SEPT 5-7 2025
FINDING STILLNESS IN THE STORM: ANCHORAGE MUSICIAN’S JOURNEY THROUGH DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Contributed by John’s Home Studio
When Anchorage musician John Larson opens his upcoming album “Through The Stillness, Through The Dark” with sounds that simulate psychosis, he’s not making an abstract artistic statement. He’s translating lived experience into music, pulling something beautiful from the chaos that once consumed his mind.
“I set up some microphones and just improvised for hours until I had a huge collection of sounds to process,” Larson explains of creating the opening track “Brain State 0_1.” “At the time a lot of those thoughts were larger than life. They really consumed me. I would catch on to a thought that felt good and true and would follow it until it ripped my world apart.”
The process of sculpting that opening piece - hours of automating volume and panning until it felt just right - became something magical. “I had pulled out my worries and troubles and had painted something beautiful with it,” he says. That transformation from chaos to art mirrors Larson’s nearly two-decade journey through mental health crisis, war trauma from serving as an infantryman in Iraq, homelessness, addiction, and ultimately recovery. The 15-track album, releasing July 31st, chronicles this path with track titles that read like chapters: “The Mind Collapses,” “Stumble Onward,” “Shedding Of The Old Skin,” and finally “Into The Fading Sunlight.”
“Recovery is an ongoing process so there are always things that evolve if you are on the right path,” Larson reflects. “The album ends on a question and a retreat back into old patterns. It’s hard to know where to go when you just want to hide from the light.”
Larson’s lowest point came in 2016 when a manic episode cost him his job, home, and car. After being kicked out of his parents’ house and spending terrifying nights at the homeless shelter, he finally found the courage to seek help. “One day on a Friday afternoon I had had enough. I went to the VA and said I needed help.”
The path to stability took years. After multiple hospitalizations and failed medications, he finally found treatment that worked. His therapist’s parting words proved prophetic: “Focus on the music and everything will fall into place for you.”
“That’s when the music really started to heal me,” Larson says. “I was able to quit smoking, quit weed and eventually started volunteering because I was finally out of survival mode.”
Alaska’s extreme seasons deeply influence his sound. Winter nights walking through his snow-covered neighborhood provide the album’s contemplative stillness. “It just becomes so quiet and so still, like the world has stopped just for me to journey around in it,” he describes. Summer brings the opposite energy - “loud, energetic, movement” - creating the emotional peaks that balance the introspective valleys.
The album features collaborations with local musicians Katie Wasko, Brett Lindsay, Matt Hansen, James Daggett, and Mercy Cofield. “Katie and Brett are fantastic improvisers. Everything they recorded with me was written on the spot,” Larson notes, including one piece in the challenging 11/4 time signature they navigated naturally.
Already gaining local recognition through Alaska Public Media’s “Indie Alaska” program and currently under review consideration at A Closer Listen, a respected instrumental music publication, Larson’s work demonstrates how art can transform the darkest experiences into something meaningful. As someone who now works helping families in crisis, he understands the power of bringing light into difficult moments.
“Through The Stillness, Through The Dark” will be available July 31st on band camp and streaming services everywhere and proves that sometimes the most beautiful music comes from the hardest journeys.
Find John Larson’s music at: johnlarsonak.bandcamp.com
THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR ANNUAL BENEFIT GARAGE SALE A HUGE SUCCESS!
Contributed by Rowan Holmes
We are beyond grateful to everyone who came out to support Alaska Junior Theater at our Annual Benefit Garage Sale this past weekend. Thanks to you, we raised thousands of dollars to help bring professional live arts experiences to children and families across Alaska.
A special thank-you to our incredible Board Members, all of whom showed up to pitch in and make the weekend a true success. Your time, energy, and generosity made all the difference.
Missed AJT’s Annual Benefit Garage Sale? Your chance to make a difference is far from over. All year long, you can support the magic of live performing arts by donating your gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories to FashionPact—just let them know it’s for Alaska Junior Theater.
Items can be dropped off at FashionPact, located at Lake Otis and 68th, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Why does this matter? For many children in Alaska, an Alaska Junior Theater (AJT) performance is their very first experience with live theater—an opportunity not all families can afford. AJT makes the arts accessible, bringing professional performances to young audiences who might otherwise miss out. The arts offer so much more than entertainment—they nurture empathy, spark curiosity, and inspire young minds to connect with the world in meaningful and lasting ways.
