Mat-Su honors newly elected Governor, Lt. Governor

PALMER — More than 200 people attended the Governor’s Mat-Su Inaugural Community Reception for Gov. Sean Parnell and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell Saturday in Raven Hall at the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer.

Wasilla City Councilwoman Colleen Sullivan-Leonard led the committee that organized the local reception. She said it took the group about three weeks to organize what she called “a classy afternoon reception.”

Similar receptions are planned in Kodiak, Fairbanks, Juneau, Nome and Anchorage. The first reception in the series was in Kenai Jan. 14.

“The committee worked very hard,” Sullivan-Leonard said. “We wanted to make it comfortable for the whole community.”

The three-hour event included remarks by Gov. Parnell and Lt. Gov. Treadwell, a color guard presentation by Boy Scout Troop 339. Troop member Kolby Torres led the “Pledge of Allegiance” and Adele Morgan sang the national anthem and the “Alaska Flag Song.” The Dancers Workshop of Wasilla and the Anguyak Native Dancers gave performances, and Alaska Job Corps culinary arts students prepared the food.

“We’re just honored to have the governor and lieutenant governor here,” Sullivan-Leonard said. “They are taking notice of the Mat-Su Valley — our increase in population and to our natural resources.”

Alaska Job Corps culinary arts student Samantha Tatum worked at the reception. When her work was done, she went to stand in line to have her poster autographed. Tatum said she hoped to have both Governor Parnell and Lt. Governor Treadwell sign it.

“It was fun,” she said.

Contact Heather A. Resz at heather.resz@frontiersman.com or 352-2268.