Happy Friday, Beacon readers! Lauren Frick here, and for most of the week I’ve been in the throes of magazine article writing as all of us here at Beacon HQ construct the fall edition of Flathead Living. For 2026’s penultimate volume, I spent a couple of hours at the Miracle of America Museum just south of Polson — I even had the pleasure of getting a tour from the founder, collector, curator, multi-hyphenate aficionado himself, Gil Mangels. From a walking plow to walking on the moon (and the hundreds of mousetrap designs in between), Mangels’ personal collection of thousands of antique pieces chronicles both America’s history and what Mangels sees as one of its greatest miracles: free enterprise. While I won’t spoil too much of the story that you can catch on newsstands (for free!) at the end of the month, I will say the trip to the museum was definitely grounds for reflection on just how many chapters America’s story contains.
A milestone observance of a somber, yet important chapter of American history is coming up with the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, including hundreds of first responders.
To commemorate the anniversary, the Whitefish Firefighters Association is inviting the community to attend a special 9/11 Remembrance and Dedication Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.
The ceremony will be held at the City of Whitefish Emergency Services Center, 275 Flathead Ave., and will include the unveiling of the steel structure for the newWhitefish 9/11 Memorial. Retired New York Fire Department Lieutenant Kevin Shea will serve as the keynote speaker, and the ceremony will also feature musical performances by the Whitefish High School Orchestra and the Montana Bagpiper.
The Whitefish 9/11 Memorial is a community-built project being completed in two phases. The long-dormant plans for the project recently regained momentum due to a small piece of land donated by the city of Whitefish for the memorial and a $50,000 grant from the Whitefish Community Foundation.
Phase I includes construction of the pentagon-shaped base and installation of steel beams recovered from the World Trade Center site. When former Whitefish Fire Chief Thomas Kennelly acquired the steel from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2010, the nonprofit Whitefish Firefighters Association became one of around 1,500 organizations in the United States to be selected through the Port Authority program to disburse the artifacts. This portion of the project will be completed prior to the special 25th anniversary dedication ceremony, the firefighters association said.
Phase II will include the addition of brick plazas, landscaping, and educational signage commemorating Sept. 11, 2001, and its lasting impact on the United States.
Recently, fundsfor the Whitefish 9/11 Memorial have been raised through the Great Fish Community Challenge, which is entering its final week. Community members can continue to donate through Whitefish Community Foundation’s website through 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.
The Whitefish Firefighters Association is one of the nearly 90 nonprofits across the Flathead Valley participating in this year’s Great Fish Community Challenge. Heading into the final week of the challenge, more than 3,000 donors have already contributed over $5 million to the participating nonprofits.
Hosted by Whitefish Community Foundation at no cost to participating nonprofits, the challenge makes it easy for donors to support multiple organizations in one transaction, with nonprofits receiving 100% of donations.
“It’s incredible and inspiring to see so many people come together to support our local nonprofits,” Alan Davis, president and CEO of Whitefish Community Foundation, said in a press release. “That generosity says so much about our communities. With one week left, every gift is a vote of confidence in the nonprofits that lift up our neighbors and make the Flathead Valley a better place to live.”
Donors can follow the Great Fish Leaderboard and make gifts at thefoundation’s website. Donations can also be made by check or cash with an official donation form, or through gifts of stock or qualified charitable distributions from an IRA. Donors can also give by phone at 406-863-1781 or in person at Whitefish Community Foundation, 214 Second St. W. in Whitefish, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Two Pop-Up Donation Stations will also be open during the final week of the challenge from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Park Side Credit Union in Columbia Falls, and on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Three Rivers Bank in Kalispell.
The deadline to give is Friday, Sept. 11, at 5 p.m.
At the end of the Challenge, Whitefish Community Foundation will provide each participating nonprofit with a percentage matching grant on the first $25,000 raised during the campaign. The community is invited to celebrate the conclusion of the Challenge at the Great Fish Awards Ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Wachholz College Center in Kalispell, where the final campaign results and the Great Fish Match will be announced.
Time to give you the rest of today’s Daily Roundup.
Columbia Falls School District Asks Voters to Approve $75.9 Million Bond for High School Improvements
This year’s bond efforts come on the heels of a steeper-priced ask shot down by voters last November, but those advocating for it hope this year’s bond can garner support as they describe safety and infrastructure needs in the aging building.
WCC Film Series is proud to present a 5-part summer series with the theme, BORN IN MONTANA. These unique cinematic experiences will feature actors or directors that were born in the state of Montana. A dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) is left amnesiac after a car crash. She wanders the streets of Los Angeles in a daze before taking refuge in an apartment. There she is discovered by Betty (Naomi Watts), a wholesome Midwestern blonde who has come to the City of Angels seeking fame as an actress. Together, the two attempt to solve the mystery of Rita’s true identity. The story is set in a dream-like Los Angeles, spoilt neither by traffic jams nor smog.
Keeping you connected to Northwest Montana.
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