Senior Education Virtual Classes: January 2021

Contributed by Linda Meyers-Steele

Senior Ed is directed toward adults who are interested in keeping mentally active, curious, learning and having fun. No tests, no grades and no homework! At this time, classes are being presented virtually. The instructors volunteer their time. WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors Inc.) hosts the classes. Each class has a separate ID number and passcode. For questions contact WASI at 376-3104 or senioreducationwasilla@gmail.com.

SPECIAL NOTE: Book Club meets the third Tuesday of the month and will now be presented on the ZOOM platform. 

January 2021 Schedule:

“I READ WHAT I WANT TO READ” BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, JANUARY 19th, 2:00PM
Facilitated by Andi Nations, Retired Educator
ZOOM Meeting ID: 841 3115 0998
Passcode: 797795
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84131150998?pwd=QytLc2Y5Q0NOd0ZQWGJ4S1doM1NyZz09

Blessed, Grateful & Thankful

Contributed by Lauralynn Robison

“Blessed”, "Grateful", "Thankful", these are words we heard over and over again this past holiday season, as we served the families of our amazing community.

This past year was a difficult and trying year for many families in our Valley. The MatSu Food Bank was able to provide much needed food for hundreds of families and we are Thankful for the many donations we received. We are equally as Grateful for our volunteers who donated countless hours of their time to help us provide this service. Your Blessings of donations brought healthy food to families who may not have had it otherwise.

There are so many ways to donate to the MatSu Food Bank:food drop off donations, cash donations, monthly donations, PICK.CLICK.GIVE. and legacy donations. Each one is truly a gift, as No One Should Go Hungry! As you file for your PFDs this year, please consider choosing the MatSu Food Bank for your non-profit of choice. Also, you can call our office and ask how you can be set up for a monthly donation too. We are very thankful and grateful for your donations, no matter how it is done.

The MatSu Food Bank strives to provide healthy and nutritious food for our growing community and we appreciate all your help in assisting us in achieving this goal. Thank you for your support.

Board, Staff and Volunteers
MatSu Food Bank

Bikers Fighting Hunger 2021

Contributed by The DUDE, Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA

Bikers Fighting Hunger 2021
1/1/2021 – 2/28/2021
Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA
Various Locations
Food Donations

Spaghetti Feed
2/21/2021 – 2PM
Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA
The Alano Club
901 Snowhomish Dr. Wasilla
Cost: 12 Cans of Food or $12

Roses for Tacos
2/13/2021 – 12PM
Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 of CMA
Denali Harley-Davidson
1497 S Hyer Rd. Palmer
Cost: 12 Cans of Food or $12

Beginning January 1st until the end of February, this is a food drive that has been going on for the last 10 years now - set up to raise food for food banks in Matsu Valley.

Originally started by a bunch of caring bikers, this food drive has grown exponentially with volunteers - from government officials, to recovering drug and alcohol addicts, and everyone in-between. Business owners that give their time and services to help in the special events to the drive, to those in the media that put this drive out there for people to read and or see on TV to know where and how to donate,

It is a combination of all this that keeps it going every year, all with one purpose to help others that need a hand-up in life throughout the Valley. And this shows that there is hope in our community with so many of us that are willing to do something to better ourselves and our neighbors out of pure kindness.

There are multiple drop-sites for the food drives, pick-ups and or donation jars too, at all four Three Bears Alaska grocery stores in Valley, Denali Harley Davidson, House of Yamaha, Performance Yamaha, Spenard Builders Supply - Wasilla and Palmer, Extreme Fun Center of Wasilla, Coming Attractions Theatre and Q99.7 KMBQ Valley Radio.

There are more companies that donate to the drive as well, with items of food, or supplies for the annual special events. So, another thank you to Carrs, Fred Meyers, Walmart, Target, Great Alaska Pizza Company, Matsu Water, Subway of Mat-Su, Body Piercing Unlimited, Clean Slate Tattoo, What Tattoo and Christian Motorcyclists Association's - MIDNIGHT SON RIDERS CHAPTER 801.

