Jul 21

Written by:
7/21/2002 12:00 AM 

KETCHMARK CAMP TOILET PAPER CRISIS AVERTED

People are still talking about what maybe is the greatest toilet paper caper in Camp Cripple River’s history. Earlier this week Donna Fairless, who with her husband Richard runs the Ketchmark camp, noticed that the toilet paper supply was seriously depleted. Brave ATV riders Alan Murch and Donald Carr volunteered to make the four hour round trip ride to Ketchmark and deliver a load of that precious white stuff. It is noted that even in a gold camp, items other than gold are supremely important.

The beach claims are quite rich this year, flour gold is plentiful. Some beach nuggets are being found, and one lucky miner Kim Ellison, found a relic from the 1900’s gold rush. Kim was gathering black sand from behind a log when he spotted a small circular green object. When he cleaned this item up it was an Indian Head penny dated 1895! Kim then checked the area with a metal detector but didn’t find any other coins. He will just have to settle for beach gold. Other members found an orca whale tooth and a seal harpoon point.

Spike Littlejohn, champion plumber for the camp, announced that the recently installed fire suppression system is now up and operational. A fire drill will be scheduled this week, but date and time are being kept a closely guarded secret.

In the incredible luck department, Walter Godzowski picked the ticket for the number one nugget in the Friday night draw, FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW. This has never happened before. Walter left camp for the lower 48 just one jump ahead of the vigilante committee.

At this Sunday’s Manly Man Pancake Breakfast, Pat Droll and Ed Deering cooked hotcakes and scrambled eggs with bacon and ham. Ed who owns six Marie Callender restaurants can cook with the best of them. Add to the fare blueberry pancakes and oatmeal, a veritable feast was served. Everyone oohed and ahhed – it was the best.

This week the G.P.A.A. and the Cripple River Camp was featured in the Nome Nugget, the local paper, complete with photos. Camp Manager John Backstrom, along with Mayor Leo Rassmussin, made a guest appearance for an entire hour on “Hello Central”, the local access cable T.V. show hosted by Richard Benneville. As you may know, each year some of the staff of the Nome Nugget, and the local radio station KNOM are invited out from town on Friday evening for a night of spaghetti and entertainment. We are always happy to spend time with our good friends from Nome and we got some nice press.

The Cripple River Chapel was a buzz with activity all week; off duty crew / congregation members were rushing to complete the 8’ x 10’ narthex, (fancy name for a mud room), on the front and get the bell tower erected. Global Outdoors board member Ray Miller from North Carolina who came up last year wit his son Randy donated the beautiful antique church bell for the chapel. The members want to have it in place and “RINGABLE” when Ray attends the service on Sunday August 4th. He arrives on August 2nd and everyone feels he should be the honorary bell ringer on the 4th. Hopefully the beautiful stained glass windows; Perry’s wife Sandy made and donated will be installed by then as well. Nome resident’s who visit our camp are amazed that such a thing of beauty like the chapel can exist out here in the “boonies”.

The weather has been hot and sunny and several people are sporting sunburns. Thursday and Friday it was down right Hot here. Saturday the heat wave broke, and today it is cooler with some rain showers. The flowers are in full bloom, and we hope we have a great crop of blueberries, as well as the native favorite salmon berries. The deep purple Artic Iris is in bloom in camp, but just starting to fill in at Ketchmark. All the camp sislik’s (squirrels) seem to have fat babies, and everything is camp is running smoothly. This has been a great year so far.

The fourth annual Poor Man’s Paradise Gold Panning Contest was held Saturday in Nome. Perry Massie and Gary Fraust, (Gary is the G.P.A.A. Claims Manager, Chapter Co-Ordinator, and Outing Superintendent) hosted this competition. Afterwards, Leo Rasmussin, the Mayor of Nome, presented Perry Massie with an engraved copper gold pan from the chamber of commerce congratulating the G.P.A.A. on twenty years in Nome, and thanking us for our support. We all want to say a BIG thank you to all of our friends in Nome who make us feel so welcome each year.

This weeks Golf Driving Championship was won by Ronnie Emaneal, Brent Lindsay finished 2nd, and Jack Adams 3rd. The competition was fierce, but a fun time was had by all 30 players.

We have many new people coming in today, so there is lots to do. I also hear Artic Creek calling my name. I know there is gold there, as well as adventure and untold natural beauty. So, I’ll close for now and get on the trail. Next week I hope to explain the mystery of how Nome got its name. May your life and the bottom of your pan turn golden.