SEE MORE ON PAGE 2 READ MORE ON PAGE 7
PAGE 2
Entertainment
VPA’S HALLOWEEN MUSICAL THRILLER: JEKYLL & HYDE Contributed by Jenna Worley, Executive Director, Valley Performing Arts
Valley Performing Arts is excited to bring you Jekyll & Hyde, the musical thriller. Jekyll & Hyde takes the stage at VPA October 16 through November 1, just in time for the spooky season! The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life in this haunting musical based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson. This evocative tale follows two men, one a romantic doctor and the other a terrifying madman, and two women, one beautiful and trusting and the other determined to trust only herself. Both women are in love with the same man, and neither is aware of his dark secret.
A devoted man of science, Dr. Henry Jekyll is driven to find a chemical breakthrough that could solve one of mankind’s most challenging dilemmas. When he decides to make himself the test subject of his own experimental treatments, he accidentally unleashes his inner demons and the man the world will come to know as Mr. Hyde. Join us for this dark and twisted tale of love, obsession, ambition and the battle between good and evil. Some content may not be suitable for all ages. Tickets are available at vpaalaska.org or by calling (907) 373-0195. Jekyll & Hyde is directed by
Jeanine Galitz and Kai West and generously sponsored by First American Title. Event Info: Jekyll & Hyde at Valley Performing Arts; October 16–November 1; tickets at vpaalaska.org or (907) 373-0195; some content may not be suitable for all ages.
Arts
PALMER ARTS COUNCIL FALL ARTIST STUDIO TOUR
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Contributed by Meggie Aube-Trammell The Palmer Arts Council is excited to host our second yearly Fall Artist Studio Tour on October 10 from 5–9pm. The Fall Tour is an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate art; for local artists to showcase their work and grow their reach; for participants to learn about local artists, get insight into how they create their pieces and support their work; and for the PAC to raise funds for our operating and programming budget. Last fall, the PAC held this event for the first time at the request of local artists who had organized similar events in the past. The tour was a smashing success for the artists, organizers and folks in attendance. This year, the PAC is growing the event and increasing the number of artists involved to 22 and the number of stops on the tour to 12! Event attendees can expect to visit the working studios of three Palmer artists: Ray Gamradt, Sandra Cook
and Pat Garley. Due to the size of the greater Palmer area and the distance between artists’ studios, the remainder of artists will be hosted by local businesses, including Lekker Coffee Shop, 203 Kombucha, The Art Café, Bleeding Heart Brewery, Turkey Red, Vagabond Blues, Alopex Interactive Design, Mat-Valley Dance and Palmer Museum. The PAC is very grateful to the businesses that have volunteered to be part of this event! At each stop, two or more artists will be set up to talk to event participants, display their artwork and give demonstrations of their creative process. Many different artistic mediums will be represented, including charcoal drawing, painting, pottery, wood turning, metal work, sculpture, fiber arts and glass work. A full list of the participating artists can be found on the PAC website. We are welcoming back some of the younger artists from our community from the Palmer High School art department. They will be stationed at 203 Kombucha, where they will be doing quick-draw sketches of
attendees. This was a favorite element of the event last year, and we’re glad to see it return this fall! This is a ticketed event, and tickets can be purchased on the PAC website at palmerarts.org and in person at Fireside Books in Palmer. Tickets are $30 general admission and $20 for PAC members. Everyone who purchases a ticket will be entered into a raffle to win prizes donated by Blaine’s Art Supply, the Palmer Museum and some of the artists on the tour. We appreciate the prize donations! Participants will also enjoy free appetizers, wine and non-alcoholic drinks at most locations. We hope you will be able to join us for a wonderful night of art in our community! Please email any questions to PAC managing director Meggie Aube-Trammell at palmerartscouncil@gmail.com. Event Info: Palmer Arts Council Fall Artist Studio Tour; October 10, 5–9pm; 12 stops in Palmer; tickets $30 general admission, $20 for PAC members; palmerarts.org; Fireside Books in Palmer; palmerartscouncil@gmail.com.
PAGE 3
Music AN ODE TO THE CELLO: MY EXPERIENCE WITH
THE MAT-SU YOUTH ORCHESTRA Contributed by Jackie Ivie
I love the cello. I love the mellow sound of it, the tenor-to-bass tonal range, and I really love playing it. During freshman year, my music teacher invited me to try out other instruments. First it was the viola, which is slightly bigger than a violin, then the cello, then the bass, but I gravitated back to the cello. It produces the most amazing sounds! I played it freshman through my senior year. I was first chair cello in that orchestra, which isn’t saying much since there was only one cellist, and my teacher’s main instruction to me was to play loud. Then...I graduated, life happened. Jobs, marriage, work, children...playing an instrument wasn’t even a consideration until my youngest daughter graduated high school. That’s when I bought a cello from one of her friends. And wonder of wonders! I actually owned a cello! You’d think I’d pick up playing again. But...no. I rarely even opened the case. So there my cello stood, in the corner of my spare bedroom, in its big case, getting dusted occasionally, but mainly ignored. All of that changed in August 2024 as I was skimming Facebook. I came across a post about the Mat-Su Youth Orchestra (MSYO). Here? In the Valley? There’s a group of musicians playing instruments together? The MSYO was signing up musicians of intermediate skill level, with an age range of 12 to 102! It had been 48 years, but I figured I could maybe still play...but there was a snag. To sign up, you needed a report or something from
