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- (406) 892-1776
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Cabin Fever Days and the Barstool Ski Races are a family, community event that takes place in Martin City, Montana, on February 10th – 12th 2017.
There are tons of family and adult activities throughout the Cabin Fever Days weekend throughout the Canyon. The Barstool Ski Races are fun for the whole family to watch, with different race classes and two days of racing culminating in the finals on Sunday, February 12th. There are even kids races on Saturday, starting at noon.
Kids activities include kids Sled Races, Cupcake Walk, Gunny Sack Race, Haystack Search, Magic Show and a Puppet Show! Come into the Leets Fire Hall in Martin City to warm up the kiddos, and enter our Cabin Fever Coloring Contest.
Adult activities include live music all weekend in several locations, and competitions of strength , skill wits with cash prizes.
Visit the Cabin Fever Days Website for more information!
http://cabinfeverdays.com/bar-stool-ski-races/
Columbia Falls High School Speech and Debate brought home the hardware from state for the 12th consecutive time, capping an undefeated season.
“We are overwhelmingly proud of our state team,” said Head Coach Tara Norick. “We had a very strong team this year, with 14 seniors and a full roster of dedicated competitors. This is a group of kids who worked hard, practiced hard, stayed focused, and kept their eye on the prize. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing group of coaches — Alyssa Militello, Candy Gross, Alicia Gillan, and Barry Conger.”
Helping the Columbia Falls team make it to the top were individual state champions: Annabel Conger and Colin Norick, Policy Debate; Chloe Foster, Memorized Public Address; Estevon Torres, Dramatic Interpretation; Jacob Hohman, Informative Speaking; and Jerelyn Jones, Original Oratory.
Columbia Falls amassed 280 sweepstakes points to hold onto the state title. State runner-up, Whitefish High School Speech and Debate, fought to the finish line earning 126 points overall. Belgrade finished third with 107 points.
The second-place finish tops off a great season, according to Whitefish Head Coach Carissa Shupp.
“Our kids worked hard this year, and it paid off here. We are grateful to everyone who supported the Whitefish team, and proud to bring home medals in several events,” Shupp said.
Whitefish had one individual state champion — Makkie Haller in Impromptu Speaking.
Twenty schools from around Montana competed at the 2017 Class A State Speech and Debate Tournament in Laurel on Friday and Saturday.
Polson High School finished seventh overall with 43 points.
“While we didn’t have a huge team, they fought valiantly up to the very end,” said Polson Assistant Coach Kyle Dunn.
Following are individual results:
Public Forum Debate: 2. Ava Chisholm and Anna Nicosia, Columbia Falls; 4. Annabelle Smith and Katelyn Toland, Polson; 5. Cassidy Norick and Kelsey Wright, Columbia Falls; 7. Delaney Conger and Maggie McKeon, Columbia Falls.
Policy Debate: 1. Annabel Conger and Colin Norick, Columbia Falls; 2. Zachery Kasselder and Ian Caltabiano, Whitefish; 4. Ian McKenzie and Danielle Schwalk, Columbia Falls; 5. Abby Lowry and Douglas Mercer, Whitefish; 6. Mary Ward and Shyane Williams, Columbia Falls.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate: 4. Mikel Knutson, Columbia Falls; 5. Sophia Spechart, Polson; 6. Gabby Merrell, Columbia Falls; 8. Tyler Brown, Columbia Falls.
Impromptu Speaking: 1. Makkie Haller, Whitefish; 2. Danny Morgan, Columbia Falls; 3. Willie Baltz, Columbia Falls; 5. Teigen Tremper, Whitefish; 7. Geneva des Lions, Polson.
Extemporaneous Speaking: 3. Danny Morgan, Columbia Falls; 4. Zach Ade, Whitefish; 7. Alex Garate, Columbia Falls; 8. Makkie Haller, Whitefish.
Memorized Public Address: 1. Chloe Foster, Columbia Falls; 2. Zach Ade, Whitefish; 4. Joey Chester, Columbia Falls; 5. Geneva des Lions, Polson.
Dramatic Oral Interpretation: 1. Estevon Torres, Columbia Falls; 3. Jacob Hohman, Columbia Falls; 5. Lizzy Olsen, Whitefish; 6. Naya Brigette, Whitefish.
