Ninilchik, Alaska
salmonfestalaska.org
August 5th @ 12PM
Car Show at Mike Devine
State Farm & RW’s Hamburger
Car Show, Prizes, Free Food 2200 E Parks, Wasilla
August 12th @ 11AM
Galway Days Irish Festival
Concert: Amelia Hogan & Friends
49th State Brewing
Irish Club of Alaska
(907) 245-7311
irishalaska.org
dberg@irishalaska.org
August 13th @ 11AM
Running with the Bulls!
Annual Event
Musk Ox Farm
muskoxfarm.org/events
info@muskoxfarm.org
(907) 745-4151
Sales People Needed
95.5 The Pass, The People’s Paper & Make A Scene Magazine are only part of what our multimedia company offers. Web design, Event Management and Planning, Video Production, and much more.
We have media products for almost every need, creating earning potential that’s huge for a qualified sales person.
Please call 373-2698 for further information, and submit your resume to info@makeascene.media
HELP US BUILD OUR CALENDAR! SUBMIT YOUR EVENT ONLINE: PAGE 5 MID-JUL 2023
PAGE 6 MID-JUL 2023
Send in your coloring page and you can win a gift card to a local business!
Coloring Page
ActivitiesActivities PAGE 7 MID-JUL 2023 www.susitnabrewing.com 5120 S BIG LAKE RD. 907-892-2336 Open House Sat, July 22 11am - 3pm minimoosepreschool.com 4230 N. Quebec Street, Wasilla take a tour! MEET THE TEACHER! Love the coloring page? Support the artist! www.artbybrittneyk.com inkedfoxak@gmail.com
Contributed by David Stearns
Ninilchik, AK - Salmonfest announces 2023 headliners including 2x Grammy Award winners Old Crow Medicine Show (Surprisingly not for their global hit Wagon Wheel), American Music Award Nominee Sierra Ferrell, Leftover Salmon, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Blues sensation Jackie Venson, The Burroughs, & festival favorites The High Hawks. Top Alaskan acts include Medium Build, H3, Hope Social Club, Black Water Railroad Co. and Roland Roberts Band.
Tickets, camping and the full lineup available now at salmonfestalaska.org. Four stages, 60 bands, 100+ vendors, Alaska’s top food trucks, premium local beer & wine, Salmon Causeway and a daily kids program. Children under 6 are FREE!
Other national touring acts performing this year are Tom Rigby and Flambeau playing uptempo New Orleans Cajun music, The Bright Light Social Hour, Days N’ Daze belting Houston “Thrash-Grass,” an enticing combination of folk, bluegrass and punk, as well as festival stalwart Moonalice.
More info at: salmonfestalaska.org
Music PAGE 8 MID-JUL 2023
Contributed by Caitlin Buxbaum
My name is Caitlin Buxbaum, and I need your help!
If you’re a regular Make-A-Scene reader, you’ve probably seen my poems appear in these pages. You may know I’m the president of Alaska Writers Guild, and the owner of Red Sweater Press (a small publishing company, through which I’ve published eight books of my own poetry, prose, and photography). I’m also a lifelong Alaskan, a former Frontiersman reporter, and I’ve been teaching or substitute teaching in the Mat-Su Borough since 2016.
Now, I’m working to further my writing and publishing career with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch University in LA. It’s a low-residency program, meaning most of the work is completed remotely, but in collaboration with high-caliber faculty and professional writers from across the country. It’s the only MFA program I found that allows students to “genre jump” and graduate with a
dual concentration in, say, Poetry and Screenwriting or Fiction and Translation. Opportunities abound, and I’m hoping to take you on this journey with me.
Right now, each semester will cost me just over $9,000, after my $1,000/ semester scholarship is subtracted. Each year, two 10-day residencies occur on campus in LA, which will cost me about $2,500 in terms of plane tickets, lodging, transportation, and food (and that’s a low estimate). I’m heading out for my first residency this week!
To focus on my writing and education and get the most out of this program, it is necessary for me to leave my full-time teaching job, which means the flow of income will be scarcer in the next couple of years. I had enough money saved up to pay for the first semester out of pocket, but that doesn’t leave much for my monthly expenses. So, I’m hoping to raise at least one semester’s worth of financial support to pursue my passion at Antioch, starting this summer.