Your donation helps AJT subsidize tickets for students and low-income families, cover the cost of transportation so schools can attend, present diverse international performances that broaden worldviews, offer study guides and teacher resources
that connect performances to classroom learning, and give every child—no matter their background—a chance to dream big, think creatively, and experience the power of live performance.
Even better, when someone buys your donated item at FashionPact, they can choose another local Alaskan nonprofit (like AJT) to receive an additional 15% of the profit. That means your donation creates a ripple of kindness, reaching far beyond the stage.
Your gently used items can create unforgettable moments—from a child’s first gasp of wonder, to their laughter echoing through the theater, to students seeing beloved characters leaping from the page to the stage—it all starts with you.
It’s easy. It’s impactful. And it’s stylish. Donate today. Support tomorrow. Keep the giving going all year long.
For more info or to check out the amazing SOUNDS Like Fun! season you’ll be supporting, or to find out about season and single tickets, visit akjt.org.
We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to cheer on athletes, keep scores, wave flags, and spread high-fives (our athletes love those!). There are various other fulfilling roles available too, all of which are a breeze. By volunteering, you'll have an incredible experience and make plenty of new athlete friends!
another coloring page on page 14! HEY, YOU!
HELP US GROW OUR CALENDAR!
Submit your event and we’ll print it in the next edition!
JULY
July 19th @10AM-7PM
Bishop’s Attic 50 Year Celebration! Make A Scene
840 S Bailey St, Palmer, Bishop’s Attic (907) 745-4215
Expect Food Trucks, Giveaways, Discounts and More
July 19th @12PM
Trapper Creek’s 18th Annual Fireweed Festival
Sunshine Community Health Center 9971 East Trapper Creek Circle, Trapper Creek Community Center ssmith@sunshineclinic.org (907) 376-2273
July 25th @11AM-5PM
Hope Point Community Hike in Hope TrailMates
Hope Point Trail connect@trailmates.online
Tickets available trailmates.online
July 26th @10AM-1AM
Six Mile Creek Whitewater & Bluegrass Festival
Event by Tim Johnson Mile 3.4 Hope Highway For more information find this event on Facebook
July 27th @12PM
Eagle River Market
Eagle River Market
10950 Mausel St, Eagle River, Odd Man Rush Brewing eaglerivermarket.com
July 31st @7PM
Salmonfest Pre Party ft Free Creatures, Blackwater Railroad, Tim Easton & Katy Guillen & The Drive
Creekbend Café in Hope, Alaska 64777 2nd Street, Hope, AK
Tickets available online to purchase at linktr.ee/crkbnd
July 31st @7PM
High Step Society Live at Palmer Alehouse
Palmer Alehouse
320 E Dahlia Ave, Palmer, AK (907) 746-2537
Free Show
July 31st @7:30PM
The Music Machine
Alaska Center for the Performing Arts 621 W. 6th Ave themusicmachineanchorage.com themusicmachine@live.com (907) 223-2036
Cost ranges from $10-$25
AUGUST
August 1st @9AM
Well Child Checks & Sports Physicals
Sunshine Community Health Center
34300 South Talkeetna Spur Road HC 89 BOX 8190, Both Locations www.sunshineclinic.org (907) 491-5016
Cost: Billed to Insurance
August 16th @6PM-11PM
Houston Founders Day
City of Houston 13965 W Armstrong Rd (907) 892-6869
August 16th @2PM
Night Music
Mat-Su Flute Choir
Wasilla Public Library (907) 414-1388
August 21st @7PM-9PM
An Evening with Bill Nye the Science Guy
Alaska Center for the Performing Arts 621 W 6th Ave (907) 263-2900
Tickets available at centertix.com
Eric, Age 55 Ary, Age 6
THE MAT-SU FLUTE CHOIR PRESENTS NIGHT MUSIC
Contributed by Sara Bowen
The Mat-Su Flute Choir and friends return to the Wasilla Public Library to share music with the community with their free chamber music concert. The “Night Music” concert takes place at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 16th, at the Wasilla Public Library. Admission is free.
The Flute Choir will tour through a variety of music genres, from a Baroque concerto by Joseph Boden de Boismorteir to the modern Nightscapes by Grant Horsley. Also performing in this concert are the exceptional string instrumentalists of the Mat-Su Chamber Players.
