Locals donate statue to Seeley Lake Community Foundation

SEELEY LAKE - A bronze statue was rehomed and erected in front of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation building this past week.

The 17-foot bronze statue depicts a mountain man on horseback and was created by artist Alan Derber. The statue was previously located in Big Fork, Mont.

"My wife had seen the statue in Big Fork and always liked it," said Kirk Gladwin, avid Seeley Lake Community Foundation philanthropist. "We have great respect for the frontiersmen."

Together, Gladwin and his wife Tammy decided it would make a "nice centerpiece" to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation and wrangled up other community members to support the endeavor. In total, nine community members chipped in $2,500 a piece and purchased the statue.

"We wanted to add something to the [community foundation's] building that would serve as a centerpiece for Seeley Lake," said Gladwin. "Statues often attract people into a central location."

Galdwin hopes that the statue will draw people to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, and the other organizations that reside in the facility, including the Seeley Lake Chamber of Commerce.

According to Gladwin, the imagery of the mountain man is something that "everybody can embrace." He claimed that it is representative of Seeley Lake's logging industry ties and something to show newcomers of the town's frontiersmen roots.

After the group purchased the statue this fall, it was stored at Pitman Machining until the grand opening of the Seeley Lake Community Foundation. On Wednesday and Thursday of this past week, a group of volunteers began to lay the foundation for the statue. The statue took only 30 minutes to install.

Though the statue has been erected, the base has yet to be completed. According to Gladwin and Foundation board member Scott Kennedy, they hope to lay natural stone on the statue's foundation to close it. The two pondered the idea of placing a time capsule in the foundation. According to Kennedy, the foundation may place signage around the statue's base.

"I'd like to thank Kevin Wetherell and everybody at the [community] foundation for accepting our donation," said Gladwin.

Gladwin would also like to thank donors Tom and Patt Donich and everybody from the Double Arrow Lodge, as well as Dave and Nadine Lipson and everybody with Paws Up.

All nine donors are recognized on plaques near the statue. The 10th and final donor spot will be auctioned at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's annual banquet this August.