Access Alaska throws inaugural Fairview Summer Bash

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Access Alaska, a support and advocacy group for independent senior living and Alaskans experiencing disabilities held its first ever “Summer Bash” on Wednesday.

The event, which featured food trucks and live music, took place in the parking lot of Access Alaska’s location in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood – the neighborhood that Eric Gurley, the executive director of Access Alaska, hopes the event will support.

“Our goal for today truly was just to bring the community together,” Gurley said. “I can’t say first and foremost that it’s some sort of donation event, though we will gladly accept donations.”

Gurley describes Access Alaska as a “center for independent living”, committed to helping seniors and those with disabilities support themselves and integrate into their communities. Lately, however, he said that goal has met some challenges.

“Access Alaska has had a pretty rough year financially,” Gurley explained. “The opportunity to be supported by the community has just really been a good lift to spirits.”

Lifting spirits was the original reason behind the event’s creation. The bash started as a simple employee barbecue, meant to lift company morale. From there, it morphed into the neighborhood block party.

Even before the scheduled start time of 2 p.m., residents were perusing the various stands and enjoying the live music, performed by Shaquil Aribuk. Aribuk, a musician and motivational speaker who goes by “Visionary Shaq”, is proud of what the event became.

“It just shows us peace, love, and community,” Aribuk said of the community’s response to the event. “People in the community are getting united and we’re having fun.”

With everything coming together so quickly, Access Alaska hasn’t had much chance to dwell on the future of the event; However, Gurley says that future currently looks bright.

“It would be great for this to be an annual event,” he said. “I think that’s quietly the goal.”

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