The recovery of Kathleen Garrigan’s body last week from the depths of Harding Lake in Salcha, Alaska, began the final chapter of Kathy’s Alaska journey. Her parents, Thomas and Marian Garrigan, and sister Rose Garrigan were present at the lake as Gene and Sandy Ralston of Kuna; Idaho located Kathy with side scan sonar and robotic underwater cameras at a depth of more than 80 feet, in 38 degree water. The Ralston’s were then able to bring her to the surface of the frigid lake, with the assistance of rescue divers.

The recovery of Kathy and of her fellow victim, AmeriCorps member Travis Alexander of Fort Yukon, Alaska, was only possible because of the many generous, loving, and compassionate financial donations from family, friends, and the Oak Park community. Without those gifts, it would not have been possible to bring to Alaska the experts and technology needed to find Kathy and Travis.

It is a matter of great importance for those of us here in Alaska, who have had the opportunity to know and love Kathy, to share with the hundreds of her friends, family, school mates, neighbors, and parishioners in Oak Park, how Kathleen Garrigan made a difference in our lives.

From the moment we picked Kathy up at the Fairbanks airport, on that bitterly cold January morning, we were impressed with her self-confidence, her commanding presence, and her willingness to share her opinions and feelings with everyone.

Kathy came to Alaska on a mission. A loving and caring family raised her and she shared that love with everyone here. Her religious upbringing and her abiding faith was the foundation of her deep conviction that she was meant to serve others. Her eyes and heart were blind to color and circumstance. She loved all of God’s children. She was here to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate in Alaska .

Kathy was able to immediately bond with the Native members of the AmeriCorps program. She won them over with here smile and her openness. They’re are now a large number of Chicago Bears fans in the Alaska Interior, due to Kathy’s enthusiasm for sports in general and the Bears in particular!

Kathy addressed the needs of rural Alaska in so many different ways. She worked tirelessly at Habitat for Humanity. Building much needed housing. You would find her giving instructions to her teammates, while painting at the same time. She was a leader and her team respected her work ethic and her fairness. Her dedication to the elders in the community was unsurpassed. She would do anything and everything they needed or that were unable to do for themselves. She would cheerfully clean the home of someone back from the hospital or shovel steps and walkways for a senior, in weather 40 below.

Kathy loved working with children as much as she did with the elders. Kathy led the library restoration project in order for our children to have a clean, safe, and warm place to go after school. She helped in the Head Start classroom. Playing dress-up with the three and four year olds was her specialty.

Kathy worked tirelessly with her teammates in their studies. Most of the young Native men and women on her team lacked the educational opportunities, which Kathy had. Late into the night, one could find Kathy tutoring someone on his or her GED assignments. She wanted everyone to be successful.

Kathy placed herself in the service of others in a natural environment of unsurpassed beauty. She loved Alaska and was truly happy here. She understood the dangers of living and working in one of the last great wilderness areas on earth. She faced each day in Alaska with courage, dedication, and with a smile. We, who have had the privilege of being a part of Kathleen’s life here in Alaska, wish to express our sincere gratitude, love, sympathy and deepest affection to all of you in Oak Park . Kathy was very much loved here in Alaska and will be always remembered. 

AmeriCorps group from Alaska is enjoying the relatively warm weather here while attacking pesky invasive plants

Pulling out prickly blackberry bushes and pesky ivy vines isn’t most peoples’ version of a good time.

This group of seven volunteers from AmeriCorps, the national volunteer organization, based in Nenana, Alaska , however, is just glad to be in above-zero climates.

So if you happen to be driving around West Linn or surrounding areas in Clackamas County and see a group covered in mud, with scratches zigzagging up and down their arms, don’t worry, they’re not insane.

They’re here rescuing our stream and riverbeds from invasive plants and planting new ones to prevent erosion. This assignment is part of their obligation to AmeriCorps, which has taken this group from building houses for Habitat Humanity in sub-zero temperatures in Alaska several weeks ago to planting rose bushes in West Linn .

“It’s nice to be outside,” said Kathy Garrigan, assistant team leader from Chicago . “We’re coming from negative-20 degrees. So it’s been beautiful for us. And the chance to work outside has been nice. And it’s a really good chance to get out and get your hands dirty in all kinds of fields.”

There are a number of invasive plant species that are not only a nuisance in Oregon but are destroying natural habitat. Among the worst are ivy vines and blackberry bushes, according to the Oregon Invasive Species Council.

This AmeriCorps group, which has been staying at Marylhurst University dorms for about two weeks, is working with SOLV to tackle the problem – at least in this neck of the woods.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Travis Alexander of Fort Yukon, Alaska . “We’re learning a lot of things about invasive plants and how to get rid of them.”

The group has been working mostly in the numerous creek and streambeds strewn all around West Linn and throughout the Willamette and Tualatin river corridors.

On Monday they braved a morning rainstorm at Fields Bridge Park . In the afternoon it was hail that greeted them in the basin of Arbor Creek, which runs the perimeter of Marylhurst.

“I joined (AmeriCorps) because I wanted to work with different people,” Willow River, Minn. native Jo Swanson said. “I get to meet people from all over.”

Armed with rakes and sheers, the group descends down the gullies and canyons most of us merely drive by while admiring the greenery. But if you look closely, it’s easy to see the signs of where they’ve been – bare hillsides, strewn with plant scraps and interspersed with fresh plantings.

And recently, the tell-tale sign of their group has been the muddy footprints.

“Everybody has been really supportive,” said Liza Lomando of Saranac Lake, N.Y. “Everyone says ‘hi’ when they walk by and thanks us for what we’re doing.”

The group is part of AmeriCorps’ Tribal Civilian Corps division, a section of the organization based in reservations and deployed to tackle projects identified by sponsoring tribes. Three members are spending their first time outside of the state of Alaska .

“I’ve been doing good,” said Jerald John, a resident of Arctic Village, Alaska . “ Portland has been great. It’s a lot different from 30-below zero to 65 degrees.”

Before Oregon, the group was working in Alaska doing a number of tasks. Members shoveled snow for seniors, worked with youth at Head Start programs and built houses for Habitat for Humanity.

The light at the end of the tunnel is a $5,000 scholarship for higher education.

“It’s a good chance for you to see how you want to spend the rest of your life while serving your country,” Garrigan said.

 By Liza Lomando