April 2015
Cooper Landing Gem
Diamond in the Winter
Emerald in the Summer
Cooper Landing
Chamber of
Commerce
& Visitors Bureau
Board Of Directors
Stephanie Ferry
President
Jason’s Guide Service
847-651-1515
Trevalyn Sackett
Vice President
Sackett’s Kenai Grill
595-1827
Angel Bond
President Elect
Kenai Princess
Wilderness Lodge
595-1425
Shirley Wilmoth
Treasurer
The Hutch B&B
595-1270
Rose Hetrick
Secretary
Inn at Tern Lake
288-3667
Jen Harpe
Member
Kenai River Fly Fishing
595-5733
Cheryle James
Member
Wildman’s
598-1007
Ronald Sloan
Member
Cooper Landing
Seniors
595-3000
Dear Chamber Members,
Happy Spring Everyone!
As the days are getting longer and warmer, I hope everyone is
getting out and enjoying the Spring Season!
A quick thank you to all of you who turned out for the meet
and greet with Senator Micciche. Through all of you showing
up for this meeting I believe we showed Senator Micciche how
serious we stand on this topic. The letters for reconsideration of
this proposal are due in the next 60 days. We will be holding an
informational session for interested people to attend and get
help writing useful letters in opposition of this proposal. Date
and time for the meeting will follow.
Each year, the Chamber sponsors the Easter Egg Hunt. We
have had such a great turn out year after year and are looking
forward to seeing everyone this year. The Easter Egg Hunt will
be on April 4th at 11am (sharp) at the Community Center.
Thank you to Laura Johnson, Heather Harrison and Angel Bond
for putting this fun event together each year.
We are offering new advertising opportunities that we are very
excited about. If you have not already, please check out our
website and check your email for more information on how
you can get more exposure on our website for your business.
Our goal this spring is to update and verify all listings and
information on the website so that everyone is ready to go for
the busy summer ahead!
Updates are due by April 15 and can be emailed to
[email protected].
We will be holding our next meeting Monday, April 6th at the
Helen Gwin Commons at the Senior Center. If you have any
comments, questions or ideas, we would love to have you. Our
meetings normally open to the public at Noon.
Stephanie
Stephanie Ferry
President
Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce
Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce Meeting
Monday, April 6, 2015
Helen Gwin Commons
10:30 am— Board Meeting
12 pm—Member Meeting—
Update on Chamber Advertising Opportunities
Rumor Has It!
The Easter Bunny is Coming to the Landing!
The Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce’s
annual Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April
4, 11 am SHARP at our Community Club. The
Easter Bunny will be making an appearance and
there will be games and snacks after the hunt. If
you would like to volunteer or make a donation,
please contact Heather Harrison at 598-1210.
And a special thank you to all the Bunnies who
volunteer to make this event happen!
CooperLandingChamber.com: Advertise Year Round On-line!
We’ve revised the requirements, so if you are interested in having your company exposed
to all those visitors checking out our site, be sure to sign up! We are now offering online
advertising space on the following pages : Our Town, Main Members Directory Page,
Members Individual Categories and Contact Us. All ads will rotate amongst others on those
pages and will run for a full year. Those who sign up by April will receive half off the annual
fee for this year until October. To sign up see enclosed form or for more information, please
visit www.cooperlandingchamber.com.
Chamber Web Pages
Our Town
Main Members Directory Page
Members Individual Categories
Contact Us
Wildman’s Winter Hours
Open 7 Days a Week
8:00 am to 9:00 pm
Check out all our
Great Beers on Sale!
Enjoy Wildman’s fried chicken made
to order or try out our awesome
chicken fingers and jojos!
Come in and eat lunch with us
or take it to go!
Spring 2015 Deal
$50
$125
$100
$75
Full Year Membership 2016
$100
$250
$200
$150
Cooper Landing Senior Citizen Corp. Inc.
