Pioneers of Alaska hold annual ‘Spring Bling Fling’

PALMER — On Friday, the Pioneers of Alaska’s Palmer igloos hosted their annual Spring Bling Fling event. Dozens of lifelong Alaskans gathered in the Palmer Moose Lodge, near the park. Members each brought one or two salads for the potluck. The Alaska Job Corps volunteered its culinary class to help serve and assist the jovial senior tables.

There were auctions, a fashion show with clothes arranged by Garden Gate, and the crowning of the new king and queen. Jim Wilson and his wife Aggie were adorned in blue sashes and appeared to be in very high spirits, much like the room’s atmosphere.

Each year, a new king and queen are elected as spokespeople acting on the club’s behalf. They will speak at upcoming events throughout the summer, like the Colony Days parade in Palmer with the Pioneers’ float.

The fashion show had ladies walk a decorated runway with hand-picked clothes. The crowd cheered with delight. They laughed and applauded heartily, making jokes and shaking hands.

Under David Williams' instruction, the Alaska Job Corps students assisted their elders professionally as a part of their hands on training for class.

“They grow with every event,” Williams said. According to Williams, portions of their training is to learn how to set up a dining room, how to decorate it, how to serve people and how to communicate. He said it allows them to work with other people in the community — much like the Pioneers’ years of service.

“This is our way of giving back to their service. I think that’s a big part of the job, to work with the public. It instills interactions. A lot of my students come from very rural areas. I have a very diverse classroom from all over the state,” Williams said.

According to Mary Anne Lisenby, a longtime member and one of the coordinating leaders of the event, said it’s a fun time to let loose and connect with friends and keep the pioneer spirit alive, “That’s one of the reasons why we do the pioneer home.”

“People that are in the Pioneer Home are the ones that, more than likely

Have been here for 50-plus years,” she said. “So they know the history and keep that conversation going. Because Pioneers have stories to tell.”

The Pioneers of Alaska is a fraternal organization that was founded in Nome in 1907. They have been ingrained in the threads of Alaskan society for generations. There was a collective theme passed around throughout the course of the afternoon.

With member’s ages passing into the twilight years, there is a somber and nostalgic journey running through the chapters in their stories.

Lisenby stated that most of the seniors present were some of the original colonists in Palmer, some coming to Alaska when they were children, some as young as 15 months. So, these people are living, breathing historical ties to Alaska’s past.

According to the Pioneers of Alaska’s website, to date, there are 16 Men and 16 Women Subordinate Igloos that are active in Alaska. The Grand Igloo unites Alaska’s Pioneers by meeting once each year with the subordinate Igloos taking turns hosting these conventions. Delegates from all the subordinate igloos attend, and Grand Igloo officers are elected from these subordinate igloos to represent the whole.

According to their mission statement, the pioneers have always focused on social connection and comradery, and service to the community. So, after friendly and bustling turn out, the Pioneers have rich history in their wake, a wave they hope to have their decedents carry on.

The Pioneers of Alaska are always seeking new members and can be reached at pioneersoa@gmail.com. Forms can be downloaded off their website: www.pioneersofalaska.org/forms