Tribute to my friend Jerry

I can give a list of reasons I miss Colorado, although I love my new adopted home here in Alaska. One is hearing of news about folks I care about who are struggling with life-changing events. One such event actually has a tie to Wasilla.

My good buddy Jerry Boyd passed away on July 18th at the age 76. Jerry’s grandsons Keaton and Blake Reiher played sports with my sons at my old high school in Delta, Colo. I often sat with Jerry and his family at basketball and baseball games. There were times that we would critique the refs and coaches, which is easy to do from the stands. Blake and my son Jon were playing a freshman basketball game in Gunnison, Colo. and were getting beat pretty bad. Jerry and I must have gotten a little carried away. Jerry’s daughter Lori sent him to the auxiliary gym to watch the girls team play. As Jerry was leaving, I said ”Hey, who is going to listen to my complaining?” Lori replied, “You’re about to join him!” I still laugh when I think about that episode.

What’s the connection to Wasilla? Jerry’s grandson, Keaton Reiher, was here in Wasilla last week with his girlfriend, Regain Holgate, visiting her dad, Ken Holgate, a Wasilla resident. This blue marble we live on is very small indeed. Jerry will be missed in Delta and here in Alaska by the chosen few who was fortunate enough to know him.

Meet the author alert

My good friend, Retired Alaska State Trooper Colonel and former director of the state troopers Tom Anderson, plus a few of his trooper friends, will be at Fireside Books in Palmer on Saturday, August 13th at 4 p.m. They’ll speak about their book “North Country Troopers”. If you like the Alaska State Troopers television show, then this is a must read for you. Tales of the early days of the Alaska State Troopers shared with Tom over the years by his fellow troopers fill the pages. Tom currently resides in Meadow Lakes and is one of my favorite people to just sit and have a conversation with.

Ribbon cutting alert!

Catherine Esary, public information officer for the Mat-Su borough school district sent out invitations last week for ribbon cutting ceremonies on two new elementary schools. On Aug. 16 at 10 a.m., Iditarod Elementary School will get the honors. Later the same day at noon, Dena’ina Elementary School will follow suit. The buildings look magnificent and the kids will already be inside during the ribbon cutting filling their minds with knowledge. Congratulations to all involved.

Hanging with the Mayor

On Wednesday I was at two events where Mayor Cottle gave City of Wasilla updates. I was introduced at the Valley Board of Realtors meeting as the Frontiersman is now an affiliate member. I also attended the weekly Wednesday night meeting at the Susitna Rotary club as a guest of Marty and Cherly Metiva, who head up Valley Cinemas and Extreme Fun Center. Mayor Cottle spoke at both meetings. Here are the crib notes for the Mayor’s updates.

• The new Wasilla library will close for four weeks as they transition to their new location. The library had over 98,000 visitors last year. The new library will have over 40 computers available and 100 parking spaces. The old library had 16 parking spots in comparison.

• There is a new sign ordinance now in effect. Check out our story on frontiersman.com

• The Mayor said he would love to host more conventions but hotel room availability and having a restaurant and lounge in the same location is important. If you are interested in investing in such an endeavor, give the Mayor a call.

• He’s in hot pursuit of forming a drug task force that he can partner with Palmer and Anchorage. Heroin is becoming a plague in our area with many residual effects on our community. I’m rooting for him to get this done.

Miner update

In case you missed it, our Mat-Su Miners are the 2016 Alaska Baseball League champs. Congratulations to Pete and Denise Christopher, Head Coach Ben Taylor and staff, all of the fine volunteers and of course the players. I enjoyed watching great baseball this season.

Kids these days

I tend to hear a lot of the negatives about this generation of kids but I have to say I think they may be better behaved than my generation was. They definitely have less room for error. One “kid” from the area sure is making us all proud. She is Dan and Janet Kennedy’s daughter, Rachel. She spoke at this week’s Sunrise Rotary club and was introduced by her dad. She’s impressive. After a stellar high school career at Wasilla High she went on to attend the Air Force Academy and graduated as the top female in her class and number two overall. She was a four-year letterman for the USAFA dive team, also Student representative to the NCAA Mountain West Athletic Conference from USAFA, and a four-year Mountain West Conference scholar. Now on a full ride medical scholarship for the United States Air Force, she will obtain the rank of Captain upon medical school graduation in May 2018. Darn kids, going out there and excelling.

Ending on a good one.

The spiritual being can often override adversity that the physical being is facing. Case in point is the speaker at the monthly Valley Board of Realtors meeting. Dan Bigley, along with Debra McKinney, co-authored a book about Dan’s encounter in 2003 with a bear. The title tells you everything about the book, “Beyond the Bear, How I learned to live and love again after being blinded by a bear.” In 2003, Dan went on a fishing trip telling his new girlfriend that when he got off the river he would call her. It’s a call he never made. Image the last visual you have in this life is a mama bear with her paws on each of your shoulders and her head tilts to the side before she takes her first bite of your face. I can’t. The injuries were so horrific it brought Dan’s surgeon to tears not because of the surgery itself but the fear of what type of life Dan would have after the surgery. His story is compelling, tragic and beautiful all at the same time. I listened to him speak with elegance, humor and mostly gratefulness that he not only survived but has flourished in his life after the bear. Oh, and the girlfriend is now his wife and they have two children. I bought the book and I can’t wait to dive into it. Calling him an inspiration is truly an understatement. I bet our friends at Fireside Books has a copy for sale.