Uncle Todd! Thank you for sending the money for us to enter the chess tournament. We love you and miss you.  August 4, 2003

"GHOST SHIP RISING - The Strange Fate of the Clara Nevada"

History that is stranger than fiction is the theme of the upcoming historical mystery play entitled “Ghost Ship Rising – The Strange Fate of the Clara Nevada” coming to perform in Delta on August 7th at 7:00 pm at the Delta Elementary School Gymnasium (the small gym).

During the frenzy of the Klondike Gold Rush, on February 5, 1898 in Lynn Canal, Southeastern Alaska the Clara Nevada went down in a ball of flame taking passengers, crew, and 850 pounds of gold. The cause has never been determined and the gold never recovered. At least that is what history tells us. What really happened that fateful night in 1898? What caused the Clara Nevada to explode and sink? Were there any survivors? And what happened to the gold? That question has yet to be answered. One hundred and five years later, the gold has not been found. Salvage crews have explored the Clara Nevada since one week after the wreck, but no trace of the gold was located.
Daniel Henry and Pamela Himsworth Randles, of Haines, Alaska have produced a play about this fascinating historical mystery and are bringing it to Delta on August 7th.

This play is a project of The Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center in Haines, Alaska. Because of the wreck, there was a furor in Congress, and money was appropriated to build navigational aids in Southeastern Alaska. One of those lighthouses was built on Eldred Rock, the site of the wreck, in 1906. The Sheldon Museum in Haines is working to restore Eldred Rock Lighthouse and this live drama of the story of the Clara Nevada was conceived as a fundraiser for the Eldred Rock Lighthouse Restoration Project.

Come and enjoy the performance on August 7th. There will be no admission charge. This project is funded in part by the City of Delta Junction, Delta/Greely School District and the Delta Chamber of Commerce. Additional sponsors are needed. If you are interested in contributing to this event please contact either Martha Kimball 895-2004 or Brenda Peterson 895-5068.

Brenda Peterson -- August 4, 2003

This B 1 Bomber was parked at Eielson AFB last Friday morning, August 1 and was  gone that same
day. Photo Courtesy Joe Crandall

We recently took a mini-vacation and decided to return from Anchorage via the Parks Hwy; spontaneously taking the Denali Highway to cut across to Paxson on the Rich Hwy. Taking time out for a couple of picture stops and a great lunch at the McClaren River Lodge, it took 5 hours to travel 135 miles on the Denali. The road is full of "washboards", but not as bad as we thought it would be.

The wildlife was wonderful and the scenery was breathtaking. We saw caribou, moose, swans, and ptarmigan, and there were "loads" of ripe blueberries on the hilltops. The trip will always be a reminder that even us long-time Alaskans need to take time out once in a while to play tourist.  Photos by Kathy and Creig Sharp

Happy Birthday July 28 - 31 and August 1 - 3

You can always tell when Fall is right around the corner.  The young bulls have velvet on their antlers.  Photos Courtesy Dwight Phillips

And our evenings are getting darker. Beautiful Fall sunset over the Tanana River. 

The Deltana Fair...Long Ago and Far Away

Look at this site...

What about including some of these ideas in the Deltana Fair?

Traditional Alaskan native music, crafts, dances, foods, etc. Russian traditions, crafts, dances, music, and food.  Pioneer Alaskan-trapper-homesteader skills and traditions, from Rika's day.

Go look at this site and think how much fun (and work, work, work) it would be to have an Alaskan interior heritage and cultural fair.

Of course include all the modern Alaskan-Deltoid traditions back to WWII and the building of the Alcan.

Sincerely wish I was back there in Delta, with good health.
And some of the yellow gold in them thar hills 'round Pogo.
Or the black gold zooming 'long in that there long pipe.
Or the other riches that one can take from the forests, lakes and rivers.
And even a few pennies the farmers and ranchers are taking from the land.
'Course one must collect a few of those greenbacks from the "white hairs" and other outlanders in their RVs and big articulated busses.
Heck, I would even use the monies from the feds (base readjustment dole doncha know!)
..To redo the Deltana as an Alaska tradition.

What 'bout cable cat competitions 'stead of mud boggers?  Heck, actually, those boys of the Army engineer regiments, black and white, and those civy guys from Green and Co., were among some of the first, real Alaska "mud boggers!"

Methinks that would be a fun redo of the Deltana Fair. And betcha it would more than make up for some of the lost income from the big "Golden Wheel!"

Ah but, home is so far away these days. It is a place I definitely ain't goin' no more...not never...no how. So one just sits here in this computer-generated electronic glow (in a million colors) and dreams.

Bye for now... Remember I used to be a Deltoid long, long ago and far, too far away... Where once upon a time the buffalo always disappeared in the late morning mists before the midday sunrise. That was Camelot oops, I mean Delta. ....

P.S. Good luck to the2003 Deltana Fair.

Chris Christopherson -- August 12, 2003

Flowers on the Clearwater River.  Photo Courtesy Dwight Phillips

Tanana Valley. Summer is just about over, but we can't complain.  It was a fantastic summer and these pictures are the proof.  Photo Courtesy Dwight Phillips

Happy Birthday August 11 - 17

Hillel Echo-Hawk August 11 From Delta Christian Center

Bridgette Stanley August 12 From Pam

Aaron Gifford 3rd birthday - August 13  HAPPY BIRTHDAY AARON!! Love Mom, Dad, Skylar, Andrew, and Lessley

Michael Carnevale 48th - August 15  From C.C. Hugs XOXOX

Happy Anniversary August 11 - 17

Curtis and Belita Taylor  36th anniversary --August 12  From your cell group

"May I present to you Captain and Mrs. David Arthur Bragg. Rhetta Kristina Hosier and David Arthur Bragg were married at the Princess Hotel in Fairbanks on Friday evening, August 1, 2003. They will live outside Alaska for several years while David is in the military, but plan to return to Alaska to make their home. Kristy is the daughter of Myron and Rhetta Hosier. She attended Assembly Christian School and graduated from Delta Christian Academy. David is formerly from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He served in Iraq during the war, and is now stationed at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska. Congratulations, David and Kristy."  Photos Courtesy  of Rhetta Hosier

Mark Hem (Hem's Charters Chitina) shows approval of the bow of his boat.  She has kissed alot of rocks during 16 years on the river.  Photo Courtesy Marlin Dunklebarger

Happy Birthday August 4 - 10

Tana Wood - August 9 From Marlin and Pam

Jackie Nelson - August 9 From Marlin and Pam

Mike Jenkins --  August 9 From Mike & Barb

Marlin Dunklebarger - August 10 Happy Birthday Pappy from Christopher, Happy Birthday Dad from  Rachael, Bill,  Shilo and Dielisse

Happy Anniversary August 4 - 10

Butch and Nancy Johnson - August 4 From Nancy Johnson

Louis and Evelyn Glass - August 5 From Marlin and Pam