Page 21 - Flathead Beacon // 3.26.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS
MARCH 26, 2014 | 21

Of the Blogs

A weekly look at the best from the Beacon blogs

dents at Glacier Gateway Elementary,
MAIN STREET WIRE
Ruder Elementary, Columbia Falls Mid-
Get ready for a
dle School, Columbia Falls High School,
NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT Muldown Elementary and Whiteish wave of lavor during
GROUP MARKS DECADE-LONG Elementary. Since September 2013, the
PARTNERSHIP WITH FVCC
program has distributed 3,042 bags to
The Flathead Nonproit Develop- 220students.
ment Partnership and Flathead Val- During the month of March, people
ley Community College are celebrating can help the program by adding $1 or

a decade-long partnership of helping more per month to their WAVE member-
nonproit groups in Northwest Mon- ship dues, make a donation at the White-
tana. Ten years ago, Kathy Hughes of ish Glacier Bank, or make a onetime do-
the Flathead Valley Community College nation of $25 or more and receive a com-
collaborated with community leader plimentary 7 day pass to the WAVE.
Lex Blood in an efort to provide man-
agement education to area nonproits. FLATHEAD RAPIDS
Multiple brainstorms and conversations FUNDRAISER AT GREAT

with community leaders took place at NORTHERN BREWERY
the time and soon after NpDP was born. A fundraiser for the Flathead Rap-
A decade later, it’s one of the largest such ids soccer organization is this week in
nonproit development programs in the Whiteish. The 2014 Meltdown Fun-
state.
draiser is Thursday, March 27 at the
There are nearly 450 nonproit orga- Great Northern Brewing Company in ring
nizations in Flathead County, according Whiteish. Festivities kick of at 6 p.m. Featu

to the group. More than 10 percent of all with a DJ, games, rales and food and
employees in the county work for non- drink specials. All proceeds will help
proit operations and 12.5 percent of all ofset costs for goals, nets, corner lags, Through March 30
wages paid in the area are from nonprof- uniforms, referees, player scholarships
its.
and equipment for the upcoming spring
The NpDP provides educational pro- season.
grams, informational resources and The Rapids are a valleywide nonprof-
networking opportunities for nonproit it organization that began as an adult
Featured Specialties
leaders, including people like Timothy men’s soccer team eight years ago and
Sievers of Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
expanded with a women’s team in recent ~~ ~~
“I think everyone should take advan- years as well as a robust youth organiza- Tuna TostadasBlackened Cod StuffedRed Bell Peppers
tage of what the program has to ofer,” he tion.
~Signature Lobster~
said. “Unless we work together, we can’t For more information about the fun- Mac & Cheese
~Pan Seared Halibut with~
move the needle forward on the causes draiser and the organization visit www. ~Bang Bang Shrimp~
Dungeness Crab Béchamel
that are important to us.”
latheadrapids.com or the group’s Face- ~Cedar Plank Salmon Filet~
~Cajun Seafood Skillet~
book page.
~Halibut Hemmingway~
~Chipotle Ahi Tuna~
(topped with Crab and Creamy Parmesan)
BACKPACK PROGRAM HELPS ~Blackened Ahi Tuna with~
CHILDREN IN WHITEFISH, ODIN OKERLUND LEUKEMIA Ginger Lime Aioli
~Seafood Linguine~
COLUMBIA FALLS
CANCER BENEFIT RAISES ~Sweet Chile Ahi Tuna~ ~Lobster Tail Dinner~
The WAVE, Montana Food Bank $23,000
with Honey Wasabi Butter
~Lobster Tail A La Carte~
Network and Glacier Bank have part- Last week at Casey’s Bar in White-
nered on a fundraising campaign to rec- ish, the Odin Okerlund Leukemia Can-
ognize National Nutrition Month. The cer Beneit blossomed into an amazing Wild. Natural. Sustainable.
Delicious and full of Omega 3
BackPack Program was designed to meet event illed with love and gratitude. It
the needs of hungry children by provid- started out as a bunch of poker dealers
ing them with food over the weekends and players, all friends of Odie’s, want-
and holiday breaks, when they are away ing to donate time, tips and proceeds
from the school lunch and breakfast pro- from a big poker game. The silent auc-
grams they depend on for nutrition. One tion, which started a week before as a
in ive Montana children struggle with tiny idea, resulted in generous donations
hunger and Flathead County is higher pouring in from all over the Flathead

than the state average where the child Valley, from as far as Denver and Seattle.
food insecurity rate is nearly 1 in 4.
People worked tirelessly to bring ev-
Thanks to a $25,000 grant for the erything together for Odie. Fundrais-
Angora Ridge Foundation, the BackPack ing ideas started popping up all over
Program was started in Whiteish and the place. Nearly 40 “All in for Odie”
Columbia Falls in January 2012 and pro- T-shirts were sold. Casey’s made a nice
vides food to 175 children every week- homemade pasta feed, with all proceeds

end. Each backpack contains enough donated. Odie’s friends sold homemade
food for two days and arrives in an easy cookies. The donation jar was packed
to open package. The bags are placed full. Volunteers worked tirelessly from Huge Breakfasts to Certiied Angus Beef ® Steaks • Cocktails • Montana Microbrews
directly into children’s backpacks in a 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. It paid of. The beneit 1301 S. Main, Kalispell 260-4401
discrete location every Friday. The bags brought in more than $23,000.
If you’re nearby, visit us in Missoula, Butte and Great Falls!
contain cereal, milk, juice, snacks and Monetary donations can still be
ready to eat meat and vegetable meals.
made to the “Odin Okerlund Leukermia www.montanaclub.com
The program currently serves stu-
Treatment Fund” at Wells Fargo Bank.

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