Santa confirms
return visit to Libby,
Dec. 19
While recently in town, Santa stopped by the Libby Volunteer Fire Department to see if perhaps he could again solidify plans for ground-transportation to pay another visit to boys and girls around Libby on Saturday, December 19th.
Having helped Mr. Claus out in every year past, the LVFD crew members were quick to confirm that a town wide tour would be no problem at all!!
Santa will depart on his next town wide tour of Libby on Saturday, December 19, beginning somewhere between 2 and 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the fire truck, give a good wave, and Santa will stop to share a candy cane while taking any last notes necessary before his Christmas Eve deliveries ensue.
Please remember to remain socially-distanced while visiting with Santa Claus this year, and wear your masks to ensure everyone stays healthy the entire Christmas Season.
By Stacy Bender, The Montanian
Libby streets decked in holiday spirits
By Stacy Bender
After several years of retirement in city storage, Libby’s holiday wreaths have been restored and are once again shining along California and Mineral Avenues in downtown Libby.
The project, spearheaded by Managhan’s Furniture and its team, took about three months to complete. In the end, a spirited collaboration of time, talent and resources by several local businesses and residents transpired in support of the effort.
Following about a month spent envisioning how best to approach the task, each worn-down wreath was then stripped, re-stranded, and readorned with newly painted wooden cutouts of bears and snowflakes before being prepped again for proper display.
The decorative cutouts were done by Cody Martens of Libby. Over the course of about two months and utilizing his spare time, Martens cut 50 bears and 12 snowflakes which were then added to the 13 precut snowflakes already on hand. All 75 pieces were then painted by Martens’ wife, Kristen, and the two then worked alongside the Managhan’s team to help wire each decoration to the wreaths.
“Thank you to Kristen and Cody Martens (bears, snowflakes, assembly), Harvey Person (assembly), Big Sky Lumber (deal on wood for bears and snowflakes), Ace Hardware (deal on lights), and to so many others for the financial donations and hard work,” wrote Managhan’s management in a recent online post announcing completion of the restoration project.
Additional thanks were extended to MontanaSky West, Junior Beardsley and Anthony Green who took to the streets on Wednesday, December 2, to install the holiday wreaths for proud display throughout the 2020 Holiday Season.
“A huge thank you to Managhan’s furniture for taking the lead and resurrecting these wreaths for the Libby Community,” wrote MontanaSky in an online release that day. “This was no small endeavor and we’re proud to be one of the many Libby businesses that were able to help.”
Santa and Mrs. Claus make special stop to light downtown tree in Libby
Above: With a little organizational help from the Libby Area Business Association, Santa and Mrs. Claus were joined by Libby Police Officer, Ian Smith, Lincoln County Sheriff, Darren Short, and The Grinch as the McDougall’s and their horses, Hank and Cash, provided Mr. and Mrs. Claus a sleigh ride all around Libby on Saturday, Dec. 4, to check-in with area boys and girls for the first time this Christmas Season.
Right:
Santa kneeled beside a small fraser fir currently growing inch by inch at the base of Mineral Avenue, then plugged in the lights for the small tree planted by the Libby Area Business Association with hopes it will one day grow to become the center of many downtown Christmas Season celebrations.
Santa thought lighting the tree might be the perfect chance to remind folks to stop by, enjoy time with one another and take a picture by the twinkling tree. Then perhaps measure how the fraser fir grows with each Christmas Season ahead as you gather again with family and growing children alike. Photos by Stacy Bender, The Montanian