Students work illuminating

I thoroughly enjoyed the Decoding BHS section of the Eagle two weeks ago. It made me feel hopeful for the future when I read the articles written by some of the young people at BHS.

I have not had the pleasure of meeting Brianna Sefcak, but I can see a bright journalistic future for her. She said what I wish I would have said, and she did it beautifully! She sees what many of us see for the future in Bigfork and her concern about our school is well-founded.

There is more to this Valley than greens fees, lift tickets and snowbirds. Keep writing, Brianna. We need more young people just like you. Thank you.

Carolyn Coon

Bigfork

Thrilled for Darrow and FVCC

I was thrilled to hear that long time Bigfork resident, Elna Darrow, was running for a seat on the FVCC Board of Trustees. I know of few people who have donated more of their time in so many areas of public concern then Elna has here in the Bigfork community and in the surrounding area. Her energy and enthusiasm is inspiring and trying to keep up with Elna is like trying to run down a speeding train.

To list the many boards, committees and projects Elna has been involved with over the years would be a difficult task, but I would like to highlight just a few. Elna Darrow was one of the founders of the Riverbend Concert Association fully 25 years ago and continues to serve on the association's board as a coordinator. For the past 20 years she has also been actively involved in organizing and promoting Tamarack Time, which has grown into a much anticipated annual community event. Proceeds from Tamarack Time go to fund construction of the future Swan River Nature Trail, which Elna has also worked hard to promote. She serves on the Swan River Nature Trail sub committee of the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork with which she has also remained active for years.

I have always known Elna to be objective and fair when it comes to the many diverse issues that she has faced not only in her business life, but in her community involvement projects as well. Given the fact that the race for the FVCC Board of Trustees is nonpartisan, I have no doubt Elna, with her common sense approach, would represent our area and FVCC objectively and respectfully.

Elna Darrow's business background as well as her many volunteer efforts and involvement make her, in my opinion, a very exciting, well qualified candidate and well deserving of a seat on the FVCC Board of Trustees.

Fred Sterhan

Bigfork

Staying ready

If you're like us, you're probably pretty concerned about the rising cost of fuel. While part of you hopes the price will come back down, a nagging part knows that as oil fields dry up, while no new ones are found, it's inevitable that prices will soar out of sight.

Just the other day, my water was turned off temporarily for repairs, and yet several times I went to my sink for a glass of water, only to laugh at myself for taking my water for granted. That same thing could happen soon in our grocery stores. The cost of fuel affects food pricing and delivery; we may go to the store for a dozen eggs and find the shelves empty. Food rationing is already happening in some parts of our country.

Fuel prices impact every facet of our lives: cars and transportation, heating and cooling, lighting, availability of foods, cooking, clothing, appliances, building materials; health care costs including medicines, interest rates, wages and profit margins, and environment. Everything we take for granted.

When costs become too high, we will be faced with making adjustments. We will sacrifice non-essential items. But, just which are truly essential? Which of the things we take for granted can we do without, and which must we have to survive?

The Essential Stuff Project (ESP) in Bigfork is exploring these concerns. Come to our first event on May 28, 7 p.m., at Clementine's in Bigfork for an evening of fun, discussion, and community-building. Contact Edd Blackler (blackler@acrossmontana.net, 837-5196), Edmund Fitzgerald (edmund@montanasky.net, 837-5548) or Catherine Haug (cmhaug4@earthlink.net, 837-4577) for more information.

Catherine Haug

Bigfork

Red Cross trouble

On behalf of the Flathead County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), I wish to emphatically state our deep concern about the decision to terminate the services of the professional staff or the Kalispell Red Cross office. Although dedicated local Red Cross volunteers will remain active, the absence of highly trained professional staffers will take a heavy toll on the services that the agency can provide.

The continuing presence of a fully staffed Red Cross in the northwest Montana region is critical for a number of reasons.

Foremost, the Red Cross has been an indispensable NGO partner in working with county, state and federal agencies in dealing with the consequences of natural disasters that have occurred in the region in recent years. From much needed training to forest fires to floods, the services that the Red Cross has provided have been essential in enabling the greater community to deal with the successful evacuation of imperiled citizens and subsequent services needed to meet their needs during their time of displacement from their homes.

Secondly, the Flathead area is Montana's most rapidly growing region. It is also an area that is particularly prone to such seasonal emergencies as those caused by forest fires and flooding. It is obvious that in the future, the needs of the Flathead, in terms of the kinds of services the Red Cross is best equipped and trained to respond to, will only increase. The needs are growing, not diminishing. This simple fact makes the decision to eliminate the professional presence of the Red Cross in the Kalispell area all the more troubling.

For your information, the LEPC is a local committee comprised of approximately three dozen members representing key area emergency services and law enforcement agencies, critical industries, the public and private health sector, and other NGO and corporate entities that have roles to play during natural or human-caused disasters.

We look forward to any opportunity to communicate with you directly to see if there is any way, through mutually agreed upon methods, that the Red Cross can be encouraged to reestablish the presence of a professional staff in the Flathead region of northwest Montana. The needs are great, and they must be adequately addressed before the next disaster strikes.

Mark Holston

Chair, Flathead County LEPC

Cancer fundraisers

This year, more than 3 million men, women and youngsters nationwide will volunteer their time and talents to the American Cancer Society and its mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. I am proud to say we have our share of these terrific individuals right here in Flathead County, and with National Volunteer Week now upon us, what better time to recognize and honor them.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the American Cancer Society. Here in Flathead County, we depend on our many volunteers to help plan and staff our Relay For Life and Daffodil Days events in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Bigfork and our many advocacy, educational and patient service programs, such as Road To Recovery, Look Good Feel Better and our Cancer Resource Center at KRMC's Radiation Oncology. And for those who have visited our Society office in Missoula, you have probably met one or more of the volunteers who assist us with our many clerical projects.

Cancer continues to be defeated, primarily through the advancements in research being accomplished throughout our nation. The American Cancer Society can continue to direct its financial resources to this research because of the unselfish gifts of time our millions of volunteers continue to offer.

Again, a sincere "Thank you" to our many volunteers in Flathead County. One week a year is not nearly enough time to express our gratitude for what you do.

Janell Kuhn

Community Relationship Manager

American Cancer Society