Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Residents of Heritage Place enjoy a meal duirng the annual Return of the Salmon event Friday, May 20, 2016, at Heritage Place in Soldotna, Alaska.

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Residents of Heritage Place enjoy a meal duirng the annual Return of the Salmon event Friday, May 20, 2016, at Heritage Place in Soldotna, Alaska.

Heritage Place serves salmon to celebrate salmon

The line for fresh barbecued salmon snaked out the cafeteria door and down the brightly decorated hallway of Heritage Place in Soldotna on Friday.

The assisted living center’s residents along with friends, family, staff and community volunteers were eagerly awaiting an elaborate spread cooked up for this year’s Return of the Salmon Celebration. Now in its 15th year, Return of the Salmon serves up a reason for the community at large to visit Heritage Place residents.

“You know how fishing kind of connects everyone,” said Audrey Wahback, activities coordinator at the assisted living center. “So in that way it’s like the celebration of … how eating and fishing and all that brings all of our community together.”

Since those who live at Heritage Place can’t all go out on trips at once, it’s nice to be able to bring their friends, family and the public to them once a year, Wahback said.

“It’s really important because here with the residents, we can bring that celebration part of it here when they can’t go out,” she said. “We can’t get everybody out. We do field trips … but we only get six in (the vehicle) at a time, and so this is a way we can open up our home and be hospitable and have everyone come here, and really be a part of the community like they always have been.”

Other senior centers in the area are also invited to the celebration, Wahback said. Coordinated in part by the Soldotna Rotary Club and its volunteers, the event also features face paining, a meal including barbecued salmon and other fish, and a large wheel detailing the life cycle of salmon from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, she said.

The residents worked for several weeks to make the colorful fish that lined Heritage Place’s walls, as well as the jams and hand-made wreaths they contributed to a silent auction, Wahback said. The auction will raise funds to help support those with Alzheimer’s disease, she said.

Sandi Crawford, administrator and director of nursing for Heritage Place, said the event is pretty traditional and has maintained its staple features for years. One of those features is live music by Susan Biggs and Jack Wills, who entertained throughout the shared meal.

“It’s just a community gathering and I think the history of it was just, you know, the fish come in and the people come into town, and it’s kind of symbolic of that,” Crawford said.

Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@peninsulaclarion.com.

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Susan Biggs and Jack Wills perform for an audience of Heritage Place residents, staff, family and friends during this year's Return of the Salmon event Friday, May 20, 2016 at Heritage Place in Soldotna, Alaska.

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Susan Biggs and Jack Wills perform for an audience of Heritage Place residents, staff, family and friends during this year’s Return of the Salmon event Friday, May 20, 2016 at Heritage Place in Soldotna, Alaska.

More in News

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters during a press conference at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Dunleavy orders freeze on state employee hiring, travel and new regulations due to fiscal crunch

Exemptions allowed for certain occupations and “mission-critical” purposes.

Students stock rainbow trout into Johnson Lake during Salmon Celebration, hosted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game near Kasilof, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Celebrating the cycle of life

The annual Kenai Peninsula Salmon Celebration caps off the Salmon in the Classroom program.

State of Alaska Department of Law logo. Photo courtesy of the State of Alaska Department of Law
Homer woman sentenced for 2020 murder

Sarah Dayan was convicted in December for the murder of Keith Huss.

Borough Mayor Peter Micciche speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough mayor proposes mill rate decrease in $180M draft budget

The budget also follows his “balanced budget philosophy” of spending increases at or below around 2.5% year-over-year.

Kenaitze Indian Tribe chemical dependency councilor Jamie Ball performs during a candlelight vigil marking National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls at the Raven Plaza, Ggugguyni T’uh, in front of the Dena’ina Wellness Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, May 5, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Vigil recognizes missing and murdered Indigenous women on national awareness day

Alaska Native women are overrepresented in the populations of domestic violence and rape victims in the state.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) speaks to reporters about his decision to veto an education funding bill at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Dunleavy threatens unprecedented veto of education funds in budget unless his policy goals are met

Line-item veto could leave districts with less money for months; legality of such action is questioned

A scene from the PBS children’s series “Molly of Denali.” (WGBH Educational Foundation photo)
‘Molly of Denali’ and other PBS children’s programs on hold as Trump cancels funds

Emmy-winning Juneau writer of “Molly” says PBS told creators the series isn’t being renewed.

A few clouds disrupt the sunlight in downtown Juneau on an otherwise bright day. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Alaska ranks 49th, ahead of only Louisiana, in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best States survey

State drops from 45th a year ago, led by large drops in opportunity and fiscal stability.

Most Read