On Thin Ice
Alaska volunteers take part in a dramatic rescue on the way to a DU event
November 01, 2025 •
2
min read
Ducks Unlimited
DU volunteer Annie Staudenmaier was rescued along with her daughter and granddaughter from the sinking vehicle.
An enduring hallmark of Ducks Unlimited is its outstanding volunteers. That has never been more evident than when quick-thinking volunteers from Alaska’s Bethel Chapter leaped to the aid of others while traveling to a DU event.
Earlier this year, DU Regional Vice President Jan Young, who lives in California, received a call: The Bethel dinner needed more volunteers. Without hesitation, she flew into the remote Alaskan town alongside five dedicated volunteers from Anchorage.
Upon their arrival at Bethel’s small airport, the group met Dave Weber, Alaska’s regional director, and Travis Burks, the Bethel Chapter chair. The volunteers piled into two vehicles and set off for a nearby lodge to rest before the event. For the Alaskans, the drive wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. The route followed ice roads, which are frozen rivers that, in this part of Alaska, serve as winter highways. But for the visitors, it was equal parts fascinating and nerve-racking.
As the group made steady progress across the ice, Travis noticed the apprehension of his passengers and pointed to large wooden tripods along the road. He explained that these served as markers in- dicating the stability and depth of the ice. That day, the ice was four feet thick and the tripods stood tall near the river’s edge. “When the marker tips or falls through the ice, that’s our signal,” he said.
Ducks Unlimited
(From left) Bethel Chapter Chair Travis Burks, Regional Director Dave Weber, Regional Vice President Jan Young, and volunteers Beth and Sarah Steele before the accident.
Moments later, the situation took a dramatic turn. The vehicle ahead, carrying volunteer Annie Staudenmaier, her daughter, and her four-year-old granddaughter, veered slightly toward the shoreline and broke through the ice. The response was immediate. Travis stopped, jumped from his truck, and ran to the sinking vehicle. He pulled the toddler from her car seat in the second row without a drop of water touching her. She was quickly bundled into the second truck for warmth. Volunteers Beth and Sarah Steele helped keep her calm while Travis and Dave assisted Annie and her daughter out of the waterlogged vehicle. Despite injuring his leg after falling through the ice, Travis remained focused on ensuring everyone’s safety and later drove the group to the lodge.
By the next morning, Travis, bruised but undeterred, was back to work alongside Dave and the volunteer team. They spent the day preparing for the event, transporting guests, and supporting logistics on every front. That evening, the Bethel Ducks Unlimited dinner exceeded expectations, raising over $60,000—a $20,000 increase from the prior year.
The following day, when plane malfunctions stranded the volunteers in Bethel for several more days, Travis and his wife, Judith, once again stepped up, opening their home to provide hot meals, warm beds, and a place to regroup until the weather cleared for safe travel home.
Alaska is no stranger to unpredictability, but the experience in Bethel served as a powerful reminder of the resilience and heart that define Ducks Unlimited’s volunteer community. These volunteers exemplify DU’s mission, not just through the habitat they help conserve, but also through the care and commitment they show to the people around them.