a music teacher vouching for the requisite skill level. What to do? I didn’t have a music teacher; heck, I didn’t even remember the notes the strings were tuned to. But I had a yearbook from 1977! I worried it wouldn’t be enough. Timidity was my companion as I entered Iditarod Elementary with my yearbook. It was an immediate hit! I’m not sure how to describe it, but it felt like being welcomed into a special clan, even if I didn’t deserve to be there. The first day was exciting and wow, was it ever intimidating. Actual music teachers were sprinkled throughout the students, in violin and viola, but not one in cello. I felt like a fraud. Even more astonishing, there were nine cellos that first day! Nine! I’d never been in what felt like a sea of cellists. I gravitated to the back, and I felt out of my league almost immediately. I turned to my chair partner to ask him if the first note on the music piece we were about to play was where I had placed my index finger. I didn’t know the note, but I figured if I had the first one correct, I might be able to follow along. The look on his face was priceless, as he told me I had it correct. Before that first practice ended, I was fully immersed again in why I fell in love with the cello. I’d forgotten the joy of playing in an orchestra, as well. There’s a distinct thrill to hear how the notes from the cello section combine with the other instruments to produce a blend of sound that borders on the divine. Each selection of music was unique, challenging and altogether enjoyable... and that’s before we took the stage at a real concert. I’d forgotten how it felt: scared, nervous, excited
and thrilled. There’s something truly special about the MSYO, too. It’s not just the players, the skill level, the wonderful blend of sounds or the camaraderie. It’s the conductor, Kai West. To follow her lead is something every musician should experience. She gives praise when warranted and she doesn’t spare instruction. All I’d ever been told about playing cello was to play loud, and even given a microphone. I had no idea I was holding my left hand wrong, as if it was a violin, until Kai corrected me. I’m on my third year with the MSYO. I absolutely love it and playing cello even more. So much so that I replaced my beginner cello last year with the most amazing cello imaginable. Monday nights spent practicing with the MSYO are an absolute highlight of my life. I found out the obvious: playing the cello isn’t just a fun class I took for high school credit. The MSYO brought back a joy I’d thought lost and forgotten. The new season is just starting, so if there’s anyone out there like me: older, rusty, out-of-practice, intimidated...don’t let any of that stop you. The Mat-Su Youth Orchestra is open to ages 12 through 102, and you won’t find a more welcoming space. www.msyo.org
Books
JOYFUL JOB, LIFE IN ALASKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1974–1999 Contributed by Linda Myers-Steele
really happens inside schools, told by the person everyone trusts and everyone calls first. Anyone who has ever worked in, learned in or simply worried about public schools will come away with renewed appreciation for the people who show up every day for kids. Joyful Job is available at Black Birch Books in Wasilla, Homer Book Store, Spirit Mountain Gallery in Chitina, Amazon.com and steele@mtaonline.net. Linda will be present at the Holiday Market at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wasilla on Saturday, October 3.
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Joyful Job, Life in Alaska Public Schools 1974–1999 is a book written by Linda Rose Myers-Steele, a former administrative secretary at Wasilla Junior High School, Central School Administration and Pioneer Peak Elementary School in the Mat-Su Valley. From the first ring of the morning bell in 1974 to her final day in 1999, Myers-Steele had a front-row seat to life in Alaska’s public schools. In this engaging memoir, she invites readers behind the office counter to witness the joy, chaos and constant change that
shaped a quarter century of education in the Last Frontier. With a sharp eye and compassionate heart, Linda shares stories of dedicated teachers, heroic nurses, creative principals, unforgettable students and the unsung support staff who kept schools running through fires, earthquakes, budget crunches and boom-and-bust pipeline years. From moose on the playground to Black Hawk helicopters on the ball field, trips gone sideways to tender moments with vulnerable children, her “joyful job” comes vividly to life. Joyful Job is a ground-level look at what
PAGE 4
Poetry & Prose FAREWELL FAIR, FOR ANOTHER YEAR 12 DEGREES & BEAUTIFUL
Contributed by Randi Perlman Another fair has come and gone But memories of it linger on
Demo derby and monster trucks Rodeo and bike-riding stunts
The Alaska State Fair keeps us on our toes As we wander the trails in our wacky fair clothes
Have I mentioned music? Oh my, there’s lots Mariachi to bluegrass, country to rock
Fun & excitement wherever we look Each daily schedule, a well-read book
Many fine concerts on the Borealis stage Have something to offer for any age
Creeping through traffic on the well-worn path Hoping the parking lot’s not a mud bath
And always a tribute to Alaska’s Balladeer, Hobo Jim, we miss you and still hold you near
infant, some offspring of Zeus or Luna or the two.
The lines begin at our favorite gate But once we get in, always worth the wait
There’s dancing & wrestling and joke-telling, too And oh, by the way, did I mention FOOD??
There are a few stars bright up there, the air clear, and so cold
We all have our reasons for wanting to be there, What is it that draws us back year after year?
From one end to the other, along every trail Is a feast for the hungry, and that ain’t no tale
it reminds me of nights I walked the shores of old Lake Michigan
The many exhibits that change all the time? Like glowing fish and amazing reptiles
Burgers, seafood, dumplings, nachos Cool down with ice cream and warm up with bread bowls
with Joe and Ann bundled and breathing through scarves, our legs cold in our
How about dinos from the age of giants? Or Twiggy the squirrel showing water defiance?
The many food vendors will keep you from starving And then there is always the magic wood carving
levis. The thermometer tonight is stuck on twelve degrees as I drive
Maybe it’s something more simple than that Like an antique tractor or a strong lumber jack
Shop vendors offer enticing choices And the rat races elicit many loud voices
home through my empty town there’s no one out who doesn’t
Have you ever seen an ostrich be ridden? Or the best of Alaska on stage and fiddlin’?
There’s more I could say but alas, time has come To bid farewell to the fair until the next one
need to be, or who doesn’t want to be desperately. Eyes wide, my heart races,
A place that celebrates beards and mullets Along with cows, sheep, goats, and pullets!
It’s always a little bit sad to say bye But it will return in the blink of an eye
Agriculture and farming started it all And Alaskans don’t grow anything small
The spectacular drone show lit up the sky With the fair’s unique story, a special good-bye
Giant pumpkins and cabbage, too What kid doesn’t love the farm petting zoo?
See you all next year, same time, same place When we’ll do it again, at the same crazy pace!
The flower and veggie exhibits are boss The Equestrian Center celebrates the horse!