This year’s annual special events are as follows:

• Spaghetti Feed at The Alano Club, located at 901 Snowhomish Drive, starting Sunday, February 21st from 2pm till done - usually 5'ish. Entry fee is 12 cans of food, or $12, children (12 and under) free.

• Roses for Tacos at Denali Harley-Davidson on Saturday, February 13th, from 12pm to 4pm. Entry fee is also 12 cans of food or $12.

Both events raise so much every year. And are the big reason this drive works. And there will be DOOR PRIZES at each event too. So, come down to one, or both and have some great food, good times, and great company while showing support for your community. And events’ times are subject to change due to possible COVID restrictions, and we ask you respect others if they are social distancing as well.

Keep up to date on our Facebook site @BIKERS FIGHTING HUNGER.

Thank you again and God bless.

Sincerely, Glen Butts, aka The DUDE

Palmer Museum of History & Art Photo of The Month: Horsepower

Contributed by Richard Estelle, Palmer Museum of History & Art

This month, we consider some photos in the Museum collection that illustrate the importance of “horsepower” in the Valley prior to common availability of trucks, tractors and other machinery we take for granted today. 

Most of the early homesteaders in the area did not own a team, or even a single horse to aid in clearing land of trees and planting crops. John Bugge, homesteading in what today is the city of Palmer, was one of the first to have horses in the area, and was known to be generous in loaning them to fellow homesteaders in the vicinity.

Though horses made it possible to accomplish tasks not easily done by hand, and complete more work quickly, these advantages didn’t come without cost. Aside from the initial expense of the animals, and equipment needed to use them to advantage, a great deal of time, effort and resource was invested in just caring for them and keeping them healthy throughout the year. While a team made it possible to place more land under cultivation, a significant amount of that land was required to be dedicated to production of grass, hay and grain just to feed the horses.

Horses are generally intelligent animals; but, like humans, they come with personalities, good days and bad days, preferences and limitations. A team that works well together can be a boon to the farmer.  A pair that doesn’t get along can be a disaster. Unlike a tractor, a horse that doesn’t like doing a certain kind of work can be troublesome. And, as illustrated in one of our photos, a horse needs to rest from time to time.

The mid 1930s represent an interesting time of transition in the Valley, as more work horses became available while trucks, tractors and other vehicles were also being introduced. With the Matanuska Colony Project, the government provided horses to the colonists for use on their farms. At the same time, it introduced trucks, busses and caterpillar tractors to the area to enhance construction, transport, land clearing and farming activities. In spite of these introductions, horses continued to play an important part in the lives of some homesteaders, settlers and colonists of the area as late as the early 1950s.

Photo #1 is fom Colonists Neil & Margaret Miller’s collection, shows the couple using their horse to grade their new house site and move timbers into place for the foundation. From the photo, it appears that Margaret may have been the horse wrangler while Neil focused on construction.

Photo #2 is from Colonists Ferber & Ruth Bailey’s collection. We see the team sledding a load of firewood to the farmstead for use in heating their new home. The image also shows part of their new barn prior to its being uniquely clad in horizontal siding, and prior to its being moved to make way for the Glenn Highway to be straightened by cutting through “Bailey Hill”.

Photo #3, from our Irwin collection, shows a fine looking team belonging to the Matanuska Experiment Farm. While other photos in that collection show an early-wheeled tractor in use at the farm, horses continued to be used there for some time. The unidentified woman on the mowing machine appears to indicate that harvest time on the farm called all hands to participate, allowing some to demonstrate their wide range of skills.

Photo #4, from the Bailey collection, offers a view of a team in the Palmer Community Center about 1936.  Without information regarding the actual situation, one might provide their own caption: “Done for the day”, “Time for a break”, or “I quit!”.