Governor says goodbye to thousands at picnic

WASILLA — It was a rock star atmosphere at times for Gov. Sarah Palin at Friday’s Governor’s Picnic.

While Wasilla’s most famous resident helped serve hot dogs and present Blue Star Banners to military families, she was also inundated with well-wishers on her final public Valley appearance as governor. Palin announced her resignation July 3, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be sworn in as the state’s 12th governor today in Fairbanks.

Clad in a red sweatshirt and blue denim pants, Palin found plenty of support among an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 picnic attendees. She patiently autographed anything put in front of her, including children, T-shirts and books, and left without taking questions from the media.

The highlight of the picnic for many was the Blue Star Banner ceremony, giving banners to anyone who has a family member actively serving in the military.

Bert Hall, vice chairman of the state Veterans Advisory Council, said 108 Blue Star Banners were giving out, a significant increase over the 50 to 60 usually handed out during the Governor’s Picnic.

One of those was given to Margaret Loew, whose husband Jonathan is an Airman 1st Class in the Air Force. The couple is preparing a move from Palmer to Italy. But that’s a world away for 13-month-old Annabelle, who only wanted to play with the banner.

“We’re going to hang it with pride in our house,” Loew said. “I couldn’t be more proud as an Air Force wife and watching my husband serve.”

She grew up the daughter of a retired Air Force master sergeant, and said being a military family “is an adventure.”

Cheyenne Guard sported a big smile after getting a banner to represent his daughter, Kelsey, who is an Army MP serving in Baghdad. Although small, he said his daughter is more than tough enough for her task.

“She graduated from boot camp and said if she’d have known it was so easy, she would’ve gone into the Marines,” he said.

Cheyenne learned about his daughter’s desire to serve rather abruptly. “She came home one day and said, ‘I’m joining the Army,’” he said. “I don’t feel the fear other parents do. You have to worry, that’s for sure, but she’s in God’s hands. She knows her job and does it well.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.