Whitefish volunteers, businesses honored at chamber awards
Known as a man with an “aptitude for establishing friendships,” Lin Akey was honored last week for his countless hours spent volunteering in Whitefish.
Akey was given this year’s Great Whitefish award at the annual Whitefish Chamber community awards ceremony. The honor recognizes a lifetime of contributions to the community.
“If you need a volunteer — he’s your man,” said his son Joe Akey. “We are forever indebted to him.”
Akey has spent the past 28 years in the finance and banking industry and has been the branch president of Glacier Bank in Whitefish for seven years. Akey married his high school sweetheart, Kathy Preuninger, in 1973. They have three sons and eight grandchildren.
“I’ve been a partner in a lot of schemes,” Lin Akey, said humbly in accepting the honor. “This is one heck of a place to be a citizen and community member. I have to thank my partner for 42 years, Kathy.”
Akey was named King Ullr LVI serving as royalty for this year’s Whitefish Winter Carnival. He was co-chairman of the event in the late 1970s and served as the carnival’s prime minister decades ago. He has served in the roll of master of ceremonies at the annual Carnival Merry Maker for the last 27 years.
He has been involved in numerous boards and committees including the Whitefish City Council, North Valley Hospital, founding member of the Whitefish resort tax, Whitefish Legacy Partners, Rotary, Whitefish Community Foundation, the Whitefish Historical Society and the North Valley Food Bank.
As chair of the Whitefish Legacy Partners, Akey took his grandchildren to Helena last year to testify before the Montana Land Board about the importance of the recreation easement that created the Whitefish Trail.
Joe ran through a list of his father’s volunteer work with youth. He has been the “guy in the orange vest” on the chain gang at Bulldog football games. He helped spearhead a project to construct a new track for Whitefish High School, and was part of efforts to reconstruct Central School.
“He has spent countless hours coaching,” Joe said. “And he’s always on the sidelines.”
Business of the Year
Business of the Year was awarded to Sportsman and Ski Haus.
Sportsman & Ski Haus opened in 1968 when Don Burks and Mel James opened Sportsman’s Surplus near the corner of Idaho and Main streets in Kalispell. The store’s name later changed to Sportsman & Ski Haus.
A second store opened in Whitefish in the late 1970s at the Mountain Mall. The Kalispell store moved to its new, larger building in the Hutton Ranch Plaza in June 2007.
A remodel of the Whitefish store was completed in 2013. The project updated the facade of the building and reconfigured the inside of the store.
“The remodel anchored us to Whitefish,” said Peter Kazlauskas with Sportman. “We plan on being here a long time.”
Sportsman has hosted the annual WINGS cancer foundation fundraiser, is a sponsor of the Whitefish Lake Run and has been a contributor to the Whitefish Trail.
Tourism Business
of the Year
The Tourism Business of the Year award went to the Whitefish Winter Carnival Committee.
For more than 50 years, the annual festival has drawn thousands of visitors to Whitefish to celebrate winter.
Over the years many groups of dedicated volunteers have kept the carnival and its tradition alive by organizing a first-class festival each year in February.
“This is a great honor and a great surprise,” carnival chair Paul Johannsen said. “For all 15 of us on the board.”
Citizen of the Year
The Citizen of the Year award went to a group of citizens who began a quest several years ago to turn a “rock pile” into a garden and succeeded. The award went to the Whitefish Lions Club for their work creating the Farm to School garden, now located between Whitefish High School and Muldown Elementary.
The garden got its start six years ago on a plot of land next to the Don K car dealership. Each year, middle school students are involved with planting and harvesting the garden. During the summer, Lions Club members maintain the garden. The food grown is given to the school district and ends up on the students plates at lunchtime.
Greg Schaffer said the garden has become part of the culture of the school district.
“We’ve worked very hard,” he said. “This is our legacy program — we want kids learning about better health and nutrition.”
Volunteers of the Year
The Volunteer of the Year award went to Jim and Karen Morell because they are “part of the chamber family.”
Chamber director Kevin Gartland said the couple was integral in the creation and continued success of the Great Northwest Oktoberfest. They have been in charge of concessions at Oktoberfest, and when their trained replacements moved away, the couple decided to come out of “retirement” to help again.
They have served as bartenders for the annual Taste of Whitefish and volunteer with Winter Carnival where they are in charge of button sales.
Karen was named chamber Ambassador of the Year in 2011 and Jim volunteers at the Whitefish Community Center.
“It’s been a heck of a lot of work, but we enjoy doing it,” Jim said, simply.
Ambassador of the Year
Ambassador of the Year went to Cathy Juno because “she really cares about the community.”
In receiving her award, Juno recalled that she drove to Whitefish in 1984.
“I fell in love with it and I always want to make it the best community it an be,” she said.