Humorous Oral Interpretation: 3. Jerelyn Jones, Columbia Falls; 4. Brandon Karberg, Columbia Falls.
Informative Speaking: 1. Jacob Hohman, Columbia Falls; 4. Danielle Rosenbaum, Columbia Falls; 5. Teigen Tremper, Whitefish; 6. Kennedy Payne, Columbia Falls; 7. Adia Saurey, Whitefish.
Original Oratory: 1. Jerelyn Jones, Columbia Falls; 4. Aidan Reid, Whitefish; 5. Miranda Lauria, Columbia Falls; 6. Grace Benkelman, Whitefish.
Tuesday, January 17th
7:00am – 8:00am
The Back Room / Night Owl
522 9th St W, Columbia Falls
There is a lot to discuss about the current and future business climate in and around Columbia Falls, and an Economic Development meeting is a great way for you to hear first hand about what is happening, as well as contribute your voice and thoughts to the conversation. This month we will hear about recent commercial and business real estate trends from Barbara Bennett of Bennett Appraisal Services. No-host breakfast is available from the Nite Owl.
5:00pm – 7:00pm
3765 Mt Hwy 40, Columbia Falls
The North Forty Resort is an independent, family owned log cabin resort featuring twenty-two individual log cabins and one glamping tent available for nightly and weekly rentals. Centrally located in the Flathead Valley of Montana, a year round recreational dreamland, and minutes from the towns of Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Bigfork and Glacier National Park. Join us to tour this great local property, and for great networking, appetizers and refreshments!
From Principal and Board member Scott Gaiser: Columbia Falls HS will be hosting the Western A Divisional Speech and Debate Tournament On Saturday January 21, 2017. Judges are always needed for such a large event and much appreciated. Financial contributions will help us provide food for the hospitality room for volunteers, judges and coaches. To find out how you can help by being a judge or contributing to the hospitality room, please contact Tara Norick at 249-6177 or at t_norick@cfmtschools.net. Your support is very much appreciated.
Why do we love “ugly sweaters”? Is it our inner child bubbling to the surface to express how goofy and individualistic we are? Is it that through these mats of cloth we deem to be ugly we can poke fun at ourselves and yet be accepted for who we are? Or is it the simple fact that the holidays bring people together and people like to laugh? Whatever it is that draws out our deep love for the Holidays, the Freedom Bank Crew personifies the zany spirit that comes with merry holiday traditions.
Our President carpeted in sheep’s wool to keep him warm this winter.
Michelle dawns her inner “squatch” this holiday season.
Kim shows that Santa may have had one to many cookies this holiday season.
Jerry clothes himself in his trusty rusty hunting sweater.
Nona as one of Santa’s elves taking a break from toy building.
Cameron as Santa brought holiday cheer to all the little boys and girls of Freedom Bank.
Meagan prancing around as a jolly young Rudolph.
Max proudly displays his not so ugly Freedom Bank Sweater!
Jerry Burley, assistant vice president and loan officer at Freedom Bank on Friday was awarded Notary of the Year by Montana Sec. of State Linda McCulloch.
Burley has been a notary since the early ‘90s, getting his start in banking fresh out of high school.
He grew up in Broadus and, following his love of accounting, took a job bookkeeping at a bank in Ashlan.
The job required him to be a notary, so he became one.
The process as he recalled it was not difficult.
“Back in the day, it was just fill out a form, and the bank paid for the bonding, and I took a training and they sent the certificate,” he said.
Being a notary is fairly simple, he said. Any time a legal document needs notarized, he confirms the ID of the person signing, keeps a log, and adds a stamp to the document confirming he notarized it.
“Jerry Burley epitomizes what it means to be Montana Notary of the Year,” said McCulloch. “He was chosen from a strong field of nominees for demonstrating exceptional services and high standards of practice.”
Montana Notary of the year nominees were evaluated on their longevity, variety of documents notarized, use of notary journal, community service, and exceptional notary service.
McCulloch started the Montana Notary of the Year award in 2009 in an effort recognize the invaluable work done by notaries in Montana.