Senior Links
Helen Gwin Commons in Eagles View Senior
Independent Housing was filled with Dean
Birmley’s friends and relatives during the
memorial luncheon in his honor. Dean was one
of the first Eagles View residents and lived there
until Oct. 2013 when he moved to Riverside
Assisted Living in Soldotna. Dean’s sister Ethel
and her husband Red Holt, in the center of the a
picture, are listening to a remembrance by a
woman from his Soldotna home. Many stories were told.
Dean was an amazing man from the time he was a
WWII aviator shot down over Germany, to more
recently when he was “King of the Dumpsters!” The
other picture shows Dean’s long time friend, Martha
Brewer holding flowers, with Pastor Jim Pearson and his
wife Audrey. Pastor Pearson officiated at the funeral
and burial services at St. John Neumann Catholic
Church prior to the memorial luncheon.
CLSCCI Board Meeting
Tuesday, April 7, at 1:30 p.m.
Helen Gwin Commons.
Everyone interested is invited to attend!
Thank You Conoco Phillips!
CLSCCI was pleased to receive a
Transportation Grant from ConocoPhillips
recently. This money helps to keep the
buses transporting seniors (and others, space
available) to Soldotna and Kenai for
appointments and shopping and to local
civic and fun events. If you would be
interested in driving one of the buses, please
call 595-3000 or email [email protected]. Bus
driver get a free lunch when they drive to town and can also shop and appointments.
Handyman Wanted!
CLSCCI is also looking for a handyman to take care of small jobs in the apartments and
around the buildings. This person needs to have a business license. Call 595-3000 or
email [email protected]. CLSCCI greatly appreciates Chris Smith who is filling in
temporarily and Mike Betlej who is the board member in charge of maintenance.
Cooper Landing Library News
Is it Spring? Did we really have a winter? Life out
doors has been a little confusing these past few
months but the library is cozy and warm with lots of
good reads and movies.
Soon to be on the shelves are a large selection of
Alaskana, both adult and children's books, that
Virginia Morgan and Susanna LaRock brought
back from the Alaska Library Association
conference in Juneau. We also have a number of new movies and television series on DVD.
Volunteers are returning from vacations and the snowbirds are beginning to trickle back to
Cooper Landing. Anyone interested in volunteering during the summer is encouraged to
drop by the library at let us know. Training is done on Friday mornings or Saturday
afternoons.
We have moved to a new schedule until mid to late May.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 1-3
Thursday 12-4
Friday 10:30-3:30
Saturday 10-4
We hope these hours enable more families to use the library. We are hoping to have at
least one, perhaps two, evening openings during the summer to accommodate the
seasonal workers and visitors. More on that in May.
Katie Thomas
Director
Happy Spring Break Up Cooper Landing!
This is Natalia with Century 21 Freedom Realty. Summer is just
around the corner, and with a low inventory market, it’s the
perfect time to sell! Buying season picks ups drastically in the
summer so if you have been considering selling then the time is
now. Contact me to get your free market analysis report. I can
also assist you if you are looking to buy a new home as well.
As your trusted realtor, if any of your friends or relatives are
thinking of buying or selling a home, I’d love to be of service to
them. So, when you think of these people, please give me a call
with their name and number. I’ll be happy to follow up and tend
to their real estate needs.
Sincerely,
Natalia… because every move matters.
Mail to:[email protected] Phone: 907-830-1069
Cooper Landing Historical Society
CLHS Meeting & Spring Cleanup
Saturday, April 18 from 11am to 3 pm
Soup and bread will be provided for lunch by
Mona Painter. The school house door has not been
open for a couple of months, so hopefully
someone else with keys can give it a try. Or please get a hold of Mona, and she will bring
her keys down and have you work on it with her together.
Helen Gwin Peak and Old Buzzard Ridge
Mayme Ohnemus and Mona Painter attended the
March 19 meeting of the Alaska Historical Commission
in Anchorage on March 19. On their agenda was the
requested naming of Helen Gwin Peak and Old
Buzzard Ridge located above Gwin’s Lodge on Helen
Rhode Mountain. Before the meeting and during
breaks they enjoyed talking with the Commission
members and Lt. Governor Byron Mallott and his staff.
