I recently met Lauri Bourdo-Winter at a 4-H camp our daughters were attending and found time for a chat.

Lauri came to Alaska for the first time 14 years ago.  She was working for her mother, a well know artist who lives in Trinidad Colorado.  Her mom sent her on a trip to Alaska and that is where she met her husband Rick.

“I told everyone that I went to Alaska on a fishing trip and caught a husband,” she said with a laugh. 

Lauri and Rick first lived in Clam Gulch.  They were married in a fishing lodge where she was working. 

They moved to Soldotna 12 years ago and just over a year ago they moved to Sterling.

“We had just outgrown our house and wanted to move out of town, into the country,” she said.

Lauri and Rick have two children; Chelsea who is 14 and Ryan who is 9.  They also have a dog named Cleo. 

“We have a cat that adopted us.  The kids named her Snickers Mocha Latte,” she said.

Lauri, like many Alaskans, has worked at many different jobs over the years.  She and Rick started a company called R & L creations where they put her mother’s artwork on plates and sold them.  She has worked for the schools as a shadow and in home health care.  For the past 5 years Rick has worked for Iisco in Kenai.  Most recently, Lauri has opened her own massage business called Just Breathe in the local Designed By U co-op.  She does relaxing massage and enjoys working in such a fun environment.

‘Designed By U has so many beautiful hand-made products.  I really enjoy having m business there,” she said. “It’s a good fit”.

The family has been attending Sterling Lutheran Church for 13 years.  They are fast friends with Pastor Jim Pearson and his wife Audrey. 

“They are one of the reasons we moved to Sterling,” she said.  “We joke that even though we moved 4 miles from the church I still manage to be late.  We are always the last ones in the door, but we are usually the last ones to leave, so it evens out,” she said with a laugh.

Lauri shared that at 40 years old Rich had to have both of his hips replaced.  She said that without their church family and Rick’s parents, Lyle and Jessie Winter who live in Kasilof, she doesn’t know how they would have gotten through it.

Lauri likes living in Sterling and wouldn’t want to see very many changes.  She would like to see more community events like picnics and get togethers at the old school cabin.

“I would also love to see Zip-mart reopen.  We miss having such a convenient store,” she said. 

From: “Joan Hansen” hansjoan@alaska.net>
To: news@peninsulaclarion.com>
Subject: Kenai Neighbors Column for Dec. 26, 2006
Date: Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:16 AM

safe:
KENAI NEIGHBORS COLUMN for DEC.26, 2006

I hope by now you have taken time to sit down, put up your feet and emit a contented sigh due to a job well done. Christmas is a wonderful day to contemplate, anticipate, prepare for, and enjoy. It’s also nice when the day is stowed neatly in your memory and you can slip back into normalcy. All that scurrying was fun though, wasn’t it?

Busy people stay busy, holiday or no holiday. One of those people is another of the Kenai Senior Center’s star players by the name of LuAnn Barrette. LuAnn is the activity and volunteer coordinator, and has worked there for seven years. She and husband, Pete, came to Kenai in 1995 from Cordova, where he was stationed with the Coast Guard. He retired in 2003, and now works for Marathon. They have three sons: Mark, 21 and James, 18, both graduated from Kenai Central High School and work in Anchorage, Mathew is a sophomore at KCHS. “Hockey is their life. It is all-consuming.”

Last year there were 16,00 hours of volunteer services rendered to or in behalf of Kenai’s seniors. “Kenai is absolutely different from other places I have lived. People here are willing to step out and get involved with all of their hearts”, LuAnn stated. “Volunteering is a great way to fulfill the need to be needed. I have seen people trying to deal with a loss and needing to find a purpose for their lives start feeling better about themselves as a result of helping others and sharing their gifts. It’s a really great human fact: When you give, you get.”

The Activities department and the volunteer needs merge into one. Part of LuAnn’s job is creating new programs for the center. The latest one is the chorus; the bell ringers are another recent addition. “We are always trying to keep current with programs that meet the needs of the community. There are so many needs to be met here, because of the span o f ages in the senior population of the area.” LuAnn says that she absolutely wants to say thanks to the community for all the touching, generous things that people have done to reach out to the seniors this holiday season. And if you have time on your hands, drop in to see her. She’ll put you to work for an hour .or a year.

