Each summer Denali Education Center hosts fundraisers for our surrounding communities. Over the years, the main fundraising events have been the “Fun” Raising Auction and the Healy Tundra Challenge Golf Tournament. Each work to bring our community together to celebrate our differences and have a blast in the process. We endeavor to introduce new fundraisers each year – some small, some big, some fund-specific, and each with a mission to connect people to Denali. All fundraisers support the programs and mission of Denali Education Center.
Talkeetna Brewfest
The 2023 Talkeetna Brewfest is set for Saturday, September 16th, from 2 – 6 PM.
Sample beers from 20 breweries from across the state! It will be a weekend full of fun throughout the community, so be sure to follow along on Facebook for updates.
The Talkeetna Brewfest will take place in the yard of our Talkeetna Campus. The Susitna Hall will be open for perusing…and bathrooms, of course! Besides tasting many unique brews from across our state, learn more about Denali Education Center, our programs, and hopes for the future. Funds raised benefit the many educational programs that DEC provides. A portion of the funds also supports the Brewers Guild of Alaska, a nonprofit trade association that promotes craft beer throughout Alaska!
Many thanks to the Denali Brewing Company for helping to plan and execute this event; it would not exist without their expertise, graphic design, ideas, troubleshooting, and dedication to promoting craft beer in our community and beyond. Thank you!
Tickets for the 2023 Talkeetna Brewfest will be on sale in August.
Healy Tundra Challenge Golf Tournament
The 2023 Healy Tundra Challenge takes place Saturday, July 15th with a 10 AM shotgun start!
The Annual Healy Tundra Challenge Golf Tournament is held around the 2nd weekend of July each year. It is a day of merriment, remembrance, and golfing. Proceeds from this fun and wacky tournament go to the Scott Menke Memorial Fund to support our youth programs and provide scholarships to graduating seniors in the Denali Borough. Visit the tournament page for more information and registration.
Hosted by Black Diamond Golf Course, nine teams of four golfers play a 9-hole scramble and compete for amazing prizes. Funds are raised through team participation, individual and business sponsorship of the event.
To register a team or sponsor the Healy Tundra Challenge, please reach out Kellie at kellie@denali.org or 907-733-7003.
W.I.L.D. about Denali Brunch at Creekside Cafe
Every year in September, the McKinley Creekside Cafe hosts a fundraising brunch with all restaurant sales, server tips, and employee labor donated to our WILD About Denali program.
Most of the donations from the brunch go towards full scholarships for WILD about Denali participants. WILD groups typically camp for a week at Wonder Lake, where campers hike, explore, and learn about the Wonder Lake area in the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve. In addition to funding scholarships, Creekside Cafe provides a lunch for the participants free of charge while they are visiting Denali. We cannot thank them enough for all they do to support this program!!
Visit Mckinley Creekside Lodge and Cafe’s Facebook page for announcements about this and their other incredible events!
Denali Education Center Auction
For over 20 years, the Auction was a cornerstone event for the Denali community. During each auction, we would come together to celebrate our programs and the people that make up our community. All proceeds from the auction were used to further our mission of connecting people to Denali and wild places everywhere by providing financial support for youth programs, improving our campus and facilities, and helping us expand our reach. We have put the auction on hiatus for now, but we cherish the memories made!
Visit our Facebook page for more updates!