Special thanks to the garden crew for the amazing flower designs all around the fairgrounds, a huge task magnificently accomplished each year
Contributed by Charles Rossiter The moon is a silver sickle in the deep night sky, a half-hoop curled like a cradle for a mythological
quiet piano jazz on the car stereo, that feeling of doing something right, for no other reason than being here, now, breathing in the night.
A PENNY SAVED MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Contributed by Robert Lyons
A dollar spent today on pleasure is gone tomorrow when hunger persists. A penny put away for a future meal piles peace upon the plate in plenty.
NON-PROFIT DIRECTORY 2026 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 volun-teers 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 reha-bilitation. 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 Cen-ter. 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; hous-ing 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, educa-tion, food, health, housing, legal services, social con-nection, 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 pro-grams, 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 MEA. 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!
We offer a diverse range of course offerings from open enrollment summer adventure courses, profes-sional development courses, to year-round after-school and homeschool opportunities. Check out our website at www. onwardandupward.org for more information!
REACH 907 www.reach907ak.org
info@reach907ak.org | 907-745-6200 Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and heard. At REACH 907, we walk alongside Alaska’s youth—helping them build resilience, discover their worth, and find their voice through compassionate, trauma-informed care. Through therapeutic foster care, behavioral health services, case management, learning support, and youth programs, we meet children where they are and help them move forward with strength, resilience, and hope for what’s ahead. REACH stands for Restoring, Empowering, and Strengthening Alaska’s Children and Homes—a mission lived out every day, in every relationship. If a child or family is struggling, don’t wait. Connection changes everything. Reach out today and let’s take the first step -- together.
Mat-Su Health Foundation
Special Olympics Alaska Mat-Su Community Program
www.healthymatsu.org
www.specialolympicsalaska.org
(907) 352-2863
(907) 631-8591
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, conven-ing 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 develop-ment, transportation, housing, and senior services. Visit www.healthymatsu.org to learn about scholar-ship and funding opportunities.
The Special Olympics Alaska Mat-Su Community Pro-gram is an accredited program of Special Olympics Alas-ka, 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.
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 high-school 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 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 evidencebased 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.
United Way of Mat-Su www.unitedwaymatsu.org
550 S Alaska St., Suite 205 Palmer AK (907) 373-5807 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 collabora-tion 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) over-sees 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 creat-ing housing stability for Valley residents. Program supports our residents with short term equip-ment 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 ven-ues for the arts, and to help promote art related events. Join us at our informal weekly meetings, every Thursday @ 11 at Sophia’s Cafe 10697 E Palmer-Wasilla Highway. 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 Monday-Saturday 8 to 5, Closed Sunday. 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 info@vbcalaska.org
(907) 745-4203 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 possi-ble for as long as possible. WASI provides services, resources, and activities to promote health and independence such as Club50 Fit-ness 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.`
PAGE 6 MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Funnies
Abagail, 7
Jacyln, 13
Agatha, 10
Othnid, 8
PEAKS & PETALS: For lifelong Alaskan artist Jennifer Dawkins, inspiration is never very far away. It might be found in a mountain range on the horizon, a cluster of wildflowers along a trail or simply in the colors and light of a familiar landscape. Her current exhibition, “Peaks & Petals,” at The Art Cafe in Palmer, brings together two sides of that inspiration: vibrant floral paintings and colorful mountain scenes painted on everything from snowboards and skis to canvas and paper. Together, the collection celebrates the natural beauty of the places so many Alaskans call home. Working in vibrant colors and multiple mediums, Dawkins creates artwork that is playful, energetic and deeply connected to nature. Her goal is not simply to recreate the landscape, but to capture the feeling of being in it. “Much like a good hike in nature, creating art allows me to be completely present and immersed in the moment,” Dawkins says. “I want people to feel a little of that same joy when they look at my work.” That sense of joy has become an important part of Dawkins’ artistic philosophy. She hopes her paintings give viewers the feeling of bringing a little bit of the outdoors home with them, a colorful reminder of the landscapes, flowers and wild places that make this part of the world special. Her path toward becoming a full-time artist has been a long one. Dawkins has been creating art since childhood, selling pieces here and
there and taking on projects from small logo designs to large murals. But like many of us, she viewed her passion and creativity as something that had to exist alongside a more traditional career, working fulltime jobs while creating when time allowed. One year ago, after being laid off from her full-time job, Dawkins decided it was time to take a chance on something she had loved for most of her life: making art. In some ways, she had been preparing for it since childhood, constantly creating anything from doodles to doll making. Today, Dawkins is building that childhood dream into a career, sharing her work through local markets, community events, galleries and solo exhibitions. And while the landscapes and flowers may be the subjects of her work, joy is really at the heart of it. “I want my art to make people smile and feel a sense of joy,” she says. That is perhaps the best way to experience “Peaks & Petals”: as an invitation to slow down, take in the color, reconnect with nature and enjoy the beauty that is already all around us. You can view her solo show at The Art Cafe through the entire month of September, located at 131 E. Blueberry Ave., Palmer. Her work can also be found at Spunky Monkey in Wasilla, located at 461 W. Parks Hwy., and now in the Captain Cook Co-op Art Gallery in downtown Anchorage in the Captain Cook Hotel.
LOCAL ARTIST FINDS JOY IN THE BEAUTY OF HOME
PAGE 7
Music
Find and follow at jenniferdawkins.com or on Instagram @AK_Soul_Art MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
PAGE 8
Entertainment
FOUR AMAZING SHOWS. ONE VERY GOOD EXCUSE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Contributed by Rowan Holmes What do a mad hatter, a scientist, recycled instruments and a particularly stinky cheese have in common? They’re all coming to Alaska Junior Theater’s stages this season. Once Upon a Twist, Alaska Junior Theater’s 2026– 2027 season, brings four wildly different performances to Anchorage. For more than 45 years, AJT has brought professional live theatre and performing artists from around the world to Alaska’s children and families. AJT is not a program where kids perform for other kids. We bring professional artists and touring productions to Alaska, giving young audiences the opportunity to see exceptional theatre, music and performances right here at home. For students, that can mean their first time sitting in a theater. For families, it means discovering performances together they might never otherwise have the chance to see in Alaska. Meet the Hatter: Joss Arnott Dance; December 5, 2026, at 2pm. The Mad Hatter gets his own show in a colorful, energetic production combining dance, storytelling, music, magical lighting and animation. Arrive an hour early for activities, free book giveaways and fun with the Alaska Children’s Museum. Stay after the show for a Milk & Cookie Reception, meet the Hatter in person and join the Cake Walk. Or join us at 11:42am for a Mad Hatter Tea Party before the Saturday matinee. Tea Party tickets only by calling (907) 272-7546.
