- Hannah Rockwell

From High Flyin’ to Jammin’

       Have you ever thought of joining the Air Force and then retiring to work a jam and jelly stand in Alaska? Sandy Adams, a friendly middle-aged woman with short brown hair, was in the Air Force for 19 years before moving to Eagle River, Alaska when she retired. “I moved up here when I retired from the Air Force but I eventually moved away to Missouri to become a corrections officer,” Adams said.
       Adams was in the Air Force, was a corrections officer, and now helps with her cousin Laura’s family owned jam and jelly business. While in the Air Force Adams spent 3 years in Germany, 4 years in England, and 12 years in New Mexico. After 19 years in the Air Force Adams retired and moved to Eagle River, Alaska. When Adams moved from Eagle River to Missouri she became a corrections officer. This spring Adams retired from her job as a corrections officer and decided to move back to Alaska because she missed living here and Laura could use some help with her business.
       Adams is currently working a summer job here in Talkeetna at Berry Delightful, her cousin Laura’s jam and jelly shop. Laura picks all of the berries herself, except what she can pay the local kids to collect. Last week the local kids took Laura bags full of fresh rose petals and spruce tips for the jams and jellies she makes this time of year. Last year Laura made over 12,000 jars of jams and jellies for Berry Delightful. “This is Laura’s full time job, it’s her livelihood,” Adams said.
       Adams is working at Berry Delightful until Labor Day when she will go back to Missouri for a month before going to Florida to visit her granddaughter. Adams wants to come back to Alaska someday, although she’s not sure if she wants to move here or just comeback on vacation. “There’s a good possibility I’ll move up here, I just love it up here,” says Adams, “I just like the climate and I love the people.”