“Notaries are the first line of defense against many types of fraud as they are responsible for determining the identity of the person who signs a document, swears an oath, or performs any of the other acts that require a notary public. I’m eager to present this award to such a deserving notary public,” McCulloch said.
Burley is involved in the community, which factored in to being named Notary of the Year.
He was a member of the Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce for 10 years, and has served as treasurer of the Gateway to Glacier trail for the past three.
Because he was named Montana Notary of the year, Burley is automatically nominated for the National Notary of the Year award given annually by the National Notary Association.
Burley’s wife, Joanne, their daughter Kristen and granddaughter Avery were all present at the award ceremony at Freedom Bank on Friday.
Although he now works as a lender at Freedom Bank rather than the accounting and bookkeeping that first got him interested, he says that his favorite aspect of being a notary has remained the same.
“I think mainly it’s the people that come through, the conversations I have with them while they sign. It’s just getting to know people,” he saidJERRY SEC DON
Freedom Bank’s President Don and his wife Barbara inside the Freedom Bank Gingerbread House cart.
The Freedom Bank crew has a lively time walking in community parades every year. We count it as a privilege to have a part in this 31-year tradition that thrives on community pride and fun with friends. Surely all that attended the parade can agree that the community pride that is so infectious in Columbia Falls was on display at the Night of Lights. The tight knit community huddled around nucleus to watch festively decorated floats mosey by and treat the spectators with handfuls of candy.
Freedom Bank had an entertaining time decorating their Gingerbread House cart before the parade. It was truly a team effort that required every member of Freedom Bank to contribute their skills in some way, shape or form. You may have seen us huddled around our cart assembling our scrumptious gingerbread house. It was genuinely a fun team-building time.
We look forward to the next parade where we can put our hands back to work to come up with another creative and goofy cart.
Join Freedom Bank at the Night of Lights this Friday!
Night of Lights is a 31+ year tradition centered around a fun, community filled parade. This event is also features craft fairs, caroling, a live nativity, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, food vendors and fun with your neighbors!
The Night of Lights Craft Show starts at 4pm at the North Valley Community Room.
The Parade Starts at 6:30pm and runs down Nucleus Ave. The parade is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Columbia Falls.
Follow Santa down to the Coop for a warm & cozy holiday concert by Cocinando Latin Jazz Orchestra & The CFHS Sonifers, food vendors, hot cocoa & cider and caroling with the crowd.
Visit columbiafallschamber.org for more information.
Stable, affordable housing is critical to education, health, and economic success across our area. Habitat for Humanity’s unique home ownership program allows hardworking, low-income families to build and buy a home.
Currently, Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley is in the middle of an affordable housing project in Columbia Falls. This 16-unit townhouse development will be completed by 2015 and to date they have placed 8 families into new homes. These homes are constructed by volunteers and materials are paid for by donations and earnings from two second-hand furniture stores.
Habitat for Humanity is always looking for more volunteers to help. If you are unable to help, consider a donation. Freedom Bank recently made a sizable donation to Habitat for Humanity to help them improve our community. Please consider helping this great organization achieve their goal of providing affordable housing to our neighbors in need.
Freedom Bank received notification that a large credit card processing center that services several businesses in the Flathead Valley was compromised sometime in November 2013. As a result, persons that used their debit or credit cards at these businesses may be exposed to fraudulent activity. In cooperation with law enforcement and other financial institutions in the Flathead Valley, Freedom Bank immediately initiated a debit card shutdown for those cards that may have been exposed to the security breach. This had to be done immediately in order to protect everyone that was exposed.
Please understand that this breach had nothing to do with the bank’s security systems and has impacted every bank in the Flathead Valley and thousands of individuals. Our staff has been working diligently trying to notify our customers, but due to the high volume of cards shut down, we did not have enough staff, or time, to call everyone before the cards were shut down. Shutting the cards down protected both our customers and Freedom Bank. We apologize for any inconvenience. New cards have been ordered and customers should be receiving them within 7-10 business days. Thank you for your understanding.
Please call us at (406) 892-1776 if you have any questions.
Prepaid Visa Cards can be purchased at Freedom Bank. Donations can be taken over the phone by Credit Card or online through the donation page.
Visit the donation page to make a contribution for breast cancer awareness.
