More tourism funding needed

To the editor:

I have always felt very fortunate to be able to live in Talkeetna, the small and beautiful town that I grew up in. In fact, many of the Su Valley graduates are managing tourism-related businesses in Talkeetna.

As Mr. Gunderson, a retired school teacher and basketball coach from the ‘80s — my glory days — said to me while we were keeping books for the recent basketball tournament at the new (thank you, it’s beautiful) Susitna Valley High School, “It seems like you see a Su-Valley alumni face in almost every major businesses in Talkeetna these days, and many of them are managing the businesses.” I realized how right he was and how right it was.

I have seen it improve the quality of life in Talkeetna for many people who have also learned to give back to their communities.

Please tell your legislators to support SB 311 and HB 422 and tourism in Alaska, we need increased funding for tourism marketing.

Sandra Dawn Loomis

Talkeetna