Voices of the Wilderness celebration Nov. 3
The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation is hosting its 11thannual Voices of the Wilderness celebration and fundraiser on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake at 5:30 p.m.
This year, the keynote speakers will be from the Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto, a recognized chapter of the National Speleological Society.
Ian Chechet is the Chairman of the NRMG, Montana’s only registered caving club. In the past few years, he has taken part in five multi-week caving expeditions into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. During these expeditions, he has hiked and floated deep in the Bob and surveyed the very bottom of the deepest limestone cave in the United States, Tears of the Turtle.
Hans Bodenhamer, a teacher at Bigfork High School, has been exploring and caving in Montana since 1981. He is a renowned cave cartographer, responsible for mapping nearly 300 caves across the state. He leads the Bigfork High School Cave Club to work with state and federal agencies, conducting conservation work in caves throughout the state. He has led caving expeditions to the Bob Marshall for the last 17 consecutive years.
Musical guests Sweet Water Junction and Josh Harvey will entertain with folk music throughout the evening and the first 30 guests will receive a free drink ticket thanks to event sponsor The Front Brewing Company. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at http://www.bmwf.org/events or at the door. Space is limited, so guests are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance and to bring cash for the bar and for raffle tickets.
Unique auction items and raffle prizes include artwork, photography, pottery, leatherwork, outdoor gear, handmade jewelry, craft beverages, and more. A five-day pack trip with Swan Mountain Outfitters is the grand prize raffle item. Proceeds from this event help the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation keep trails open in the Bob and helps to strengthen the next generation of stewards by getting adult and youth into the wilderness.
Key financial donors and sponsors making this event possible include Bob Ward’s, Counter Assault, DA Davidson, Edward Jones-Joel Pemberton, Flathead Electric Cooperative, Fun Beverage, Glacier Distilling, Park Side Credit Union, Rocky Mountain Outfitters, Sweetgrass Psychological Services, and Western Horseman.