Another hurdle for trails group
Ashley Creek west of Kalispell may not exactly qualify as "troubled water," but getting across it is giving Rails to Trails of Northwest Montana some problems.
The grass roots, all-volunteer organization is looking for an innovative way to bridge the stream in two places to continue the trail west. With that hurdle jumped, pedestrians, bicyclists and cross-country skiers will have a paved public trail heading west from town for six miles all the way to Kila.
Each bridge would easily cost over $60,000 if pre-manufactured, a cost-prohibitive solution. Rails to Trails is seeking a solution to safely bridge the creek for much less. Currently the group is investigating different options - one is using abandoned flatcars from the Great Northern Railway. The 60-, 80- and 90-foot cars could safely span the creek over its high-water stage, with proper permitting and engineers to build the abutments. But acquiring them has proved to be challenging.
The group will consider plausible, creative and secure alternatives to close the gaps, and welcomes input from the community. Call Don Snow at 752-5684.
From ice fishing to snowy owl-spotting, the kids at Polson Middle School recently had a field day thanks to a partnership with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation.
Thirty-five middle-school students honed their knowledge of ice safety and fish identification and regulations with Germaine White, director of information and education natural resources for the tribes group, and technicians Cindy Bras, Rich Folsom, Joe Santos and Mountain Wahl.
They then headed to the field Jan. 27 for a hands-on chance to do some jigging on Lake Mary Ronan with Jan Thon and John Cloninger of the Hooked on Fishing program at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
After a fun day on the lake, the group's bus driver, Joe Mark, took the long way home and treated the kids to a side trip to catch a lucky glimpse of the typically elusive snowy owl.
Polson Middle School teachers Tim Meeks, Bob Mazurek, Lynn Kelley and Marvin Todd organized and supervised the field day to celebrate a "Day of Healthy Choices" as part of the Drug Free Schools Program.
Plum Creek contributed more than $386,900 in financial support to community organizations across western Montana in 2005, communications associate Tara Darrow reports.
The Plum Creek Foundation distributes grants to a broad range of nonprofit organizations to support education, the arts and other causes. A few of the many agencies and organizations that have received support in our area include: ALERT, Habitat for Humanity, Flathead County Dive Rescue Team, DREAM Adaptive Recreation Inc., Kootenai Valley Head Start, Leadership Flathead, the Whitefish Theatre Company and the Rollins Volunteer Fire Department.
Each year the company and its employees also support the United Way with their contributions to local campaigns and provide additional support through other nonfoundation sources, including a program that matches employee volunteer hours and individual contributions to local, qualified nonprofit organizations.