In yet another sign of community support, the Whitefish Trail project received a financial boost toward the completion of a 55-mile network of trails in Whitefish with a $200,000 donation from a philanthropic couple.
The donation by Joe and Cindy Gregory is earmarked for a conservation and recreation easement in the Beaver Lakes area.
“Cindy and I are happy to join our names with the many who have supported Whitefish Legacy Partners and the Whitefish Trail,” Joe Gregory said. “This trail represents an excellent public and private partnership and an outstanding recreation and education feature that will be a world class asset of our community. We encourage and look forward to its completion.”
Whitefish Legacy Partners, the nonprofit organization overseeing the Whitefish Trail as its anchor project, is responsible for raising $2 million from the community to make the final easement payment and cobble together the jigsaw puzzle of private and public lands to complete the trail system. With the donation from the Gregorys, the fundraising goal is now 85 percent complete, with $290,000 to be raised prior to Dec. 31.
The plan to create more than 55 miles of trail and conserve 1,520 acres of land around Beaver Lakes has been almost universally praised. With 26 miles of trail completed, the initiative already provides recreational and educational opportunities for locals and is expected to encourage more tourists to spend time in the area. Beyond the recreational and economic benefits, securing the 1,500 acres is also crucial to conserving clean water, wildlife and the viewshed that distinguishes the Whitefish area.
The Gregorys, who split their time between Tennesee and Whitefish, established a gated vacation compound called Krummholz Lodge on Whitefish Lake after visiting the Flathead Valley more than a decade ago, according to their website for Krummholz Lodge.
The philanthropic couple has invested in several local charities and ministries such as ALERT and Potter’s Field Ministries, and have a donor-advised fund with the Whitefish Community Foundation.
The Whitefish Legacy Partners’ initiative is the result of “countless hours of public meetings, fundraising events, work sessions, trail building, multi-agency support, public and private partnerships, hundreds of volunteers, a Montana State Parks Recreational Trails Program grant, and nine years of Land Board support.”
Ultimately, the expansion of the Whitefish Trail will rely on local enthusiasm and support. For more information on getting involved, visit www.whitefishlegacy.org.