Page 16 - Flathead Beacon // 10.22.14

16 | OCTOBER 22, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM Whitefish Trail Edges Closer to Fundraising Goal
Recent $200,000 donation puts Whitefish Legacy Partners on cusp of funding final miles of trail network
By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Beacon
In yet another sign of community support, the Whitefish Trail project re- ceived a financial boost toward the com- pletion of a 55-mile network of trails in Whitefish with a $200,000 donation from a philanthropic couple.
The donation by Joe and Cindy Greg- ory 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 sup- ported Whitefish Legacy Partners and the Whitefish Trail,” Joe Gregory said. “This trail represents an excellent pub- lic and private partnership and an out- standing recreation and education fea- ture 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
Chris Connelly begins an afternoon run along The Whitefish Trail on Lion Mountain between rainstorms in Whitefish. BEACON FILE PHOTO
time in the area. Beyond the recreation- al 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, estab- lished 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 invest- ed in several local charities and minis- tries such as ALERT and Potter’s Field Ministries, and have a donor-advised fund with the Whitefish Community Foundation.
The Whitefish Legacy Partners’ ini- tiative 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 en- thusiasm and support. For more infor- mation on getting involved, visit www. whitefishlegacy.org.
[email protected]
Jesse
Daniel
TIMMY MASON
LLOYD ‘CUPCAKE’ WOODARD
Killer Bee
Whitefish Trail as its anchor project, is responsible for raising $2 million from the community to make the final ease- ment payment and cobble together the jigsaw puzzle of private and public lands to complete the trail system. With the donation from the Gregorys, the fund- raising goal is now 85 percent complete, with $290,000 left 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 al- most universally praised. With 26 miles of trail completed, the initiative already provides recreational and educational opportunities for locals and is expect- ed to encourage more tourists to spend
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