Northern neighbors trickle back into town
When Bruce Funk left his Whitehorse home at 8:30 a.m. Yukon time on Monday, he didn’t expect cookies, hot chocolate, a band playing “O Canada,” quote-hungry reporters, curious residents, a police escort, Mayor Douglas Olerud and a gift basket all waiting for him at the Haines visitor information center.
But that’s exactly what welcomed the first Canadian visitor to cross at Pleasant Camp-Dalton Cache into Haines in nearly two years.
The U.S. opened its land and ferry borders to fully vaccinated foreigners on Monday. Funk expected a line of cars when he got to the border station at about 10:30 a.m. Alaska time. “But apparently not,” he said. His was the only car in the queue, and more than a dozen Haines residents armed with goodies and cameras, along with the Haines Community Marching Band, had gathered on the brisk morning to welcome him.
“I had been waiting a year and a half for this day,” Funk said, adding that he owns property in Haines and has been coming to town for 45 years. He planned to fish and said he would stick around for several weeks. “I’m very happy to be back,” he said.
After Funk crossed the border, police chief Heath Scott escorted him to the visitor’s center. Olerud presented Funk with a gift bag, which included a t-shirt, coffee, Alaska Rod’s chocolates, and a Bamboo Room gift card, among other items. Olerud already knew Funk, who has shopped for years at Alaska Sport Shop.
“I think it’s important to recognize that it’s a milestone that we’re reaching,” Olerud said. “It was cool being able to see a nonessential Canadian visitor in Haines again.”
Funk spoke with the Mayor and Haines Borough tourism director Steven Auch, enjoyed cookies, and posed for photos before heading on his way.
Auch, who helped organize the welcome event, said as of Tuesday evening he had given out three of five gift bags that were prepared for the first visitors. Two Canadians, including Funk, stopped by the visitor’s center on Monday, and one on Tuesday. Auch said more travelers might have crossed and didn’t come to the visitor’s center for the goodies. He suspects some are waiting for the weekend to make the trip down from the Yukon.
At the visitor’s center on Monday, marching band member Tom Morphet told Funk, “I hope you catch some fish.”
“I don’t care if I do,” Funk replied. “I’m here!”