By Thalia Wilkinson
Special to the Turnagain Times
Looking forward to summer? So are we. Mark your calendars.
Registration for Arts Camp begins March 27 at Four Valleys Community School.
Arts Camp will be from July 30 to Aug. 10. A variety of creative experiences will be happening in Girdwood during these two weeks of summer. It’ll be the twenty-first season of offering Fine Arts experiences to artists of all ages. Directors, Thalia Wilkinson, Sarah Cronk and Brigid Bourque are anticipating a very exciting season.
There are two sessions for primary-aged children ages 5-8 and an intermediate session for students ages 9-18. Stained glass, drawing, printmaking, and more are planned for these sessions. There are two intensives to choose from: Digital Photography and a Drama/ video production for older students ages 12-18.
The intermediate students will be collaborating on two public art pieces. One will be a mosaic of broken pottery on a large cement planter next to the park. We will need your broken pottery and china pieces for this. The FVCS has offered to start collecting broken dishes at their office. They are open Monday through Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. and Friday 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. through May 18.
For adults, a Japanese Sumi ink painting workshop will take place on July 29. Registration for this four hour workshop can be made by calling Thalia Wilkinson 783-1965.
Scholarships for arts camp are available. The Public Art Show is scheduled for Friday Aug. 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Consider sending your children to Girdwood Fine Arts Camp or volunteering with us. Start saving broken pottery, china, and tiles for a large mosaic in our town center -collection location to be announced. If you have a large amount of broken china, or tiles we may be able to collect them. Call Thalia at 783-1965.
By Rosie Fletcher
Special to the Turnagain Times
There are many projects in the works and on the horizon in the Girdwood valley. From the Library/Community Cen-ter, talk of a high school in Girdwood, to the highly anticipated renovations at Alyeska – Girdwood is clearly changing.
The youth of Girdwood have been dealt a very precious hand of cards. As the future leaders and visionaries of tomorrow, we need to engage them in the process that is happening right now before it’s too late. The foundation for the years to come is beginning to be laid.
Girdwood is historically very transient. Only one girl remains in Girdwood that I went to elementary school with. Granted we have both come and gone, but we did come back. What drew us back? It wasn’t the job market; there are very few good paying, stable, year round jobs. It wasn’t the lack of housing available to young people and growing families, as neither one of us can currently afford to purchase a home in Girdwood. The community is what drew us back to Girdwood. Easily, the most valuable commodity that this town has is its incredible sense of community. My question is, how can we begin to draw more and more of the younger generations back to Girdwood? We need to recognize our communities’ second largest commodity, and create an opportunity for them to bring their education and knowledge back to Girdwood.
Girdwood’s population base, the continued need for amenities, and growing diversity warrants a Youth Commission separate from Anchorage. As advisors to the GBOS, mentors to the elementary students, or as civic and community leaders in training, the high school students in Girdwood offer a fresh voice to issues facing the community today and could provide insight into the planning of tomorrow.
I couldn’t even begin to guess what they believe the pressing issues facing Girdwood are today, or how they would best be served; those decisions will be up to the youth commission. I do know that through listening, nurturing, and creating a strong presence for them, we can provide a platform, and engage them in the process so that they will want to come back home.
I encourage anyone who is interested in helping me form the Girdwood Youth Commis-sion to call or email me at Fletchergr@muni.org- or 343-4458.
By Denise Dargan
Special to the Turnagain Times
Spring is just around the corner, and the seeds of change are on the wind, with plans for the new Girdwood Library and Community Center moving toward fruition with each day.
A reading incentive program that encourages youth and families to read the books from the We The People Bookshelf is available at all Anchorage Municipal Libra-ries through the month of March. Participants are invited to keep track of the Bookshelf titles they or their family read on a “Pass-port.” After reading or listening to at least three titles, enter a drawing for gift certificates from local book-stores. Visit our website for the list of books. For information about other programs that are a part of the We the People Bookshelf, visit www.anchoragelibrary.org.
The Big Read program continues state-wide, with special programs and promotions during March. Copies of the chosen title, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, have arrived, with many copies available for check out at all branches of the Anchorage Municipal Libraries. Every branch library will hold a Big Read program over the next few months. Author Ray Bradbury will be featured in a live simulcast at 3:30 p.m., Friday, March 23 at the Assembly Chambers in the Z.J. Loussac Library, Level 1. The Gerrish Branch will hold a book discussion on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Current and upcoming popular fiction titles include: “Boomsday” by Christopher Buckley, “The Quilter’s Homecoming” by Jennifer Chiaverini, “I Heard That Song Before” by Mary Higgins Clark, “Drop Dead Beautiful” by Jackie Collins, “Sleeping With Strangers” by Eric Jerome Dickey, “Ameri-can Detective” by Loren D. Estleman, “The Alibi Man” by Tami Hoag, “Absolute Fear” by Lisa Jackson, “Obsession” by Jonathan Kellerman, “Kingdom Come: The Final Victory” by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHave, “The Good Husband of Zebra Drive” by Alexander McCall Smith, “The Marriage Game” by Fern Michaels, “The River Knows” by Amanda Quick, “Body Surfing” by Anita Shreve, “The Children of Hurin” by J. R. R. Tolkien, and “Fresh Disasters” by Stuart Woods.
These, as well as other library materials may be requested by contacting library staff, or from your home computer at www. anchoragelibrary.org. You will need your library card and pin number to be able to place your own re-quests. Please contact library staff if you do not know your pin number. We are always happy to assist.
