Prior to the March 24-28 trip to Nome and Elim, I contacted schools and a bakery, then boxed up approximately thirty boxes of books. Pete put shipping labels on them and with assistance from Alex, a new volunteer, dropped the boxes off at the Palmer Post Office Loading dock.

A few days before my trip, I packed eight suitcases, which were for bookfairs in Nome and Elim. I included books from the Native Language Center in Fairbanks in the mix.

I generally breathe a sigh of relief when I board planes, but not this time. This wasn’t going to be a vacation, because I had major logistical challenges ahead of me.

The first was baggage related. We were late checking in our nine suitcases, so one was put on standby. I’d failed to realize that the Nome Beltz High School basketball team was returning to Nome. In the interim, they and their family members had done some serious shopping.

Pam M reading

The Nome airport baggage area is small, and so we three jostled for space. Kastin Lie, who teaches at The City of Anvil Science Academy picked up six of our suitcases and we took the remaining two with us to the Aurora Inn. The inn is located on the city’s main street, and we were fortunate in that they gave us a first-floor room.

Day # 1: Pam M and I left for the Anvil Science Academy early, and Pam H later joined us. We conferred with Kastin before setting books out on the hallway tables. I gave three PowerPoint presentations in which the focus was on the BLBP. I’d learned that the semester curriculum was on motion, so I talked about the importance of wheels, showing the fifth and sixth graders an oversized book called Wheels in Motion. I also talked about how wheels on suitcases changed airport travel. I talked also about self-life in my final presentation and showed the students a book in which the pages were falling out. We concluded that I could put a rubber band around it, and attach a note saying this book is readable.

The bookfair itself was a success. The 100-or-so students conferred with one another about the books that they ultimately self-selected.

Day # 2. The second day of the bookfair included an interview session with the KNOM reporter. At midday, we packed up the suitcases, thanked all involved in our undertaking, and prepared to return to the hotel.

My advice for anyone who is going to spend any time at all in Nome is – rent a car for dealing with the exigencies of bookfair travel, for getting about by cab in a town in which destinations are distant can be fraught with uncertainty. There is also the likelihood that you’ll be unnecessarily end up being dependent upon your hosts. One Day #1 Kastin took the three of us to the airport where we picked up suitcase # 8. She then dropped us off at our hotel. On Day # 2 Angela, the school secretary, volunteered to be our chauffer. She assisted us in loading our suitcases into her car, then took us to the local thrift store where I packed one of the suitcases full of children’s books. After, Angela dropped me off at the Nome Community Center, where I met with Foraker Group cohort Kim Bishop. In the meantime, the two Pams checked out the gift shop.

Angela then took us to her place and showed us her artist work area. Lastly, she dropped us off at Pingos Bakery, where I’d previously sent books.

The two Pams and I spent the afternoon at the Nome Public Library and museum. That evening we repacked our seven suitcases. We left one empty suitcase behind.

The following day, I left for Elim, and the two Pams (on separate flights) returned home. Elim was a stark contrast to Nome – I was sent to the school library, where I spent the afternoon. I laid the books in my suitcase on tables, and the students, some accompanied by their teachers, selected them. The students, with Bingo sheets in hand, engaged in a mock scavenger hunt. The sheets were used by those at all grade levels.

In both Nome and Elim, there’s an overabundance of books. In particular, Nome would be an ideal place for a book project hub, several villages of course being close by.

I returned home, and Pete did a final grant tally. We had just enough money remaining $186.62) so on Saturday we got books ready to send to McGrath.

We now have a well established BLBP Books to the Villages program, one with other village schools wanting books. So we must now seek funding for this endeavor.

Next: 89. 3/31/25: One more song and dance