Happy Birthday today to Doris Wilson and James Russell; to Fred Maier, Jimmie English, Charlene Buckmeier on the 27th: Jim Considder, Bill Chamberlain on the 28th: Ricky Gease Gladys Wright, Buck Steiner, and Dr. Pete Hansen on the 29th; Bill Siler, Richard Musgrove, Karen Rominger and Tim Navarre on the 30th. Pat Trader, Maxine Holifield, Jeri Kidd, Baron Butler, and Robert Kirsch on the 31st. Happy anniversary to Philip and Peggy Nash on the 29th, and to Stan and Becky Pitlo on the 30th.

morris

            Kara Bethune is a busy teen living in Nikiski. She attends Nikiski Middle Senior High as a twelfth-grader where she is involved with the drama, debate and forensics team and National Honor Society.

            “I like giving speeches as well as debating current topics. I find it fun and exhilarating,” she said.

            Her college plans include perusing a degree in equine science, probably at Colorado State University.

            “I’ve been riding since I was seven-years-old and horses have become my life. I think it would be great to combine my passion with my job,” she said. 

            Kara said for her, equine science may become a precursor to veterinary school.

            Kara is also very active in 4H, an organization that has contributed richly to her teen years.

            “4H has taught me a whole lot about responsibility. I got involved because of horses, but have gone through project including rabbits, dogs, cooking, gardening, sewing, raising market lambs and more I can’t even remember,” she said.

            Kara was born in Fairbanks and has lived in Nikiski since 1994. While she cannot think of anything she dislikes about the town, she is certain of what she does like about Nikiski.

            “I like the people and sense of community,” she said.

            For Kara, the holiday break from school has given her more time to enjoy what she loves. She is using the break to spend time with family and friends, while relaxing and joining in on the 4H winter camp.

            “4H winter camp is something that I’ve helped at a few times. We have it at Solid Rock and is a great time to get together, have fun and learn a little. We usually do arts and crafts, stay a couple of nights, and if the weather is right we hit their awesome sledding hill,” she said.

            Around town

            Water aerobics classes, held at the Nikiski pool, will resume January 2. The classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Call 776-8800 for more information.

            Don’t forget to sign up for a free lunch at the Nikiski Senior Center. The center draws names each Friday. All that is needed is to sign a ticket when visiting for lunch. 

            Happy birthday wishes go this week to Walter Spooner on December 31.

            Happy anniversary wishes go to Howard and Diana Wray on December 28, as well as Tony and Sherry Collinsworth and Butch and Lois Macy on December 31.

            Happy New Year

I know one young lady that could hardly wait for Christmas, but by the time this article comes out, it will be all over. During the weeks before Christmas, I watched her enthusiastically decorate the family Christmas tree, bake cookies, and wrap homemade gifts that she crafted lovingly for the recipients during the past few months.

Joanna Daniels, 11, is quite a rock hound and enjoys finding agates on the beach in front of her house. Last year, she sold her pen of meat rabbits for over $300 at the Junior Market Livestock Auction held at the Kenai Peninsula State Fair, and she used part of her earnings to buy a rock tumbler. From her collection of tumbled and polished agates, she crafted pendants for her grandmothers, Johanne Daniels of Holmesville, New York and Marlene Blough of Hoonah, Alaska. She also created some beaded earrings for gifts -which Shahar Freeman taught her how to make.

In 1995, Joanna was born in Cody, Wyoming, and moved to Ninilchik when she was 3 months old with her mother, Vicky Daniels, and siblings, Abigail (now 18) and Caleb (now 16). In August of that year, her father, Kevin Daniels, was killed in a horse accident while on a horseback fly fishing trip in Bridger-Teton National Wilderness. Kevin was a missionary carpenter and traveled extensively helping missionaries and ministries with building projects in the U.S. as well as abroad. At the time of his death, the family was living in their travel trailer while helping to build a church in Pinedale, WY. They were planning a visit to the Kenai Peninsula that fall. After her father’s death, Joanna’s grandparents, Ron and Marlene Blough, formerly of Ninilchik, opened their home to the Daniels where they lived until May of 2005.

Being home schooled, as well as active in her 4-H club, the Trail Blazers, with cooking, crafts, rabbits, and community service, keeps Joanna busy all year long. Besides jewelry making, her passion is cooking, and her apple pie received grand champion at the fair in 2005. Joanna also has a little business making fur flowers. Debbie Dahman taught her how to craft them out of fur scraps-which Joanna successfully sold at a gift shop at the Kenai Landing last summer.

