Homer Alaska - News

"All of these troops had been deployed to Iraq and suffered some sort of combat injury while there," said Jan Jonker of Homer, statewide coordinator for the Alaska State Elks Association Wounded Veterans Project.

Arriving in Homer Friday, the seven guests — Sgt. Scot Lawrence, Sgt. Alan Marley, Sgt. Philip Romero, Specialist Dennis Solarsky, Staff Sgt. David Urban, Sgt. Brent Walker and Staff Sgt. Matthew Walters — met with Snomads representatives at the Caribou Lake Trailhead Saturday morning and headed for the hills, riding snowmachines donated by Homes by Needham, Lower Peninsula Power Sports, In Demand Marine, Roger Imhoff and Mike Riley. Funding for the guests' travel and housing was provided by the Alaska State Elks Association — Wounded Veterans Project.

"Four of them had never ridden snowmachines, so we gave them a 'crash course' on how to start them, where the throttle is, where the kill switch is and sent them on their way," Jonker said.

A total of 30 snowmachines joined in the fun, according to Dave Mastolier, Snomads president.

"We went all the way to the top of Ptarmigan Head, up on the (Kenai National Wildlife Refuge), probably a 40-mile trip," Mastolier said. "They had a great time."

While out in the hills, the group was treated to lunch at a lodge owned and operated by Justin Cole, Homer Elks president.

Dinner at the Elks Lodge Saturday was an opportunity for 50 members of Snomads, Elks and area residents to express appreciation for the guests' military service.

"There's a lot of people that fully understand what these guys have sacrificed," Mastolier said. "An effort was put forth to make sure they were welcomed and had a great trip."

This is not the first visit organized by Elks Lodge 2127 for members of the U.S. military.

"We had a group that came through last August that spent the night here, went across the bay, did some clamming, halibut fishing and then went to Kenai and spent a couple of days there fishing on the Kenai River," said Jonker.

Another event occurs March 13 during the Snomads annual ice fishing tournament. Jonker is working with Fort Richardson to identify guests for that activity.

This summer, the Elks are coordinating with the Kenai Peninsula River Guides Association to offer a day of Kenai River fishing through the Elks' Wounded Veteran Program.

"For the past two years, we've hosted 100 troops each year. This year, the guides association wants to expand it to 150," Jonker said.

For that event, the Alaska State Elks Association is the primary cash sponsor, providing funding for transportation, and Elks lodges from Homer, Soldotna, Kenai, Palmer and Eagle River preparing a barbecue.

The success of the Alaska State Elks Association program has been so successful that it has received national attention.

"In July, the Grand Lodge adopted a pilot program which is tailored after our program to see how it works nationwide," Jonker said.