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SEELEY LAKE – “After this summer, I was exhausted. I needed help,” said Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church Reverend Carrie Benton who talked to many others who felt the same way. “Then it dawned on me that we all need help. It has become so clear to me how much we need each other.” This was the impetus behind the Seeley Lake Community Exchange and Giftaway set for Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Organizers encourage everyone to come with a skill, ability or non-monetary goods that they can offer in exchange fo...
SWAN VALLEY – "How awesome was that?! We did it," said Boyd as the students gathered all their belongings and loaded on the hay wagon for the Holiday card photo. Swan Valley School students and staff spent the afternoon Dec. 6 packing down letters and designs in the snow in a field near Condon. They painted their 640 X 457 foot holiday card with dye and posed for a drone photo. While all agreed it was a lot of fun, they also learned a lot of practical tools and lessons throughout the project. E...
SWAN VALLEY – Though scarcely one year old, Swan Valley Connections (SVC) hosted a grand 20-year celebration Dec. 6 at the Swan Valley Community Hall. In January 2016, Swan Ecosystem Center (SEC) and Northwest Connections (NWC) merged into SVC, hence the one-year status. Those parent organizations have roots reaching back two decades, hence the cause for celebration. The evening consisted of an on-going slide show, short films highlighting SEC and NWC and a number of people sharing memories a...
SEELEY LAKE - Due to smoke from the Rice Ridge Fire just two months ago, local businesses faced a loss of revenue because of decreased tourism. According to InciWeb, an incident information website, and KPAX news station, a lighting strike in late July started the Rice Ridge Fire which burned over 160,000 acres. The fire decreased air quality which led to hazardous levels for several weeks, closing the lake for fire suppression efforts and decreasing tourism over the summer. In an interview...
More than a few people have asked me if I am the one with a Karelian Bear Dog (KBD) who, for a fee, can push bears off their property. No, I am not. Though my KBD came from Wind River Bear Institute, she is specifically trained to find dead animal parts, not to push bears. Plus I had her trained to stay focused when firearms are discharged. Though I did work as a bear management specialist in Glacier NP and road patrol law enforcement in Yellowstone as a seasonal, and a full-time year-round federal law enforcement officer for US Fish and...
SEELEY LAKE - Think about this. Don’t miss grabbing the golden ring. Presently, there are more than 3,000 separate parcels within the Missoula County portion of the Clearwater Valley and watershed. There are more than 1,500 living units, including cabins on state and federal land as well as mobile homes on rented lots which have personal property taxes levied on them. Additional parcels and living units lie within the valley/watershed in Powell County. If a Clearwater Valley Watershed Consortium [CVWC] were established, it would be both a s...
Those of us who lived through the winter of the big snow 96-97 remember – plow ¬– shovel daily. We lived then on the Swan side of the Summit. Come February you couldn't see my jack fence. I had the old relic TD 14 Cat to plow with and had snow piles bigger than the cabin. The snow slid off the roof till it backed up onto the roof. I have a picture of Geraldine sitting on the roof, she just walked up the snow slide. We shoveled in front of the windows to see out. It was a sight to behold it was....
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department invites the community for the First Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at the Fire Hall Saturday, Dec. 16. from 4:30-8 p.m. It's a great opportunity to visit Santa, support the Trevino family and enjoy some Christmas cheer with the community. After learning about a similar event hosted by the Seeley Lake Volunteers several years ago at Deer Country Quilts, Fire Chief Michael Greer thought it would be a great thing to bring back. "I decided t...
SEELEY LAKE – It’s that time of year to make sure your chimney is cleaned and ready for winter. The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to a chimney fire on Double Arrow Saturday afternoon. While there was no structure damage to the home, it is a good reminder for everyone who burns wood to inspect and clean their chimneys. According to Fire Chief Michael Greer, the fire had died down by their arrival. “It took little involvement on our part,” said Greer. “We just put out the fire in the firebox to make sure it had died completel...
SEELEY LAKE - It’s that time of year as Christmas fast approaches. Each year Seeley Lake Lions Club distributes Holiday Food Baskets to area families in need of help, providing a holiday meal for Christmas. The Lions perform various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to purchase turkey dinners with all the trimmings for those in need. Besides fundraisers by the club, personal donations have been made in the past from community residents. All groceries are purchased locally at Cory’s Valley Market. Cory’s employees assemble the f...
During the holiday season, I often reflect upon the past year (and some of those significant experiences throughout my life). I suspect that many of you are like me, you are reminded of your blessings during the holiday season. But what about those special memories that arise from the negative experiences? We remember those times too and we relive the experiences by retelling and reliving them in our mind and conversations with family and friends. Two popular quotes come to mind as I write this; “The best laid plans, are laid to waste…” – Rob...
SEELEY LAKE – With a burger in one hand and their wallet in the other, shoppers enjoyed the Christmas Bazaar at Lindey's Prime Steak House Saturday, Dec. 9. It was an opportunity for local vendors to display their products and buyers to purchase from local consultants and craftsmen. The idea for the bazaar came through conversations between Alicia Kues, her husband Mark and Lindey's owners Jenny and Mike Lindemer. "We felt like Seeley Lake needed a place for vendors to get out," said Alicia. "...
