Trailmarker Newsletter
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - Year-End Chapter Report
As the year 2001 closes, I thought I'd let chapter members know what a good year we've had, and what our aspirations are for 2002. The Iditarod Trail Blazers, Knik Chapter, is alive and well, and continues to have an enthusiastic, energetic, and growing core of supporters who hold to a vision of multiple public use, and quality care & maintenance for the Iditarod National Historic Trail, and other local trails.
This year, our membership grew modestly, both in terms of annual members and life members. Those who have joined in the past year have been very active. Our elections brought
three new people into board and officer positions, people like me who had not previously served
in these capacities. Margie Bauman and Francine Bennis round out the new board membership.
As you can see from the enclosed list, they join several long-experienced board members and
officers who continue to serve. And, we now have longtime member Bill Devine appointed to the
national board of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, Inc.
Recently, we finalized and submitted our application for IRS charitable, non-profit status.
We expect approval in 2002. We also finalized the design for, and authorized the manufacture of
our chapter patch, which should be available sometime early in 2002.
Your chapter has also maintained its responsibilities under the Simms Trails Grant Pro-
gram, and continues to work on a designated portion of the Iditarod Trail, in order to earn pay-
ments from state and federal trail maintenance funds. Together with existing chapter funds, we project the potential availability of nearly $7,000 for chapter projects in the near future. Such pro-jects as a bridge over Fish Creek, and more localized trail repair outings are currently being dis-cussed at chapter meetings.
We also try to monitor several local public policy issues which have the potential to affect
the Iditarod and other local trails. Among these issues are the Knik gravel extraction project, and
the borough sale / transfer of a parcel of land adjacent to Settlers Bay. And, always in need of
scruitny is the integrity of the Knik / Fairview mushing district, under assault in the past year from borough and development interests. (continued, p.2, President's...)
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newsletter of the IDITAROD TRAIL BLAZERS (Knik Chapter), HC 30, Box 5460, Knik, Alaska 99654. Telephone: (907) 373-2921 or (907) 376-5562. Memberships: ANNUAL - single-$10; family-$20; corporate-$50; life-$100 (one-time payment). See you on the Iditarod Trail!
The Trail Marker, p.2
PRESIDENT'S...(continued from p.1)
I hope you will tell your friends and acquaintances what we are doing, and encourage
them to join our chapter. There is always much to be done, and we invite new members to par-ticipate with us. You can contact any of the officers or board members listed, and they will be happy to speak with you about our programs. We are only as strong and active as the member-ship reflects, so please feel welcome to come out to a chapter meeting soon. Have a good New Year, and we'll see you on the trail! ---Ed Boots, Knik Chapter President
How do crazy dog mushers
go through the woods? They
run on the psycho path.
KNIK CHAPTER HELPS WITH BJORN CABIN IMPROVEMENTS
This past year, the Knik Chapter of the Iditarod Trail Blazers participated in facility im-
provements at the historic Bjorn Cabin, adjacent to the Knik Museum at Mile 15 of Knik - Goose
Bay Road. Together with the Wasilla-Knik Historical Society, our chapter shared in the expense
of electrifying the entire cabin, and we donated $2,500 toward that end. If approved by our direc-
tors, we may share in the cost of heating the cabin in the future, so as to make it more conducive
for the local community to hold group meetings and other activities on site. This has been just
another public-spirited use of your membership dollars, and something in which we can all take
pride.
IN BRIEF...
~ ~ NEW MUSHERS' GROUP RESPONDS TO RECENT TRAGEDIES - Barb Redington has
provided us with a flyer describing a new mushers' group which is raising money to help
victims and families impacted by the terrorist actions of September 11th. See flyer en-
closed with mailing. (Barb - (907) 376-6730).
~~ NEW FEATURE OF NEWSLETTER - We have developed a resource list for chapter mem-
bers to consult when any of a variety of services or information sources is needed. Let
us know if other sources should be added. (Tim Benintendi - 276-2923).
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