The concert will open with an arrangement of Mozart’s Queen of the Night Aria, featuring Lara Foldenauer on solo piccolo. The bright piccolo sings atop the choir’s accompaniment, sometimes holding melodic conversations with Flute 1. Supporting underneath are the alto flutes and cello. In absence of a bass flute, Nanette Lundelle plays cello in most of the pieces, effectively grounding the atmospherically high voices of the flutes.
Mid concert, the Flute Choir breaks for the Mat-Su Chamber Players to take center stage. They will play a selection of Mozart string quartet movements and Arthur Foote’s Night Piece, featuring flute and string quartet. Night Piece is an emotional and temperamental number, at times hopeful, at times brooding in despair.
The Flute Choir returns with another collection of songs, ending with a brilliant arrangement of Fly Me to the Moon by Igor Penido. This arrangement synthesizes
The Mat-Su Flute Choir presents
MUSI C
featuring the Mat - Su Chamber Players
Bart Howard’s Jazz classic with melodies from La La Land (Justin Hurwitz), resulting in a funky and playful piece. It’s pure fun that ends another season of summer fluting. This is the third summer concert of the Mat-Su Flute Choir, started in 2023 by the flute section of the Mat-Su Concert Band. While the concert band is on hiatus for summer break, the flutes gather for the camaraderie and joy of sharing music together. Each summer culminates in bringing music to the library with a free concert.
FREE CONCERT at Church on the Rock in Wasilla
This event supports the launch of our Committed to Life school assembly — bringing suicide prevention & mental health resources to local students this fall. saturday, AUGUST 2ND • 6pm
2:00PM
2:00PM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2025
WASILLA PUBLIC LIBRARY Mat-Su Chamber Players
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2025
WASILLA PUBLIC LIBRARY
FREE ADMISSION FREE ADMISSION
ALASKA’S LARGEST EDM FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR YEAR 4 SACRED ACRE 2025 LINEUP IS HERE!
Contributed by Sacred Acre AK
NINILCHIK, AK — Sacred Acre, Alaska’s largest electronic music festival, returns for its fourth year, blending world-class music, immersive storytelling, and a mission-driven call to protect our oceans. This year’s festival, hosted in Ninilchik from September 5–7, promises to be a sanctuary for those seeking both adventure and tranquility amidst Alaska’s breathtaking landscapes. More than a festival, Sacred Acre is a convergence of sound and sustainability, where the bass echoes the urgency of protecting the Bering Sea from factory trawling and bycatch destruction.
This year’s lineup features a dynamic range of artists renowned for their vibrant performances and profound musical influence. Headliners include the globally celebrated multi-genre producer TroyBoi, known for his diverse electronic bangers and high-profile production credits. Jade Cicada also headlines, fresh from launching his new EP and a national tour, bringing his acclaimed sound design to the stage. They are joined by electronic stalwarts such as Desert Dwellers, Dirt Monkey, and Emancipator, and a lively mix of hybrid DJs and live performers including The Funk Hunters, Lazy Syrup Orchestra, G-Space, Phyphr, and
McWavy. The festival will also spotlight rising stars like Meduso B2B MLOTIK and Mantra Sounds, ensuring a richly diverse and inclusive experience alongside a bevy of local and regional artists. Stunning visuals by Actualize, Glass Crane, Stef.fx, and Tekton enhance the festival ambiance.
At Sacred Acre, music is just the beginning. While world-class performances light up the stage and bass pulses through the air, our true passion lies in environmental advocacy—specifically, fighting the devastating impacts of factory trawling. Through immersive experiences, educational workshops, and direct action, we invite every attendee to help protect our oceans and preserve the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Sacred Acre is about creating real change through music, art, and collective engagement.
Special programming and experiences: Family Super Jam and Sea Legs Stilt Troupe performances will captivate attendees of all ages. Well-being activities at the Stillwater include yoga, breathwork, ecstatic dance, cacao ceremony, and sound baths. Educational offerings include psychedelic education sessions to expand consciousness.
Excursion packages and elevated experiences:
Everlight Clearing Elevated Experience provides VIPlike services with direct liaison support to help plan your Alaskan adventure. Bumpin’ on the Bay is a cruise on Kachemak Bay featuring a national DJ. Helicopter tours depart directly from festival grounds. Alaskan adventure tours include underwater halibut spearfishing and plant foraging. Immersive characters presented by Sea Legs Stilt Troupe unveil new mysterious forces shaping the festival’s narrative.
