USO Canteen FReeper Style...Liberty R&R to Alaska .... August 31,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family,
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank them.
Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper Style,
are thankful for every service member
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
in both times of war and peace, thank you.

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Message from Snow Bunny to all those who visit the Canteen.

This is how I think of the USO Canteen Freeper Style.
It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night.

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too.
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of place
that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, a library, etc.

Many Veterans have written to me,
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they served.

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy
and sometimes troubling world.
Make yourself at home.

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Liberty commences at the beginning of today's
FReeper USO Canteen thread
and, depending on your division assignment,
expires when the new thread for Sunday is posted.

***** A special invitation to our troops and Veterans
to join us in today's cyber trip. *****

Welcome to Alaska

Sunrise over the Chugach Mountains

Thank you Aeronaut,for flying all of us
to Alaska today.

Blue Angels over Alaska

Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park stands at the
center of a part of Alaska that is completely different
from the rest of the state. Alaska's vast interior is one
of the world's last great frontiers.

This morning we can explore mining history and
museums in Fairbanks; view wildlife like grizzlies,
moose, Dall sheep, beaver mink and horseshoe hare;
explore some of Alaska's earliest homesteads.

Alaska's Interior
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve

The 2.5 million acres and includes 115 miles of the
mighty Yukon River, recently used as transportation
for gold miners on their way to the gold fields.

The park is home to the rivers Charley, Tatonduk, Nation
and Kandik, each providing excellent fishing for grayling
and pike. The Charley, a 100 mile long wild river,
is considered by many to be the most spectacular river in Alaska.

Untouched wilderness is the feeling one gets
visiting the park. Wildlife includes the falcons,
a healthy population of grizzly and black bear,
moose, wolves and caribou.

Alaska's most popular attraction, Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley, the tallest peak in North America at 20,320 feet

Field of flowers

I LOVE this Ram

Rams are some of the wildlife
you'll see in Alaska's Interior

Moose in the wilderness of Interior

Trails for wildlife sightings in Alaska

Explore the Chena and Tanana rivers
on an authentic sternwheeler riverboat

Denali at dusk

Aurora Borealis
Northern Lights shine their brightest in Alaska's Interior.
Viewing is best on cold clear nights. In Ester, visitors
can view the Aurora in the off-season at a multi-image
visual concert

Dog Sledding
In the Interior, dog sled racing is a very popular sport.
In fact, it is Alaska's official state sport. Two of the
state's most famous race routes run though Interior
Alaska, including the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest.

On the Way to Nome from Wasilla at the real start.

Inside Passage - Misty Fiords National Monument

All the physical grandeur of the Grand Canyon,
Yosemite National park and more are found in
one place with almost no one there to impact
the view. The monument is filled with mile-high
mountains rising straight from the sea, with
3,000-foot-high cliffs worn smooth by glaciers,
then scalloped by 1,000-foot-tall waterfalls.

Home of the famous Mendenhall Glacie
r and the state capital, Juneau is the third
largest city in Alaska and touts a blend of
gold rush history, nature and Native culture.
Named after prospector Joe Juneau, it was one
of the first towns founded after the U.S.
purchased the land from Russia.

The Inside Passage is home to approximately half
of the state's population of bald eagles
An estimated 3,000 eagles congregate to the preserve in the fall.
There are lots of ways to see the preserve, hike, take a tour
or boat trip up the Chilkat River.

Boat tours will bring you to pristine areas in Alaska's Inside Passage

Downtown Juneau

Kayaking with the whales in Stephens Passage

Totem Bight State Park

The world's largest collection of totems in Ketchikan
at Totem Bight State Park, Saxman Village and the
Totem Heritage Center.

Mendenhall Glacier

Located just 13 miles from downtown Juneau,
the Mendenhall is one of the state's most
impressive and accessible glaciers.

Flying over the Hole in the wall glacier,
in the Taku river valley.

We continue on with our
afternoon flight

Petersburg, often called
Alaska's little Norway,
is nestled in the heart of the
Tongass National Forest at the
north end of the Wrangell Narrows.
Petersburg is truly a working town
while canneries bustle, processing
fresh salmon, halibut and shrimp.
This little island is home of
Southeast's busiest processing port.

Petersburg harbor

A festive Viking

Anchorage

On June 15, 2002, the National Civic League
awarded Anchorage, Alaska, the distinction of
being named an All-America City at the
53rd Annual All-America City Awards ceremony
in Kansas City, Mo. Anchorage is one of 10 cities
to receive the award for 2002

The All-America City Award, a 53-year-old program
of the National Civic League recognizing civic
excellence, annually honors 10 communities that
best exemplify the spirit of grassroots citizen
involvement and cross-sector, collaborative problem
solving. Since the program began in 1949, more than
4,000 communities have competed and nearly
500 communities have been named All-America Cities.

