Applause

Sun shines on KDLL's first-ever art, music solstice celebration

On behalf of the Pickle Hill Public Broadcasting board of directors, I would like to extend our thanks to all of those who helped make the inaugural KDLL Art and Music Festival on June 22 the rousing success it was.

First and foremost on the list are Carrol and JoAnne Martin and Blair and Ronna Martin, owners of the Diamond-M Ranch. Their gracious offer to use the ranch proved vital to the success of the festival. Carrol also volunteered

to barbeque some excellent pork and halibut for the musicians in the hospitality tent.

Our list of individual volunteers would be far too long to list here, but our thanks are extended to them nonetheless. Their generous donation of time and energy has not gone unnoticed and our appreciation of them is boundless.

Three volunteers do stand out for service above and beyond the call of duty: Rita Kincaid, who helped in every aspect from setting up the week before to tearing down the day after; Sheryl Padilla, who was in charge of the parking crew, worked 15 hours on Saturday and came back Sunday morning to help clean up; and Norm Brennan, our security chief, kept the peace and our borders safe all day Saturday and came back Sunday to help some more.

We would like to thank Phillips Alaska and Agrium Kenai Nitrogen Products for their sponsorship, as well as our friends at TOTE, KSRM and Kalifonsky Christian Center for use of their parking lots, R&K Enterprises for our stage, Dave Dempster of Dave's Woodworks for the shed to raffle off, HiSpeed

Gear, Kelly Electric, Midnight Sun Brewery, Steve Clark and Dan Kirkvliet of Alaska Distributors, the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, the Tustumena 200 Race Committee, the Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau, Peninsula Clarion, S&R Enterprises, Cook Inlet Refuse, the Kenai Peninsula Outdoor Club and to the many vendors that took a chance and signed up for this first-ever event.

Thanks to our line-up of incredible bands. We can say without reservation we had the best music on the peninsula that very busy solstice Saturday. They were Gypsy and the Big Spanker and Lee, Hobo Jim, Bunny Swan Gease, Mallaka, the English Bay Band, 60/40, the Mabrey Brothers, Synthesesia, Mo' Betta Blues, 3-Legged Mule, Spur Highway Spankers, Southern Comfort and the North Road Pounders.

Thank you to the many solstice revelers who made it all worthwhile and to the Big Meteorologist in the Sky for sending sunshine our way.

We extend special thanks to our station manager, Allen Auxier, for his tireless organization and to Annie Moylan and the staff at KBBI for their expertise in concert promotion.

We're already working on next year, so mark your calendars for Saturday, June 21, 2003, for the second annual KDLL Art and Music Festival.

Roger Boyd, president

Pickle Hill Public Broadcasting

Friends of Kenai library appreciate community's support of fund-raiser

The friends of the Kenai Community Library would like to thank our community for another very successful book sale June 13-15. Each year we are overwhelmed with the generosity of our community. We would like to thank all the people that donated the thousands of books for the sale. We really appreciate your support of our annual fund-raiser.

The Friends would also like to extend a very special thank you to the Economic Development District, Phillips Alaska, Craig Hayes, Tom Ray, Paul Sturgeon, Russell Allen, the District Media Center, Bob VanDerWegge, Joan Hansen, Robert Peterkin, Margaret Simone, Anita Necessary, Melanie Switzer, Jan Brookman, Bob Peters, Janet Matson, Chris and Jed Watkins, Margaret Gilman, Gwen and Larry Klawunder, Ralph Van Dusseldrop, Jeramiah and Julie Niederhauser, Susan Rorrison, Mary Quesnel, Molly and Cary Graves, Peninsula Clarion, Kellie and Joy Wannamaker, Heather Pedersen, Nora Satathite, Kathy and Cliff Heus, Janice Rhodes, Janet Brown, Sal Mattero, Emily DeForest, George Shaw, Phil Sonnichsen, Nedra Evenson, Ewa Jankowska and the library staff for all their help with the sale. Without your support the book sale would not have been possible.

We look forward to next year and hope everyone is enjoying their "new" books. Thanks again for supporting our library.

Megan O'Neill

Book sale chairperson

Friends of the Kenai Community Library

New uniforms for KCHS track-field athletes make big difference

The track team at Kenai Central High School recently completed another season of competition. The hurdles, relay batons and shot put equipment have all been put away for another year. Along with these items, cataloged and neatly folded into a storage trunk, are the brand new uniforms that the team enthusiastically purchased and proudly wore this season.

Those new uniforms were "broken in" by some of the best track and field athletes KCHS has had in its history. Those uniforms have had the experience of running fast, throwing far, jumping long and jumping high. They await the next athlete who will put them on and look and feel like a champion -- regardless of his or her abilities.

It is with sincere appreciation that I thank the Kenai Soldotna Bowling Association for awarding us the funds to purchase those new uniforms. Speaking for the athletes and the other coaches, as well as the parents involved in the track program at KCHS, we truly appreciate the support this demonstrates for the youth of our community. Your selfless generosity not only improved the team's appearance, but even more importantly, it improved the team's morale. We cannot thank you enough.

In addition, I would like to publicly thank Keith Kornelis and the city of Kenai for their help in uncovering our track surface after the unusual spring weather. You, too, made the athletes feel important -- the city became an integral partner in their training program. We appreciate all that you did.

Liz Burck

Track and field coach

Kenai Central High School

Community run, picnic wonderful tribute, favorite summer event

I would like to thank Mike Morgan and the community of Kasilof for a wonderful event on June 22. The Jeff Ransom Memorial 5K was, as always, a well organized event. The community donates all their efforts to a marvelous picnic after the run. Children are welcomed and encouraged, and I just love the whole feeling of this event.

Thanks so much for all of your work and generosity in sharing it with the public. I always look forward to it as one of my favorite summer events.

Mindee Morning

Kenai

Neighbors appreciate improvements to sign

We would like to say a special thank you to members of the Remsen family for the much-needed improvements to the Woodland Estates sign at the corner of North Forest and Pine Avenue in Kenai. It had become a real eye sore.

Thanks to you, it is once again looking great. We really appreciate having you for friends and neighbors.

June and Joe Harris

Kenai