Chris Miller, Festival Director, shares his excitement:
“With almost half of our attendees coming from outside Alaska, we’re thrilled to offer a festival experience that not only showcases spectacular music but also engages with critical environmental issues. We’re dedicated to creating a space where passion for music and responsibility towards our planet goes hand in hand.”
Tickets are now on sale, offering fans the chance to secure their spot at what promises to be one of the most unique and enriching festival experiences in North America. Extend your Sacred Acre Festival experience by venturing to nearby towns known for their epic landscapes and rich cultural history. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit sacredacreak.com
ALASKA’S FIRST VANLIFE & MUSIC FESTIVAL
Contributed by Lindra Paradise
Ever dreamed of hitting the open road and living in a camper? Here’s your excuse.
Vanstock Alaska is a four-day, three-night festival July 18–21 at the jaw-dropping, 420-acre Boyd Bison Ranch outside Palmer. Think wide-open barley fields, a private lake, and 360° mountain views—plus hundreds of outdoor-loving locals and travelers making the pilgrimage north through the Alcan.
Vanstock founder Lindra Paradise is a full-time nomad, born and raised in Palmer. A seasoned festival veteran and 2023 Alaska State Fair featured artist, she’s brought smiles and facepainting to Friday Fling, Colony Days, Salmonfest, Forest Fair, and ChikenStock. Her vision? A celebration of community, camping, music, and self-reli-
ance on Alaska’s most beautiful festival grounds.
Festival highlights include a family-friendly environment with community-building activities, 14 live bands (local and touring), skill-building workshops on solar, electrical systems, van building, and self-development, Indigenous-led drumming, dancing, and storytelling, a community raffle benefiting Native Alaskan nonprofits, a camper and classic car show, and a curated vendor village with space for over 2,000 attendees.
This isn’t a corporate expo. Vanstock is a curated camping experience—authentic, grounded, and deeply connected to the vanlife and local community.
All are welcome—RV, van, truck, motorcycle, or car-and-tent campers. Join hundreds already en route through Canada. Tickets and info: vanstock.org
Van displayed on the water front on the Vanstockgrounds private lake.
Founder of Vanstock sits on top of her van in front of the Alaska Hwy sign in Dawson Creek, Canada
Music
ZEDD JOINS ALASKA STATE FAIR CONCERT SERIES
Contributed by Melissa Keefe
Tickets on sale to general public Friday, July 11, at 10 a.m. AKDT. He’s performed at the NFL Super Bowl.
Earned a Grammy for Best Dance
Recording. Held the #1 spot at Top 40 radio for seven consecutive weeks. Sold over 5 million headlining tickets globally, racked up over 31.6 billion streams across
all platforms, and created his own sold-out music festival. And now he’s coming to the Alaska State Fair.
Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning artist, DJ, and producer Zedd will perform Friday, August 29, filling the final spot in the 2025 ConocoPhillips Alaska Concert Series line-up. The show will begin at 7 p.m. with an opening act (TBD), followed by Zedd at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 11, at 10 a.m. AKDT at alaskastatefair.org.
Since making his debut in 2012, Zedd has worked with a diverse range of artists to create hits, including Foxes on “Clarity,” Hayley Williams on the RIAA platinum-certified hit “Stay the Night,” Selena Gomez on the platinum-certified track “I Want You to Know,” Alessia Cara on their hit single “Stay,” and Maren Morris and Grey on “The Middle.” Zedd released his third studio album, the Grammy-nominated Telos, in 2024, and his 2025 Las Vegas residency with Tao Group Hospitality is currently underway. Zedd completes the Fair’s 2025 Concert Series line-up, which features
Medium Build on August 15; Rainbow Kitten Surprise on August 16; “Weird Al” Yankovic on August 17; Chris Tomlin on August 18; Warren Zeiders on August 21; Mastodon on August 22; Billy Currington on August 23; Wiz Khalifa on August 24; The Beach Boys on August 25; Sean Paul on August 28; Zedd on August 29; Foreigner on August 30; Dwight Yoakam on August 31; and David Spade on September 1.
Concert-goers can choose between concert-only tickets or tickets that include Fair admission. Included admission is discounted and valid only for the day of the concert.