The award for 2002 carries a special distinction for
Anchorage as it marks the fourth time the city has
earned this special recognition. To add further prestige
Anchorage is now one of only seven cities to have
won the award four or more times.

Anchorage is known as the "City of Lights and Flowers."
Each summer, Anchorage comes alive with big, bright
flowers that paint the landscape in bold hues.

Alpenglow is the pink color the mountains
turn in the winter at sunrise and sunset.
Many summer visitors when seeing paintings
of alpenglow don't believe it can really look like that.

The Budweiser Clydesdales at the Alaska Building

Anchorage Veterans Memorial Dedication

Candle Light Vigil
in Anchorage, Alaska
on America's Day of Mourning

[Snow Bunny]

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Tribute To HEROES

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If there's anything that identifies and personifies all military people, it's the dogtags.
It's one of the first things we get, and sometimes it's the last reminder of who we are.
They signify our unity of purpose and our dedication to our country.

COB1

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Tribute to Vietnam Veterans
Please click on picture.

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The great intangible of America's wars beyond logistics,
beyond strategy, beyond wonder weapons and Generals,
is the spiritual force of its fighting men and women -
and that is the force that the USO so serves.

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Free Republic....Click for Donations

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For our Troops, and supporters of
those serving now, and our Veterans.

Partners

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To Jim Robinson,
Founder of FRee Republic and Navy Veteran

Thank you, from all those
who frequent the FReeper Canteen

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[Snow Bunny]

Hi Doughty One, thank you for making all the cute things for the Canteen.Good to see you yesterday at the Canteen.

[Snow Bunny]

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are,God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

CLICK here to go to the Department of Defense POW/MIA page

[Snow Bunny]

Poor is the nation that has no heroes.
Shameful is the one that, having heroes - Forgets them!

from a monument on the Davis Bridge Battlefield, Bolivar,Tn.

In Bagram, US soldiers hunt Al Qaeda who launched rockets near Asadabad.

We support our Canadian troops, our friends fighting the enemy with us.
Operation APOLLO is Canada's military contribution to the international campaign against terrorism.

[Snow Bunny]

Supporting the Israeli troops.

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

Please visit the Department of Defense web page below
and sign a brief message thanking the men and women
of the U.S. military services for defending our freedom.

The compiled list of names will be sent out to our soldiers
at the end of the month.

CLICK HERE TO SEND MESSAGE

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh boy! This is going to be fun. Welcome everybody to Alaska!

This is my town! And this is a picture of downtown.

[radu]

Liberty Weekend in Alaska IS gonna be fun! What scenery!! But I have to admit I'm sitting here with goosebumps looking at these pics with ALL THAT SNOW!! brrrrrrr

What can I say? I'm a tropical lizard. heehee

[Snow Bunny]

Kathy that is a wonderful picture of your hometown.. This is going to be such fun today.

[SAMWolf]

The Great Seal of Alaska

The official seal of the State of Alaska is an elaborate representation of the state’s natural resources and economic assets. The seal is 2 1/8 inches in diameter, and consists of two concentric circles surrounding intricate detailed images. The outer circle contains the words “The Seal of the State of Alaska” and two images, a seal and a fish, representing Alaska’s abundant marine wildlife. The inner circle shows the mix of Alaska’s natural and industrial wealth. The Northern Lights radiate over the top of majestic mountains. Sailing ships navigate the waters. Industry and rail transportation, timber production, and agriculture are all shown on the seal. Abundant natural resources, and bustling economic activity are the themes that burst to life on Alaska’s splendid seal.

State Flag

Alaska adopted the flag for official state use in 1959. The blue field represents the sky, the sea, and mountain lakes, as well as Alaska's wildflowers. Emblazoned on the flag are eight gold stars: seven from the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper. The eighth being the North Star, representing the northern most state. Alaska's flag was designed in 1926 by a 13-year-old Native American boy, Bennie Benson, from the village of Chignik. Bennie received a 1,000-dollar scholarship and a watch for his winning entry in the flag design contest.

[Kathy in Alaska]

We don't have very much in the way a road system. And our Capital, Juneau, is only accessible by air or sea.

[SAMWolf]

Good night all.

[radu]

It's almost 4 a.m. and all the outdoor fun today is catching up with me. Time to hug all these critters good night and hit the hay. I'll catch y'all later today.

Good meeeeeow-ning to our troops, veterans, and allies. Thank you for answering the call to duty. I hope you enjoy Liberty Weekend in Alaska.

Good night, y'all. I'm heading towards my cave.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night, radu. It was fun tonight. See you at liberty. God bless and sleep well.

[radu]

Good night SAM. Sweet dreams.

Can't resist.....*HUG* You're so cute in your jammies and bunny slippers. teehee