Copper River cruisers

January 1, 1970

Lodge employees Krista Yeast and Nicole Gardner take a break for a quick photo memory. Only one mile to go!

Donning their best attire, the crew of the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge braved the cool Alaska temperatures and breezy conditions to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

"It was not the warmest of days," said General Manager Tracy Smith. "It was about 50 degrees and overcast, but the team had lots of fun supporting a great cause as well as the local community."

Dubbed the Copper River Cruisers, 10 employees volunteered their time to trek four miles with more than 40 other walkers in Glennallen, a small community near the Lodge.

"We were so glad to have Princess there with us," said local MS Walk organizer Barb Sanders. She also appreciated the staff’s enthusiasm. "They had lots of bling."

The Alaska division of Community and Public Affairs for Princess Tours supported the walk by providing $500 in charitable contributions. In all, the cadre of walkers raised $3,500. It was the first year Princess participated in the walk, both in employee involvement and monetarily. According to the MS Society, more than 400,000 Americans live with MS.