Neighbor leaving, but wont be forgotten

At the monthly meeting of the Meadow Lakes Community Council, members presented John Stoltze with a plaque for his service to the community. The list of Stoltzes activities, however, is far too long to fit on a single plaque.

Over time, he has served as an officer, as well as president, of that community council. Stoltze has organized the annual spring cleanup in the Meadow Lakes area, too.

Ask him and he will be glad to tell you just how much garbage was collected and hauled away during those cleanups. He was also the guy who went out and got donations for the children participating in the clean up, and that is no easy task.

Stoltze has been actively involved in the fire service for this district, FSA #34. He has spent many hours training, as all our volunteer firemen do, and he has been there in the middle of the night doing his utmost to save the homes of his neighbors.

He has also been elected to the Road Service Area #27 board, a truly thankless job. Those of you with road problems know that the members of these boards are the ones you call with a complaint. People dont call them because the contractor did a great job.

Stoltzes long list also includes serving on the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, the Mayors Special Committee on Sports Fisheries Enhancement, the MSB Reapportionment Advisory Committee (as the representative from his district) and the Borough Administrative Building Naming Committee.

All of these commitments take time and energy. These positions are not paying positions. A volunteer may get mileage or a small stipend.

Finally, Stoltze and his wife have been involved in their childrens activities.

He raises really good kids, said one neighbor. Eliminate all the other activities and that in itself is truly great tribute.

Sadly, Stoltze was honored because he and his family are leaving Alaska.

I believe that people such as Stoltze, who give of themselves to make their area a better place to live, people who increase the quality of life through their public service, are what make this a great place to live.

Stoltze will be missed but I hope that, by knowing what he did, each of you whose lives he has touched will thank him, and then thank all the others who are volunteering to make the Mat-Su Borough a better place to live, and work, and play, and raise kids.

Good luck to John and his family. (Theyll be back!)

John Stoltze was nominated by Mary Kvalheim. He will receive flowers from Lindys Floral and Gifts, on the Web at www.lindysfloral.com. Lindys Floral and Gifts delivers a free arrangement to each family appearing in Notable Neighbors.

Do you have a neighbor who goes out of their way to make your day better? Let us know! Suggestions for Notable Neighbors can be e-mailed to editor@alaska.net; mailed to the Frontiersman at 5751 E. Mayflower Ct., Wasilla, AK, 99654; or dropped off at the Frontiersmans office, located on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway across from Hyer Road.