WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?
The Colony House Museum was sparkling on Sunday evening, May 6 as the Ninth Annual "Dinner for Four" was served to eight assembled guests.

Winners of the Dinner Raffle drawing were Todd Risley of Palmer and Frank Swanda of Anchorage. Coincidently, both are sons of Colonist families!

Runners-up to winning a dinner table were Alice Taylor of Palmer and Judith Bittner of Anchorage. All
proceeds of this event annually benefit the Colony House Musuem.

The Palmer Historical Society sincerely thanks ail the CHM raffle participants. We express huge appreciation toward our Chef Pete Scott for his culinary skill, to Pete and to Janet Kincaid of the Colony Inn for their enthusistic helpfulness toward setting up the event, and to all others who played a role of support.

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PHS is "giving a helping hand for history" as we assist the Palmer Police Department in their research effort to document local law enforcement through the years. If you have any knowledge or recollection of people who served law enforcement in general, or if you have photos of persons or events of such direction that could be copied, please give us a call!

IN THE PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Our closing presentation of the 2006-2007 program year will come to us on Wednesday, May 16 courtesy of local resident and author Joe Homme. Author Homme will introduce us to his newly published book "Cures and Chaos: The Life & Times of Dr. Vincent Hume and His Impact on a Frontier Alaska Town ".

(From the jacket): "Dr. Vincent Hume was a charismatic physician, gifted with legendary talents for healing
the sick. But there was a mysterious component to his personality, an element of the streets that ran
counter to his pedestal position in the frontier Alaska community he served. Over the course of a decade,
the origins of his street smarts, combined with a progressive illness and tragic personal events, conspired
in his undoing. It was an excruciating public downfall of a respected surgeon, husband, father, friend, and neighbor, a downfall that ignited a public uproar that threatened the very fabric of the small, close knit community."

Author Joe Homme's book talk will introduce PHS to this new publication and provide opportunity for us to remember this care provider who brought his medical practice skill to our community and to the Valley nearly fifty years ago.

The book is newly coming off the press and, if at all timely in shipment, "Cures and Chaos" will be available at our program for those who are interested.

"CURES AND CHAOS"
by
Joe Homme

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Palmer Public Library Meeting Room

As always, the public is cordially invited to attend, David and Betty Mathews' hospitality goodies will await, and there will be a door prize for a lucky winner! We hope to see YOU there!

The Colony House Museum, opened on May 1, will continue summer hours through August 31. For more information, call the Museum at (907) 745-1935.

"ALASKA FAR AWAY"

Lists are being compiled and updated to provide address information for Juster Hill Productions of San Francisco as they ready for their Sunday, June 10 Valley pre-screenings of "Alaska Far Away". An expected three showings of the documentary are anticipated.

Invitations will be sent from San Francisco by the Producers, and their ticket distribution and your attendance will be governed by RSVP. PHS is striving so that our submitted list will include both all supporters of the movie effort to our best knowledge and, also, all who have expressed an interest or involvement in the film or in our history in general.

All local pre-screenings will be shown at the Colony High School Little Theater on Bogard Road.

THE GOVERNOR RECOGNIZES OUR OWN!

It was a most special announcement to learn in early April that PHS's long-time Treasurer and Board
member Kay Love had been recognized as one of Alaska's eleven "volunteers of the year"

At a celebratory awards luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel in Anchorage on April 23, two tables of Kay's
friends and family helped pack the house to applaud as Governor Sarah Palin presented each honoree with their volunteer award.

Kay remains active in the Wasilla-Knik Historical Society and the FCE, and continues on with PHS as Board member Emeritus. We will have a copy of her citation at our May 16 program.

ALUMNI TO PICNIC! (Pass the Word!)

All points bulletin for Palmer High School alumni! The 12th Annual Alumni Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, June 24, 2007 at the Palmer Elks Lodge Picnic Pavilion off Bogard Road. Contact Willie (Wilda Harris) Boggs at (907) 745-3519, or write 14410 E Gunnysack Rd #A, Palmer, Ak 99645, OR phs56alumni@yahoo.com

MORE NEWS

PHS is anticipating the introduction of our newly created WEB site! Look for us at www.palmerhistoricalsociety.org in the very near future!

The Colony House Museum will hold OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, June 9 following the Colony Days Parade. Homestyle cookies and other goodies will be welcome to provide hospitality for CHM visitors during our community celebration!

Postal address changes are causing return of a number of newsletters. Remember to notify PHS if your HCO address is discontinued or if other address changes occur. We don't want to lose you!

Does spring's arrival have you puzzled? Follow radio commentator Paul Harvey's wise suggestion .... "Don't plan on spring until the 45th of May! "