Vail Valley Voices

: Lynn Kanakis - Oral History; Interview of Lynn Kanakis by Walter Gallacher. Lynn discusses his arrival in what is now the Vail Valley to herd sheep at his godfather's ranch. Lynn goes on to describe his career in the Gilman Mine and in Leadville. He also talks about his life in Minturn.

: Marka Moser - Oral History; Marka Webb Moser shared her amazing life story and community contributions in this 2017 Vail Valley Voices oral history with Walter Gallacher. Moser grew up in Colorado Springs but has made Vail and Eagle County home for most of her adult life. She skied a number of fledgling Colorado ski areas as a child and youth, many of which are no longer operating. During the 1960s, her family fell in love with Vail and her uncle, sports broadcaster Bud Palmer, bought one of the first condominiums at All-Seasons from Rod Slifer. Marka Moser has been involved with education reporting for local newspapers, local schools activities, numerous local nonprofit organizations, and water rights activism for Vail and the Eagle River Watershed. Moser’s story is also featured in an important local history publication, Women of Vail: Those Who Walked This Bridge 1962 - 1970, by Elaine White Kelton and Carolyn Pope.

: Martha, Fred, Judy, and Joe Gold; beach; The Gold family in formal clothing, standing in front of a large body of water

: Mary Pownall - Oral History; Mary Pownall expounds on her youth in Duluth, Minnesota and her remarkable father, who stepped up after the untimely passing of her mother and aunt. She discusses camping in Garnet Canyon and climbing with husband, Dick Pownall, in Grand Teton National Park. Pownall reports on the coordination of on-mountain volunteers for Vail and Beaver Creek World Alpine Ski events alongside her husband, Dick, and friend Mauri Nottingham. Mary Pownall also notes her hands-on role in building their home in Vail.

: Mayor Dave Chapin - History Nugget with Tony Mauro; Former Vail Mayor Dave Chapin discussed the earliest days of the COVID pandemic with Tony Mauro, the "Voice of Vail."

: Mayor Kent Rose - History Nugget with Tony Mauro; Former Vail Mayor, Kent Rose, shared a humorous narrative about a bath, champagne and water treatment effluent.

: Merv Lapin - Oral History - part 1; Merv Lapin expounds upon his youth and family life, the early days of Vail (1960s), his life-long friendships created while traveling and camping in Soviet Bloc countries by Volkswagon van, creation of Vail international youth hockey exchanges with Communist Russia, and the community of Vail today., Due to the rich content of Lapin's oral history, a second session was also recorded. See Merv Lapin - Oral History - part 2.

: Merv Lapin - Oral History - part 2; Merv Lapin reflects upon Pepi Gramshammer and what he would share at Pepi's memorial later today. Lapin also discusses the 1960s Vail Town Council, Vail Associates and its transition to Vail Resorts, Vail's early youth ski and hockey clubs, the creation of youth hockey exchanges with Soviet Bloc countries including Russia and China, and the resultant life-long friendships created in Russia and China. Merv Lapin also discusses in detail his witnessing of the 1989 Tianamen Square student massacre. Due to the rich content of Lapin's oral history, 2 sessions were recorded. See Merv Lapin - Oral History - part 1., 2008 Vail Daily image of Vail Memorial Park Board of Directors commemorating Merv Lapin with a flagstone at Memorial Park in Vail. Pictured are (standing left to right) Carl Walker, Merv Lapin, Robby Robinson, Diana Donovan; (kneeling) Daphne Slevin and Gussie Ross.

: Merv Lapin - vintage photograph of Russian grandfather; Photograph entitled (in Russian language): "Jews of Lower Ranks of Service 1900 at Krasnoyarsk's Regiment. Photographed on Easter, April 1, 1903." Merv Lapin's grandfather, “Lapichinsky” (Israel Lapin) is seated at the table, 1st row, 3rd from right. The Russian text was interpreted by Natasha Williams. Russian language interpreter, Natasha Williams, Ph.D., commented on the Lapin family tradition that Israel Lapichinski was in the Lithuanian Army: "I don't think that the picture is of Lithuanian Army. I think it's Russian Army, because Krasnoyarsk is a big city in Siberia (I've been there), and this army division/regiment is named after that place." Williams, who is a self-described "ethnic Russian" and Colorado Mountain College biology professor, hails from the Ukraine., Russian language interpreter, Natasha Williams, Ph.D., also interpreted the three rows of surnames below the vintage image: Top row: Bauman, Smol'ski, Kousnerzhitski, Vishtinetski, Elinevski, Lazarski, Keipin, Dounski. Middle row: (the first name is truncated), Smychek, Groukhovski, Gol'dshtein, Sapotzkinski, Shraiber. Bottom row: Likhtenshtein, Bransgols, Kaplan, Lapichinski, Gibyanski, Abramaitis.

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