Additionally, I was trained to become a volunteer ombudsman for the State of Alaska, working as an advocate for seniors living in assisted living facilities. (I prefer to call myself an ombuds-woman!) I am assigned to 3 local facilities, and make surprise visits to each of them once/quarter. It's fun to talk with the residents who, for the most part, are friendly and satisfied with their situation.  It gets tricky when there is a violation to address with the management.  So far they've included things like locked gates (safety hazard), and aides whose English skills aren't sufficient (potential problem in a 911-emergency situation if they cannot convey the problem or understand instructions being given to them).

And finally, I work for the senior center, doing wellness visits with their Meals on Wheels participants.  Given that Alaska is experiencing a Silver Tsunami, and we have the greatest rate of seniors per capita of anywhere, various agencies are looking at ways to help seniors stay home, or "aging in place."  Our team of wellness advocates interviews seniors and tries to identify problems or deficiencies that could be improved in their current living condition, in hopes of keeping them there longer.

I feel so privileged to meet these old timers and hear their stories.  As a newcomer to Alaska, I'm a good audience for their tales of hard work and wild adventure in the Last Frontier.  My biggest challenge is time management, as I could spend hours with each one of them!

So begins Robert Service's famous poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee.  While the tale is fiction this, and many of Service's works, were based on the crazy things he saw, heard and experienced in the Yukon country.  I have no doubt.  Just this past week there were a couple of events in Fairbanks, ones that I am certain were invented during an all-night party binge under the summer sun. Specifically:

The Big Flip.  This is when volunteer gamblers from the Alaska Fire Service (smokejumpers and pilots) buy a keg, have a party, and ante up to win a simple coin toss competition (heads, you're out; tails, you're in).  The ante this year was $50, and due to high participation, the pot grew to $4850!  No, Collin didn't win, another guy did.

But then, wait!  There is allowance for one last double-or-nothing opportunity, which was taken up by one smokejumper, who shall remain nameless.  One toss of the coin would determine if he stole the pot, or lost $4850 of his own (in addition to his original $50).  Drum roll please....Heads.  Ouch.

The Annual Red Green Regatta.  For 19 years, the local PBS station has hosted this event as a wacky tribute to the Red Green Show.  Contestants are required to fashion a watercraft using duct tape and other household materials, and float it about a mile down the Chena River through downtown Fairbanks. Red Green (aka Steve Smith) himself was here to assist in the judging of these hand-crafted vessels.

Some were simple, others elaborate.  Some were piloted by one, others by a costumed crew.  Many were delivered to the dumpster immediately upon arrival at the takeout.  Some didn't make it that far.  Among the prizes awarded were:

• Most Un-Fathom-Able: for a vessel that gave it a go, but sank or barely made it to the finish
  
• Best Appreciated at a Distance: for the strangest and ugliest thing you ever did see
  
• Judges' Award: Not sure what to make of the vessel or costume, but it caught the judges' attention
  

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