One way I’m raising money is by
putting myself out there as a musician. I’ve been playing guitar and piano for half my life, and I picked up the ukulele a couple of years ago; I’ve done my fair share of open mics, but never a solo show. While I won’t technically be playing on street corners around the Valley, I do have my first gig booked at Black Birch Books on July 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. If you like pop/rock/indie music by US and UK artists from the last six or seven decades (or you just like me) please come and enjoy an hour of guitar and ukulele covers (and maybe even an original song or two)!
Another way I’m hoping to raise money is through the sale of antique and special edition books from the personal library of the late James A. Misko, Alaskan author and founder of Alaska Writers Guild. I haven’t re-listed many titles for auction since ebay changed their policies and updated their website a couple years ago, but I will be doing so throughout the summer, and you can get a preview of some of the books available on my blog at caitbuxbaum.com (Search for
“Rare Book Liquidation Sale”). If this is something you’re interested in, you can find and follow me on ebay at ebay. com/usr/cmsbuxbaum, or simply send me an email through my website if you see something you like.
The last way you can help me raise tuition money (aside from donating directly through PayPal or Venmo; email me for the info) is simply by purchasing copies of the books I’ve written from local bookstores or my publishing website. You can find all of my books at Black Birch Books in Wasilla and online at redsweaterpress.com/store, and select titles at Fireside Books in Palmer and The Writer’s Block in Anchorage. So, what do you say? Want to help me achieve my writerly dreams? Have other ideas on how I can raise money and be creative at the same time? Let me know! Every little bit helps.
Books PAGE 9 MID-JUL 2023
Contributed by Marilyn E. Parker and Valerie P. Koivunen Pillows
for Kids Foundation
Imagine having the opportunity to participate for a week’s Summer Percussion Camp with the Valley’s own Dr. Meggie Aube-Trammell, and other professional percussionists from around the state. Drums, yes... But percussion camp is so much more! You would be able to experience various drums, snare drums, hand drums, drum set as well as marimbas, and more. You would explore various rhythms from around the world and jazz.
For many participants this summer camp is their opportunity to play with a group of percussionists and to develop technical and social skills. Both begin-
ning as well as experienced students explore rhythms and melodies on a wide variety of instruments.
Pillows for Kids Foundation sponsored eight students for this June 5-9th 2023 Summer Camp with the Percussion in the Valley studio (percussioninthevalley.com)
This project was made possible by a grant from the Palmer Community Foundation, an Affiliate of the Alaska Community Foundation.
This generous grant helped us continue to foster the development of young people in activities of their choice and in interactions with their peers and good mentors. For more on our mission, please see our website: pillowsforkidsfoundation.org.
PAGE 10 MID-JUL 2023 Music
Photos taken by Dr. Meggie Aube-Trammell
Photos taken by Dr. Meggie Aube-Trammell
Alaska Animal Advocates
www.alaskaanimaladvocates.com
(907) 841-3173
Alaska Animal Advocates is a non-profit group of dedicated volunteers who are devoted to enriching the lives of companion animals in Alaska.
In order to do this, we will place homeless pets in loving environment, adress medicals concerns, spay or neuter, microchip, vaccinate, and offer training as is needed.
We believe that every animal deserves a loving home, for his/her entire life and Alaska Animal Advocates will provide the resources to make this happen.
In order to make this mission possible, we need the help of volunteers and foster homes.
Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Seniors
www.alaskabvi.org
(907) 771-4322
The Alaska Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired provides blind and low vision Alaskans tools to eliminate vision loss as a barrier to employment, independent living, and community participation. It is the only statewide training and resource center for vision rehabilitation. In the Mat-Su Valley we sponsor two monthly support groups for socialization and informational activities, titled “Living Well with Vision Loss”, meeting at the Wasilla Area Seniors and the Palmer Senior Center. Low Vision Clinics demonstrating low vision devices and home assessment visits for independent living are offered to those who qualify and who have uncorrectable vision loss.
Connect Mat-Su
w ww.connectmatsu.org
(907) 373-2628
Connect Mat-Su is a program of the Mat-Su Health Foundation that provides access to information and referrals specific to the local community. Assistance is available in the areas of care, education, food, health, housing, legal services, social connection, transportation, work, and more. It is a network that is both a physical and virtual resource center linking residents to the things needed to thrive physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
Connect Palmer, Inc.
www.connectpalmer.org
(907) 746-9675
Connect Palmer is a Christ Centered Training Center and Housing for Women, located in downtown Palmer. Connect Palmer’s two primary programs are God’s Work Desgin, and LIFE Connect. We also have Sarah’s House, a safe and caring place for ladies without homes to live while they participate in our back to work and life skills programs.
