Ethan had a great time cleaning up during the Anchorage Creeks Cleanup on Saturday, May 10th at Westchester Lagoon. Thanks to everyone who participated in this event. And congrats to all the Salmon Run participants we watched go while working at Westchester. We can’t wait to join you during one of the many upcoming foot races this summer!

Ethan attended the Veterans’ gathering at Wasilla Airport, an event co-sponsored by several Alaskan Veterans’ associations. The barbecue was great and he enjoyed the music while talking with attendees about challenges facing Alaska’s large veteran community.

Ethan spent his lunch hour in the Student Union at UAA, sharing pizza with students and answering their tough questions on everything from renewable energy to foreign policy. He looks forward to doing it again!

Nils Andreassen, Alejandro Marqueda, Karen & Erick Cordero, Stephanie & Rex Butler, Daniel Esparza, Mariko Churchill, Scott Kim, Sunil Sethi and Kevin & Marie Husa co-hosted a meet & greet for Ethan at La Cabaña Restaurant in Anchorage. It was a great opportunity to have some good food and discuss the many roads people take to becoming an Alaskan.

While visiting the Kenai Peninsula, Ethan held meet & greets at the Captain’s Roast in Homer and at River City Books in Soldotna. He got a chance to see some old friends and meet new faces and talked about everything from cattle farming in rural areas to transportation. He participated in some lively discussion on KSRM’s Sound-Off with Pat Hawkins and talked to the Homer Tribune (link to article) and KBBI radio while he was in the area.

Ethan visited Nome and attended the joint Kawerak/Norton Sound board meeting to hear about community action on the challenges faced by rural communities, talked with the local newspaper and radio station, visited several kennels and enjoyed dog mushing so much that he missed his plane home.

Ethan spent the day in the Mat-Su Valley, visiting health clinics and community groups, learning about community priorities and needs.