Coinciding with Alaska's induction to statehood in 1959, the Alaska Smokejumpers are celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2009! You are invited to join us in Fairbanks on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, to celebrate our truly unique history. Activites scheduled include an outdoor and overnight gathering on Friday, slated to be the largest smokejumper camp ever assembled. The location will be a remote but easily accessible area near Chena Lakes, just outside of Fairbanks. There will no doubt be a buffet of BBQ pig as well as Alaska wild game to enjoy. Paracargo canopies will serve as camp shelter and decor, but bring a tent and leave your flashlights at home! Current Alaska Smokejumpers (depending upon wildfire activity) will make training jumps into the area throughout the day. Our jump base will be open to the public for tours, as well as serve as the ideal meeting place for jumpers, family and friends. On Saturday evening we'll host an indoor gathering at a local establishment, complete with a buffet of audio-visual media, good food, and plenty of toasts to those who have made the Alaska Smokejumpers great.

......................................................................................................

Double barracks rooms will be available for about $7 per person, to reserve yours contact Gary Baumgartner at 907-356-5540.

Gary or Michael O'Brien (same number) are also the people to talk to if you have additional reunion questions.

We'd like to know that you are coming, but except for the barracks rooms no advance registration or payments are required.

June 5th: 1030-1800 Base Open House and slide & videos. Bring your digitized photos or video for possible inclusion in the shows.

June 5th: 1430 Practice Jump at Birch Hill. Suit-up at 1400 at the Standby Shack. (Current jumpers only will be jumping!)

June 5th: 1700-Daybreak: BBQ at Chena Lakes "Griz Pond" $30 per adult, $10 per kid. Food and drink included. World's largest jumper camp. Bus shuttle from Ft. Wainwright Smokejumper Base to the party departs at 1630 and 1815. Practice jumps at 1700 and 1745. Big Flip at 2100. Bus shuttle departs Chena Lakes to Barracks @2330 and 0100.

June 6th 0800-1200 BBQ Clean-up. Help appreciated. Bus shuttle to Base departs at 1100.

June 6th Base Open House and Slideshows (continued)

June 6th Dinner and Beer Garden @ Silver Gulch Brewery. Approximately $30 for dinner. (Across from Howling Dog in Fox.)

Other information:

*No transportation will be provided from the airport to Ft. Wainwright, rental car or taxi recommended.

*Vehicle driver needs to obtain a pass at the visitor's center located just before front gate. Items required: valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. A guest list will be provided to post MP’s for access to Ft. Wainwright. You should be able to get on post even if you're not on the list if you tell them you are going to the smokejumper base. Call the jumpers at (907) 356-5540 if you have any problems.

*Any passengers will need to present a valid ID upon entry.

*Link to website for those planning to RV/trailer at Chena Lakes Recreation Area:

.....http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/ParksandRecreation/ChenaLakes/

MAP TO SMOKEJUMPER CAMP - CHENA LAKES, JUNE 5, 2009

DINNER RSVP DEADLINE: MAY 27, 2009

RSVP to Chip Houde at: chiphoude@hotmail.com

As you all know, the Alaska Smokejumper Reunion/World's Largest Smokejumper Camp will assemble on Friday evening 5 June 2009. Bonfires, jump stories, fun, food and beer...all in abundance. Here are the details of the Saturday night (6 June) gathering:

The Silver Gulch Brewery in downtown Fox, Alaska will be our host for dinner in their upstairs dining/meeting room. They will also have the outdoor BeerGarten set up (open to the public) with a band providing entertainment. The menu for dinner is:

The Pub Favorite at $26.95 per person, including:

Warm Artichoke Dip with Tortilla Chips

House-Made Mozzarella & Cherry Tomato Skewers

House Salad with Field Greens, Tomatoes, Olives, Gorgonzola, and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Ricotta and Spinach

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Penne and Meatballs with an Italian Red Sauce

Black & Tan Brownies

____________________

While the Beer Garten can accomodate a pretty big crowd (they're a brewery...what are they gonna do, run out of beer?) - they can only handle 120 of us for dinner. After dinner, the dining/meeting room will remain available to us for more jump stories and beer (no bonfires, please). There will also be slide shows and videos presented featuring the exploits of the legendary bros (that's you).

Silver Gulch needs a pretty accurate count in advance so that they can assure that they mash enough potatoes. So, I need every one of you who intends to have dinner at Silver Gulch on Satuday 6 June (at $26.95 per head) to email me at chiphoude@hotmail.com and tell me how many people total will be in your party. Once we get to 120 I'll have to cut it off, so please let me know as soon as possible if you plan to attend. In any case I need to get a solid number to Silver Gulch by 27 May...so again, let me know ASAP!

If you choose to have dinner elsewhere that evening, PLEASE still join us for the outdoor Beer Garten and upstairs slide shows and video out at Silver Gulch. Remember, the Silver Gulch Brewery is located directly across the road from the infamous Howling Dog Saloon where I suspect that some of you may attempt to relive past glory into the wee hours.

This RSVP request is for Saturday night dinner at Silver Gulch only. Though we are grateful to those of you who let us know that you are coming up to Fairbanks, no RSVP is necessary for either the Friday night party, or the Saturday night BeerGarten at Silver Gulch. Just show up! We're looking forward to seeing you all. Thanks, Chip Houde (AK SMJ '88)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We're making every effort to contact and invite Alaska Smokejumpers, pilots, and friends from years past, and we need your help! Email the illustrious Bruce Nelson at buck@bucktrack.com to receive an expanding contact/address database sheet. We need corrected contact information for yourself and others, especially email addresses if available. If you plan to attend, we'd like to know! Specifically, we need to know how many family memebers or friends you plan to bring. If you are unable to attend, we'd also like to know, as this will save us time and money in our efforts to track you down.

Please watch this page for updates about accommodations, vendors, and activities. If you are interested in contributing to the celebration in any of these capacities, please contact Gary Baumgartner (Deputy Base Manager) or Bill Cramer (Alaska Base Manager) or Michael O'Brien (Squadleader) at (800) 237-3658.

POSTINGS, UPDATES & LINKS

Those wishing to get more fancy lodgings might check out these three links courtesy of Steve Theisen and Jon Larson:

1. http://fairbankscabinexperience.com OR

2. http://www.explorefairbanks.com (click on "Where to Stay") OR

3.http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF8&q=Fairbanks+Hotels+and+Motels&fb=1&view=text&sa=X&oi=local_group&resnum=1&ct=more-results&cd=1

AIRLINE DISCOUNTS: This is the online Discount code: ECCMA0992, for the Alaska Smokejumper 50 Year Reunion. It is ready for immediate use via the Internet. The 5% discount is valid on any published fare, excluding Hot Deals, between any Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air US city and Fairbanks, Alaska. Valid travel dates are June 2, 2009 through June 9, 2009. Click here to download instructions in a word document: Airfare Booking Instructions