Friends of Nike Site Summit
Since 2007, dozens of people have worked thousands of hours to preserve Nike Site Summit and make it accessible to visitors. FONSS began as a group of citizens concerned about the military's plans to demolish the site. After nearly two years of consultations, FONSS convinced the military to preserve most of the site for guided public tours. To do this, FONSS stepped forward and agreed to take responsibility for stabilizing and preserving five of the buildings that make up the site. Work began in 2010. After three summers of work to stabilize buildings and restore their exteriors to their Cold War Era appearance, FONSS conducted its first public tour in fall 2012. Our volunteers consist of veterans, retirees, college students, historians, outdoor enthusiasts, business leaders and others.
Friends of Nike Site Summit is always looking for new volunteers to assist with tours or do repairs and maintenance on site. The organization also needs help with fundraising and grant writing, and needs volunteers to take on leadership roles. With our veterans not getting any younger, we are also interested in videotaping their stories. If this is a skill you possess, please volunteer! We need to document our local veterans as well as others around the country who have great stories to tell about their time in Alaska.
Friends of Nike Site Summit is always looking for new volunteers to assist with tours or do repairs and maintenance on site. The organization also needs help with fundraising and grant writing, and needs volunteers to take on leadership roles. With our veterans not getting any younger, we are also interested in videotaping their stories. If this is a skill you possess, please volunteer! We need to document our local veterans as well as others around the country who have great stories to tell about their time in Alaska.
Work party jobs and dates
Most of the onsite work - painting, mowing the vegetation or cutting brush - requires no special skillset. However, electricians and more skilled carpenters are welcome too! The remaining dates in 2021 for work parties are July 31, Aug. 7 and Aug. 21, all Saturdays.
Tour duties and dates
FONSS is fortunate to have several Nike veterans who enjoy telling tales of their time at Site Summit or other Nike units. However, we also need others to help tell the Nike and Cold War in Alaska story. We also need people to help with crowd control, time management and safety on the tours. All tour volunteers will receive hands-on training and written materials to assist with their duties. Most tours are bus tours, but we also do hiking tours, which require the tour leaders to be fit, experienced hikers. Support staff and some of the veterans drive to Site Summit for the hiking tours. The remaining tour days in 2021 are Aug. 7, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, also all Saturdays.
From time to time, FONSS, in cooperation with the Municipality of Anchorage, hosts hiking or skiing tours at Kincaid Park, which was also once a Nike site. Tour guides capable of hiking the route are needed there as well.
From time to time, FONSS, in cooperation with the Municipality of Anchorage, hosts hiking or skiing tours at Kincaid Park, which was also once a Nike site. Tour guides capable of hiking the route are needed there as well.
How to volunteer
The first thing is to fill out the appropriate volunteer form from the links below and email it to fonss2007@gmail.com.
Next, attend a Range Safety briefing. Those are given at the start of every Site Summit tour and on the first and third Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. at Range Control on JBER. (Directions available upon request.) The briefing is about 10 minutes and explains what to do if you happen to come across unexploded ordnance.
Both the volunteer form and the range control training are annual requirements.
Feel free to email us with any questions. We hope to see you this summer or next year.
Next, attend a Range Safety briefing. Those are given at the start of every Site Summit tour and on the first and third Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. at Range Control on JBER. (Directions available upon request.) The briefing is about 10 minutes and explains what to do if you happen to come across unexploded ordnance.
Both the volunteer form and the range control training are annual requirements.
Feel free to email us with any questions. We hope to see you this summer or next year.
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Meetings
Until the Covid-19 pandemic, Board of Directors and general membership meetings had been held monthly at the Wings of Freedom Hangar on Merrill Field. Since then, meetings have been via Zoom. Contact us at fonss2007@gmail.com for the Zoom link or to find out if in-person meetings have resumed. You can also leave a message at the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, (907) 929-9870.