Doktor Kaboom in Look Out! Science is Coming!; February 13, 2027, at 2pm. Science gets spectacular in this interactive STEAM comedy show packed with live demonstrations, experiments, audience participation, humor, laughs, surprises and a few things that might just go KABOOM! Arrive an hour early for hands-on activities, free book giveaways and fun with the Alaska Children’s Museum. Stay after the show for a Milk & Cookie Reception and meet Doktor Kaboom in person, then stick around for the Cake Walk. Scrap Arts Music in Phonk: Rewired; AJT Annual Benefit & Public Show; March 27, 2027. Benefit begins at 5pm. Show begins at 8pm. Scrap Arts Music creates instruments from industrial scrap and discarded materials, then turns them into an energetic, physical performance that is part music, part theatre and entirely its own thing. Upgrade to a Benefit Ticket for live and silent auctions, a no-host bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres and dessert, exclusive access to the After Party and a live performance of Scrap Arts Music in the Atwood Concert Hall. Local businesses and organizations are invited to take part by purchasing rows and hosting info booths during the event. This is a unique opportunity to connect with attendees, share sustainability practices and showcase how your work supports a greener future. Think globally, act locally!
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales: Griffin Theatre; May 1, 2027, at 2pm. The Stinky Cheese Man brings the wonderfully warped world of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith’s beloved book to the stage, filled with fractured fairy tales, unexpected endings and characters who refuse to follow the rules. Arrive an hour early for activities, free book giveaways and a visit from the Alaska Children’s Museum. Stay after the show for a Milk & Cookie Reception and a chance to meet The Stinky Cheese Man and the cast, then don’t skip the Cake Walk. That’s the fun of an AJT Season Ticket. You aren’t buying four versions of the same kind of performance. You’re getting four very different productions that let your family experience just how broad live theatre can be. The Family Fun Series includes all four shows, while the Choose-Your-Own Series lets you select any three shows. Both options save you 20% off single-ticket prices. Get tickets now at Centertix.com or by calling (907) 263-ARTS. See you in the theatre! Alaska Junior Theater’s 2026–2027 Once Upon a Twist season; Meet the Hatter, December 5, 2026, 2pm; Doktor Kaboom in Look Out! Science is Coming!, February 13, 2027, 2pm; Scrap Arts Music in Phonk: Rewired, March 27, 2027, benefit at 5pm and show at 8pm; The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, May 1, 2027, 2pm; tickets at Centertix.com or (907) 263-ARTS.
REMEMBERING ALASKAN FOLK HERO JUSTIN BOOT Contributed by Rob Woosley
And there were no filters. If Boot thought it, Boot said it. Years later, Todd was playing some little hole-in-thewall in Nashville when he looked up and saw a familiar silhouette walk through the door. Boot. Freaking Nashville. Asked what the hell he was doing there, Boot’s explanation was essentially that he was “in the neighborhood.” Alaska. Tennessee.Same general area.They talked music and songwriting, and then Boot disappeared again. So, let’s reconsider Outlander. Revolutionary fur-trapper appearance. Mysterious arrivals. Disappearances. Todd’s portals. Nashville. I’m just saying. Maybe Diana Gabaldon owes the Boot estate royalties. There really was something mythical about Justin. He deserves more than being reduced to the circumstances of his death. He deserves mythology, exaggeration and stories that become increasingly questionable with every retelling. Some outright bullshit. Because some people don’t fit inside an obituary. They become folklore. With Boot, I’m not convinced there was ever much distinction between the man and the legend. There aren’t many places left capable of producing—or tolerating—a Justin Boot. Alaska is one of them. And it’s a little quieter, weirder and dimmer without him. But I’m not completely sold on this whole “gone” business. Maybe somewhere between Spenard and Chickaloon, Trapper Creek and Anderson, Fairbanks and Homer, there’s a portal hidden back in the alders, accessible only through the right combination of Johnny Konkra root, mojo, PBR and poor decision-making. Boot knew where it was. Of course he freaking did. Maybe that crazy son of a bitch just stepped through it. Tall boy in hand. Sideburns magnificent. Probably not wearing enough clothing. Somewhere on the other side, there’s a fire and somebody passing a guitar around. Something moves in the shadows. Out of the thicket steps this giant, unkempt bastard. He grins. “Can I join the jam? “Yeah, Boot. You can join the freaking jam.
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Who empties half a tall boy of PBR onto the ground, fills it back up with orange juice, and then slams the whole damn thing in about five seconds? Maybe two or three. Justin Boot. That’s who. Boot demanded a double take anytime he walked into a room. Not just because he was tall, dark and handsome, but because he often looked like he’d walked straight out of 1770s Revolutionary-era America and somehow taken a wrong turn into Spenard. Some French fur trader wandering out of Iroquois country carrying a large knife and absolutely no explanation for where he’d been. I swear that’s probably where they got the idea for Outlander. Somebody saw Boot stumble out of the woods and thought, “What if the mountain man is actually a time traveler?” More on that later. I’m most fond of the sideburn era. I’d tell him he had the best sideburns this side of the Yukon River. Nobody argued. Unkempt is another word that fit him beautifully. Imagine 1980s Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Tecumseh and some bastard from Little House on the Prairie all morphed into one person. That was Boot. He was Spenard. He was Chickaloon and Trapper Creek rolled into one blunt of a man. He knew exactly who he was and, by God, he wasn’t hiding any of it. Sometimes quite literally. As I write this, it occurs to me that I don’t think I’ve seen another grown man’s penis in public as many times as I’ve seen Justin Boot’s. How in the hell was his penis the same tone as his face? The dude never had a farmer’s tan? Not even on his manhood? I’m not looking for an answer. I’m simply pointing out that Boot apparently committed to the lifestyle year-round and without exception. But I digress. The man had mojo. I use that word deliberately because mojo leaves room for mysticism. There wasn’t anything evil about his aura, but there was some dark, old magic behind it. Johnny Konkra root and mojo hands, to be sure.
