WILLOW AREA COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, INC.
WACO meetings are the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Willow Community Center.
WACO Meetings
WACO Community Meeting
The first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM
Willow Community Center
Latest News
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Meeting scheduled for Wednesday April 7th at 7 PM VIA ZOOM
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. DETERMINATION OF QUORUM
C. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PAST MEETING
E. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
F. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
1. Board Officers' Reports – Attached
a. Chair, Linda Oxley
b. Vice-Chair, Tom Wise
c. Secretary, Debbie Cook
d. Treasurer, Al Felt
e. At-Large Representative 1, Wes McClure
f. At-Large Representative 2, Chris Stitt
g. At-Large Representative 3, Barbara Ensley
h. At-Large Representative 4, Melissa Himes-McGill
2.. Committee Reports – Attached
a. Carnival
b. Trails
c. Youth Forum (40-acre park)
d. CERT
e. Recycling
f. Lions Club
H. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1.
J. NEW BUSINESS
1. Announce slate of candidates for the WACO board.
2. Decide in-person meeting for May 2021 WACO meeting.
3. Appoint committee and request proposals for the Community Assistance Program funds.
4. Establish a committee to explore insurance coverage possibilities.
5. Pickle ball grant request to AARP
K. Community Groups/Clubs
Fire Service Area, Library, Chamber of Commerce, Community Enrichment, WDMA, Lion’s Club, PTA,
WHO, WHWF, Garden Club, Willow Ice
L. ANNOUNCEMENTS/PERSONS TO BE HEARD
M. ADJOURN
Consent agenda reports, 4/7/21
Chair Report
It is very exciting that our state leads the U.S. in Covid vaccinations per capita… However, and sadly, the Mat Su borough has the worst rates in the state. So we need to rein in our excitement to resume pre-pandemic activities and stay vigilant in our use of protective skills: face masks, hand hygiene, social distancing, avoiding large groups and indoor events. If you can encourage friends or family members to get their shots, you will also really help all of us. Tourists will come this year altho maybe not in the numbers we would like. Let’s really help all of us stay healthy and be ready to receive our guests, vaccinated.
The construction on the WCC/Library continues. The library will be such a nice improvement for the community. It is unclear when the WCC side will actually be able to be used – last timeline change said by September; let’s hope so…. In the meantime, Newman Memorial Park is a lovely place to gather.
Construction is also slated to be started and finished on the old log cabin this summer!! The Willow Historical & Wildlife Foundation has worked very hard for years to achieve this goal. Many thanks to them and to Tam Boeve, our Assemblyman for all their work on this great project. Stay tuned for further info.
At this April 7 meeting we will be deciding if we should return to in person meetings in May either at the Baptist Church or outdoors somewhere. If we do meet in person, we will expect everyone to mask, spacing will be critical and other protective behaviors offered. Our annual meeting is moved to May and we will organize a drive thru vote for the awesome folks running to join our Board! The slate of candidates will be announced at the meeting. Thanks to Steve Charles, Debbie Cook and Wes McClure for being the Recruiting Committee. The drive thru vote will be set up in the parking lot of the WCC for several hours on May 5. More details soon.
Another announcement at the meeting will be the fast turnaround we will be organizing to invite and fund grant requests from community organizations using the Community Assistance Program funds (formerly called the Community Revenue Sharing Program). We need to make our decisions and announce them by the May meeting. The borough is changing their process to achieve alignment with the July 1- June 30 fiscal year. For those new to this process, this is state funds that are given to the borough and passed thru them to communities who meet criteria as a community. For the last several years, the amount distributed annually in Willow has been slightly more than $15,700 – a nice boost to several Willow projects and programs every year.
An issue that will need to be addressed over the next few months is our insurance coverage, particularly our liability insurance. In the process of looking for and securing special event insurance for the Willow Winter Games we found out some new information on the policy we have and in a nutshell, WACO and the community of Willow have outgrown the policy we have carried for many, many years. If anyone is interested in working on this issue with me, please let me know: HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" [email protected] One positive aspect of this is the opportunity to see what else we might be able to cover to enhance our outdoor activities for a reasonable price. Stay tuned.
Carnival/Willow Winter Games
We live in such a great community!
