Letters

Donations accepted

Since 1986, Bigfork High School has had a tradition of throwing a substance-free Graduation Night Party. It is an evening full of games and great prizes, aimed at keeping all the graduates of Class of 2005 safe on one of our most memorable nights. Each student in attendance will receive gift certificates and there will be a number of prizes and gifts given. We have planned several fund-raisers, but we also need the continued support of our generous local businesses and organizations.

If you would like to help us by donating funds or products, it would help us a great deal. Please send any contributions to:

Bigfork Class of 2005

C/O Morgan Cawdrey

2230 Riverside Road

Bigfork, MT 59911

If you have any questions regarding donations, please contact Kim Dutton at 837-5679.

We hope to make this party a memorable one, and any help you can offer will be immensely appreciated.

Thank you,

Morgan Cawdrey

Bigfork Senior Class President

Class of 2005

Much thanks

On behalf of the cadets and staff of the Swan Valley Youth Academy I would like to express our very sincere thanks for the Christmas presents and the $300 cash gift that the Bigfork banks and their very generous customers provided for our cadets.

The boys opened their presents around our big tree on Christmas morning and it was a joyful event. For many of them those gifts were the only ones received.

We use the boots that these generous people provided two years ago for our Color Guard in all of our graduations and other public ceremonies such as the Fourth of July parade in Condon and the Veteran's Day Ceremony at the Bigfork High School. The cadets take great pride in shining them to mirror perfection and wearing them with our blue military style uniforms. They enhance cadet pride and confidence to a great degree. This year's gift will enable us to outfit a whole platoon.

This extraordinary generosity is greatly appreciated and is a good lesson for our boys in how a friendly, caring community works.

Thanks again very much.

Fred LaRoque

Sergeant Major,

The Swan Valley Youth Academy

Unsung heroes

Thanks to the Bigfork QRU for all they did in helping my wife, Susan Jeffers, get through the past six months.

Between Aug. 4, 2004, and Jan. 31, 2005, they responded to my 911 calls for help six times. Each time their volunteer firefighters/paramedics treated her with kindness, professionalism and understanding. Twice she was transported to the ER. Three other times they helped lift her off the floor so she could be mobile again.

She and I appreciated their assistance more than words can ever say.

Unfortunately, the sixth and last call was to confirm that she had passed away. Before she died, she said she wanted me to express her gratitude and thanks for all the Bigfork QRU did for her. Their quick and selfless responses, at all hours of the day and night, helped make her last days more comfortable.

Thank you, to all of them, for their dedication to helping the residents of Bigfork and the surrounding area. If I knew all their names, I would list them individually. The Bigfork QRU volunteers are the unsung heroes of the Bigfork area. We are very lucky to have such a group of dedicated volunteers ready to assist us anytime, anywhere. Thank you, thank you, and thank you all very much.

With great admiration and sincere thanks:

Tom Jeffers

Bigfork