Happy Friday, Beacon readers! Maggie Dresser here, and it’s a classic late October day in northwest Montana as this steady rain fills the potholes just in time for tomorrow’s fall Alley Rally, a community event hosted by Wheaton’s Cycle. I can’t wait to coast the 25 miles of alleys that Kalispell has to offer with a gang of festive cyclists during this iconic ride, which will be followed by an afterparty featuring a silent disco. Move over Kruise Kalispell.

Alley cats will meet at the bike shop located at 214 First Avenue West on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. Costumes encouraged.

One thing I love about riding bikes is the fresh perspective it brings to your surroundings. The senses are activated. You notice things. I typically think of alleys as a rows of infinite garbage bags and cigarette butts, but cycling through these alternative passageways this weekend will enable my view of the asphalt through a new lens. Who needs bike lanes?

In David Byrne’s “Bicycle Diaries,” a collection of the musician’s experiences cycling through cities around the world, he writes: “Our cities are alive, like us; they have both a deep intelligence that guides them and a physical presence.”

“When our built world does not accurately correspond to our vision, to our physiology, and to our innate psychology, we suffer, and feel alienated, as if we are inhabiting the wrong body or mind. When our surroundings are more aligned with us, we fit better, more comfortably. But mostly, it’s just more fun,” he adds, referring to his preferred mode of travel.

Byrne would no doubt be impressed with the Alley Rally as an avenue to inhabit the right body and mind, to align and, most importantly, to just have fun.

But wait – there are more fun bicycle festivities happening this weekend. Flathead Area Mountain Bikers (FAMB) is celebrating its season wrap-up pizza party at the Moose Lodge located at 230 West 10^th Street in Whitefish on Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (conflicting with the Alley Rally in Kalispell, unfortunately).

The FAMB crew will provide a trail work update, which includes progress on the 20 miles of planned work on the Whitefish Divide Trail as part of the Taylor Hellroaring Project. The nonprofit will also celebrate its record fundraising accomplishments of $60,636 during the Whitefish Community Foundation’s Great Fish Challenge.

This year, the Great Fish Community Challenge raised a record $10.8 million for 89 local nonprofits, a 34% increase over last year. That total included $9.1 million donated by more than 4,000 individuals, families and businesses during the month-long campaign and $1.7 million from the Great Fish Match and $62,000 in incentive grants and special awards.

Driven by the Whitefish Community Foundation’s Circle of Giving and additional donations, the Great Fish Match Fund was the largest in the challenge’s history. The Circle, which consists of members who contribute $5,000 or more annually, surpassed 300 members for the first time this year, unlocking a $300,000 bonus gift that helped increase the match available.

Each participating member received a 76% match on $25,000 raised, maxing out at $19,000 per organization.

“I am absolutely blown away by what the community accomplished,” Whitefish Community Foundation President and CEO Alan Davis said in a press release. “More than $10 million raised for local nonprofits is something to celebrate! Year after year, the Flathead Valley shows up for each other, and this year the community took it to an entirely new level.”

At the Wachholz College Center during last night’s ceremony, DREAM Adaptive was awarded the $10,000 Great Fish Award. The nonprofit raised more than $400,000 during this year’s challenge and officials are preparing to open its new headquarters and winter operations center.

Whitefish Mountain Resort was awarded the Corporate Citizens Award to recognize its longstanding commitment in nonprofit support, which includes providing a Patron Ski Pass Program, in-kind support of land, trail easements and more for nonprofits. The ski area also awarded a $5,000 grant to the Abbie Shelter.

Additionally, the West Shore Food Bank’s board of directors received the Connie Heckathorn Cheers for Volunteers Award along with a $5,000 grant. Traditionally presented to an individual volunteer, this year’s award recognized the entirely volunteer-run organization, which serves the west shore of Flathead Lake. The nonprofit raised more than $125,000 during the fundraising campaign.

Let’s rally the rest of the Roundup.