Murkowski, staff to host Friday community picnic

July 18, 2006

By MARY AMES/Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Last year, when Gov. Frank Murkowski was in the Valley to promote his Governor's Picnic in Anchorage, he received a challenge from the audience to hold a picnic here.

This year, Murkowski and his commissioners will serve food to Mat-Su Borough residents at the Mat-Su Community Governor's Picnic on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Iditapark in Wasilla.

&#8220It's for the community, for one and all,” said Colleen Sullivan-Leonard, the governor's Mat-Su liaison. &#8220It's a community-sponsored event.”

Cheryl Metiva, executive director of the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, was one of the prime movers in the event, in part because she asked Murkowski if he would attend a picnic held in the Valley.

&#8220I said I think the fastest growing community should host the Governor's picnic,” Metiva said. &#8220I asked him if he would attend, and he said yes.”

Metiva was one of five people who formed a committee to pull a community picnic together. She was joined on the committee by Nick Nelson, of the Boys and Girls Club, Vicki Wehe, with the Small Business Administration, Teresa Bloom, from the Wasilla Chamber board, and Sullivan-Leonard.

&#8220It's been really fun to put this together,” Metiva said. &#8220We used the Military Appreciation Day as a template.”

Being an election year, it was hard sometimes to get across the idea that the picnic was not a political event, she said.

&#8220It's been a long time since there has been a governor's picnic,” Metiva said. &#8220We want to re-establish an annual event to honor that office.”

The committee did get a passel of local businesses to donate local food and other goods for the community to come together in celebration, she said.

Some of the local food included veggies from Vanderweele Farms and fresh peas from John Hett, Sullivan-Leonard said.

&#8220And don't forget Verda's cakes,” she said. &#8220She makes the best cakes.”

Suzy Crosby worked to bring together the picnic's musical entertainment, which includes Crosby's group, The Mountain Waxwings, as well as Josh Fryfogle, Just Playin Jazz and The Carhartt Brothers, among others, Metiva said.

Mat-Valley Meats gave the picnic planners a huge discount on their order, she said.

Nate Burris, owner of Mat-Valley Meats said the committee ordered 250 hot dogs and 250 hamburgers. But he didn't know if he would attend the picnic.

&#8220It depends on if I can get away from here,” Burris said.

The long list of donors included many local businesses that showcase what's available in the Valley, Metiva said, and the cities of Palmer and Wasilla and the borough each cut the picnic committee a check for $250.

&#8220The whole community is chipping in,” Sullivan-Leonard said.

Recognizing that her challenge from a year ago brought her more work, Metiva laughed.

&#8220We're into the last week, and it's coming together really well,” she said.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.