Despite the pandemic and construction, we were able to provide several events spread out across 3 weekends this winter centered at Newman Memorial Park. Many thanks to the Willow Dog Mushers Association, the Lion’s, Hilltop Assembly Church, the Willow Baptist Church and Arctic Minimoter Club for their leadership in a number of the offerings included. Also many thanks to the whole Board: Tom, Al, Debbie, Chris, Barb, Melissa and Wes, AND to Brenda, Steve and Faith for their generous time and creativity in designing and leading various parts of the Games. As always, thanks to the Trail Committee for the awesome trails we used and to Newman’s Hilltop for some of the plowing needed. A special shout out to Doyle & Debbie Holmes for their energy towards a fireworks show. Unfortunately a lack of insurance shut down the fireworks….
We also need to thank Chris Stitt for her donation towards the kids dog sled races and events, and to MTA for their $1500 donation. Special thanks to Brenda McCain for applying for us for the MTA grant! And one more thanks for donations: Mendenhall Tree Services for donating the wood for the awesome bon fires at each weekend. Total costs for the Games is still being tallied, but will be less than $2500!!
As much fun as the Games were…. I will be hoping we can return to Carnival next year. Stay tuned.
Youth Forum
We have not met but work has been continuing with several projects being followed and readied for summer time activity by our group members. Thanks to the MatSu Trails and Parks Foundation for supporting many aspects of our parks development. The most recent of those: they funded the planning process for the bike park, and our group has approved the design provided by Ptarmigan Trials; and for the final steps to installing the educational kiosks that are being designed, the panels now in printing by the Alaska Parks staff. Additionally, we have submitted a grant seeking funding to build a community garden including a green house. We await notification of our grant request….. Continuing thanks to all those folks who are using and taking care of the dog park, your volunteerism continues to make it a very attractive place for folks to let their dogs run loose and safe…. We will resume meeting again, probably at the park, probably in May once it’s warmed up some….. Please let me know if you would like to be included in the work!!: HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" [email protected]
Willow CERT Consent Agenda WACO March 2021
CERT continues to meet monthly by conference call with an average of 12-15 attending.
Pandemic Response
As in January, in February the Willow CERT was again activated by the Mat-Su Borough Department of Emergency Services to work at the four State of Alaska Public Health Covid-19 mass vaccination clinics at the Fairgrounds in Palmer.
Willow CERT volunteers worked cooperatively with the CERTs from Talkeetna, Palmer-Wasilla, Butte, and Glacier View as well as Veterans from Team Rubicon at Raven Hall. Inside volunteers diligently sanitized wheelchairs, tables, chairs, clipboards, pens and surfaces. They also prepared paperwork., and assisted nurses with supplies. Outside we effectively managed the parking lot under challenging conditions of cold temperatures, wind, icy terrain, snow and high volume of traffic. We provided assistance to those with mobility issues and managed pedestrian traffic.
In February, there was an increased number of appointments, but because this event was so well planned by Public Health and Mat-Su Borough DES and there was such a strong team of volunteers, it was a very successful four days. The reward was hearing the how pleased everyone was after they got their vaccinations.
There will be one more mass vaccination clinic in March and Willow CERT expects to be there to help!
Brenda McCain
Willow CERT
Program Manager/Team Leader
Willow Trail Committee Report
Winter trail grooming is wrapping up this week and trail stakes will be pulled in two weeks. Trails are still decent shape so get out and enjoy. It has been a challenging winter for grooming with the quantity of snow and the fact that our snowcat has been down the last month. The trail grooming crew of Bill, Bert and Mary have been doing the best the can using snowmachines like back in the olden days. They have worked hard this winter and deserve lots of credit.
During this shoulder season, we are writing for grant funding future projects. One project is to purchase a set of Mat Tracks for installing on a truck. The tracked truck will be a good asset to our fleet by doing similar work the snowcat has been doing for a lot less cost. We are also looking for funding the completion of the Parkway Trail that will connect all the summer trails with the Parks Hwy bike path.
Thank you to this months donors Tamera Hunter, Nerissa Torson, Owen & Trudy Bouslaugh, Frank Takavitz, Phyliss Seeba, Tryve Erickson, Angie Burris, Dona Keppers and Allie Harvey.
To get good information on Willow’s winter and/or summer trails, , visit:
www.waco-ak.org/committees/trails/
The Willow Trail Committee meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month, 7pm via Zoom.
