Briefcase

ALPAR honors Valley recyclers

Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling honored two local organizations at their 2010 annual awards banquet April 28.

• Valley Community for Recycling Solutions and the Matanuska Susitna Borough received the Outstanding Recycling Community award celebrating their achievement in completing the new Resource Recovery and Training Park that will provide all the communities of the Mat-Su region with recycling and educational services for years to come.

• Alaska Waste received the ALPAR Board of Directors Award for Community Service for their investment in new bio-diesel and composting technologies that bring food waste and cooking oil recycling to Anchorage.

Founded in 1983, ALPAR is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing economically viable recycling and eliminating litter in Alaska.

Lessons learned from off-grid homes workshop

Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology continues its “Path to Net Zero Energy” series with a May 11 workshop, 4701 Begich Circle, Wasilla.

At the workshop, Richard DeBusman, Victor Guillot, and George Menard will share information about “Lessons Learned from Off-Grid Homes.”

The daylong workshop costs $80 for general admission, $40 for students and ACAT members, and $225 for residential endorsement holder continuing education certificate. Scholarships are available for both general and student admission.

Topics discussed during the workshop will include: how to meet Net Zero Energy in Alaska; planning and designing solar and wind systems for Alaska; thermal shell designs to attain Net Zero Energy; calculating energy load and sizing photovoltaic and wind systems; and equipment for renewable energy that survives Alaskan conditions.

For more information, contact info@acat.org or visit acat.org.

Free estate planning workshops

Attorney Connie Aschenbrenner will present free workshops on estate planning from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Tuesday and June 3 at the Wasilla Senior Center. Learn about the benefits of a will, living trust, power of attorney and Alaska health care directive.

For more information, contact caschenbrenner@gci.net or visit akwillstrusts.com.

‘National Day of Prayer’ planned in Palmer, Wasilla Thursday

Ceremonies in Palmer and Wasilla are planned in observance of the National Day of Prayer Thursday. Palmer’s special prayer service is at noon at the Town Square near the train depot. And Wasilla’s is at noon at the flagpole at Wasilla City Hall. Everyone is invited. For more information about the Palmer meeting, call Chris Miller at the Church on the Rock at 373-7910; and for Wasilla, call Stan Tucker at Pilgrims Baptist Church at 373-3454.

Booth space available for July 9 garden fair

Booth space is available now for the second annual Mid-Summer Garden and Art Faire, set from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., July 9 in downtown Palmer. This year’s theme is “Creating a Fertile Networking Environment for Gardeners and Friends” and funds raised benefit the Mat-Su Special Santa Program, which gave gifts to 3,500 Mat-Su Valley children in 2010. Booths costs $100 for the day. For more information, or to apply for a booth, email midsummergardenfaire@gmail.com.

Toastmasters meets Tuesdays

Toastmasters group meets from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Tuesdays at Wasilla Area Seniors Inc, 1301 S Century Cir. Toastmasters helps people develop better communication and leaderships skills, think quicker and more clearly on their feet, builds self-confidence and strong leadership qualities. For more information, contact Dennis Moore at djmoore611@gci.net; Angela Ritchey at angritchey@yahoo.com, or visit matsutm.org.