Betters opens hearts of NFL players to children

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

A tragic incident on the ski slope 10 years ago has not dampened the spirit of Doug Betters.

The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year suffered a spinal cord injury that put him in a wheelchair, but he is not about to let that get in his way when it comes to helping children in need of pediatric care. Betters, a former Montana Grizzly and a resident of Whitefish, founded the Doug Betters Winter Classic Organization in 1985, while he was still playing defensive end for the Miami Dolphins. The non-profit organization gives $40,000 to $60,000 annually in financial assistance to Northwest Montana families. The money covers costs associated with medical treatment that are not covered by insurance, such as transportation, lodging, and food expenses.

Families with a child 18 or younger may apply for assistance either by downloading the application from the Web site. Once approved, the family can request up to $5,000 in financial assistance.

For The Children, Inc. is the committee that disperses the funds raised by the Whitefish Winter Classic, which is in the spotlight this weekend in Whitefish and Columbia Falls.

Sponsors of the 23rd annual Whitefish Winter Classic are Whitefish Credit Union, BNSF Railway and Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Events begin with Meet the Players on Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Whitefish Mountain Resort's Summit House. A celebrity basketball game at Columbia Falls High School pits a team of former and current professional athletes against a local high school all-star team at 7 p.m. on Friday. There is no charge for admission; donations will be accepted.

Saturday's activities begin with a snow picnic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Off Gray Wolf Run at the Resort. The VIP dinner and live auction starts at 5:30 p.m. at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake. On display will be a bevy of NFL memorabilia up for bid. Tickets for the dinner/auction are $75 per person. Call 863-9283 for reservations.

Betters, a native of Lincoln, Nebr., had 64.5 career sacks with the Dolphins, playing in 146 NFL games. He was a Pro Bowl and All Pro selection in 1983. Betters played for Miami in Super Bowl XVII and XIX. He was an assistant coach at the University of Montana in 1995 and 1996.

He is involved in other charitable organizations, including Special Olympics and United Way. In 2002, Betters received the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Montana Award.

Having attended UM before starting his NFL career in 1978, Betters was well aware of the beauty of northwestern Montana and its recreational opportunities.

"I was a skier. I loved coming back to the Flathead Valley," he said while planning this year's Winter Classic. "I spend a lot of time on the Big Mountain."

Betters saw cases in which families were putting their fundraisers together to cover the cost of their children's medical expenses, families with inadequate or no insurance.

"I wanted to support those different fundraisers," he said. "I had a wealth of players and team members who wanted to come to the valley."

So that is how his organization evolved 24 years ago, when the Classic started with a celebrity ski race to raise money for needy families.

"The end result was that we raised some good money," Betters said.

Classic events have included a tug-of-war and human sled race, where players and kids slide down a snowy hill on a wet garbage bag.

"We have a lot of guys who come back," said Betters, who always uses his connection to UM to contact former Grizzlies and other professional players.

In fact, UM head coach Bobby Hauck is scheduled to attend this year's Winter Classic. Grizzlies star running back Lex Hilliard has also been invited. UM linebacker Kroy Biermann is confirmed to attend. Hilliard and Biermann are available in the upcoming NFL Draft.

According to Betters, there are about 17 players committed to attend the Winter Classic. Current NFL players and their teams include Casey FitzSimmons and Ed Mulitalo, Detroit; Rick DeMulling, Washington; Tuff Harris, Miami; Chad Clifton, Green Bay; Jake Scott, Indianapolis; Cory Procter and Pat McQuistan, Dallas; Justin Green and Haloti Ngata, Baltimore; and Troy Bienemann, Arizona. Players retired from the NFL who should attend are Rocky Klever and Guy Bingham, who played for the New York Jets. Whitefish native Thatcher Szalay, who had a brief NFL career is a UM alumnus and is now a teacher in Florence.

Pro bull rider Beau Hill, who lives in West Glacier, also plans to attend the Winter Classic.

For more information on the Winter Classic, go to Web site www.whitefishwinterclassic.org.