They were both excited when the Commission voted in
favor of the names proposed! This is now before the US Board on Geographic Names,
part of the U.S. Geological Survey, and may take some time for their action. The photo
provided shows Alaska Historical Commission members at work with Lt. Gov.
Mallott at the far right.
Local Trails Brochure in the Works!
A Helen Gwin Memorial Fund has been set up within CLHS. To date,
donations of $600 are earmarked for funding the local trails brochure
Mayme Ohnemus is working on with help from Heidi Chamberlain and
Angel Bond. CL school kids animal drawings are the brochure art. The
map on the brochure will include Helen Gwin Peak and Old Buzzard
Ridge. The brochures will be made available for purchase by local
businesses.
Helen Gwin’s Smoked Salmon Chowder
Preparation: Chop bacon and saute in a large pot with onions,
celery, carrots, green onions, and parsley or about 4-5 minutes over
medium heat. Slowly add in 1/2 cup water and cover for 1 minute.
Add spices and fish broth and simmer until carrots are tender. Add
the chopped red potatoes and simmer until they too are tender.
In a separate sauce pan, mix the butter and flour over medium
heat and stir to make a roux, or paste. Before adding this mixture to
the pot, add a few large spoonful's of the hot broth to the roux for
thinning and to bring it to the proper temperature. Add this thinned
roux to the pot with vegetables and broth. Stir thoroughly and let
simmer for 5 minutes. Add milk, stir and bring to a simmer, allowing it
to thicken slightly. Add white wine, lemon juice, corn, and flaked
Smoked Alaskan Sockeye Salmon. Continue simmering, stirring
frequently, until the desired thickness is obtained. A little water may
be added if the chowder becomes to thick.
Servings: 8 large servings. There you have it. Try it and you will like it!
1 & 1/2 lbs. smoked salmon
(sockeye preferred), flaked
10 strips raw bacon
2 large onions, minced
4 stalks celery, minced
3 carrots, finely chopped
5 green onions, finely diced
6 cups fish broth
(water mixed with fish base)
8 red potatoes, chopped
3/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup butter
1/4 lemon juice
1 & 1/2 Tbsp. dry dill
1 & 1/2 cup corn kernels
1 cup flour
1/3 Tbsp. black pepper
5 cups milk
3/4 cup white wine
Cooper Landing Community School
Classes Calendar
Estate Planning and Probate: Thursday, April 2, 7-9pm,
Community Hall. Deborah Randall, attorney at law, will
present a class on estate planning and probate. Topics will
include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance health care
directives, and probate including the new Real Estate
Transfer on Death deed. Please visit her website
at wildwomanlawpractice.com for additional information.
There is no fee for this class.
Tot Time: Need to wear you little ones out? Bring them to the school on Mondays,
from 11am-12pm, to play in the gym with their friends, while you catch up with other
parents. Ongoing, while school is in session.
Ballet Classes: Susanna LaRock is offering a course in beginner's Ballet at the Cooper
Landing School Gym on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 beginning March 16 and
running through April 22. Each class will cost $5, or you can pay $50 in advance for all 12
classes. This class is for all ages and will focus on very basic ballet skills. For those who took
the class last year, we will build on some of the skills you know already. For those who are
taking the class for the first time we will start with the basics. Leotards, tights and ballet shoes
are encouraged but not required; form fitting clothes that you can move in and short
cotton socks are acceptable attire.
Fitness Classes: Melissa Fish is leading a half hour of intermediate level fitness classes on
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 3:30. We will be alternating between HIIT (High Intensity
Interval Training) and circuit training with some of the school's brand new state of the art
fitness equipment. HIIT or high intensity interval training is scientifically proven to be one of
the most effective forms of fat burning and strength building exercises. $25 a month, or $5
a class. For more info, call Melissa at 598-2065.
Volleyball: Volleyball is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm. Adults only and
please wear non-marking shoes. Call Mike at 362-1181 with any questions.
Friday Night Book Club: 7 pm at Cooper Landing Community Library. Next up:
April 17 - Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
May 15- The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
For more information, contact Virginia Morgan at [email protected] or 595-3094.