Singing in her church choir and playing the piano are also favorite activities. Joanna’s siblings call her “drama queen” and her talent was put to practical use when she acted in an American Girl play directed by Esther Pherson at the fair last summer.

Joanna loves animals, and her cat, “Nekko”, rabbit, “Oreo”, and her brother’s dog, “Killey”are an important part of her life. Joanna’s grandfathers and uncles have had an active role in filling the void that her father left. Currently, her uncle, Carey Blough, is living with her family in Happy Valley. She loves to take him tea and cookies, and he spends time playing games with her. Joanna says that she loves living in Alaska, and she is thankful for all her friends and family that help make her life grand.

Around Town: Did you receive an especially neat gift for Christmas? Who visited you from out of town? If you have any newsy tidbits, be sure to let me know.

      I was recently told that Sherry Morris has a lot going on. What an understatement!
      Sherry and Gary Morris came to Alaska in 1985. “We were in college in Arkansas. Gary had a football scholarship and was headed to the Redskins (pro football) when he hurt his knee in his senior year. That was the end of one dream, but Alaska was the beginning of another,” she told me.
      Gary worked for Unocal (later Agrium) as a millwright foreman. In August 2006 he began working for Conoco Phillips on the Slope as a maintenance planner.
      Sherry is mom to four; Houston and Nate are in Colorado at school, Sharae is going to school in Anchorage, and Sarah is home schooled here. Gary and Sherry are also first time grandparents to “our precious girl, Avah.” The couple has been married for 26 years. “Wow! Time sure flies,” she said.
      The oldest of four, Sherry is a PK (preacher’s kid). She was born in Denver, grew up in Utah, went to school in Arkansas and then moved to Alaska where her Dad, Ray Ansel, built the “dome church”, Trinity
Christian Center.
      “About five years ago, Daddy left the state and I began taking care of the church,” Sherry told me. “(Ansel is) building domes all over the states and the world,” she continued. Among the places she ticked off are Nevada, Florida, Tennessee, and Arizona. “He has future plans to build domes in Mongolia and India,” she noted.
      A songwriter and performer, Sherry has recorded two CDs with a third soon to be released. This one will have more of a pop sound, including several of her own songs. She sometimes writes with Brad Coleman of California and Tony Smith of Tennessee.
      Sherry will be in Nashville in January to finish the project. She’ll give a concert in Palm Beach, Florida at Mar-a-Lago for the Young Adventurers group at a $350/plate affair.  “Donald Trump is supposed to be there,” she told me.
      Adding to her busy-ness, Sherry will be leading a tour group to Israel March 19th. “Anyone is invited to come,” she said. She’ll be going to Kenya in August to perform for 200,000 people.
      Even bigger, though, is an upcoming concert by Carman (Licciardello) here February 2, 2007 at Kenai Central High School. Sherry will be opening for him. ”We’re looking for a 50 person back-up choir for Carman,” she told me. Auditions will be held soon and tickets are available now. Contact Trinity Christian Church at 260-9064 for more information.
      We shared some mothering and grand-mothering thoughts, as women will do. Sherry left me with this: “if you don’t deposit good, what will you get back? If you deposit Love, you will get Love back.”

Around Town:
      Soldotna neighbor Greg Lindhartsen celebrates his birthday Wednesday. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas - full of family and fun. I’d like to wish you all happy New Year.

In April, after living together 13 years, Marty Hapeman and Dyer VanDevere got married. Their home is off Satori Way by Coal Creek. Marty has a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the State University of N.Y. at Oswego. After college she and her boyfriend, Ray Bacon, drove to Alaska to visit Ray’s sister, Ona Wilbert, who lives in Kasilof. Marty was thrilled with the area and started looking for property right away. Ray is also an artist (musician) and he and Marty lived together for about 5 years and had two children, Russell (17) and Izzi (15). Russell is a senior at Skyview High School, where he is a talented musician and takes guitar lessons from music teacher, Kent Peterson. Russell also wrestles and plans to attend Kenai Peninsula College (KPC). Izzi does independent art. She is a poet and is involved with a writer’s group, also at Skyview.

