Husky News

A former Alaskan and Iditarod organizer is taking over the city’s chilliest event, the Outhouse 500.

Candy Gibson moved to Coopersville from Wasilla, a suddenly famous small town in Alaska, a few months ago and finds herself with some of the same duties she had when she often would bump into Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former mayor of Wasilla.

Gibson coordinated about 2,000 volunteers for the dog sled races in Alaska for several years. She took applications, divvied up volunteers for the various Iditarod events and organized a giant picnic for participants each June.

Now she is seeking volunteers for the fifth annual Outhouse 500, Coopersville’s quirky effort to get the community outside in winter. Teams will push themed outhouses down Main Street on Feb. 21.

“They needed someone to do it, and here I am,” Gibson said. “What better way to get to know the people of Coopersville.”

“She’s a perfect fit for the job,” said Cindy Timmerman, director of the Coopersville Area Chamber, which runs the Outhouse 500 through its Main Street Merchants Association.

Gibson hopes to continue organizing the races, drawing more people and activities each year. Already, up to 2,500 people have watched the races and warmed up in the following chili cook-off, children’s activities, beer tent and one event that is right up Gibson’s snowy trail — dog sled demonstrations.

After sensing a lot of community support, Gibson said, she hopes to make Outhouse 500 as big as Coopersville’s Summerfest, which has seen nearly 100,000 people attend.

New in 2009 will be a show of snowmobiles (“snow machines” in Alaska) and more children’s games, such as a toilet seat toss. Gibson also will arrange a dinner for volunteers later in the year.

A Wasilla resident since 1978, Gibson said Palin was a “wonderful, intelligent, go-getter woman,” who, as mayor, helped people get what they needed, somehow finding funds.

“She’d find the way to provide, but she sustained self-dignity by helping people find jobs,” Gibson said.

In October, Gibson opened Northern Scents, a Main Street shop with a fragrance bar for candles, lotions, soaps and other products.

Source: THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS