RDC BOARD OUTREACH TRIP 2025: DESTINATION CORDOVA!
A FAMILY TRIP TO CHERISH
BY ANNA HILL AND JIM HILL EDITOR'S NOTE: ANNA HILL ATTENDED THE RDC'S OUTREACH TRIP TO CORDOVA WITH HER FATHER, JIM, AN RDC BOARD MEMBER. HERE IS INSIGHT INTO THEIR SHARED EXPERIENCE. ANNA: HOW WAS THE TRIP, AND WAS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED? This trip was a lot of fun to be apart of, even though I was warned beforehand that it’s a very action packed time the amount of things we did per day was more than I expected! YOUR FIRST TIME TO CORDOVA? I’ve never been to Cordova before this, after being there for a short amount of time I am already thinking about going back — either on vacation or for work. WHAT SURPRISED YOU? Something that surprised me is how much I liked the smaller places. Being from Anchorage — especially the portion we’re in — you’re very disconnected from the surrounding areas. In a city it’s very normalized to only care about what affects you and those you care about rather than everyone as a whole, which is not some- thing that can be seen in Cordova. WHAT DID YOU LEARN? AND DID YOU HAVE FUN? My biggest takeaway has to be how closely connected smaller communities are and how hard working each individual must be for the community to survive. I learned about the workings of each portion, looking into what jobs are there and what people have to be doing. Seeing people have multiple roles, or a small group being in charge of such important matters really inspired me. I had lots of fun, everyone was so welcoming and the groups we ran into were very funny people — my favorite part was the Prince William Sound Science Center. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER KIDS YOUR AGE? I think a lot of kids my age don’t realize how great it is to be able to hang out with your family and see their role in their jobs as well as society. It’s not lame to go on trips or to be close with your parents even when it’s something that can be seen as mundane — learn to make things fun! DO YOU TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND ALASKA AND WITH YOUR FAMILY? Yes! We go around Alaska quite often, during the summers we try to go out camping with our RV as much as we can as well as trips out of state or out of the country. It’s amazing being able to go to warmer places for spring break and to visit family members I wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, AND IF SO, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS? I have. I’m not set on anything but I’m most interested in the sciences, specifically life science like biology or marine biology. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS? Go out! Do things! Be involved in your communities, be involved in your state! I thought it was a great opportunity for her to see more of the state and learn about the challenges faced in off the road system locations, and how people adapt to live and work in these areas. RDC really maximizes the agenda on the board outreach trips so that it’s fun and engaging for all involved. WHAT SURPRISED YOU? She was genuinely excited about all of the activities and eager to engage with the other board members on her own. On this trip, learning the behind-the-scenes science of how, when and where seafood resources are obtained — and how they are packaged for distribution — was a real eye-opener for her. At her age, it was a unique opportunity to see beyond the rhetoric and recognize that the industry is deeply committed to protecting and sustaining this resource for future generations. JIM: WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER ALONG? SUGGESTIONS TO OTHER PARENTS FOR THE FUTURE? Our kids will remember these trips for many years. Not only are they visiting places they may not otherwise, they will see beyond the headlines and hear the challenges and victories within the resource sector for themselves. Getting to spend the alone time and explore new places with them is priceless. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS? I bring my kids to any event I can. My daughter came to appre- ciate the benefits of mining through accompanying me on a mining day trip to Usibelli in Healy last year. I joke that she is the only kid at her high school with pro-mining stickers on her rear car window.
Each year our RDC board of directors makes an Outreach Trip to one of our member cities. These trips give our board members a real first-hand look at the glory and challenges of our important Alaskan cities. This summer that destination was Cordova!
WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? In a heartbeat!
28
29
www.AKRDC.org
ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW SUMMER 2025
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online