Ray Bacon now lives on K-Beach Rd. near the Albatross. He eventually married Theresa, an artist friend of Marty’s. Theresa had originally seto uot for Alaska with Marty, Ray, and two other friends; but three of them decided to turn back in Montana, while only Ray and Marty continued to Kasilof at that time.

Dyer’s parent’s came to Kenai in 1956 and became Chinitna Bay setnetters. Dyer grew up spending summers in Chinitna Bay and going to school in Kenai. About 1980 he married Beth Cassidy, who was also both an artist and from N.Y. They had a son together (Caz), but split up about 1990. Beth has since died of melanoma. Caz is in college in Washington. Dyer became a drift gillnetter many years ago. Greg Drais has been his main deck hand for many years and Caz has also been on his crew.

Dyer is a hunter of much experience. Between processing seafood and game for his family’s food, Dyer has become an experienced technician. He also has spent years serving on the Kenai - Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee, the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association Board of Directors and on United Cook Inlet Drift Association.

In 1991 Marty got a job with Ed and Jodine Warfle at Frontier Frame Gallery, near the Y in Soldotna. Warfle’s often tried talking Marty into buying their business and, after 10 years, they succeeded. Marty renamed it Art Works and has been the owner for about 6 years. Marty is an artist herself. She does graphic design, portraits and drawing from photographs. She has been involved with the Art Guild and with Kenai Council on the Arts, and she promotes the work of local artists. In Feb. she has an art show scheduled at KPC.

Marty’s Dad still lives is in New York where he taught sociology at the Rochester community college. The Hapeman’s were liberal and were involved in the Vietnam War protests. Her Mom now lives with them in Kasilof.

“My folks are awesome, really!” Marty said.

Marty knows a fair amount about art history. She says that Hitler was a failed artist. When Hitler’s regime took over they replaced the existing traditional art in German museums with m pastoral scenes and with naked women on couches.

Among Marty’s interests is her belief in Eckankar, similar to the “sant mat” tradition in India. Reincarnation, meditation and focus on dreams are important parts of her faith. Marty and Dyer have gone through many changes recently, so Marty is currently changing her name to Zirrus VanDevere (the last name is Dyer’s, the first, inspired…). It is the name you will find on any of her recently exhibited works.

Around Town
Congratulations to Dillion Henrie who won the Tustumena School spelling bee for the third year in a row. Dillion will participate in the state spelling bee in Feb.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Kenai Neighbor

I always enjoy having a few minutes to chat with Barb Rea.  I have known Barb since we were both teens and she has been cutting my hair since we moved back to Alaska almost 4 years ago. 

Barb first moved to Alaska with her family when she was six years old.  They lived in Anchorage until 1976 when they moved to Soldotna.  She has fond memories of Sterling from when she was a kid.

“We use to come to the Moose River campground and go fishing in the summer.  We would stay really late.  If we caught something we would cook it up and have midnight snacks of fried fish over the fire,” she said.

Barb moved to Panoramic Drive in 1995.  Barb, her husband Jeff and their daughter Shelby made their final move to their current house off Robinson loop four years ago.  Their other children; Katie and Roland are going to be home to spend the holidays with the family.

Barb’s family has always loved having animals.  Right now they have dogs, cats and two goats named Charlie and Baby.  Shelby enjoys playing with all of them.  Until recently Barb has had horses, but recently she decided it was time to find new homes for them.

“We have been four-wheeling as a family now instead of riding horses.  You don’t have to haul water to the four wheeler when it is freezing cold in the winter,” she said with a laugh. 

The family, including Barb’s parents enjoys riding their four wheelers on the trails around Robinson Loop and Swanson River Road. 

“Next year it would be fun to go out to North Kenai and ride on the beaches out there,” she said.

Barb has a beauty salon in her home and enjoys working out of her house.  She said that since people on the Kenai Peninsula are use to driving long distances, she has clients from as far as North Kenai and Kasilof.  

“My clients are my friends.  Working is like I have friends dropping by my house every day to visit,” she said.

Barb loves living in a small town.  There are not many things she would like to see change in Sterling.  She would like to see a bigger store like Wal-Mart open in the area, but she would be happy if they would just reopen the Zip-mart store. 

The whole family is very involved in Shelby’s activities at Sterling Elementary School. 

