By Mona Painter
Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing Correspondent
Cathy Leaders and her grandson, Dakota Leaders, collected the most trash during last month’s annual Snug Harbor Snail-a-thon and had their choice of several donated prizes. Dakota opted for a horseback ride with Alex Kime of Alaska Horseman Trail Adventures. Samantha Smith won an overnight stay at Bowman’s Bear Creek Lodge in Hope for the most colorful hat. Picnic prizes were awarded: a bear photo by Gyta Sears to Jimmy Holben, lunch for two at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge to Abby Reger, and a cross made of petrified moose bone to Rebecca James. Thanks to Terry Hook, Brad and Susanna LaRock, Jan Mitchell, Carrie Williams, Jed and Rhonda Rogalski, Debbie Bussdieker, and all the checkers and volunteers who helped make the day a success. Over $2,000 in donations has been received by the Cooper Landing Community Club.
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Mona Painter/Turnagain Times The first nine drift boats bounce through Shellhorn rapids on the Kenai River during the 5th Annual Kenai River Regatta. |
Kyle Kolodziejski and Joe Smallwood from Alaska Wildland Adventures took first place in this year’s 5th Annual Kenai River Drift Boat Regatta June 3. They went from Ingram’s to Sportsman’s Boat Launch in just under 56 minutes. Alec Lamberson and Paul Tornow came in second followed by Sean Norris and Erik Route in third place. Sixteen boats participated. Following the river run, everyone met at the picnic pavilion at the community center and where a chili cook-off, raffle, and handyman auction were held. AWA Chef Christian was awarded the blue ribbon for the best chili out of 17 entries with Alex Route’s chili getting the second most votes. Over $2,400 was raised for Cooper Landing School with much support from businesses and individuals.
The Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge softball team won this year’s ten-day softball tournament but not without the Bean Creekers forcing them to a second game on playoff night June 1. Cooper Landing Emergency Services volunteers worked long hours at their food concessions during the tournament. Darwin Peterson sold birdhouses, with a percentage of proceeds going to CLES, and many local businesses and individuals donated clothing, services, float and fishing trips, and other items for a silent auction during the tournament. Terry Hook, with help from Rick Holben and others, cooked and served the playoff dinner with proceeds going to CLCC.
Becky Clark from Anchorage won the Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce’s raffle of a 14-day trip for two to Thailand which included airfare, ground transportation, and lodging valued at $4,000. The drawing was held June 10 at the Chamber’s log cabin visitor’s center.
Cooper Landing Senior Citizens Corporation, Inc.’s annual flea market fundraiser at the community hall June 13 and 14 brought in crowds to buy and sell. Shelbe Holben’s guess as to how many pennies there were in the glass jar was the closest, so she had over $6 in pennies to spend on anything from jewelry to muffins at the flea market. Mayme Ohnemus and Anna Wheeler kept the hotdogs coming to hungry shoppers.
The Kenai River opened to fishing June 11, so many of those who participated in the Snail-a-thon, softball tournament, and the regatta are now either hard at work or enjoying time on the river fishing for reds and kings while keeping an eye out for bears. Malcolm Herbert was walking along Bean Creek Road recently when a brown bear sow with cubs came into view and were coming closer when a motor home appeared and aborted a confrontation.