Part 1 of this series on holiday gift-givers talked about Saints and Santas. Part 2 will discuss The Three Kings as Gift-Givers One of the most obvious Christian connections between the giving of presents and the Christmas holidays is that it commemorates the arrival of the Three Kings, sometimes called Magi or Wise Men, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. In fact, in some countries, children receive presents not on Dec. 25, but on Jan. 6, the Feast of the Three...
Susan Stone from Condon said, "I think my most memorable Christmas was the gathering of family shortly before my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. We spent a Christmas in Portland with almost all of the family under one roof." * * * * * Connie Rose from Cour d'Alene, Idaho, was in Seeley Lake visiting Boyd and Helen Gossard. Rose said her most memorable Christmas was when she was about nine years old. She had gone with her family to visit her grandfather, whose birthday was on Christmas...
SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley resident Colleen Harrington was offered her dream job this past fall when she was hired as the junior high teacher for Swan Valley School. After teaching at the Mission Mountain School for 18 years and spending the past seven years volunteering in various capacities at Swan Valley School, Harrington completed her teaching license and Masters of Education in May 2017. She looks forward to not only teaching her students the academics they need to succeed but also being t...
SWAN VALLEY – The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has announced that Jim Creek in the Swan River Valley will no longer be considered “impaired” for water quality. DEQ will submit an impairment de-listing to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2018. Jim Creek was listed in 1996 due to sediment and siltation. However, a new DEQ assessment has found Jim Creek to meet water quality standards. Improved forest practices and road management on both private and public lands in the watershed were significant factors in the delis...
SWAN VALLEY - Entourage Yearbooks announced their seventh Annual National Yearbook Competition awards, recognizing Swan Valley Elementary School with the distinctive First Place for Page Design. The nationally sponsored contest conducted by Entourage Yearbooks judged school yearbooks in many facets including creativity, originality and journalistic relevance. Hundreds of schools entered across all fifty states at the Elementary, Middle School, and High School level. "I'd like to offer my...
POTOMAC - More than 80 community members turned out for the Annual Christmas Comes Home event in Potomac Dec. 9. Young and old enjoyed indoor fellowship including Santa and his sleigh, the Christmas Train, Christmas cookies, carols and hymns, barbecue, a scavenger hunt and quilts. Outdoor festivities were a live Nativity scene, bonfire and wagon rides provided by Ray Woodside and his mule team and Brad Hall with his draft team....
SEELEY LAKE – JuBELLation five-octave Handbell Choir from Missoula filled the Double Arrow Lodge with traditional holiday and Christmas Carols Thursday evening, Dec. 7. Attendees enjoyed sipping a beverage of their choice, with a crackling fire while the handbells entertained playing nine selections. Attendees joined the bells, singing "Let it Snow" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to close out the concert. For the past several years, the concert has been performed by the S...
SEELEY LAKE – Loving Hearts hosted their annual Toy Sale Dec. 5 at Mission Bible Fellowship. When the doors opened at 5 p.m. there was a line out the back door. The sale was wrapped up by 5:45 p.m. with more than 50 shoppers leaving with gifts for their children and stockings filled with goodies. All year Loving Hearts volunteers save the best toys, stuffed animals and books for their Christmas Toy Sale. Volunteers helped mend, fix and clean the best used items to make them ready for the s...
SWAN VALLEY - June was born in Missoula on June 26, 1922 to Ruby and Chester Smith. She attended schools in Missoula and Helena and shared colorful tales of childhood on her grandparent's homestead in Perma. June's first marriage to Grant Malcolm produced a son John and daughter Carol. June was licensed in Swedish Massage, in practice with her mother (Ruby Weston). Mom later married Arden Riebe, rounding out the family with two more fine sons, Thomas and Terry. Lastly, June wed Lester "Dobb"...
There are a number of theories as to why Christmas (originally the Mass of Christ) is celebrated but it is almost certain that Dec. 25 is not the actual day. Among other factors, the nights at that time of year often get overly cold and snowy, and it was not the tradition of Jewish shepherds to have their flocks in the field in the winter months. But again, why Dec. 25? Many have pointed out that that date was when the Romans celebrated the pagan festivals of Saturnalia and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. One prominent theory holds that that date...
The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks and Lady Blackhawks took on Big Fork and Clark Fork last week. Class B Big Fork outclassed both teams Dec. 5. While the Boys found success against the Clark Fork Mountain Cats, the Girls fell to the district foe Dec. 9. The Boys ran into a wall at Big Fork early in the game, falling behind 6-29 in the first quarter. They struggled through much of the game till the final frame where they were able to cut just 7 points from Big Forks lead. The final score was 29-66....
December Swan Valley Council Meeting Cancelled SWAN VALLEY – The Swan Valley Community Council meeting scheduled for Dec. 19 has been cancelled. The next council meeting will be Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. Additional Seeley Lake Snowmobile Trail Closures for Log Haul Traffic SEELEY LAKE – For public safety while log hauling is ongoing for a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) timber sale, the Seeley Lake Ranger District has closed snowmobile Trail Number SNO-63.31 to snowmobile use. This trail is...
