Yaak WINGS Wrap up 2023 by Sandra Beder-Miller Donations large and small helped the Yaak WINGS “Swing into Spring Event” raise $55,450.17 on Saturday May 13th at the Yaak River Tavern & Mercantile grounds! It was a picture-perfect day of sunshine, warm temperatures, and open wallets!
The generosity of the Lincoln County community continues year after year to help local cancer patients with expenses related to their treatment. The gates opened at noon for the record 96 item silent auction, bucket raffle, and wine and beer pull. Dose, a local favorite duo, kicked off the afternoon’s live musical entertainment, followed by long time area residents Crystal Rose Webley and Geoff Decker.
The live auction began at 7 p.m. after a spaghetti dinner made possible by the Yaak River Tavern, Watson’s Market, and the Mustang Bakery. Jason Fosgate, professional auctioneer, donated his services and moved through 85 live auction items in record time! There were several fun highlights during the evening. The highest bid went for a beer koozie made from a bison scrotum, donated by Tom and Nancy Oar. This was the second year that Tom and Nancy donated this very unusual item, with a rematch between two gentlemen who engaged in a spirited bidding match for a similar koozie in 2022! This year, the 2022 loser was the 2023 winner and his wife jumped the bidding to $3,100, raising the stakes. She told her husband that she knew he really wanted the koozie and they were willing to pay that much for it last year! Another rollicking battle erupted between two bidders wanting the last pay phone in the Yaak, donated by a local resident who rescued this historical item when the Mercantile was being remodeled. That item fetched $2,600! Another very special auction item was donated by a local Troy resident who made a quilt in memory of her son who had passed away from colon cancer. The quilt was inscribed with a message dedicating the quilt to those who have passed away. The successful bidder paid $1,500.
Baskets of flowers, cookies, cakes, and pies sold for several hundred dollars apiece. There were many framed pictures, original artwork from the students at the Yaak Elementary School, and a chain saw carved totem pole. The Yaak WINGS committee would like to thank the local area business and residents for their generous donations.
This event would not be possible without their support. A special thank you to the event chairs, Kristy Hensel and Cindi Gambill and the many volunteers who made the day a success. All funds have been deposited in the Lincoln County WINGS bank account at the First Montana Bank. The fund will continue to help area residents with their travel expenses related to their cancer treatments. Please contact the organization with any questions concerning eligibility and to obtain an application at www.wingsnwmontana.org, by phone 406-257-9464, through Facebook, or through the mail at P.O. Box 782 Kalispell, MT 59904. The next Yaak WINGS fund raising event will be the WINGS Walk on Saturday, August 19th, 2023.
Submitted by Sandy Beder-Miller
Photo left courtesy of Yaak Wings—Photo middle and right courtesy of Larry Miller
Lincoln County Libraries Receive National $20,000 Grant
Lincoln County Libraries have been selected as three of 240 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities. The competitive award comes with a $20,000 grant that will help the libraries engage individuals and their families with sensory disabilities in a conversation about accessibility, train staff in sensory inclusion, and purchase sensory friendly equipment and supplies for all three branches of Lincoln County Libraries. “We are excited for this amazing opportunity,” said Sharee Miller “This grant will allow our libraries to better serve an important part of our community by making our libraries sensory inclusive. As a grandmother with a grandchild who has autism this is a passion project for me.”
As part of the grant, Lincoln County Libraries staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host a conversation with residents about and use the grant funds to create welcoming spaces, and programs for individuals with disabilities such as ASD, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, and ADHD. If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Sharee Miller at smiller@lincolncountylibraries.com, or visit www.lincolncountylibraries.com for more information. Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.
Submitted by Sharee Miller the Librarian at the Troy Branch
Alvord Lake Community Forest
By Ashley South
The Vital Ground Foundation hosted a meet and greet on May 16th for the Alvord Lake Community Forest Collaborative Partners, at the Alvord Lake Outdoor Classroom Pavilion, located a few miles outside of Troy.
The community forest was designated in 2016 and covers a 142-acre parcel of land along Alvord Lake’s southeast lakeshore. Many stakeholders came together to create the Alvord Lake Community Forest. It took funding and management strategies from a U.S. Forest Service fund; a state fish and wildlife trust; community conservation and educational groups; and, generous individual donors.
The U.S. Forest manages land to the west that provides access to a boat ramp, picnic area, outdoor classroom, and a nature trail that circles the lake. Stimson Lumber Company lands border to the north and to the east are conservation easements.
“This project is a great example of how on-the-ground collaboration increases public access to Montana’s treasured places,” said U.S. Senator Jon Tester, who helped secure funding for Alvord Lake, according to the Vital Ground website.
The land management will continue with a Landscape Scale Restoration Project, and an extensive management plan implemented by stakeholders and community members. This includes revegetation, water quality monitoring, forestry efforts, road stability, access upgrades, noxious weed abatement, added educational signage, and a new vault toilet and dock. A website is in process of being created and will be available by next year.
Troy Trojans Send Nine to
Wester B Divisionals
By Jim Dasios
Photo Courtesy Troy High School
Last Saturday’s district 7-B track meet in Eureka issued an ultimatum. Either place in the top six of your events and continue on to next week’s Western B divisional in Missoula. Failure to do so, and it’s hang up the spikes for the season.
Led by the efforts of Sophomore Kempton Sloan and Freshman Nolan Morris. Nine Trojans earned the right to compete at Divisionals. Again, finish in the top six in your event and it’s off to State in Butte. Sloan and Morris were responsible for the Trojans two first place finishes. Morris continues to excel, he won the 800 meter with a personal best 2:10:24. Morris would finish third in the 600 meter, his time 4:51:94 with another personal best. Junior Marcus Hermes time of 2:12:23.
Competing in high jump, Sloan’s 5’10” would win the event. Freshman Carson Orr’s leap of 36’2″ put him in fourth place in the triple jump. Junior Gavin Bender placed sixth in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 22.54. With top shot putter Junior Jacob Gromley out with an injury, Junior Seth Newton stepped up. Newton tossed the orb 36ft. 11” 2cm good for fifth place, along with a personal best for Newton. Troy’s 4×400 relay team consisting of Newton, Hermes, Orr and Morris finished with a personal best time of 3:52:74 and a sixth place finish.
On the girls side, freshman distance runner Jaylee Myers continues to get better. Her time of 6:09:81 in the 1600, with a new personal best, put her in 5th place. Meyers also placed third in the 3200 meter with a time of 13:53:93. Junior Sarah Rodgers placed 6th in the 100 meter with a personal best time of 14:00:12. Courtney Rodgers leaped 28 ‘8.5 in to place fourth in the triple jump. Good luck at divisional Trojans.
| Boys | Girls |
| Bigfork = 186 | Bigfork = 239 |
| Mission 112 | Thompson Falls = 110 |
| Eureka = 82 | Eureka = 98 |
| Plains = 66 | Plains = 53 |
| Thompson Falls = 45 | Troy = 13 |
| Troy = 37 |