“We all really enjoyed when they had movie nights last year.  I would love to see them do that one Friday a month.  We had a chance to watch a movie and catch up with our friends and neighbors,” she said.  “It was a really good time”.

Interviewing Kami Martin was kind of like interviewing a bouncing rubber ball with red hair and a huge enthusiastic smile.  While we talked she turned summersaults and cartwheels and practiced her balance beam routine along a tape mark on the floor. 

Kami is 6 years old, but informed me that she will turn 7 on December 6^th, the same day as the school holiday music program. 

“It will be like a party, singing on my birthday,” she said.

Kami is in the first grade at Sterling Elementary School.  Her mom, Suzanne is a Kindergarten teacher there and I interviewed Kami in her mom’s classroom.  Kami showed me around the room and shared some information on math games they play with dice.

Kami’s favorite class is music.  She loves to sing and dance.   After music her next favorite time is lunch and recess.

“We play house outside on the playground,” she said.  “When we have snow we make angels and spin in circles ‘til our hair is freaky and laugh,” she said.

Kami also likes doing math because this year they are getting to learn the hard stuff like subtraction.   Kami also likes to read.

Kami lives at home with her mom, Suzanne and her Dad, Dan.  She also has two pets; a dog named Teddy and a cat named Cocoa.  She likes to play Frisbee with her dog, but she takes along a towel so she can wipe the dog drool off the Frisbee before she throws it again. 

Kami has a fun hobby, she and her family go geocaching.  Geocaching is a type of high tech treasure hunting.  Using a G.P.S. unit and clues that are provided on the internet you search for caches that other people have hidden.  The cache contains little treasures.  When you find it, you can take a treasure for the cache and then you leave something else for the next geocacher to find.

“I like looking for caches because you get to for a hike and then you get a prize when you find the box,” Kami said. 

“The best thing I got was a bouncy ball,” she said.

So far, she and her family have found about 80 caches, she said.  They have also hid caches for other people to find.

When I asked Kami what new things she would like to see in Sterling she thought that the school should have an ice cream machine, and not just a normal ice cream machine.  This on would be special.

“It would have a picture of George Washington on the place where you would usually have to put money.  Instead of putting a dollar in you could just touch George’s face and the machine would give you what ever flavor you wanted free.  I would like orange and vanilla swirl,” she said with a smile.

Robbie Redmond only moved to Alaska in 2001, but after talking to here I think she has always been an Alaskan at heart.

Robbie and her husband Jim lived in Higgins Lake, a small town in Northern Michigan that is like Alaska in many ways.  The winters are cold, the area rather rural and the people are an independent lot.

Robbie and Jim actually planned to move to Alaska over 20 years ago but circumstances intervened.  Jim’s father fell ill and his mother asked them to stay in Michigan.  After Jims Dad passed away his mother told them it was time for them to fulfill their dream of living in Alaska.

“We just packed our bags and came north,” Robbie said. 

Jim had been to Alaska before, but it was the first time Robbie had been here.

“It was like coming home,” she said.

In April of 2003 Robbie purchased Sonshine House, a daycare and preschool facility in Soldotna.  Robbie had been cooking for Sonshine House when the opportunity to purchase if came her way.

“I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would be doing something like this.  I never knew I had this much patience.  God had plans for me,” she said with a laugh.

Even though running a large child care facility was not something Robbie planned on, she absolutely loves it.  50 or 60 kids are cared for in the facility every day.  One of the best parts of owning Sonshine House has been the opportunity to share her day with family.  Both of Robbie’s daughters work with her and all 6 of her grandchildren attend.

“I love having my family close every day,” she said.

Robbie and Jim lived in Soldotna for a few years until they found their new home off Robinson Loop in 2004.  They both love the Sterling area. 

“Every day when I drive away from town I see the beautiful mountains, and I drive up to my house, I just love it,” she says.  “I don’t just have a house here.  Sterling is my home,” she said.

Family is the center of Robbie’s life.  She enjoys hiking and fishing with her family and hosting family gatherings and meals.  In her spare time Robbie likes to sew and crochet.  She also loves to garden and work in her greenhouse.   

Like many folks I talk to, Robbie likes Sterling like it is and doesn’t want to see a lot of changes, though a full sized grocery store would be nice.

“I would love to have a store in Sterling so I didn’t have to go into town to buy food,” she said.  “I would go out of my way to shop in Sterling if we had a full grocery store,” she said.