We also offer different community assistance programs, such as The Locker, to provide personal care and basic house hold cleaning items, and Scarlet Tapestries which offers basic sewing skills instructions. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
Matanuska Electric Association Charitable Foundation (MEACF) www.mea.coop/mea-in-the-community
meacontact@mea.coop
(907) 761-9300
$1.6 million and counting! This is the financial impact MEA’s members have had in our community since 2011 when MEACF introduced Operation Roundup. To scratch the surface on those impacted by your generosity are our seniors, recreation, local agriculture, family services, food pantries, and everything in between.
We want to continue adding to this lost, so if you know of an organization interested in applying for the MEACF grant and has a specific project in mind, please check us out online for the application process - including financials. Grants are capped at $10,000 and are approved at each quarterly MEACF meeting. Individual grant requests are now completed through Connect MatSu; individual grant requests regarding a disability can contact Access Alaska.
Mat-Su Health Foundation
www.healthymatsu.org
(907) 352-286³
The mission of the Mat-Su Health Foundation is to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su. The tools we use include grantmaking, convening of local partners, and policy change.
We have generated significant improvements in systems that support the health of Mat-Su residents in areas such as behavioral health, child welfare, crisis response, community connections, workforce development, transportation, housing, and senior services. Visit www.healthymatsu.org to learn about scholarship and funding opportunities.
Mat-Su Health Services, Inc.
www.mshsak.org
(907) 376-2411
Dedicated to improving the health of our community, one person at a time through affordable medical, dental and behavioral health care. The clinic is a Federally qualified health Care Center and we accept Medicare, Medicaid, and most other third-party insurances. For those who qualify, there is a sliding scale payment, based on household income.
We offer early morning and evening appointments. You can also contact our 24/7 behavioral criss intervention line by calling the main number: (907) 376-2411.
MYHouse Mat-Su Youth Housing
www.myhousematsu.org
(907) 373-4357
MYHouse 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 job education services on site.
Onward & Upward
www.onwardandupward.org
email: info@onwardandupward.org
(907) 953-5360
Onward & Upward is an evidence-based, accredited, 501c3 nonprofit organization based in the Mat-Su Valley. Our mission is to establish a culture of “One Health” in Alaska through evidence-based action. We accomplish this by engaging our students in adventurous, inspiring, meaningful, and empowering experiences with varying degrees of challenge methodically designed for positive growth and development.
We offer a diverse range of course offerings from open enrollment summer adventure courses, professional development courses, to year-round after-school and homeschool opportunities. Check out our website at www.onwardandupward.org for more information!
Special Olympics Alaska Mat-Su Community Program (907) 631-8591
www.specialolympicsalaska.org
The Special Olympics Alaska Mat-Su Community Program is an accredited program of Special Olympics Alaska, Inc., a 501c (3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide year-round sports training and competition to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the Mat-Su Valley, there are 137 active Special Olympics Alaska athletes and 56 Unified partners (non-disabled peers) that train and compete in 12 sports year-round.
There is no cost to participate for qualifying athletes. For more information on the Mat-Su Community Program, please call 907-631-8591, email matsu@ specialolympicsalaska.org or visit us on social media@soakmatsu.
United Way of Mat-Su (907) 373-5807
www.unitedwaymatsu.org
550 S Alaska St., Suite 205 Palmer AK United Way of Mat-Su strives to make our community a place where all individuals can thrive. We focus on the building blocks of education, financial stability, health for all, providing resource assistance, community collaboration and advocacy, outreach and engagement across the health, human, and social services spectrum.
Early childhood and family support, youth programs, grants for non-profits, and disaster relief; Mat-Su Valley Resource Guide; volunteer opportunities; Stuff the Bus; Project Homeless Connect, and more. Call for more information on Thrive Mat-Su Mat-Su Coalition, Early Childhood Partnership, Youth 360, and the Alaska Wellness Coalition.
Valley Charities, Inc.
www.valleycharities.org
400 N Yenlo Street, Wasilla AK
Valley Charities Inc has proudly served the MatSu community since 1956. Our mission of “Connecting those who need help with the help they need” is demonstrated through our Homeless Prevention and Reentry Programs. The first creates housing sustainability, and the later, assists ex-offenders to become successful citizens and make our communities safer. For inquiries on Housing please call 907-354-4660. For inquiries on the Re-entry
program call 907-232-7125.
