IT IS INDEED AN HONOR TO ADDRESS THE WEVOK SYMPHONY AND CULTURE ASSOCIATION. OVER THE PAST YEAR, IT HAS BEEN A DISTINCT PLEASURE TO ABSORB THE SOPHISTICATION AND CHARM PUT FORTH BY SUCH AN AUGUST BODY. PERHAPS YOU NEWLY ARRIVED SOULS WOULD LIKE TO LEARN OF THE EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE ASSOCIATION THIS PAST YEAR.
I MIGHT ADD THAT THE LIST IS NOT ALL INCLUSIVE AS I AM SURE MANY EVENTS SO SPONSORED WERE SPONTANEOUS AND BEGUN WELL AFTER THIS POOR CHILD HAD GONE TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS. HOWEVER, THIS PARTIAL LIST WILL GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF THE GALA EVENTS SPONSORED BY THIS CIVIC MINDED ORGANIZATION.
IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR, YOUR NARRATOR WAS GREETED AT THE WEENIE BIRD BY A YOUNG LOOKING FIRST SERGEANT WITH A VERY FULL BEARD AND GIVEN A RIDE FROM THE AIRCRAFT TO BOTTOM CAMP ON A LITTLE SLED PULLED BY PHIL RUSH`S THREE WHEELER. ABOUT 1/2 WAY UP THE SLED ROPE BROKE, AND I TUMBLED INTO A SNOWBANK. UPON WALKING UP TO THE FRONT DOOR, I DISCOVERED LEO WYATT, WHOM FEW OF YOU REMEMBER, AND WHO WAS THE SITE MORALE BOOSTER, CHAINED TO THE FLAGPOLE, RAVING LIKE A MANIAC. ONLY LATER DID I REALIZE THAT LEO WAS JUST BEING HIMSELF. ALL IN ALL IT WAS QUITE A WELCOME. MARCH AND APRIL ALSO BROUGHT US A SCHOOL TEACHER WHO DIDN`T EVEN REQUIRE AN APPLE, AND A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS FROM THE ALASKA FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT WHO CHEERFULLY SHARED THE THRILL OF HUNTING POLAR BEARS WITH A TRANQUILLING GUN WITH US. TWENTY SIX MEMBERS OF THE SITE ACCOMPANIED THEM AND EVERY ONE WAS ABLE TO SEE AND SIT ON A LIVE POLAR BEAR. IT IS INDEED A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. THE TEAM WILL BE BACK IN LATE MARCH AND I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH THEM.
ANOTHER EVENT SPONSORED BY THE ASSOCIATION IS THE MONTHLY HAIL AND FAREWELL JUST AS WE ARE ENJOYING TONIGHT. WHO COULD EVER FORGET DON MILLER AND HIS QUICK WIT OR MIKE MILLS TRIPPING LIGHTFOOTEDLY THROUGH OUR MIDST TO THE STRAINS OF DEBUSSY`S "AFTERNOON OF A FAUN". GENTLEMEN, THAT WAS CULTURE WITH A CAPITAL "C". HOWEVER, CULTURE ISN`T THE ONLY PRODUCT OF THE ASSOCIATION`S ENDEAVORS. WHAT GASTRONOME COULD RESIST A SUNDAY BRUNCH OF FRENCH TOAST ALA CARL CLARK? HOW ABOUT THAT -DUNCAN HINES IN GREASY COVERALLS. AND, FOR YOU MORE EARTHY TYPES, SEPTEMBER BROUGHT US THE FLASHER. REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARMS WHERE ARE YOU NOW? MEMORIAL DAY AT THE BEACH IN A SNOWSTORM. FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC IN A SNOWSTORM. THE WEVOK COUNTY FAIR. ALL TREASURED MEMORIES. BUT, WE`VE COME HERE TONIGHT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND LISTENING TO ME (GOD KNOWS YOU`VE HAD TO DO THAT ENOUGH THIS PAST YEAR) - LISTENING TO ME IS HARDLY THE CLASSIC DEFINITION OF A GOOD TIME.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU WHAT I TOLD THE ASSEMBLED SQUADRON WHEN I ARRIVED. "THANK YOU FOR THE ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT AND I`M DAMNED GLAD TO BE HERE. IF YOUR SPIRIT AND YOUR PRIDE ARE ANY INDICATION OF WHAT THE NEXT YEAR HOLDS THEN THE COMING YEAR WILL BE ONE OF THE EASIEST OF MY CAREER." TONIGHT, I`M TELLING YOU THAT PREDICTION HAS COME TRUE. YOU, AND THE MEN WHO PASSED THIS WAY BEFORE YOU, ARE THE FINEST I`VE EVER WORKED WITH. I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN YOUR COMMANDER AND PROUD JUST TO HAVE KNOWN YOU. EARLIER THIS WEEK, I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD OFFER EACH OF YOU A GIFT - SOMETHING THAT I COULD GIVE YOU IF I HAD SOME SORT OF MAGICAL POWER. FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD GIVE TOM STRAIN CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT STRIPES. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN TORGIE A GOOD WOMAN. AND BOB DEBUSK A REGULAR COMMISSION. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. BUT I DECIDED THE IDEA WAS A LITTLE FAR FETCHED AND, BESIDES, IT WOULD HAVE MADE THIS DISCOURSE FAR BEYOND YOUR ENDURANCE TO LISTEN. SO. ALLOW ME TO OFFER YOU THIS THOUGHT. EACH OF US GIVES OF HIMSELF TO EVERYONE ELSE. IN A YEAR`S TIME, IT MUST BE SO. I HOPE THAT HOWEVER I HAVE TOUCHED YOUR LIFE, IT HAS BEEN FOR GOOD AND NOT BAD; TO HELP, NOT HARM. FOR YOU HAVE MADE THIS YEAR ONE OF THE RICHEST YEARS OF MY LIFE. I SHALL MISS YOU ALL.