
Valdez Gold Rush Days
Wednesday, July 31 -
Sunday, August 4, 2024
|M| P.O. Box 1393, Valdez, AK 99686 |E| ValdezGoldRushDays@gmail.com
2023 Royalty



Steve & Sara Irwin Goudreau
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It is our distinct pleasure to present to you the 2023 Gold Rush Days King and Queen, Steve and Sara Irwin Goudreau! It’s hard to imagine a recent Gold Rush Days without Sara or Steve being involved. Queen Sara has held of the title of GR President, Vice President, board member, and top raffle ticket seller over various years and has coordinated crowd-favorite events like the Gold Rush Open Air Market and Quick Draw. And although King Steve hasn’t had an official title on the board, we can think of a few: official tent master, official GR storage courier, official garbage hauler… we think you get the idea; he is heavily involved in the background!
“We have been involved with Gold Rush Days since the 1970’s, participating in great events like the Gold Rush Fashion Show, fish fry’s, and riding around in the Hoosegow with a keg of beer. Steve was 'Paul Bunyan' in the parade one year when Judy Londo rented giant blow up outfits from Anchorage. He kept accidentally hitting kids with the logs his costume had tucked under his arms, it was hilarious.”
Steve and Sara officially became Valdezians in 1974 after being hit with the “Black Gold” fever, AKA
Trans Alaska Pipeline. They had stated they’d stay for 3 years to make their fortune and then head back
home to Michigan. Obviously, it didn’t turn out the way they had planned and our community is better
for it! The stories from those early Valdez days are something straight out of an old Gold Rush tale with
characters like “Bullets”, underground gambling raids, and rowdy nights at the Club Valdez Bar. They
were both avid softball players out at the Gold Fields and participated in many tournaments.
Sara initially took a job with Harborview Developmental Center as the Recreational Program Director
and later worked many years with Valdez City Schools. Steve was with Laborers #341 before taking a
position with Alyeska as a technician and retired as supervisor after 37 years with the company. Family
life added another level of busy as their kids, Kate, Matt, and Jamie, were active in many sports and after-school activities.
Between the two of them, Non-profits like Valdez Food Bank, Torpedoes Swim Club, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, Little League, Little Dribblers, Emblem Club and Gold Rush Days (to name a few) have benefitted from their time and talents.
These days are spent playing LOTS of Pickleball, enjoying their family and friends, cabin life on Silver
Lake, and sun resets in Hawaii during the cold winter months.The royal couple extends an invitation to play in a royal pickleball match on Thursday, August 3rd from 10-noon at the Barney Meyring courts, weather dependent.
Valdez Gold Rush Days is pleased to present King Steve and Queen Sara, 2023 Royalty! They will be
crowned at noon on Wednesday, August 2nd at the Prince William Sound College Golden Opportunities Luncheon. We hope to see everybody there!
Past Kings and Queens of Gold Rush
2023- Sara & Steve Irwin Goudreau
2022- Laurie & Joe Prax
2020/21- Diane & Bobby Gibbs
2019- Laura & Jeff Saxe
2018- Hazel Hill
2017- Shannon Mahoney-Irish & Henry Irish
2016- Sue and Bob Smith
2015- Charlotte and Jim Shepard
2014- Lynne and Larry Michaud
2013 – Donna and Jim Gifford
2012 – Jerri Plaster
2011 – Larry and Meg Weaver
2010– Trudy and Phil Koszarek
2009– Russ and Molly Palmer
2008– Dave and Joanne Winney
2007– John Cerutti and Marie Blood
2006– Mike and Sue Britt
2005– Darwin and Mary Barrie
2004– Dan and Trish Stowe
2003– Donnie and Sue Blackburn
2002- Lori Saylors and Larry Hodges
2001– Lyle and Pat Von Bargen
2000– Lynn and Janese Chrystal
1999– Linda Fleming and Bill Unfer
1998– Walt and Gloria Day
1997– Judy Londo and Princess Krista Cameron
1996– Benny and Joyce James
1995– John and Jane Tongen
1994– Tom and Gloria McAlister
1993– Bert Cottle and Jean Phillips
1992– Fred and Kathy DiNicola
1991– Arch Fry and Dorothy Clifton
1990– Emil and Dorothy Wegner
1989– Clyde and Hallie Draine Ruhl
1988– Harold Williams and Cathlia Seagrove
1987– John and LaRue Rogers
1986– Harmon and Shorty Hall
1985– George and Judy Maykowskyj
1984– Robert and Ann Kelsey
1983– O.L. and Dorothy Crisp
1982– Mac and Sheila MacDonald
1981– Ed and Frances Walker
1980– Harvey and Delores Stellings
1979– Fran and Robert Larson
1978– Monte and Enola Olds
1977– Sid and Edith Moore
1976– Clint “Truck” Egan and Oma Belle Day
1975– Phil and Phyllis Irish
1972– Owen and Joyce Johnson