Something backwoods. Something bluesy. Something ancient. My buddy Todd captured this perfectly in his own remembrance of Boot. Todd remembered how the guy would seemingly materialize around late-night festival fires. One minute you’re picking. The next, Boot is coming out of the freaking woods looking like some combination of mountain man, road warrior and escaped historical reenactor. Todd eventually arrived at the only reasonable explanation: Justin Boot had access to portals. Honestly, it explains a lot. Boot was everywhere and nowhere—festivals, campfires, highways, usually accompanied by musicians, hippies, drifters, Deadheads and people who somehow always knew where the next festival was despite having no discernible form of employment. Which reminds me: How many Deadheads does it take to change a lightbulb? One to change it—and 10,000 to follow it around until it burns out. I’m not entirely convinced Boot wasn’t the freaking lightbulb. People followed him because wherever Boot was, something was probably happening. But underneath the sideburns, nudity, knives, questionable vehicles and possible interdimensional travel was something important: The man actually did shit. Boot decided to start a bluegrass festival. Todd was understandably skeptical. Boot did it anyway. Then kept doing it for more than twenty freaking years. I’ve spent enough of my life around live music to know how remarkable that is. It requires vision, stubbornness, perseverance, community and just enough insanity to ignore everyone telling you it’s a terrible idea. Boot believed in music and bringing people together. Musically, he wasn’t a musician’s musician. He was a drummer, not a picker. A belter, not a singer. But above everything else, he was a performer.
PAGE 9
Music
PAGE 10
Poetry & Prose A VIEW FROM A SILO Contributed by George Wilkinson
The Air Force transferred Dad to Nebraska to work on generators supporting several Nike missile sites. We lived in an old farmhouse surrounded by corn and soil bank. When Dad got orders to Viet Nam, he made numerous arrangements, including for me to work on old Mr. Dwyer’s milch cow farm. My favorite thing was the silo. I would pause from pitching the silage to enjoy the warmth and sweet smell of fermentation and look out over the barn and fields. Still a favorite sensory memory. During one such pause, I noticed a metallic shine along the foundation of the barn. Later, I came in for lunch after spreading manure over a future soybean field. I took off my encrusted jacket and hat and washed up before sitting to table. “Mr. Dwyer, I noticed a metallic shine along the north side of the barn’s foundation.” Mr. Dwyer never took his eyes off his lunch, replying between bites, “There are certain metals that, when placed between the concrete foundation and barn wood, bugs won’t cross. Better living through chemistry. Or metallurgy. Whatever. The important thing is, it’s better.” Later, I walked around the barn and became con-
ASCENSION
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
Contributed by George Wilkinson II
Mitch’s job was to monitor disturbances in the forces, so it fell to him to deliver the news to his boss. “… and it seems they’re popping in indiscriminately.” “Can you communicate with them?” “Some. They call themselves Ascended Ones. They are following in the path of the Ascended Masters.” He took a puzzled pause. “Whoever they are.” Mitch’s boss, Roscoe, moaned out loud. “Some of us went to Earth on vacation a while back and got too involved. It was one thing to make friends, but we let our true selves be known. A travel ban had to be issued. Now it’s coming around to bite us. And they warped everything we taught them.” “Ah. I see. But what’s wrong with them, sir? Are they bad?” “You know how it is. The calm, beautiful place you live in gets discovered,” and here he made air quotes around discovered, “then everyone wants to move in, and there goes the neighborhood.” “Aren’t you being a little harsh, sir? I mean, there aren’t very many, and they haven’t been here very long.” Roscoe was unrepentant. “Harsh? Absolutely. His-
vinced someone was tugging hard on my leg. The foundation wasn’t capped by metal. It was metal. “I’ve been meaning to cover that but never got around to it.” He looked frustrated. “Getting old, I guess.” An Aeolian sigh ensued. “It’s a spaceship. We wanted to escape the rat race on our planet, so we came here.” Well, so much for him being a drag-line operator until his wife inherited the farm. “We buried the ship and built the barn on top. We’ve loved our life here but can’t stay. We’re returning for treatment for this old age thing, then maybe we’ll go somewhere else. It’s a big universe.” “Will the girls go with you?” “I noticed you noticing Riley. You should make a move. A beautiful, busty girl with a love of the outdoors and above-average intelligence? What’s not to love?” “If it’s been sitting so long, can it still fly? What about the barn?” “Geeze, kid. I’m tryin’ to sell you on my daughter, and you walk right over it like... Never mind. Our people have been passing down ownership of this farm, and though Mary wants to stay with us, Riley wants the farm. She won’t need a barn.” “So, you think I have a chance with Riley?” “Absolutely. She’s an illegal alien, though. Having a husband from here would be expedient. It wouldn’t
be a love thing at first, but love might come later.” “But weren’t they born here?” “In this house, yes, but no doctor, just a midwife my people use. The girls aren’t human genetically, but they are culturally.” I had to think. Shoot fire, I wasn’t even out of high school yet. “So, I’d stay here until graduation? What about college, military?” “Come with me,” he said as he fought long and loud to break free of his easy chair. In the barn, we passed the bulk tank and DeLaval equipment and entered a small room with a hatch in the floor. The hatch rose. It was the roof of an elevator. “After you.” Dodgy. Definitely dodgy. At the bottom, lights came on in a room larger than the barn. Mr. Dwyer opened a door. On the other side was a veritable Fort Knox. He smiled. “You two will have this,” he pointed to the hoard, “and the ship. Do what you want. Mrs. Dwyer and I wanted to get back to basics; living off this would have put the lie to it. Besides, we don’t use these metals back home.” When we got back to the house, Mr. Dwyer gathered Riley and Mrs. Dwyer and filled them in on filling me in. Riley had always made me weak in the knees, but now she also looked dangerous. She turned to me and asked simply, impossibly simply, “Well?”
