CFBB to hold annual fundraiser next week

Live and silent auctions will fill the Garden Bar Sept. 6 as part of the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork’s annual fundraiser.

President of the CFBB Paul Mutascio said the fundraiser usually raises $25-30,000 for the foundation, but this year they’re setting the bar a little higher. In addition to the normal maintenance work CFBB does taking care of Bigfork, during fiscal year 2010-11 the foundation took on capital projects that added up to over $96,000.

“It’s kind of an organization the tends to take care of Bigfork and the surrounding communities,” Mutascio said. “We’re (Bigfork is) unincorporated and the county is running low on money, who else would do that?”

Mutascio said the year-to-year maintenance the CFBB takes care of are things like maintaining and cleaning Harry Horn Park, the Swan River Nature Trail, the streets and downtown.

The capital projects include remodeling the Sliter Park bathrooms, finishing the sidewalk and railing running from downtown up to Marina Cay on Grand Ave., installing security cameras downtown, and remodeling the Art and Cultural Center with a new clocktower.

Donations from groups like the Bigfork Community Development Foundation help the CFBB take on bigger projects like remodeling the bathrooms at Sliter Park.

CFBB Vice President Donna Lawson said some of the projects the foundation wants to take on in the future include redoing the entry signs into Bigfork, finishing a sidewalk from Marina Cay to Montana 35 and installing wireless downtown.

Mutascio said the foundation tries to take on projects that the community of Bigfork needs. Sometimes people ask the CFBB to complete them and sometimes foundation board members suggest projects.

“We’re just carrying on what a lot of founders of Bigfork and old-timers established,” said Mutascio. “We have big shoes to fill because the originators of BDC (Bigfork Development Company) had a lot of foresight in the things they set out to accomplish.”

The BDC changed their name to the CFBB in 2005. Founded in 1970 by members of the Bigfork community, the development company was formed to save the old Bigfork Playhouse building after it burned down. The foundation now has about 275 members.

Mutascio and Lawson said the CFBB’s annual fundraiser helps them continue the work they do in the community.

The auctions will include over 200 items from Dick Greenshield’s homemade salsa to bigger ticket items like vacation packages and gravel. The fundraiser starts at 5 p.m.