I’d like to congratulate Michael Hawfield, Beth Graber and Elaine Grabowski on their impending retirements, and thank you for your years of service to so many people on the southern Kenai Peninsula. Having recently retired I know you’ll enjoy your newfound freedom, my friends.

Now that the dust has settled, I’d like to thank everyone who attended my retirement party at Alice’s on April 15. It was wonderful to see so many good friends gathered for the last hurrah.

I’d like to thank my wife Tricia Hahn and KBBI’s Board of Directors and staff for organizing major elements of the evening. Tricia and artist Elizabeth McKenney collaborated in creating the pictorial poster board displaying previous incarnations of my life. And thank you Beth, for your artistic Grateful Dead cake — beautiful and yummy.

My daughters Sage Thomas and Megan Anderson contributed support in many areas for a memorable night. And to family and friends from Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Wasilla, Nikiski, Anchor Point, and places in between who made the journey to share this special evening with us … wow! I am so blessed to have such awesome family, friends and coworkers in my life.

A huge thank you is due to Alice’s Champagne Palace for donating the venue and providing such awesome music. The Barroom Roses and Los Holy Santos Gang kept the dance floor hopping until well after midnight. I totally love your music and talented performances … rock on!

All the friends who were there, and those who couldn’t be there but have spoken with me since, helped to make this a top shelf lifetime experience for me. My time at KBBI has been an ongoing mix of challenges and blessings. The assistance and encouragement offered to me over the 35 years of my tenure at KBBI by the many wonderful people serving as KBBI’s staff, Boards of Directors, Community Advisory Boards and volunteers has helped me grow in many ways. Much in the same way that KBBI members, underwriters and our communities sustain the services and opportunities KBBI provides every day to so many people and organizations.

Moving forward, I look forward to life in retirement …time with family, friends and a host of projects and adventures. I expect I’ll be back in the studio to share my love of music with KBBI listeners some time this winter. Until then, I hope to see you around.

David S. Anderson