tory teaches that they want to escape where they are but bring their old ways, which means eventually the new place will become like the old one and they will complain again. In the meantime, they need someone else’s resources because they are never prepared.” “Look out sir!” Mitch hadn’t detected that one before it landed. “Wow, was that close or what? She popped in right beside you.” The newbie looked around like she was stunned that she’d actually made it. “Hey. Where am I? And I need something to eat; my blood sugars are in the tank because I was fasting. Did it work? Looks like it worked.” She noticed their expressions of disbelief and distaste. “Am I in the wrong place? Isn’t this The Higher Plane?” Roscoe’s vexation piqued, “In answer to your first question, you are here, although even we aren’t sure where here is. To your second question, why didn’t you bring something for your glycemic problem? And as for the last question, as far as I’m concerned, yes, absolutely you are in the wrong…” “Sir!” Mitch did catch that one before it landed. “Deep breaths, sir.” Roscoe breathed deeply a couple of times, then, “Okay. Look. You’re not on a higher plane; you’re on another plane. Did you bring any money?” “Money? Isn’t stuff free here? Like a bed for tonight?”
“I’m thinkin’ you dialed a wrong number when you did your ascension mumbo jumbo.” Roscoe’s sarcasm was lost on her. “Dialed? What phone?” Mitch tried to mediate, “Roscoe means you misunderstood ascension. We’re technologically more advanced, but we’re also just people. We tend our own gardens and clean our own toilets.” He shrugged, “You know. Life.” “This is really disappointing. Don’t we elevate our spiritual selves so we can achieve a better life on a higher plane?” “A better life in situ!” Roscoe tried to be patient, but his patience was being tried. “Wherever you were planted, that’s where you live an enlightened life.” “Really, really disappointing. I’m starting to feel negative vibrations. Besides, I’m not sure about telling people to stay home. There’s a whole industry grown up around the ascension thing: books, videos, lectures, retreats. Lots of people are making lots of moolah.” Roscoe reiterated the important stuff, “Elevate your world to the status of Higher Plane. And again, tell the others that y’all are a bit of a pain in the collective backside of this place. This plane. Whatever.” “Well! I never!” “That is painfully obvious. Now, shoo.”
Music
www.susitnabrewing.com
HOBO JIM: AN ARCHIVE OF ALASKA IN SONG
Contributed by Michael B. Dillon MoonDog Media The screen wasn’t working quite right. It was the first day we were showing the Hobo Jim concert at the Alaska State Fair, and I was nervous. After countless hours working on this project, I was worried I hadn’t gotten it right, as every artist does. About three songs in, I looked toward the top of the bleachers. Sitting there alone was a big, burly man who looked like he’d spent his life working with his hands. He was watching Hobo. Then he pulled off his glasses and wiped a tear away with those rough, calloused hands. That’s when I realized we’d created something more special than I had understood. The project began when Hobo’s wife, Cyndi, brought me some concert footage and asked what we could do with it. Joe Ray Skhra had preserved recordings from more than 300 Hobo Jim performances, including audio recorded directly from Hobo’s sound system. The concert we chose first was from 2010, the final night of BJ’s Saloon in Soldotna. BJ’s was a second home to Hobo, a place he loved, and many of his favorite people were there. Early in the show comes the moment that convinced me this had to be the first concert we restored. If you ever attended a show, you know that whenever Hobo sang about a wolf or coyote, audiences would howl back with gusto. That night at BJ’s, the crowd howled. Hobo paused, leaned into the microphone and said, “Man, that’s something I’m gonna really miss about this place.” He
was talking about BJ’s, but watching it today, those words land differently. When I first began mastering the concert, I approached it like any other recording. I added processing and effects, trying to polish the sound. Then I realized I was going in the wrong direction. It wasn’t supposed to sound like an old Hobo Jim recording polished with modern technology. It was supposed to sound like Hobo was standing onstage in front of us. So, I started taking things away, chipping at the rough edges until I had the best live sound I could muster from the 16-year-old recording. And it worked. Cyndi gave me the best review I could have received. She told me that when she closes her eyes, she forgets it’s a video. It feels like he’s right there on the stage again. Throughout the fair, I watched other people experience their own versions of that moment. Nita Dukes, a longtime fixture in the Valley, wrote about arriving for a shift at the Sluice Box. She got out of her car and heard Hobo’s voice coming from the Woodlot stage. Not a CD playing in the background, but Hobo telling one of his amazing stories in between songs. It stopped her in her tracks. For so many Alaskans, Hobo wasn’t simply a musician. He was a storyteller who could play guitar, not the other way around. He sang about fishermen, mushers, the railroad, frontier life, history, love and the people he met along the way. He was hilarious. He could command a stage with one guitar, then spend nearly his entire break on the steps beside it listening intently to one person. He was, in many ways, an archive of Alaska in song. And Hobo’s influence reaches far beyond the songs and stories already recorded. That’s why I’m excited about the Dr. James “Hobo Jim” Varsos Theater being developed in Wasilla. Cyndi describes a place where young people can learn by doing. Musicians can learn how to perform and connect with an audience, while young sound engineers, lighting technicians and production people learn with experienced professionals beside them. That’s the kind of teaching Hobo believed in: passing along what you know so the next person can take it somewhere new. Someday, a kid who never had the opportunity to meet Hobo may walk into a theater bearing his name and ask who he was. My answer is simple. Hobo was a man who loved Alaska, loved people, loved music, and loved watching talent grow, develop and become art. I can’t think of a better legacy than giving future generations a place to do exactly that.
5120 S BIG LAKE RD. 907-892-2336
PAGE 12
Coloring Page FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
AGE
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
MAILING ADDRESS
Send in your coloring page and you can win a gift card to a local business!