Cooper Landing Community Directory: 2015-2016 directories will be available for purchase
at Cooper Landing School, starting April 1, 2015. $10 each. No advance orders.
Family Movie Night: Friday, May 1, 7pm.
Watch the Crier for more information. (www.cooperlandingcrier.com)
Interested in teaching/hosting a class or event in the community, or have a
recommendation? Contact Deb at [email protected] with your ideas.
AmeriCorps Monthly Update
The month of March really flew by for Kristine Route (Krissy). She has
had her nose to the grind stone working on a behavioral study
related to human waste sanitation education. She is attending
Alaska Pacific University’s graduate program to make sure that this
study comes to fruition in a professional manner.
She has also been working to plan a three day summer educational event that honors
and celebrates wild places, animals, and people. It will highlight environmental
advocates and stewards like Aldo Leopold and Edward Abbey. The event will kick start
with an afternoon activity geared towards children and youth. The plan is to have a
local volunteer story teller who will introduce the kids to the joy of birding. We will also
host a birding poster design competition. The posters will be showcased during the
following days. The second day activity will be a movie night. The film A Fierce Green
Fire, directed by David Steinke, will be shown as an introduction to Aldo Leopold. It will
precede the film Wrenched, directed by ML Lincoln, which will highlight eco-activists
throughout generations. The main event Aldo Leopold- A Standard of Change, by Jim
Pfitzer, will take place on the third day. This one-man play brings to life the famous
Wisconsin Shack that inspired and challenged Aldo Leopold and explains how it led him
into writing A Sand County Almanac. This will be the first time Wrenched and Aldo
Leopold- A Standard of Change have been shown in Alaska. If you are interested in
sponsoring this event or volunteering at it please let Kristine know.
Youth group had fun this month making “lava lamps”,
lesson on density, with vegetable oil, water, food coloring,
and Alka-Seltzer. After spring break we switched gears and
started working on public service announcements. The kids
are in the process of writing and designing their own PSA
for the upcoming film festival.
Amount of Recycle material in February: 263 pounds.
Year to date Recycle Weight: 553 pounds.
Snowshoe Softball a Success without the Snow!
The Fourth Annual Snowshoe Softball Game, a fund raiser for CLES, was
held on Saturday, March 28 at the Cooper Landing Softball field.
Although we did not have any snow this year, it was a beautiful sunny,
warm, breezy day and the game was played on a wet, slick ball field.
Even though the field conditions were not ideal, the game was played
and all the participants and onlookers had a great time. In addition to
the game, there was a bon fire, s’mores for the kids, 50/50 split the pot
raffle, children’s play area, burgers on the grill, pot luck; fill the boot and
the Volunteer Fire Department had the new tanker on display. This year CLES raised over $600
during the game. A big thank you goes out to everyone that stopped by and supported
CLES in our fundraiser, especially George Anderson, from the Hutch, who won the 50/50 split
the pot raffle and donated all his winning back to CLES. This fund raiser would not have been
a success if it wasn’t for all the volunteers and businesses that pitched in. Charlotte & Jonathan Osowiecki, Carrie & John Williams, Fly Bob, Mitch Dickenson, Rick Montreal, Elizabeth
Grimmond, Carl Allendorf, Jerry Neis, Keith Doroff, Wildman’s, Princess, as well as the Community Club for the use of the building. We hope to see all of you next year at the Snowshoe
Softball Game!
What’s Happening on the Peninsula
Choose Your Weapon 10K Race
Calling all skiers, bikers, snowshoers, runners, and humanpowered transportation enthusiasts!
Get ready for the first official event
of summer - the Choose Your Weapon 10k at Tsalteshi. Ski,
bike, run, hike, crawl, snowshoe or moonwalk your way around
a 10k (or so) path on Saturday, April 18th. Bib pickup and race
day registration starts at 10am at the WOLVERINE TRAILHEAD
(off of K-Beach Road - across from the Soldotna Sports
Center).
