Celebrate winter at Seeley Lake Elementary Winterfest

SEELEY LAKE – The community is invited to Seeley Lake Elementary for an afternoon of winter fun Saturday, Feb. 8 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Seeley Lake Elementary Winterfest includes open skating, games, snow sculptures, food and prizes. Everyone is invited to this free, family event.

According to Seeley Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Hayhurst, the idea for a winter event originated from SLE Superintendent Daniel Schrock last October during the Trunk-or-Treat. He approached the Chamber and Trunk-or-Treat organizer Mark Kues about helping with a winter event.

"The purpose is to provide our students, their families and our community a family friendly and fun opportunity to come together to celebrate winter in Seeley Lake," wrote Schrock in an email.

The Chamber and Kues reached out to other organizations and got volunteers to help with the event.

The snow sculpture competition started Feb. 1. There is an area designated for sculptures near the Seeley Lake Community Ice Skating Rink near the SLE ball fields. Sculptures can be worked on during non-school hours and will be judged on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. Traveling trophies will be awarded for the best snow person, wildlife and most original. Sculptors are asked to fill out a slip of paper including name, phone number and title of sculpture and place it in a bag with their sculpture.

Saturday afternoon starts with an open skate from 12-2 p.m. A limited number of skates will be available to use. There will also be an area designated for building snow people [not judged] with carrots and charcoal provided by the Chamber.

At 2 p.m. the Seeley Lake Lions Club will start serving hot dogs until gone. SLE will also offer hot chocolate and bottles of water will be available thanks to Citizens Alliance Bank and Blackfoot.

From 2 – 4 p.m. there will be a hockey clinic, toboggan and snow shoe races, cross country skiing and homemade snow cones offered by the Chamber. Everyone is encouraged to bring a toboggan for the race.

At 4 p.m. broom ball will commence on the ice rink and the snow sculptures will be judged.

The Chamber, CAB and Blackfoot are sponsoring a kids candy scavenger hunt at 5 p.m. and a surprise at 5:55 p.m. to end the event.

Families are encouraged to dress for the weather and come out for the fun. All of the activities and food are free. Donations will be accepted as well as the opportunity to participate in a silent auction. Auction items include a float trip for two on the Blackfoot with Schrock and his dog Otto and a steak dinner for two at Schrock's home. Proceeds will be split between purchasing books for the school's library to support SLE's focus on literacy proficiency and the Seeley Lake Meals on Wheels program.

"I strongly believe in and work to actively partner with the community in a meaningful way to benefit our school, our students and the larger community," wrote Schrock. "It builds and strengthens the ownership and pride that the community has in their school."