Page 11 - Flathead Beacon // 2.19.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS
FEBRUARY 19, 2014 | 11

Snowboard Event Raises Support for Suicide Awareness

Organizers encouraging
competitors of Nate Chute
play in
Classic to gather funds

through crowdsourcing
P
R

By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon

the
Nate Chute was a good-natured,
well-liked young man who loved snow-
boarding. When he wasn’t working at
Stumptown Snowboards in downtown

valley
Whiteish, he was up at Big Mountain
helping with the youth team.
When he committed suicide the
summer after graduating from high
school in 1999, with a bright future and
college plans ahead of him, it rocked his
family and friends.
“It was totally unexpected. We didn’t

see it coming. None of his friends saw it Competitors line up to compete in last year’s Nate
coming,” his father Terry said. “There Chute Classic snowboarder competition.
were not outward signs. It hit everybody
really hard.”
COURTESY WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN RESORT
The sudden, tragic death of Nate Nate Chute. COURTESY PHOTO
Chute has become intertwined with an
epidemic plaguing Montana, a state that
“IF WE CAN ENGAGE JUST
consistently ranks in the top ive for sui-
cide rates.
20 OUT OF OUR 130 ANNUAL
The number of suicides has ranged COMPETITORS TO EACH RAISE
from 225 to 230 each year, and prelim-
inary data shows last year hit 230 yet $300, WE’LL HAVE MET OUR
again, according to the state Depart- GOAL OF $6,000 THROUGH THIS
ment of Public Health and Human Ser-
vices.
PARTICULAR FUNDRAISER.”

In the past decade, suicide was the Jason Forrest, NC Foundation
second leading cause of death for ages
10-14, adolescents 15-24, and adults 25-
34. From 2000 to 2007, Flathead Coun-
ty had the third-highest number of sui- 15th annual Nate Chute Boarder X & Banked
cide deaths of all counties in Montana,
and ranked above the 80th percentile Slalom Competition
nationally, with 21.8 suicide deaths per

100,000 people compared to 19.6 for March 15-16, Whiteish Mountain Resort
Montana and 10.9 for the nation.
Raises funds for NC Foundation and suicide prevention and awareness in area schools
After their son’s death, Terry and
Jane Chute became devoted to trying To register, visit www.skiwhiteish.com
to prevent other families from going
through the same heart-breaking expe-
rience. With the help of Nate’s friends,

the Chutes established the Nate Chute ercross event, slated for March 15-16. a reimbursed entry fee to each competi-
Foundation, a nonproit organization The event usually attracts upwards tor who raises $300 or more prior to the
with the goal of raising funds for sui- of 130 competitors, who race through a event.
cide awareness and prevention services course consisting of jumps, banks, roll- “We would be thrilled if more com-
aimed at kids. Among other things, the ers and traic. The top two riders ad- petitors joined us in raising funds and
NC Foundation supports the Whiteish vance to next round and each rider has helped us exceed our fundraising goal,”
High School Student Assistance Pro- at least two chances before being elimi-
he said.
gram, which provides trained guidance nated.
For Terry and Jane Chute, along

counselors who can be a resource for This year the NC Foundation is ask-
with Nate’s friends and his community,
students who need one. The counselors ing competitors to get involved long be- the event is a memorial that hopefully
help kids develop life skills and problem fore the much-anticipated weekend. Us- raises awareness and rallies support for
solving skills as a way to cope with life’s ing Crowdrise, a website designed for an important issue.
crises. A similar program is launching in nonproits and speciically focused on “It’s not a comfortable topic to talk
Columbia Falls.
events like the NY Marathon, the NC about. It’s usually not on the radar
“One guidance counselor told me a Foundation hopes to raise $6,000.
screen. Before my son took his own life,

year ago, it’s changing the culture in the Jason Forrest with the NC Founda- it had never even entered my brain as a
school,” Terry Chute said. “We really see tion said he hopes competitors will raise possibility,” Terry Chute said.
this expanding, hopefully countywide.”
sponsorship funds.
“We continue to believe small sums
To raise funds for the NC Foundation “This is bigger than a snowboarding of money put in the right places can make
and area resources, Whiteish Mountain event,” he said. “If we can engage just a diferences in people’s lives. That’s
Resort is hosting the 15th annual Nate 20 out of our 130 annual competitors to what we’re continuing to be about.”
Chute Classic, a snowboarder competi- each raise $300, we’ll have met our goal For more information about the NC
tion that raises funds for the NC Founda- of $6,000 through this particular fund- Foundation, visit www.natechutefoun-

www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
tion. A cash prize of nearly $4,000 is up raiser.”
dation.org.
www.T
for grabs in the banked slalom and board-
Forrest said organizers are ofering
[email protected]