Tickets that include Fair admission must be purchased by Thursday, August 14. Full ticket options and pricing details are available at alaskastatefair.org. Convenience fees apply to all online ticket purchases. Visit alaskastatefair.org for additional concert details. For more info, contact Melissa Keefe, Director of Marketing and Communications, at mk@alaskastatefair.org.
Arts
ARTIST RETREAT
Contributed by Martha Happs, Valley Fine Arts Association
Do you need a mini vacation not far from home? Somewhere quiet and peaceful—a beautiful location that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with comfortable lodgings for an overnight stay. A place surrounded by creative artists, new friends, old friends, and the energy of making art.
Come join the fun at Valley Fine Arts’ 10th Annual Fall Artists Retreat in Willow, Alaska, on August 15–17. Just far enough away on the back side of Hatcher Pass to feel like a vacation, the retreat will be held at North Star Bible Camp, just outside of Willow on 17 Mile Lake.
There will be lots to do. VFAA will be offering a variety of classes to sign up for. Friday, August 15, morning session (9:30–12:30): Nature Journaling with Barbara Johnson—Barbara will show you how to capture what you see in a journal form, sharing her own small sketchbooks from years of nature journaling; Multi-Media with Renee Morhain—learn how to incorporate paints, pens, markers and more onto canvas to create truly unique pieces; Multi-Media is a popular category at the Alaska State Fair.
Friday, August 15, afternoon session (1:30–4:30): Pet Portraits in Pastels or Oils with Gina Murrow—Gina has been a professional artist for over 40 years and will teach you how to capture your pet’s personality; Acrylic Skins with Renee Morhain—learn to create thin, flexible acrylic layers and apply them to artwork.
Saturday, August 16, morning session (9:30–12:30): Painting Paper for Collage with Chris Zafren—create color, shape, and pattern with tissue paper, stencils and textures to later tear and collage; Acrylic Mediums with Renee Morhain—learn the differences and benefits of acrylic gels and pastes and how to use them in your art.
Saturday, August 16, afternoon session (1:30–4:30): “The Eyes
Have It” with Gina Murrow—study the eye shapes, colors, and depths unique to animals and make a series of small portraits to enliven larger works; Collage Demo and Making with Chris Zafren—use your painted papers to collage a finished piece, with techniques and tips from Chris; Acrylic Landscapes with Renee Morhain—focus on creating natural colors, perspective, and composition.
Sunday, August 17, morning session (10:30–1:30): Travel Journaling with Gina Murrow—cover everything from Plein Air painting and travel sketching to flying with art supplies, packing wet paintings, and crossing borders; Silk Scarf Painting with Gina Murrow—paint an 11” x 60” silk scarf using silk paints; once ironed, it’s ready to wear. Everything is provided with class sign-up.
It’s going to be a fun retreat. If you don’t want to take a class, that’s fine—just come paint your own project. Evening bonfires and prize events will feature giveaways from sponsors including Blaines Art in Anchorage, Michaels in Wasilla, Stillman & Birn, Winsor & Newton, M. Graham and Ampersand. More info and registration at valleyfinearts.org
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.
Alaska Community Development Corporation www.alaskacdc.org (907) 746-5680
Alaska Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit agency located in Palmer, AK. Our focus is housing assistance for low-income households in Alaska. We offer housing assistance to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and most areas in Southcentral Alaska and to rural areas in Southeast and Southwest Alaska. Our housing assistance includes home weatherization; housing accessibility improvements for seniors and disabled households; & homeownership assistance including home purchase assistance, home building assistance and home loan packaging.
Our housing assistance helps to keep people safely in their homes and helps low-income households move into home ownership. All assistance is free to eligible households.
Connect Mat-Su www.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 t wo 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/connect/operation-roundup (907) 761-9300
Join MEA members in making a big impact with small change! Since 2011, the Operation RoundUp® program has raised over $2.5 million in grants for local organizations. By rounding up your electric bill to the nearest dollar each month, you can help support vital community programs and initiatives. Every penny stays local, funding projects that benefit the communities powered by ME A.
The MEA Charitable Foundation Board, made up of dedicated MEA member volunteers, reviews grant applications quarterly and awards funding to deserving causes. To apply for a grant or learn more about how to participate, visit our website today!
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 par tners, 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 w ww.healthymatsu.org to learn about scholarship and funding opportunities.