On March 20, 2006, at 4:07 p.m. ADT, the Sun will cross directly over the Earth’s equator. This moment is known as the Vernal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox. Spring will officially begin with the Vernal Equinox.
Children’s programs at the Gerrish Branch Library include Preschool Story time on Fridays, 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., and the Lapsit Program on Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.
There will be no children’s programs on Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17. Programs are also cancelled for the week of Spring Break, Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24.
We will be closed Saturday, March 24 for the Seward’s Day Holiday.
Please phone 343-4024 for a voicemail message that includes Gerrish Library’s hours of operation, upcoming programs and events and other library information.
By Philip Peterson
Special to the Turnagain Times
The 2007 U.S. Alpine Championships at Alyeska are fast approaching (March 27-April 3). This means that Alyeska will get a face-lift in order to look pretty for all the T.V. cameras. Tourists, coaches, race staff, and athletes will descend upon our peaceful little valley bringing a Hollywood-like excitement with them. These athletes are some of the best ski racers that our country has to offer.
They are accustomed to well-tuned skis and they’re not the only ones. Properly tuned skis are an addiction. Once you get used to skiing them, you’ll settle for nothing less. For me, dull skis are like flat beer, all the parts are there but it’s missing something vital. A ski is designed to be sharp; all of the physics of its carving potential are designed around well-honed edges. These edges are the charge, the pizzazz, the zowie that makes your skis snap down the hill. Now, on a powder day no one needs edges, but we’ve had a couple of days this year (the month of February) where the resort and the backcountry offered nothing but hard pack and boiler plate conditions. These are the times when your skis could use a little TLC. However, many people don’t really know what goes into a tune-up. So in an effort to drop the shroud of secrecy obscuring the back-shop, I’d like to explain ski-tuning 101, the parts of a tune that can be manipulated.
The edges on your skis have two faces, the side edge and the base edge. These faces are tuned separately. The angles at which they stand relative to the base of the ski are referred to as their bevels. The side bevel defines how sharp a ski is. Skis come out of the presses with edges that have 90-degree angles. By reducing these angles the ski becomes sharper. A one-degree side bevel will result in an 89-degree edge, a two-degree bevel will result in an 88-degree edge and so forth producing more acute and sharper angles. Most skis are coming from the factory with a three-degree side bevel, resulting in very sharp skis. This means greater edge hold but a little more maintenance. Like a kitchen knife the shaper they are, the more often you have to sharpen them.
Base bevels control at what angle to the snow the ski needs to be turned on its side before it will begin to carve. Most skis operate with a one-degree base bevel, anything less will cause a ski to be extremely hooky. For the most part, only racers will appreciate this ride, as it is difficult to free ski with. Bevels greater than one will result in a ski that is slower to set an edge. Some people prefer this ride, as it is more forgiving and harder to catch an edge. Over time these bevels become worn and uneven making it harder for you to initiate your turns.
Stone grinding is like hitting the reset button. By shaving off the top layer of base material, you can gain access to the recessed base edge in order to sharpen and re-bevel. Grinding also flattens the ski and gets rid of dead, dried out material allowing for better wax penetration.
Most people know that we use wax to reduce friction and hence increase speed, but waxing has several other important features. The hydrophobic properties of wax help to prevent that sticky, suction cupping action that we feel in wet snow, especially in wet powder dumps. For backcountry skiers, wax prevents skin glue from sticking to your bases as the skins are been peeled off. Warm weather waxes can be rubbed into your skins to prevent snow clumping as you climb. Backcountry skiers and splitboarders should carry a block of warm weather wax in their pack. It is an easy fix if you have it, and if you don’t it can virtually ruin a great day when you have to carry half the mountain up the hill with you.
Any ski tech worth his/her salt will work with you to find a tune that fits your style. My advice is to talk with your tech, and explain what you like and dislike. It is easy for us to change the way a ski behaves, but it is difficult for us to know what you enjoy. Without your input, we simply play the odds.
Your skis take a lot of abuse. Cars and trucks require gas, horses need food and water, skis ask very little in return for the miles that they carry you. Perhaps its time for you to recognize their starring role in your winter fun.
To bring it all home, I’ll leave you with the sage wisdom of Girdwood resident and ski relationship expert, Kevin Neff, “If you want your skis to love you than you need to L-O-V-E your skis.”
Philip Peterson is a Ski Tech at World Cup Sports in Girdwood.
Max the Dog continues to interview canine residents of Turnagain Arm. This week’s interview is with Drew, who lives with another Border Collie named Meg, and Carol Sanner in Girdwood.
Drew is a twelve year old Border Collie, and an experienced Search and Rescue Dog. I met him at a Community School dog obedience class he and his human, Carol, taught several years ago. Drew showed the dogs all the right moves, and his companion Carol showed the humans how to converse intelligently with us. The Food Lady and I never did figure out “stay”.
One afternoon, while Carol and the Food Lady shared a pot of tea at my place, Drew and I stretched out, relaxed on the living room carpet. We tried to talk. Meg Dog, Drew’s lively Search and Rescue trainee, had accompanied him, and gave us no peace. I sent her off to find Harriet the Cat so we could focus.
The next morning I was again seated at the watching window, and noticed Drew approaching with Carol and his protégé Meg Dog. I heard Carol shout “busca!” (Spanish for “find”). I watched as the two dogs took off, noses to the frozen ground. They searched the area thoroughly, including the false grave holes. In a short time, they’d located the buried body. They did a special little scratching dance to alert Carol, who released from its icy grave what turned out to be a stuffed dummy. Then the three of them cavorted around, playing a high spirited game of Tug and Wrestle.