All Saints Lutheran Church
All Saints Lutheran Church showed up in force, ready to take the baton. Over their volunteer week, they began outfitting the kitchen with donated equipment. This group also helped with multiple beautification projects around the site: Memorial fire pit cleanup, creation of a footpath between the fire pit area and the Polar Plunge site, and assembled multiple picnic tables/benches.
The Alaska Dump
By Mallory Regan
Finally getting around to my Alaska dump! It’s long but (in my opinion) worth the read!
About three weeks ago, I travelled with my church to Palmer, Alaska where we met with The 98 Fund to help with The Alaska Project. The 98 Fund is truly an amazing organization, and I encourage everyone to read their story and what they stand for.
The Alaska Project aims to provide Gold Start families with a week of healing and to create opportunities for children and family members to preserve the memories of their loved ones who were lost in combat. ?I had the opportunity to help get the campsite ready for families to stay throughout the summer, and let me tell you…what a life-changing experience this was.
My work for the week consisted of building rock walls around several cabins on the property to define and beautify the area. I also had the opportunity to build a deck/platform for the Memorial Bell on-site. This project, to me, was the most meaningful project I have done to date because this is where families with honor and remember their loved ones. This was also a very special project because I got to do it alongside my sister (and our guys).
On out last work day, we had the opportunity to climb Gold Star Peak. This was an amazing - and humbling - adventure! Gold Start Peak is a memorial mountain with a 4,148 summit elevation. At the top, there are several memorials where families can leave mementos and dog tags in honor of their loved ones. I had the incredible honor or carrying the dog tag of Jason Gonzalez, who was killed in 2005 during a home invasion in TX. It was truly an honor to make the climb for him and his family.
On our free days, we visited the Knick Glaciers and explored Anchorage. It was so good to be back with All Saints family, and even more special that I got to experience all of this with my own family as well.
To Mark DeRocchi and Steven Tetreault - THANK YOU for this opportunity and for your guidance, patience and hospitality. Your dedication and passion for The 98 Fund and The Alaska Project and truly inspiring. You are impacting the lives of so many families, as well as the volunteers who come to help.
To All Saints Lutheran Church - THANK YOU for your spiritual and financial support. This trip (like all of the others) could not happen without your generosity and kindness.
In todays world, it is so hard to see God’s goodness in people and experience. My week in Alaska was an incredible - and much needed - reminder that there IS good happening in the world and there ARE people who love others and want to show God’s love to others. Forever grateful for this experience.
