Cooper Landing News

By Mona Painter

Mona Painter/Turnagain Times Bear biologist, Will Troyer, was among the 12 people playing cards in Helen Gwin Commons in Eagles View the Friday night the brown/grizzly bear walked by the glass doors a few feet away. Will judged the nonchalant bruin to be a three-year old. The bear glanced casually toward the excited group and continued to amble across the lawn and up the road to Ravens View. After this visit, residents were reluctant to leave their windows open in spite of the hot weather.

Turnagain Times Cooper Landing Correspondent

More funds raised for Health Center than fish caught
Fund raising was bigger than fishing in Cooper Landing July 10-12 between the Cooper Landing Health Center’s Tent Sale and Halibut Feed, and Cooper Landing Museum’s 50 Years of Statehood party and garage sale. Carrie Williams reported that thanks to community support and many volunteers, the Health Center event went very well with $3,500 being raised from the sale of over 200 dinners and donated items under the big tent. All of the goods left were taken to Moose Pass for a fundraiser there to aid a family in adopting a child from Ethiopia.

Free hotdogs to celebrate Alaska’s 50 years of statehood
Meanwhile, down the highway about a mile, the crew at the Cooper Landing Museum was also moving at a rapid pace. Mary Fort and Cousin Marge, Paula Iverson, Ron Gravenhorst, Tom Knock, and Bill Fort set up the garage sale tables, and waited on the customers, while Rose Faust greeted museum guests, and I roasted hotdogs, made punch, and dashed here and there. Between donations and sales we raised over $1,200 for the museum general fund and enjoyed visiting with guests from Sterling to Israel. Thanks, to our food expediter Jan Mitchell, and to K-F for adding some class with his 1928 Model A.

Ambulance crew delivers baby
Congratulations to Cooper Landing ambulance volunteers and to Phil Weber in particular for the first baby delivery in their 36-year history. Phil said they arrived in Hope June 30 just in time for him to deliver a seven-pound baby. The ambulance volunteers have been plenty busy this summer.

Smoky and hot in the Landing
For a week or so, smoke from forest fires have sometimes limited our view of the mountains on either side of the community. After rowing all day in a drift boat, one of the local fishing guides head was aching from inhaling so much smoky air. We hate to whine, but some of us are looking forward to a good rain and a little cooler weather after days of temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s and the country becoming so dry. Some of our visitors are even shedding their fleece jackets. One woman told me she had to stand in the water (Kenai River) while her fishing guide was having his papers checked, since she was so hot in her hip waders.

August events mean big plans for Seniors and Walkable Community
Two big events are scheduled for August, so here’s a heads-up. Cooper Landing Senior Citizens Corp. Inc. is having the grand opening ceremonies for their new housing unit, Ravens View, on Aug. 11. The day’s events begin with a potluck lunch in Helen Gwin Commons in Eagles View at 11:30. Eagles View, the first housing unit of six apartments, opened in 2006. All of the senior independent living apartment units are occupied. Call CLSCCI’s office at 595-3000 for more information.
Cooper Landing Walkable Community is sponsoring a planning workshop Aug. 11 and 12 at the community hall on Bean Creek Road. Dan Burden, the nationally recognized authority on livable and sustainable communities will be visiting Cooper Landing to give a presentation and go for a walking audit of the community. Concerns and issues will be shared as well as ideas with an implementation plan resented by an advisory panel. Lots to see, hear, and do. Brown bag lunches will be for sale with a community potluck the first evening. Linda Crider will play guitar and sing.