MYHouse Mat-Su Youth Housing
www.myhousematsu.org (907) 373-4357
MY House is a youth drop-in center in Wasilla that serves at-risk youth ages 14-25 from around the State of Alaska. We provide stable housing to youth that are couch surfing, unstably housed, living outside, sleeping in cars, or residing in generally unsafe situations. Our organization also gives our clients access to comprehensive wrap-around services, with on-site case management, peer support, substance abuse treatment, shower and laundry services, and meal assistance. Furthermore, we provide job training and assist with highschool completion both on and off-site. We also provide substance abuse treatment for individuals 18-25 in a supportive and welcoming environment.
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
w ww.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: Connecting those who need help with the help they need. Valley Charities, Inc. (VCI) oversees a locally owned non- profit Thrift Store, turn-A-leaf. VCI Re-entry Program assists ex-offenders to become successful citizens helping to stabilize a home, work, personal needs, and basic council. Our Homelessness Prevention Program provides financial assistance creating housing stability for Valley residents. Lastly, our Durable Medical Equipment Lending
Program supports our residents with short term equipment loans to help with their recovery from illness and injuries.
Housing Assistance: 907-354-4660; Re-Entry Assistance: 907-232-7125; Durable Medical Equipment Lending Program, see our website: valleycharities.org
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 and Saturday 8 to 5. 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.
Victory Bible Camp
www.vbcalaska.org (907) 745-4203 info@vbcalaska.org
Victory Bible Camp exists to evangelize and disciple children, youth and adults in Alaska for Jesus Christ through Christian camping. We offer programs for everyone from 2nd grade through high school. Check out our website at vbcalaska.org or call us at (907) 745-4203 to learn more about our upcoming programs!
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.
Poetry & Prose
CONNECTING WITH YOUR SOULS DREAM
Contributed by Carrie Bowell
On a misty morning, as steam rolls out of my cup, a quiet peace fills the vacant space. A warm breeze welcomes me — gently carrying away what I no longer need.
The buzzing of a bee, the flap of a magpie’s wings, and a wish to sink deeper into a dream.
With intention threaded through a greater tapestry, life begins to stir — alive with vision.
Call it magic. Call it destiny.
Or the patience of walking a steady track.
The trees whisper softly: It’s a mixture — mystical, and real.
The dedication to staying true. The whole circle, coiling into one loop. And the reflection in my cup — as the breeze scoops the steam — is a familiar face, connecting a soul with its dream.
THE WIDOW
Contributed by M. j. Bussman
Lost and alone, my love is gone All our plans that we had made have flown away as fiercely as an Alaskan wind storm.
Grief as deep as the Pacific Ocean Never to be held in his arms again Nerves to be kissed by him He was and still is my dear companion
When one gets married there is a line in the marriage ceremony that says Till Death Do Us Part But he will always be my Husband and I will always be his Wife. Death will not part us.
And The Widow Still Weeps…
EVANESCENT
Contributed by Barbara Montgomery
At seventy-five
You ask who’s still alive That helped make the time we shared. Living our futures
While shaping our pasts, And finally discovering that nothing lasts. Drifting through space
We all seek the place
Where we might stay and grow. We’re drawn into orbits With lives of their own
Each seeming like our forever home.
As time passes on Each world is gone
As parts splinter off and away. What once came together as Our framework for being Quickly or slowly always proves fleeing.
We might spin away
While others may stay, Held by their bonds of inertia.
We can try to return
To the world we liked best
But find it has gone just like all the rest. So we wait here alone
Until options are gone, Helpless to steer any course. The paths that we traveled Collapsed as we passed Revealing ahead only future now past.
JUST IN CASE
Contributed by Jeffrey Winke
rainy day porch light on just in case
downtown building jammed full of people I don’t know
wolf moon I stand
In the savage wind
FREEDOM’S COST
Contributed by Anthony Irsik
Hear the sound of freedom bells ring, On 4th of July and Juneteenth, They’re our own type of Passovers, When tyrants were humbled, lowered, At the cost of many young men, Pray their blood won’t need shedding ‘gain.