All are welcome. Ask to join us at [email protected]
Join us on Facebook: Willow Trail Committee ...
www.waco-ak.org
Maps, descriptions and planning for winter and summer trails in the Willow, Alaska area.Link to meeting is in earlier post.
dnr.alaska.gov/burn/index ...

The Burn Permit Program - Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry
dnr.alaska.gov
The State of Alaska Division of Forestry Burn Permit website. In addition to the burn permit application, this website provides information pertaining to safe burning practices in the State of Alaska.i sure wish everyone could appreciate this and remember...so many wildfires every summer from carelessness that its sad for who treasure why we call Alaska our home 😞
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Time: Apr 7, 2021 07:00 PM Alaska
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 950 6055 9137
Passcode: Z46y3v
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 950 6055 9137
Passcode: 704682
Find your local number: zoom.us/u/abLdrpQLKt ...
Want to join the fun of Willow Winter Games? Ice fishing Derby & Kids Games are next! Your ideas and energy are needed! Would you like to get creative and lead a fun activity on Kid Games Day, Saturday March 13th? We have nice prizes! Send a message or call Brenda at 495-1318.
AIDEA will be presenting a Phase 2 project update to the Assembly on Mar 16th.
matsugov.us/manager ...
Southcentral Foundation opens COVID-19 vaccines to all Alaskans 40 and up, teachers and child care workers
Anchorage’s main tribal health care provider is opening up COVID-19 vaccines to all Alaskans age 40 and older, plus K-12 teachers and childcare workers.
Southcentral Foundation said in its Monday announcement that it will continue to provide vaccine appointments to its Alaska Native customer-owners. The vaccine for non-beneficiaries will be offered “as supply allows,” the release said.
“It is exciting to be part of Alaska’s vaccine success by offering more vaccine to the community while ensuring that all customer-owners and their household members remain eligible for the vaccine.” said April Kyle, president and chief executive, in the release. “The health and wellbeing of our community is a shared
responsibility, and we are pleased to make additional vaccine available to even more Alaskans.”
The foundation has already offered vaccine to teachers, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage police officers, juvenile justice employees and people who are incarcerated or experiencing homelessness, according to its release. It has already vaccinated over 19,000 people, according to Sharon Leighow, a spokesperson for Southcentral Foundation.
The healthcare organization gets its vaccine allotment from the Indian Health Service, which distributes vaccines separately from the state of Alaska’s allocation. Alaska recently announced that the two separate streams of vaccine would receive 103,000 doses in March, nearly double what it received in February.
Alaskans can register for the Southcentral Foundation appointments at vax.nuka.com. Appointments are only available at the Alaska Native Health Campus in Anchorage. ...
Time: Mar 3, 2021 07:00 PM Alaska
Join Zoom Meeting
zoom.us/j/93714780928?pwd=YTdzQTAvNFc4WlV2c2lRc05OOEdiZz09
Meeting ID: 937 1478 0928
Passcode: t5YfNT
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 937 1478 0928
Passcode: 496570
Find your local number: zoom.us/u/aeGmxP69Rz
WACO General/Board Meeting Agenda Draft/ZOOM Meeting
Meeting scheduled for Wednesday March 3, 2021 at 7 PM
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. DETERMINATION OF QUORUM
C. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PAST MEETING
E. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
F. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
1. Board Officers' Reports – Attached
a. Chair, Linda Oxley
b. Vice-Chair, Tom Wise
c. Secretary, Debbie Cook
d. Treasurer, Al Felt
e. At-Large Representative 1, Wes McClure
1. Review Willow Ice obligations
2. Hockey and more hockey
f. At-Large Representative 2, Chris Stitt
g. At-Large Representative 3, Barbara Ensley
h. At-Large Representative 4, Melissa Himes-McGill
2.. Committee Reports – Attached
a. Carnival
b. Trails
c. Youth Forum (40-acre park)
d. CERT
e. Recycling
f. Lions Club
H. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Scholarship
J. NEW BUSINESS
1. Establish nominating committee for board election
2. Collect community opinion about the proposed changes to transfer site accessibility
K. Community Groups/Clubs
Fire Service Area, Library, Chamber of Commerce, Community Enrichment, WDMA, Lion’s Club, PTA,
WHWF, Garden Club, Willow Ice
L. ANNOUNCEMENTS/PERSONS TO BE HEARD
M. ADJOURN ...
2ND SATURDAY & LAST FRIDAY 11AM - 130PM
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