Start Time: 11:00 am End Time: 1:00 pm.
http://www.tsalteshi.org/events
Fly Fishing Film Tour
The Kenai Peninsula Chapter of Trout Unlimited will
show the 2015 Fly Fishing Film Tour at 7 pm on April
18 at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. For
more information and tickets,
visit http://www.thef3t.com.
Sterling Community Craft & Vendor Fair
The Sterling Community Center is hosting a 2015 Craft and
Vendor Fair, to be held at the Sterling Community Center
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.
This year, registration will be limited to one vendor per
product line (first come, first placed). There will be a couple
door prizes given out to customers the day of the Fair. The prizes will be gift baskets comprised of small-sized new items donated by the participating vendors. We welcome your
donations.
If you would like to participate in the Fair, please call Rochelle Hanson at the Sterling
Community Center, 262-7224, or e-mail at [email protected] to obtain a
contract and more information.
The 2014 Craft Fair was a huge success with positive feedback from both vendors and
attendees. We look forward to a great event and looking forward to seeing and hearing
from you.
April 2015
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
1 CL Fire
Training at
Fire Hall
@ 6 pm
CLAPC
5 pm WK
Session 6 pm
Meeting @
CLCH
Community
Activities
Soldotna Shuttle Bus
Wednesdays 8:30 am
Game Night
Fridays 7pm
Helen Gwin
Commons
Story Time
Friday 11 am
Library
After School Group
Wed 3:30-5:30 pm
CL Comm. Center
Sew & Sew Quilters
Mondays 10 am
Community Hall
Trap at Gun Club
Sat at 12pm
Tot Time
Mondays 11-12 pm
CL School Gym
Volley Ball
Tues & Thurs
6 - 8 pm
CL School Gym
5
Easter
6 Chamber 7
Board
@10:30 am
Members
Meeting @
12 pm
Helen Gwin
Commons
CLSCCI
Board
Meeting
1:30 pm @
Helen Gwin
Commons
8
THU
2
Estate
Planning and
Probate
Community
Hall
7-9pm
9
13
14
3
No School
10
Gillnetting
Letter
Writing
Information
Meeting
12– 4 pm
Community
Hall
CLES 6pm
Fire hall
12
FRI
15
SAT
4
CL Chamber
Easter Egg
Hunt!!
11 am
Community
Hall
11
16
17
18
23
24
25
Chamber
Online Ads &
Updates Due!
CL Fire
Training at
Fire Hall
@ 6 pm
19
26
Church Services
CL Baptist - 11:00 am
Catholic - 12:30 pm
CL Community
Lutheran Church - 9:00 am
20
21Sterling 22
Gem
Newsletter
submissions
Due!
Hwy Open
House
4-6 pm &
Public
Hearing
6-8 pm
CLCH
27
28
Friday Night
Book Club
7pm @CLCL
29
30
Cooper Landing Library April Hours:
Monday thru Wednesday: 1pm - 3 pm
Thursday: 12 pm - 4 pm
Fridays: 10:30 am - 3:30 pm
Fridays: Story Time 11 am -12 pm
Saturdays: 10 am - 4 pm
Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce
The Cooper Landing Gem is a great way to get your business or community event information out to our
friends and neighbors! Submissions for the April newsletter need to be in by April 20th. Remember that
chamber members are entitled to one insert per year! Please submit all newsletter and calendar items to
[email protected].
Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce
And Visitors Bureau, Inc.
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
Chamber Newsletter
Member Meetings
Referral Service
Brochure Display
Web Listings
Visitor Center Displays
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Events Management
Visitor Inquiry Mailing List
Membership Directory
Bulk Mail Stamp
Joint Advertising
Networking
Teamwork
A Voice In The Community
Insert in Chamber
Newsletter
 & Much, much more!!
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For more information on becoming a member, contact:
Cooper Landing Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau, Inc.
PO Box 809 Cooper Landing, AK 99572
Phone at (907)595-8888 Email at [email protected]
Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce
And Visitor’s Bureau, Inc.
PO Box 809
Cooper Landing, AK 99572