PUBLISHER’S NOTEBOOK: The residual payment

This past Tuesday morning, fellow Wasilla Sunrise Rotarian and Development Director for United Way Mat-Su, Chelsea Fields, gave a presentation about a few topics, including the role that United Way plays in the community. She spoke of the group’s involvement with other non-profit organizations such as Thrive Mat-Su, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and more. She reflected on her own experience through the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program and the personal rewards of being a mentor. We need more people like Chelsea. She has a servant’s heart and her compassion for others came through as she spoke. Often, the complaint of those who are involved in service organizations is that young professionals don’t get involved. Wasilla Sunrise Rotary has a nice mix of youth and experience. Chelsea and her peers gives us great hope for the future of service clubs in the Valley.

Mentoring can be done through an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters but often it comes in the most organic of forms. Mentoring our children and their friends, of course, is one form. It can happen at work as well. My point is often one doesn’t set out to be a mentor; it just happens. Personally, I count many people as my mentors and will always be grateful to them. I’m also discovering that payment from mentoring comes at times that you don’t expect. Like randomly receiving a check in the mail that wasn’t expected.

One such case stands out for me. My friend Geoff Atchley and I formed a traveling baseball team for our sons Garren and Matt, and their classmates. We started when they were 11 and would do so over the course of five more years. We spent most of the summers of their youth at various baseball related activities. We had other parents help us, but Geoff and I picked the kids for the team based more on their character, and their parents’, than for their baseball skills. It wasn’t always easy but it was a lot of fun. Looking back, I believe we may have done more life skills coaching than baseball coaching and we weren’t even aware of it at the time.

Those boys are in their mid-20s now and are facing the realities of being an adult. I’m proud of how each them handle themselves, and through the magic of social media I get to watch from a far. I don’t know if I understood how important I was to them until well after they had all finished their high school baseball careers and went their separate ways. About half of them played on an adult softball team after high school and a couple years ago I went and watched them play a game. Most of them I hadn’t seen in a few years, so to see them as adults was fun. I sat in the bleachers without announcing to them I was there until one of them spotted me in between innings. Through the chain linked dugout fence I shook his hand. When I looked up they had formed a line and each of them, one by one, reached out his hand through the fence and gave me a hearty greeting. They each were saying thank you without saying it just by the enthusiasm in their greeting. It was very touching and I walked away knowing I had made an impact on their young lives and payment is watching them succeed in life. If you have an opportunity to make a difference in a young person’s life I have one piece of advice. Just do it. The residual payment is worth every sacrifice you make.

Happy Birthday Wasilla

The city of Wasilla put on a birthday bash on Jan. 7 to kick off a year-long celebration for the city’s centennial. Mayor Cottle, Lyn Carden and the rest of the staff at the city put on a great event. It was good to see Myrtle Gislason, 98 years young, assist our good mayor in cutting the birthday cake. Ms. Myrtle’s family moved to Alaska from Iceland in 1945. They started a dairy on Fairview Loop in 1947. I also met Mr. Corky Seeger in the buffet line. Mr Seeger is 88 and is proud of his family heritage in Alaska. During these cold winter days, I wonder how these pioneering families survived back in the day. It’s not like they had auto start for their vehicles, gas or electric heat for their homes or indoor plumbing for that matter. Alaskan’s are a hearty group and I’m proud to be a part of them. They say you’re not a true Alaskan until you’ve been through your first winter. Well the sun is starting to hang a little longer each day. April will mark my first full year in the great state. I will be proud to be a true Alaskan soon. Look for more centennial events throughout the year. For more information visit the city’s website or download the City of Wasilla app and you can have the info right on your favorite device.

Two events on Feb. 4

United Way of Mat-Su is hosting a “Puttin’ on the Glitz” Masquerade Ball & Auction from 7-11p.m. on Saturday Feb. 4. Tickets are $50 each or $350 for a table of eight. The event will feature live music from The Jerry Wessling Band, a dessert bar, mocktails and a silent auction; all proceeds benefit United Way of Mat-Su. Call Chelsea Fields at 745-5822

Also, the Big Lake Lions Club & Susitna Rotary Club are hosting the annual Icebreaker event in Big Lake. My good friend Bill Haller tells me there will be a prime rib dinner with a cash bar and a Mat-Su’s Got Talent show. Gorilla Fireworks will be lighting up the skies that night. Tickets are $60 each. Call Bill at 841-8040 for more details. You can reserve tables of 10 or 12 also. The event is from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.

I’ll be at one of these events but it’s hard to decide. They both look like fun.

Thank you for reading the Frontiersman.