SWAN VALLEY – Quick Response Unit (QRU) volunteers and volunteer firefighters give of their time, energy and often sacrifice financially to serve the communities in which they work and live. They often do this with little or no recognition. Swan Valley resident Grace Siloti wants to see that changed.
Siloti, Marcia Tapp and Helene Michael are throwing a Community Celebration to honor volunteer QRU and firefighters. The event is an opportunity to thank the volunteers and will include a potluck and live music. The whole community and surrounding communities are invited July 23 starting at 5 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall.
Siloti decided she needed to do something to recognize the volunteers early this spring.
“I had an experience with one of the volunteers who said to me with a tear in their eye, ‘One day people will understand what we do.’ That broke my heart and scared me,” said Siloti. “What would we do without them? This is so wrong. They should feel like a rock star, not like this.”
Siloti remembered the wooden plaque that the veterans gave her for making the wreath she donates every year for the Veterans Day Memorial Ceremony.
“I know how much that meant to me. The volunteers need something like that to show them they are appreciated,” said Siloti.
A week before the Mission Mountains Mercantile (Mercantile) burned; Siloti contacted Tapp and Michael to help her put together something to recognize the volunteers.
“They were 100 percent on board because they know how much the volunteers do for our community and how they should be thanked,” said Siloti.
In the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 25 the Mercantile caught fire. Swan Valley and Seeley Lake volunteer firefighters worked through the night while Potomac volunteers staged at Clearwater Junction in case another fire happened in Seeley Lake. Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) stayed through the day mopping up the rubble from the fire of the Mercantile.
“After the fire [Marcia and Helene] called me and asked if I still wanted to do this,” said Siloti whose partner Len Kobylenski owned the Mercantile. “I said absolutely. It’s more important now than before.”
Siloti said they decided to throw a party for the volunteers because some of her best childhood memories were of celebrations at the community hall.
“I’m trying to recreate these memories, great memories, fun memories and I think we all need some fun right now,” said Siloti, “Everybody get together, support each other and for those who do volunteer work.”
At the celebration every SVES volunteer who has served for five years or more will receive a wooden plaque. Those who have served for less than five years will receive a certificate.
Pulled pork, beans and coleslaw will be provided at the event along with ice tea and lemonade. Everyone is encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert to share and their own beverages. There will be live music by Raymond and the Tims. Community members are welcome to bring stories and or memories to share with everyone during band breaks.
“I don’t know if the community knows the depth of what [QRU and firefighters] have to do in order to be volunteers; the classes they have to take, the 2 a.m. getting out of bed while you’re sleeping,” said Siloti. “These people do not get paid. They do this out of the goodness of their heart. We all benefit at one point or another. A loved one or friend has been affected by them giving. So this is the way for all of us to give back and make them feel like rock stars for at least one day.”
For more information or to contribute, message Grace Siloti on Facebook or call 406-210-1774.
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