Survivor Week
It takes great strength to live as a surviving member of a family impacted by war or death. We had the pleasure of welcoming the families of Josh Minton, Darren Baldwin, and Frank Massey to The Alaska Project for Survivor Week this year.
First Time Experience
By Bob Minton
Surviving father of Josh Minton, USMA class of 2006 -www.brotherson3.org
“The first week of the trip was ‘Survivor week’, focused on healing and remembering for those who had lost military loved ones. We spent most of the week with a spouse who was a long term care giver and a second spouse and her husbands’ parents who had been care givers to a soldier. Safe to say those folks are all now friends for life. We shared stories on the bus rides when we went to do tourist things and around the camp fires and while doing other events around the 98 Fund property. It was definitely healing to be able to spend that time with them both enjoying the natural beauty of Alaska but also building memorial benches and helping in camp too. There was a very unexpected benefit though....there were 20 plus folks from a church group that spent the week with us as well. Most of them were teens, with their adults providing the food and doing the cooking for the whole camp. The group also helped work on the camp. It was fascinating to see those kids grow in one weeks time. They started the week mostly clinging to their close friends in their group, but over the week that changed.....suddenly kids would sit with us at dinner and you could see their demeanor change as they were exposed to respect for not only those of us survivors but for the military in general.
They were quite attentive around the fire and at the various memorials that were done through the week. When they were issued dog tags Wednesday night before the trek up Gold Star Peak the next day there was a solemn feel to all of their demeanors. They came back from the hike the next day worn out, proud and respectful. It was just touching to see how the week impacted them. Meeting so many people with a sincere respect for the military was just really up-lifting. We made a ton of new friends for life! There were other things too though, we learned things that we can put to use with our own foundation. I think most of you know the Josh Minton Foundation was largely modeled after the 98 Fund and the concept of therapeutic, nature stays for those impacted by cancer or military service. Southern Ohio is certainly not Alaska but the concept is the same. We met folks affiliated with other foundations who not only gave us ideas but they took ideas home with them as well. Networking on a grand scale hadn’t entered my mind until we got to Alaska!”
A Personal Recap
By Jason Kostal
I have been back from Alaska for a few days now and have spent some time processing the experience itself and the incredible things we continue to do at The 98 Fund while allowing the beauty and power of the Alaskan wilderness to do what it does best… heal, inspire and become grounded again.
The first week I ran our “Survivor” week which included four parents and two spouses of some incredible people that we lost in service to our nation. They were joined by an equally amazing group of young adults and adult leaders from a church mission group from North Carolina that volunteered to make and serve our meals as well as help out on our property.
The families were able to connect with one another and share the stories of their fallen while allowing others to share in the legacy of their sons and spouses. We enjoyed Alaska though a glacier cruise, white water rafting and hiking on a glacier as well as through the creation of memorial plaques to honor those we lost and a trip up to the top of Gold Star Peak to place new dog tags upon the memorial there as well as on our property at our memorial fire pit.
We will make sure that the names of those that have gone before us will never be forgotten.
Special thanks to my mom and her husband for making the trip to a Alaska for the day see what we are doing out there!
The next week 67 people converged in our property from all over the country to help us construct a barn, begin the construction of a formal dining pavilion, and continue with site improvent. All of this was done while once again, remembering the mission of remembrance and honoring those we have lost through stories and memories.
I did a poor job this year of posting about these weeks in real time as I was focused more on being present in the moment, so I apologize to those that were waiting and instead give you one big post of photos that each contain special moments and memories. It’s difficult to put into words what we actually experience out there, but know that we continue to do our best to honor those we have lost and take care of those who loved them and continue to walk among us.
