Decorating downtown
Kelly Thumm, left, and Susan Moore hold a section of garland as its attached to the street lights Sunday morning downtown. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Chris Schustrom holds up Santa as the garland is lifted into the air on Central Avenue Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
The Santa decoration sits on the ground before being lifted up across Central Avenue. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Jim Trout, left, and Mike Muldown hold up a section of garland Sunday morning on Central Avenue. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Volunteers hold a section of garland Sunday morning on Central Avenue. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish was decorated in its iconic winter fashion Sunday morning.
Volunteers strung lighted punctuated with red bells, snowflakes and wreaths throughout downtown signaling the beginning of the holiday season.
The decorations are a tradition that have brightened town for more than 50 years.
A group of dedicated volunteers have been repairing, replacing, improving and hanging and taking down those same decorations every winter season.
The nonprofit Whitefish Shines takes donations for the materials to keep the tradition alive. To donate to the decoration project, Whitefish Shines, P.O. Box 695 Whitefish, MT 59937.