Thank You for Your Service
Sandwiched between Iditarod’s Musher Banquet in Anchorage and the Finisher’s Banquet in Nome was a celebration equal to none out at Skwentna on the eve of Iditarod. Between the usual checkpoint volunteers and personnel and the newbies of 2011, forty-five people gathered in Delia’s Outback cabin to celebrate Joe and Norma Delia’s service, of many kinds, to the Last Great Race.
The Delia’s have their bush homestead up for sale with plans to relocate on the road system. There are lots of pros – being close to the kids, grandkids and friends along with one big con – leaving the bush that Joe so dearly loves. Joe came to Alaska at the age of seventeen, sixty-four years ago. Within a short time, he chose this high bank of the Skwentna River to homestead. He’s a legend as a woodsman and trapper. Besides living with the land, Joe has manned the Skwentna Post Office as postmaster since 1948.
Joe has lent many a helping hand in establishing the Last Great Race on the east side of the Alaska Range. Joe Redington turned to Delia to open a trail to Rainy Pass. The teams currently, as they did then, travel portions of Delia’s former trap line. The Checkpoint has been on the river below the Skwentna Post Office and Joe’s cabin since the first running of Iditarod.
Joe married his wonderful wife and devoted companion, Norma, almost thirty years ago. As Joe tells the story, he wanted their home to be nice for his bride and that would include indoor plumbing and so he built an indoor bathroom. There would still be an outhouse but Norma would have indoor conveniences. Joe however refused to use the indoor bathroom. The outhouse was more to his liking. That lasted until he became very ill one winter with the flu at which point he decided that he too liked the advantages of the indoor bathroom.
Stories were abundant last night as well as tributes regarding Joe’s many years as a trailbreaker and checker and Norma as mother hen for the mushers. The one theme that ran through every story was Joe and Norma’s hospitality. You are only a stranger at the Delia homestead once. Visitors are welcomed with open arms and as they sign the guest book upon leaving, it’s as friends. In the case of the team of Iditarod Volunteers – cabin Sweeties, river Darlings, and race personnel – they leave as family. The Iditarod volunteers meet at Delia’s once a year for a hectic weekend when Iditarod passes through. It’s Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and every other holiday all rolled into one and there’s no better way to spend it then as part of the Delia family.
A tribute to the Delia’s open door hospitality hangs above their front door. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Hebrews 13:2. Thank you Joe and Norma. Words are not adequate to express what time at your homestead has meant to each of us. Collectively we wish you only the best as you take this giant step into your future.