POLLINATING PLEASURE
Contributed by Carrie Bowell
These sun-draped mornings call in an enchanting flavor that can only be satisfied by the simple moments. I find myself tracing the invisible pathways of bees as they flit from bloom to bloom, gathering sweetness from the blossom. There is a kind of quiet pleasure in watching them—a reminder that we, too, can harvest small moments of delight. Pleasure doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s in the sticky fingers from a dripping popsicle. In the laughter shared under a canopy of green leaves. In the
SOUL AND SPINE
Contributed by Robert Lyons
The needle full the plunger pulled Pain relieved but for a minute fool The space within deep as a pool
It can’t ever be filled with those sorts of tools
The terror is cruel but the answer not neat
Weeping accounts of trauma steeped with the self harm of rage greets the one who wont turn the page
Face the fear, your deceits creep into mind as you mull over
Coloring Page
sudden flash of a kingfisher darting across a river’s gleam. In the shimmer of dragonfly wings catching the sun before zipping out of sight. In the cool embrace of tundra under barefoot.
Our summers are a gulp we cannot get a second drink from. We chase the days into nights and awaken with early morning. The only blessing we can offer ourselves is to ease into each day, pollinating pleasures from the present moment— sipping nectar from blooms as they blossom and watching the small earth critters take in time at a pace that softens the pleasure of the twinkling time.
the reasoning behind the choices made time after time Cross over the line and inspect your soul, accept what you hate and fill the mold
Living half a life ruled by your deeds leads you into abyss, listless and scorned
Know thyself is what you’re told But when adorned with truth you can grab ahold of the devil and boldly go up his spine into Heaven’s fold to revel in completeness
Your soul not sold
Our 9-Hole Par-3 Course & Driving Range are open. Walk-ins welcome! No tee times needed.
Arts
DRAW YOUR FAVORITE MOUNTAIN!
Contributed by Brenda Jaeger
Alaska contains the most amazing mountains with names like Sleeping Lady, Lazy Mountain, Mount Shishaldin, Denali! One cannot and does not want to ignore them. Mountains remain one of the components of a vital Alaska that draws its people to staying here.
I hear from one friend that she loves the Chugach. Even when she’s out of town, she carries an image on her desktop to make her homesick. Another friend tells me the Talkeetnas grab her attention, and she will always be faithful to them.
As for me, I would like to tell you every time I go outdoors, I fall in love with the mountains again. When I look at the size of them, it amazes me that the image I see fits into my cellphone camera.
As I drive down the Glenn Highway to Palmer, I notice the shape of the Chugach Mountains as I leave Anchorage. Yes, I do take a picture with my cell; but the best thing is to jump out of my car, grab my drawing journal or canvas and paint, and go to work.
When drawing a mountain, look for the overall shape and size of the mountain. The process sounds similar to identifying a bird, except that the mountain doesn’t move. Blocking out the form, laying in the values or darks and lights, gives you the sense of the inner qualities of the mountain you want to remember on canvas or paper.
Notice the many colors and the patterns as the trees get closer to timberline. Are the clouds commanding your attention? Are you looking at cumulus, stratus, cirrus, or lenticular clouds? Sometimes the clouds move fast, and before you know it you can’t see the mountain at all. Mystery reigns. Maybe the wind is blowing hard. Just clamp or tape down your canvas or paper to avoid the airplane “falling leaf” maneuver that the wind and the clouds are making as they play. Get to work drawing.
Use the side of the pencil or a sideways brushstroke to make
the wind and rain visible across the mountain you are working on. Attend to detail, while sometimes wiping out detail will help create mass and a sense of strength. Keep your overall shapes simple and strong at first as you work through your process.
I know that tackling a mountain is one of the most exciting images to create. The effect of your lines and shapes will be to create huge height, steep gullies and crevasses, and sharp edges a nimble foot could run along. If you also hike and climb mountains, you will pick up even more data that you can translate into quality of line, which is a thick and thin line that depicts form and space. Press down to make the line darker and thus create shadow. You lift up to make the line lighter and show where the light falls. Drawing with quality of line with help you establish your masses. What gets you excited about our landscapes in the Matanuska Valley? I have more to say about mountains! I hope to share it with you soon.
Brenda Jaeger teaches the techniques and process of art to all ages online and in her studio. Brenda has drawn and painted the Mat-su Valley for decades. See her work on Instagram: @brendajaegerartstudio. Brenda’s paintings Friends and Chickens are part of the collection of the Guidepost Pediatric, LLC, Palmer-Wasilla. She shows her work at the Georgia Blue Gallery, Anchorage, and Parsons Guitars, Independence, Kansas.