PAGE 13
Calendar Funnies of Events
HELP US GROW OUR CALENDAR! SEPTEMBER Mondays, September 21-October 19 @ 6:30PM-8PM Mat Su Youth Orchestra Registration/Rehearsal Mat Su Youth Orchestra Iditarod Elementary School 455 E Carpenter Cir, Wasilla matsuyouthorchestra907@gmail.com msyo.org Cost: $100 September 26 @ 10AM-2PM Pioneer Peak Hike to 1st Table Revel Adventure Club Palmer Registration required reveltreksandtours.com/events September 26 @ 12PM Palmer Elks Lodge Car Show & Sock Hop Palmer Elks Lodge #1842 Elks Lodge at Finger Lake (907) 745-3950 September 26 @ 5PM-10PM Mat-Su Kabayan Filipino American Community 16th Annual Gala Kabayan Inc. Raven Hall, Alaska State Fairgrounds (907) 322-9463 Cost: $10
Submit your event & we’ll print it in the next edition!
September 29 @ 1PM Memory Café Alzheimer’s Resource Alaska Wasilla Area Senior Center jdowning@alzalaska.org (907) 746-3413
October 1 @ 6:30PM Iron Beauty 1-Year Anniversary Celebration Iron Beauty Health & Wellness 609 S Knik Goose Bay Rd, Suite B
OCTOBER October 3 @ 10AM-4PM Holiday Market Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 501 E Bogard Rd, Wasilla (907) 376-3522 office@goodshepherdluth.org goodshepherdluth.org Free admission October 3 @ 11AM Third Annual Frost Fest: Winter Resource Expo and Canned Food Drive Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation Palmer Train Depot info@revelak.com (907) 903-1664 October 3 & 4 @ 11AM-6PM Alaska Whole Life Festival 3450 Aviation Ave, Anchorage alaskawholelifefestival.com Cost: $10/day or $5/day for seniors 65+, military and students with ID
October 6 @ 10:30AM Valley Garden Club Regular Meeting and Program Valley Garden Club Grace Community Church 900 E Leatherleaf Loop, Wasilla (907) 982-7570 golfdrum2@gmail.com Cost: $20 annual membership fee
October 7 @ 5:30PM Butte: Revel Ramble Revel Adventure Club Palmer Free for Revel Adventure Club members and first-time attendees; $15 for all others reveltreksandtours.com/events October 10 @ 7AM Leaves of Change Online Auction Valley Charities 400 N Yenlo St, Wasilla October 18 @ 5PM Alaska Day Dinner and Famous Dessert Auction Wasilla Knik Historical Society Evangelos Restaurant (907) 376-7755 Cost: $65 October 18 @ 5PM Wild Su Feast Susitna River Coalition Denali Brewing, Talkeetna Cost: $10-$30
Click submit event! www.MakeAScene.media
Thursday, September 24, 2026 Flamingo Lounge, Seward 8pm–10:30pm Sunday, September 27, 2026 Seldovia Arts Council / Sea Otter Community Center, Seldovia // 4pm–7pm Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Bleeding Heart Brewery, Palmer // 4pm–7pm Thursday, October 1, 2026 Everett’s / Mat-Su Resort, Wasilla // 6pm–9pm Friday, October 2, 2026 Fairview Inn, Talkeetna // 8pm–11pm Saturday, October 3, 2026 Lat 65 Brewing Company, Fairbanks 6pm–9pm
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
WWW.MAKEASCENE.MEDIA | 907-373-2698
WINTER IS ON THE WAY! Contributed by Sierra Winter
Custom Snowmobile Wraps, the Sierra Winter Way! The temperatures are dropping. The leaves are changing. There is even snow falling in some areas, including Hatcher Pass. YEEHAW. I am allowed to be this excited. My middle name is literally Winter. But those first hints of snow mean something else to me as a snowmobile wrap designer: we are rapidly approaching the time of year when everybody and their sister sees the first real snowfall, looks at the sled in the garage and thinks: Oh yeah. I wanted a new wrap this year. So, from your friendly neighborhood graphic designer: don’t wait for the snow. Let’s start designing now. You don’t have to know exactly what you want. One of the biggest misconceptions about ordering a custom wrap is that you need to come to me with the whole design figured out. You don’t. That’s my job. Every custom wrap I create starts from scratch. We talk about colors, styles, logos, things you love, things you absolutely hate and whatever weird ideas are floating around in your head. Then I create something specifically for you and your sled. Every custom design includes three full drafts, meaning there is room to make changes.