“Our partnership with other local agencies have allowed Valley Charities opportunities to reach more individuals and families”.
Our locally owned non-profit thrift store, called turn-Aleaf, keeps all the excess proceeds in the Mat-Su Valley using it to support the store, the staff, and maintain our community service programs.
Our Durable Medical Equipment Lending program has supported valley residents since 1956 providing this equipment at NO COST to the user. For inquiries on the Medical Equipment availability call 907-521-1908.
Valley Arts Alliance
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 at www. valleyartsalliance.com
Valley Recycling
Valley Community for Recycling Solutions
www.valleyrecycling.org
(907) 745-5544
REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE! Drop off your clean, separated recycling Mon-Fri 9:30 to 5:00 and Saturday 8:00 to 5:00. We accept cardboard boxes, aluminum beverage cans, magazines, this newspaper and more!
We are located at 9465 E Chanlyut Circle, near the MSB Central Landfill, just past the MSB Animal Care Shelter. Follow the smells. And follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Become a member, visit our classroom, schedule a field trip, find out more about volunteer opportunities and ways you can make a difference in your community. #dontfeedthelandfills. Go to our website for more details.
Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc.
www.wasillaseniors.com
(907) 376-3104
Wasilla Area Seniors mission is to provide for the lives of seniors living in the Matanuska Susistna Valley and to enable seniors to live as independently as possible for as long as possible.
WASI provides services, resources, and activities to promote health and independence such as Club50 Fitness Center. Club50 is for individuals 50 years of age and older and provides clean, accessible exercise equipment and offers a variety of FREE fitness classes for seniors of all skill and mobility levels.
For more information, give us a call or find us on Facebook.
SCARY CHRISTIANS (SO!!)
By Arthur C. Ford, Sr.
So, your life is that bored You need a gun, you need a sword, Take a switch from a tree ---When you visit Galilee!!!
So, you’re feral, when at best Leaving blood, east to west, Frozen north to scorching south Close!!! Your “mind-dripping” mouth!!
Remember----scary christians carry guns, Christ-like Christians carry crosses!!
So, you’re mad with the world Cause he stole your cheating-girl, Got no flunky, got no toy? She stole from you, your lying boy?
So, seditious you, not we Bullets are your way to be, Here’s the proof, here’s the test You’re choking on the Eucharist!!! Remember-----scary christians carry guns, Christ-like Christians carry crosses!!
wewuvpoetry@hotmail.com
Copyright, 2023, A.C. Ford, Sr.
4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION: WHAT A BLAST!
By Yvonne Moss
Say, “Hello! Goodbye!”
To the 4th of July. It comes and goes
Why, nobody knows. Such a celebration
Deserves admiration!
A literal BLAST
Doesn’t seem to last.
Yet the night sky
Becomes alive
With light of rockets
To thrill the moppets
Who celebrate, Those who create A special nation
Deserves annotation. A year will have past
Before its next cast, Since it came too fast, How do we make it last?
MAN OH MAN
By Jeffrey Winke
so rich with powerful images and abounding histories. the crippling passage of time… I grab a sip from my coffee mug encircled with photos of a months old baby-the mug a gift to granddad so I could see the fresh extension of my lineage as I enjoy my French Roast -the cute fresh baby is now 13 and I had thought of dropping the mug and several other old mugs off at Don’s Clark Station to add to the mismatched mix of coffee mugs that Don and employees and occasional lucky customer can use when the percolator churns out a fresh pot of Folgers only problem is that Don, the Clark Station, and the bitter coffee maker are long gone, replaced by a high-rent apartment building ... to think of it there are no gas stations with backroom coffee pots and guys like Chicky who work there part time to fill in when his house painting business slows down … all gone like the footprints of windswept time never to be seen or heard of again
DEAD LETTERS
By Carolyn Nicole
Please, keep writing me. Your texts, though they were never frequent, are missed.
If you could write me a dead letter, I could feel it instead, or see it in the dew drops rolling to the pond.
Send your words into empty air, where they belong with all the other infuriating platitudes simply meant to test the waters.
Use your blocked number to send me lies. The lines that used to rule me are dead letters. Let them hit me like the rain.
EVER ENDEAVOR
By Katherine Baker
Whenever perils of life surround, wherever duty orders you bound, ever endeavor to higher ground, never surrender your homestead mound, forever there let your heart be found, whatever is courage - deeds, not sound.
Poetry & Prose PAGE 12 MID-JUL 2023
By Nan Potts
By Karly O’Loughlin
