newsminer.com

The Chena River runners, perhaps 1,000 of them or more, will set off on the 5-kilometer rite of spring Saturday from Woodriver Elementary School at 10 a.m.

A couple of hours later, when the slowest of the slow have reached the Princess Hotel, Woodriver is going to host an indoor rummage sale to help raise funds for a community garden.

The school is going to get fresh carpet and paint, as well as new lighting, cabinets, lockers and other improvements this summer.

In addition, Principal Jim Gillis notes that the school grounds need some TLC.

To that end, the school is hosting a Cleanup Greenup garage sale from noon-3 p.m.

He said proceeds will go toward a new community garden, a project linking the school and Calypso Farms, landscaping projects and the replacement of soccer goals that have been damaged by vandals.

If you care to donate items for the sale, run over to the gym Friday from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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REUNIONS: Add the West Valley High School Class of 1998 and all alumni of Monroe High School to the long list of groups planning to host school reunions on the longest weekend of the year.

Michelle Strickland said the West Valley 10-year reunion planning effort would be in better shape if graduates from a decade ago would make their whereabouts known.

So come out of the witness protection program and get in touch with her.

“With less than two months to go, we are still struggling to track down and make contact with a number of our former classmates,” she said.

“Some of them may even be in town with unlisted numbers or have family members who still live here. I was wondering if you could bring some attention to us in your column, in the hope that WVHS alumni or their friends/family would see it and contact us,” she said.

The reunion committee can be contacted by e-mail at wv1998@hotmail.com and find information about the events at www.myspace.com/wv1998.

Darrell Clark of Monroe said the All-Alumni Reunion & Pig Roast is set for June 20 from 6-8 p.m. There will also be golf and a Sunday Mass as part of the weekend festivities. Call 456-7970 for more details.

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GOLDEN CHANCE: Grace Howard of Golden Towers wants you to feel free to drop by the stately structure at 330 Third Ave. on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The occasion is a bake sale, rummage sale and bazaar. Proceeds help enhance the funds the residents use to add some extras to the potlucks and parties they host from time to time. For more information, call her at 590-5854.

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NUGGETS: The moose nugget drop is to take place indoors June 28 at the last Fairbanks Grizzlies game of the season in the Carlson Center, according to the Rotary Club of Fairbanks.

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CLEANUP WEEK: The yellow trash bags are available at 565 University Ave. in the United Way office starting today.

Cleanup Day is not until May 10. But our local mayors, the rulers of refuse, should designate next week as Cleanup Week to broaden participation.

Thousands of people are needed to help pick up the pieces and prepare the community for summer.

The participation in the annual Cleanup Day exercises has not grown proportionately with the size of the community and the size of the problem.

This is due in part to the increase in activities. There was a time when Cleanup Day was the only big event on an early Saturday in May. But there is a lot more to do nowadays.

So if you can’t get out on May 10, find a littered spot and start picking up the trash earlier in the week. That would be a reminder to drivers, especially those with pickups, that uncovered loads mean litter on the roads.

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HELPING: A spaghetti feed fundraiser for Sandra Joseph Scharf and her family will be at 6 p.m. Friday at the David Salmon Tribal Hall. Raffle items and monetary donations are being accepted at American Legion Post 11, 129 First Ave. Direct deposits can be made to Jesse Joseph’s account at Alaska USA Federal Credit Union. For information, call 799-2456.

Dermot Cole can be reached at cole@newsminer.com or 459-7530.