Community
That said, I’m pretty proud to say most of my projects lately have been closing on Draft 2, sometimes even Draft 1 when I’m given enough info up front. The secret? Give me info. Send screenshots. Send colors. Send wraps you love and wraps you hate. Tell me you want “clean but aggressive,” “girly but not too girly” or some bizarre collection of words that makes perfect sense inside your head. I speak fluent visual Khaos, pun intended. “But Sierra, I don’t even know what sled I’m buying yet.” That’s okay! We can start now. We’ll base your quote and initial template on the sled you hope to buy or ride. If that changes, we can move your design onto the correct sled template before purchasing the finished wrap. Starting early gives us something incredibly valuable during wrap season: time. Time to communicate, make revisions and enjoy the process instead of rushing because the snow is already waist-deep and your buddies are asking if you’re riding tomorrow. While you’re scrolling Marketplace and convincing yourself that another snowmobile is technically an investment in winter happiness, we can be designing it. Do you actually design every custom wrap yourself? Yep! Artwork by Sierra Winter is quite literally me, Sierra Winter. I’ve been in the art business since 2012, and my business and design style have evolved a lot over those
years. Every custom wrap starts from scratch rather than pulling a design from a catalog and changing a few colors. Can you incorporate my sponsor or business logos? Absolutely. I can build them into the overall design so they feel intentional instead of looking like someone slapped stickers all over your sled five minutes before a race. Send me the best-quality logo files you have. Vector files make your graphic designer especially happy. It’s me. I’m your graphic designer. Can you match my helmet, gear, truck or existing branding? Yes. Please send those things! The more visual info I have, the easier it is to create a sled that feels uniquely yours. What if I have absolutely no idea what I want? That’s okay too. Give me the pieces you do know. Maybe it’s one color. Maybe it’s a photo. Maybe your entire creative direction is, “I want people to see this thing coming across the parking lot.” We can work with that. Do you design more than snowmobile wraps? Absolutely. Artwork by Sierra Winter also creates logos and branding, vehicle graphics, decals, signage, swag graphics and other custom artwork. Ready? Let’s get ahead of the snow. The best place to start is by submitting a quote request at ArtworkBySierraWinter.com. You don’t need to have your sled yet. You don’t need to have your design figured out. And you definitely don’t need to wait for three feet of snow. Because the temperatures are dropping, Hatcher Pass is already teasing us, and winter is coming. Let’s make your sled look like yours before everybody and their sister remembers they need a wrap. ArtworkBySierraWinter.com
PAGE 15
Arts
Contributed by Kendall Stewart, Wing Chun Alaska
Quick recap: In my 20s, I wanted to learn a style of martial arts that can help a smaller person defend themselves against a bigger person. I started out training in Shaolin Hung Fut. I studied for a couple years, and I stumbled upon a video called Ip Man. My friends and I looked for a teacher, and we found Sifu Moore in Columbia, Maryland. My friends and I studied under him for a year, and then we moved to Montana. Now to continue the story... My friends and I were training in Montana, and we heard about a seminar in Los Angeles. The Grandmaster of Traditional Wing Chun was hosting a seminar going over weapons defense and advanced Kung Fu. We went to the seminar and connected with Master Phillip
Redmond. After the seminar, Master Redmond became my teacher, and I started to progress even further in Wing Chun. This was around 2013. I started to understand the value of consistent practice and slowing down. This is where the block strike technique started to come together for me. The more I practiced, the more my body would react instead of me having to think. Kind of like someone who is fluent in Spanish compared to someone who is still learning. Someone who is fluid doesn’t need to think about what they’re saying. They just say it. The more I practiced, the less I had to think. I was able to implement what I saw in the movies. I sparred against different styles of martial arts and was able to successfully use the technique against all of them. My buddy, who
was a national kickboxing champion and Muay Thai champion, was amazed how well Wing Chun worked. I used to shy away from confrontation. Now I had the confidence to stand up for myself and others. I was at a bar in Montana, and a drunk guy called the female bartender the B-word. Loudly. The bartender was a nice lady who treated everyone well. I quickly called him out and said, “You don’t get to talk to her like that. You need to apologize.” He saw how serious I was and turned and apologized. I had several situations where I would have normally not said anything, but I was not afraid and I stood up for myself and others. After years of training, I finally got to the point where I could comfortably say, “I know Kung Fu.” Little did I know that right around the corner, I would be teaching. Stay tuned for the next chapter of my story, the student becomes a teacher. Sifu Stewart - Wing Chun Kung Fu Go to Alaskakungfu.com for class schedule.
MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
MY KUNG FU JOURNEY PT. 2: UNDERSTANDING TO ACTION
PAGE 16
Music
SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND COMMUNITY TO THE VALLEY Contributed by Alisha Bennett
Uncharted Path is a veteran-owned business and nonprofit. They have created a musician showcase for the Valley called Songwriters in the Round. We saw the need for a beautiful event for musicians and audience members alike, one that blended a night of beautiful music, a quiet and inviting atmosphere, comforting food and community. Everett’s was the perfect space for this. This event has been happening for the last nine months and will continue into 2027. This event happens every month at Everett’s Restaurant in Wasilla. It features a panel of four musicians showcasing their astounding talents and the even better stories of where their songs originated. It is an hour-and-a-half show that you have to experience to understand. The show unites hearts of all kinds through stories, music and amazing food. A common saying among musicians is “three chords and the truth.” Truth lets vulnerability shine through stories. One example is Matthew Bennett’s song about losing a multi-generational family cabin to Mother Nature’s elements. Other artists share songs of heartbreaking loss and love, while others write simply from the love of their life and pets. Not all of the stories are sad. It is a blend of upbeat, funny stories along with heart-wrenching ones that grab your attention. As we look around the audience, they are laughing one moment and crying the next. These stories are so heartfelt because they are real-life experiences and vulnerable thoughts behind the songs each of these talented musicians has written. This show gives you a behind-the-music feel, showing that behind the big stages, performances and smiles, there is a human. A human brave enough to be vulnerable and put their heart and mind into the ether for the general population to hear the words and
BRINGS STORIES, MUSIC &
messages that make a song what it is. This is an inviting and inclusive environment that is special to see because it lets the audience see a different perspective of what it entails to be a musician: the long nights, the grueling hours of packing gear in and out of venues, and the deep dive into the who, what, when, where and why it takes to be a musician and write songs. We have asked many musicians on the panels why they continue to share their craft, even through struggling times, and their reply is this: the basic need for musicians to do what they do is almost like it is part of their DNA structure. It would be like daily needs for others that include breathing in fresh air or the need for water and food. Without music, some do not feel whole, and you get to see that vulnerability with the Songwriters in the Round event. It is a different panel of four artists every month and blossoms into a special experience every time. Here is what various people have wanted to say about Songwriters in the Round, including audience members, Everett’s staff members, sponsors and artists. Give yourself an hour and a half on a Thursday and you will not be disappointed with this show. We also cannot thank you, as a community, enough for the continued support. The proceeds from these events also go right back to our community and local nonprofits, many of which are veteran nonprofits. ““Songwriters in the Round has become an event that is incredibly near and dear to my heart. As a veteran-owned venue, Everett’s and the Mat-Su Resort, it means so much to
us to provide a space where people can come together, share their stories, be vulnerable, express themselves through music and feel genuinely welcomed. That is what hospitality means to me. It is so much more than serving food or drinks. It is about creating a place where people feel comfortable, cared for and connected.” - Amber Wichers, Everett’s