photographs of objects housed at the Hope/Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum.
Fayrene Sherritt/Turnagain Times photo
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| Diane Oltuis (right), President of Hope/Sunrise Historical Society, presented a copy of HSHS's 900-page book to Susan Anderson, Hope Library Director. The book contains descriptions and photographs of objects housed at the Hope/Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum. Fayrene Sherritt/Turnagain Times photo |
By Fayrene Sherritt
Turnagain Times
Hope Correspondent
Hope’s 20th annual Wagon Trail weekend of events will be held Saturday, July 14 and Sunday 15. The very popular Pancake Breakfast will be held at the Hope Social Hall 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Check for posted information for possible Saturday night activities at the Hope Social Hall. Hopefully there will be a Cake-Walk for kids of all ages that evening in the hall.
On Sunday morning the 5-K Fun-Run will begin at 11 a.m. in front of the Hope Social Hall on Main Street. Runners can still sign up for the race beginning after 9 a.m. in front of the Social Hall. Extra T-shirts are sold after the run for those who would be interested in buying one. After the race there will be a BBQ and Bake Sale at the Social Hall. This year there will be a change with the race, ribbons will not be given out for the different age categories each runner will need to keep a record of their own time.
At 1:15 pm, the raffle drawing will begin at the Social Hall. This year is no exception, with 32 or more items donated for the raffle, it is a very popular raffle. The top six prizes include a Remington rifle, Mossberg 835, 12 GA shotgun, a $400 gift certificate from REI, Fred Meyers and Wal-Mart and the very popular “paper-pieced Stain Glass Quilt” (made by several ladies in Hope). The $2 Raffle tickets are available at Alaska Dacha, Bowman’s Bear Creek Lodge, Grounds for Hope, Hope/Sunrise Museum, Hope Library Gift Shop, Scott Sherritt’s Fine Art Gallery and Gifts, plus on the front porch of Tito’s Discovery Café on weekends.
Chugach National Forest requested extra firefighters for the forest area near and around Hope due to the high fire danger. There is a crew on loan from the Tongass National Forest currently camped at the Hope/Sunrise Volunteer Fire Department’s property in Hope. Two firefighters are from Hoonah, four from Wrangell and one from Throne Bay. During the day these firefighters have been working to reduce the fire danger along the Seward Highway and the Hope Road by removing dead beetle-killed spruce and other fire fuels. The materials are stacked in piles to be burned later this winter. Currently they are stationed here on a 14-day assignment but it could be extended should the weather remain warm and dry. While visiting with the firefighters, they expressed how very impressed they are with the Hope area and the friendly residents of our community.
The Scott Sherritt Fine Art Gallery & Gifts opened mid June on 2nd Street in the same location that had been the Hope Gold Rush Bed and Breakfast. Scott has been painting for years and it has been a goal of his to have a gallery in Hope. Along with Scott’s oil paintings, Hope artist Erica Miller, has her pastel works displayed for sale too. Susan Anderson and Fayrene Sherritt have some of their jewelry pieces for sale also. When the “Open” sign is out, please drop by for a visit.
Recently there was a small ceremony at the Hope Community Library where Library Director Susan Anderson received a copy of the Hope/Sunrise Historical Society Artifact Collection a 900-page notebook from HSHS President Diane Olthuis. The hefty book has descriptions and photographs of the objects housed at the Hope/Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum. The last year and a half Diane, with the help of Lynn Copoulos, entered all the data into the museum’s computer. A second copy is updated at the Hope museum. The project would have taken much longer to complete without the generous assistance of the Alaska Humanities Forum
The next general meeting of HSHS will be held on the Hope Museum grounds Saturday, July 21 with a potluck at 11:30 a.m. The program, at 12:30 p.m., will begin with a report from Rosemarie Knecht on her recent trip to Captain Brandt’s home village in Holland. Brandt died in Sunrise while transporting gold rushers in 1896. Next will be a tour of Oskar’s Place, lead by Diane Olthuis, featuring the new displays in the 1904 schoolhouse. Then Greg Kaser along with Eddie Ruschman, a Forest Service intern, will talk about restoring Smokey’s Cabin. This 1950 building started as a Seward Highway road construction shack before becoming US Forest Service housing, and which now sits on the museum grounds. The business meeting will begin about 2 p.m. The annual dues for HSHS are $10. All are welcome to join. One of the things that make Hope the place it is, for many, is its history… and history is what has made Hope what it is today.
The Girdwood Clinic is scheduling appointments for their next visit Saturday July 21. The clinic located upstairs at the Hope Community Library is open from 9 a.m. to noon. Please give the Girdwood office a call at 783-1355.
The next Hope Sunrise APC meeting will be Thursday, August 2, Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at the Hope Social Hall. If there is any urgent business, a meeting may be called for July 12. Meeting minutes, notices, and agendas have been posted at Alaska Dacha, Tito’s Discovery Cafe, U.S. Post Office, and the Library. The community is always invited to participate in the APC meetings.
The 1947 law regarding loose dogs chasing wildlife was recently posted by the State Troopers at the Hope Post Office as a reminder for all dog owners. Dogs can be shot if they are caught chasing wildlife. Please keep your pet property contained for their protection and for the protection of our wildlife.
The Food Bank pantry will continue through the summer to provide basic food provisions to those members of our community that may have a need. It is open 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those folks needing to take advantage of the food pantry, outside the regular hours, please contact either Tom Burgin (350-1318) or Joyce Burgin (830-5307). If you are in need of food, please come utilize this free service.