Together, again
Mountainettes, Mountaineers return for a reunion at Flathead Valley Community College this weekend
What began as a simple suggestion has mushroomed into a full-fledged happening.
Flathead Valley Community College is holding a "special reception celebrating the reunion of the FVCC Mountainettes and Mountaineers" on Friday and Saturday at FVCC.
There will be a reception Friday from 6-8 p.m. in the large conference room at the Arts and Technology Building.
The next day, alumni can lace up their running or walking shoes and participate in the Mountainette/Mountaineer Mile at the Kidsports Complex. That is set for 11 a.m.
There will be a barbecue at 12:30 p.m. with group games - volleyball, soccer and croquet - to follow at the college.
"Forty-plus are coming so far," said former FVCC track and cross country coach Neil Eliason.
"We contacted 118 of the 125 (who participated in track and cross country)."
Local author Jerry Murphy, who chronicled the success of the FVCC track team in his book "Out of the Mist," told Eliason, "You guys need to get together."
Eliason agreed.
"Just made a list," Eliason said.
"I called all of them to see if they were interested. They were very receptive; they said, 'Let's do it.'"
Eliason started locally with Kalispell's Debbie (Hileman) Rauk, Judy (Keller) Fosbery, Carla Heintz, Susan (Newberry) Hanson and Meery (Van Haverbek) Kelly.
In Bigfork, he contacted Sue (Bronson) Loeffler.
He dialed up Mindy (Sharp) Harwood in Polson and Diane (Franklin) Page in Hot Springs.
"I called a lot of hometowns with just maiden names," Eliason said.
"Half the time, I got their mothers."
And when word got out that a reunion was in the works, "A lot of them called me," Eliason said.
Eliason said he contacted FVCC first before he contacted any of his former athletes.
"This is their 40th reunion this year," he said of the college.
"They assigned Tara Roth to be our liaison person. She's been just unbelievable."
Roth works in the Public Information and Alumni Relations Office at FVCC.
"The college sent out letters and invitations," Eliason said.
"I had rosters from my scrapbook. That's where I got the names."
Colleen Unterreiner, director of Institutional Advancement, and Jane Karas, FVCC president, were very supportive, Eliason said.
Three Rivers Bank donated $800 for T-shirts, which will be given to all alumni attending the two-day event. Universal Athletic Service also got involved, giving the organizers a "good deal," Eliason said, on the T-shirts, which will be green and white (the school colors), with a tree and FVCC lettering in the middle.
"A lot of kids who can't come want a shirt," Eliason said.
FVCC was a national power in track in the 1970s. The Mountainettes won the National Junior College championship in 1977 and finished second in 1976.
"We were pioneers at that time in track nationally," Eliason said.
"That was before Title IX."
The track program at FVCC was dropped in 1980.
"I suppose finances and whatever," Eliason said.
Eliason coached women's cross country and track from 1968-1978 and men's track from 1970-72.
FVCC has also fielded teams for men's and women's basketball, wrestling, volleyball and men's and women's golf.
The men's basketball team, coached by Mike Persha, finished fourth in the nation in 1978 and fifth in 1977. Persha now lives in Billings and plans to attend the reunion.
In recent years, the school has offered cross country and soccer.
FVCC has had a successful logger sports program for a number of seasons.
Eliason said Roberta (Tognetti) Stuff, who lives in Alaska, is making the longest journey for the reunion.
Lorna Griffin, who competed for FVCC and later at Seattle Pacific, qualified for the U.S. Olympic team twice in the discus. The former Corvallis standout now lives in California and may attend.
FVCC is making a new record board for the event, and the trophies won by FVCC sports teams will be on display at the reception.
All attending will receive a reunion booklet, which will feature resumes of all the former athletes who have responded.