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There were chilidogs, prizes and great networking opportunities at the latest Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Afterhours hosted by Lela and Scott Rosin owners of the newly renovated Kenai River Lodge at the bridge in Soldotna. "We've completed makeovers on more than half of our rooms now featuring three suites now with full kitchens and all complete amenities, basically all you need is your toothbrush and your ready to stay the night, week or month, and of course you get to fish while you're here on our 300 feet of river frontage. The make over has included all new outdoor decks and indoor rooms with furnishings from Busy Beaver log furnishing a local company that did all of the new furniture for us and they have really done a beautiful job," Lela told the Dispatch.

There were chilidogs, prizes and great networking opportunities at the latest Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Afterhours hosted by Lela and Scott Rosin owners of the newly renovated Kenai River Lodge at the bridge in Soldotna. "We've completed makeovers on more than half of our rooms now featuring three suites now with full kitchens and all complete amenities, basically all you need is your toothbrush and your ready to stay the night, week or month, and of course you get to fish while you're here on our 300 feet of river frontage. The make over has included all new outdoor decks and indoor rooms with furnishings from Busy Beaver log furnishing a local company that did all of the new furniture for us and they have really done a beautiful job," Lela told the Dispatch.

Since we just celebrated Father's Day the following story seemed appropriate at this time even though it occurred in a Wisconsin nearly 40 years ago. There I was sitting in Elementary School in Augusta Wisconsin when the teacher made the announcement that one of my classmates father had just died. The classmate also happened to be a good friend of mine too. I can still recall how empty I felt inside as I tried to imagine losing my own father before I was even ten years old

To further the local media's understanding of first responder situations, Central Emergency Services (CES) has sponsored a media day for the last four years. From dressing reporters in Scott Air Packs and leading them into live fire training situations, to placing them in wrecked autos so they can feel what it's like to have a car cut away from a trapped victim of an auto wreck with the jaws of life, to river water rescue and opening an airway of a comatose victim, journalists have gained hands on experience of what CES personnel may experience whenever they answer a call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. "It's an excellent opportunity for us to share the experience with them by giving them a similar hands on experience to try what we may have to do on a daily basis," explained CES Capt. Lesley Quelland. This year's media day focused on airway management, I.V. therapy, nonresponsive and unconscious patient, and what an EMT's initial response would look like when called.

Joe Gallagher started out his doubleheader as United Way campaign chairman last fall with an ambitious goal of $750,000, "That seemed like a lot of money but having done it the year before I knew how residents of the Kenai Peninsula responded to the United Way which has always been very generous so while I was confident I was blown away by the response this year, it was totally unbelievable and there are so many people I should thank I won't start because I'd miss too many so just let me say on behalf of the United Way Board, cabinet, staff and myself I want to say thank you to everyone who donated even one dollar to the campaign this year because each dollar was so important in not only reaching our goal but surpassing the $900,000 dollar mark for the first time in our local history," Gallagher told the Dispatch. Gallagher credited special matching funds that were made available this year from corporations such as BP that inspired others to give, "It was a $50,000 matching grant which went a long way in inspiring donors to make their dollar mean even more and encouraged them to raise their contribution amount and it was also a targeted match to first time donors of $100 and it was phenomenally successful which along with donors like ConocoPhillips who wrote a $62,000 check this year really helped put us over the top," said Gallagher.