This Friday Rich and Lynn Maxwell are coming to North Pole to do three weeks of marble programs with the youth and seniors of Interior Alaska. This is a culmination of the ideas and efforts of Bill McCaleb and Ron Shepard. These guys encouraged us to proceed and have provided thousands of marbles for the kids here in the Yukon River valley, some quite valuable. Through Bill we received many donations from all over the marble universe. Books from Mr. Alley and other marble authors, shooters from Jim S., a discounted deal on 10,000 Vacors from Nancy M., and a couple of thousand Alleys and Heatons for the kids to collect. I'm sorry I can't remember right now all the folks who have donated and helped but I'll attempt a list later. We were hoping to get Bill and Ron here to open the country to marbles and see some of the Great Land, but I took too long and health precluded travel for them and now Bill has passed. I pray that he knows how far his efforts have taken us in our wild corner of the world. We are lucky Rich was able to take Bill and Ron's place spreading marble knowledge here. So, for the next three weeks, we will finish Bill and Ron's Alaskan Adventure by spreading enough marbles and knowledge in Alaska to create a legacy for years to come. Ten years from now some child will find their parent stash of Alleys, Heatons, or Vacors from Bill and Ron and wonder enough to investigate, learn, and become as hooked as we are on the beautiful glass orbs and their history. Penny, Hunter, and I feel privileged to be part of the effort to promote marbles. We know that many of you have done much more than we can ever do for kids and mibs but we'll throw in our few drops and maybe raise the level a bit. Thank you Ron. Thank you Bill. Your legacy lives beyond you into the future we will never see.
