Dare to Care, A Night in Hollywood

Whenever Hollywood gets behind a cause, there is usually going to be a good turnout and a great party. The "Dare to Care" after school lunch program had just such a gala event, with the venue being Anchorage, Alaska instead of California.

Dare to Care is a "fill the gap" program that feeds children in schools who either don't qualify for the federal meal program or who are possibly neglected and don't get adequate nutrition during the school day. It helps those kids focus on their school work instead of their stomachs.

To raise funds a brand-new BMW was raffled off, there were live and silent auctions as well as charity gambling tables.

I truly enjoy helping organizations like 'Dare to Care' fill their coffers with donations. It is always a good feeling being privy to the generosity that is evident at these functions and I'm proud of the Alaskans who helped make sure "No Child Goes Hungry".

Definitions

Just what the heck is a bush pilot anyway? There are as many definitions as there are personalities and opinions in the world of aviation. I don't think there are very many "Bush Pilots" left in the world these days, mainly because my definition stems from the roots of aviation in Alaska.

A Bush Pilot to me is someone who takes an airplane and pioneers new roads through the sky and new landing areas on the ground, working with whatever Mother Nature gives them at the time and hoping that the airplane can take the abuse. There aren't too many areas in Alaska that haven't been explored by airplane by now, so I feel that the good old days of taking off into the great unknown are part of aviation history now.

Another definition of bush pilot is anyone who regularly flies in "Bush" Alaska, which is characterized by any of the hundreds of villages off the road system in Alaska, but which have a State maintained runway. That's where I got my start, flying freight and mail to remote villages for a cargo airline. Most of what I use to keep me alive in an airplane today I learned out there.

Some would call my husband and me bush pilots. We disagree. Just because we use our airplanes as the ultimate RV/SUV for hunting, fishing, clam digging (or whatever else you can think of that's "off airport" in Alaska) doesn't mean we didn't know where we were going when we took off or if there was a reasonable area to try to land in when we got there.

Some call us crazy for using our airplanes the way we do because of the "risk" involved, but I say we're all crazy just for getting in our cars and driving on the highways every day. At least when we land and take off in the backcountry the only real variable is us and our judgement.

The Alaska Bash!

My husband and I had a really fun time attending a gala known as the "Alaska Bash" this month. It was hosted by a former employer of mine to recognize some of the "toughest people on Earth". Namely, a lot of the pioneering Native Alaskans who set the foundation for the air carriers, newspapers and politicians of Alaska today.

I was lucky to be hired by the company, they gave me my first flying job. I learned a lot about working hard in very tough conditions. I'd regularly fly in minus 40 degree weather, hauling freight out to remote villages in the winter, doing all of the loading and unloading myself. It was definitely a job that kept me in shape and taught me to dress against the elements. (I certainly never was found in an evening gown and high heels when I was working in Alaska's remote villages!)

Here's to all of the tough Alaskans out there who brave the harsh elements to get the job done!

New Year, New You?

I just came home from a luncheon hosted by my state pageant director for prospective contestants interested in this year's Mrs. Alaska-America pageant. There was a good turnout and I'm impressed at the diverse group of ladies my director always seems to attract to the pageant.

I'm a bit melancholy that I only have 5 months left as the reigning Mrs. Alaska-America (there's still so much I want to do!), but I'm equally excited to pass the torch on to the next lady, whomever she may be.

The most prevalent reasons I've heard for entering this pageant have been to "give me some 'me' time", "to get back in touch with my glamourous side", "to do something I've never done before" and "to make me a better person." Whatever the reasons for entering, this pageant does change a person. It's different for every participant and some more profound than others.

I applaud the brave and confident ladies who have decided to enter this year's pageant and embark on a personal journey of self-improvement and development. This could be the year you find a whole new you.

Elegance with a Purpose

I was honored to be a part of this year's Christmas Tree Elegance Gala and tree raffle to support the Eva Foundation.

The Eva Foundation helps build self-esteem by providing individuals assistance in establishing a new life after abuse.

Nearly a dozen Christmas trees were decorated with specific themes and "prize" ornaments (like spa treatments, fishing trips and vacations for two). The attendees bought raffle tickets for the right to win a tree and its prizes. Each tree had a beautifully styled attendant to explain the tree's prize package.

Also included in the fundraising efforts was a live auction, where I was one lucky lady to be able to model a sheared beaver and silver fox coat! It's a good thing my husband wasn't able to make it to the event... or I'd have had him bid on the coat.

It's wonderful to be able to blend elegance with a worthy purpose, it was a highly successful evening.

Sharpening Your Skills

Pilots rarely hope for an emergency during a flight. But when one happens it is usually a good idea to have an action plan in mind... one that you can implement in a timely fashion (not the time to get the book out and read up on engine failures as you're plummeting to the Earth).

This is precisely why training and simulators are a great idea.

I was lucky enough to be included in a week's worth of Twin Otter simulator time at the Flight Safety International training center in Toronto, Canada this month.

Although not all emergencies can be trained for specifically (like landing in the Hudson River), most emergencies can be duplicated in the environment of the simulator. Yes, the inside of the trainer is identical to the cockpit of the airplane and we can see "outside" as well, depending on what the computer programmer wants us to see.

It's one of the only times when you can screw up and crash in an airplane and live to tell about it. Yes, I crashed at least once during my time in the "hot seat", but I learned from the experience and can handle the emergency for the future.

Sometimes I would love to have a simulator for my real life... just think of being able to test out an idea or action in your life and then see what the results would be BEFORE you actually went ahead and did it! Wow, that would clear up a lot of angst in the future.

Mrs. Alaska goes International!

It's that time of year...

As we approach the end of the year most people will have looked back on what they are thankful for and will look forward to what they can improve on for next year.
I am very thankful for my family, especially my little girl. She is very good company. She makes me attempt to be the best person I can be and I feel that she keeps me "on my game" even when I would rather just let things slide.
I look forward to sharing the wonderful world of the outdoors with my little girl and hope she grows to love it as much as her father, sisters and friends do. That's one of her sisters carrying her in the backpack on a Thanksgiving Day hike with good friends.
I've never had someone following my lead so adamantly before and I can only strive to make the footsteps I leave for her ones that she will want to follow in the future.