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Category Archives: Events

Riverside Park Murals to be Unveiled

From jumping and fishing at the dock, to jumping in the freezing water at the Polar Plunge, to watching fireworks on the Fourth of July, Riverside Park has been a place I have gone my whole life to have fun and I want to give back.” These are the words of Cameron Decker who is the Department Head of Fine Arts at SKC and is finishing his Masters’ Degree in Art through the University of Montana.

With the help of the Greater Polson Community Foundation, gifts from Suzanne Booker, the Cowan Trust and the Jarecki Foundation, Matt Holmes, PHS art teacher/licensed tile contractor, PHS students, Boys and Girls Club students and Upward Bound students, this dream is becoming a reality.

The project is a tri-panel (triptych) tile mosaic composition that will be installed on the west side of the Riverside restrooms. Each panel is 30 square feet (6’ X 5’) for a total of 90 square feet of mosaic tile. There are at least 120-6“X6” tiles for the border alone and an undetermined amount of tiles ranging from less than 1”X1” and up. Colors range from greens to blues to whites, reds, purples and yellows.

The far left panel will be a rendition of a rising sun, the middle panel will represent mid-day and the right panel will be the evening with fireworks, all occurring on Flathead Lake. A prominent figure of a Kootenai woman will appear in the middle panel, referencing a photograph taken by Edward Curtis in his visit to the lake. Upon close inspection, one will find various shaped tiles that have been created by our community.

The panels are the focal point to a concrete pad and benches the City of Polson is installing which will be dedicated to the memory of Officer William Cleveland who died of cancer on November 15, 2015. His badge will be replicated and embedded in the mural, thus connecting the two projects.

Please join Cameron, et al., in the unveiling of this beautiful addition to the Polson landscape on Sunday, September 24th at 1:00 p.m. at Riverside Park in Polson.

Passion For Polson – Annual Fundraising Event

The GPCF Board of Directors is looking forward to seeing our friends at the Annual Passion for Polson Fundraiser

DINNER & DANCE & AUCTION – Friday, August 4, 2017  5:30 – 9:30 p.m.

@ Polson Youth Soccer Complex – 311 Ridgewater Drive, Polson, MT

 

Because You love making a difference…

GPCF Awards 2017 Grants to Local Non-Profits

POLSON — Because of the generosity of Greater Polson Community Foundation (GPCF) donors, a total of $468,600 has been awarded to worthy needs and projects in our community from 2009 through mid 2017.
The Greater Polson Community Foundation recently distributed $26,100.00 among sixteen local non-profit organizations as part of its 2017 grant cycle. The amount distributed represents the annual earnings from the GPCF’s permanent endowment fund. Gifts and contributions from donors have added significantly to the permanent endowment, which now totals over $500,000. Only the earnings can be used from the permanent endowment. The more this fund grows, the more earnings are available for GPCF’s annual grants.
The 2017 award recipients are: Flathead Lake Biological Station, North Lake County Public Library, Sunburst Community Service Foundation, Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC), Ninepipes Museum, Polson Flathead Historical Museum, Lake County Fairgrounds- Lights Under the Big Sky, Helping Hands, Polson Fairgrounds, Inc., Boys & Girls Club, Mission Valley Ice Arena, Lake County Community Development Corp, P.E.A.C.E., Mission Valley Live, Polson School District Gifted & Talented Program and Miracle of America Museum.
The grants support a wide variety of youth and community-oriented projects including: Leadership Development programs, Winterfest Activities, Outdoor Summer programs, Baby Box Project, Preservation and showcasing of historical data and artifacts, a beautiful film festival as well as a series of musical showcases.
You can find out more information about the Greater Polson Community Foundation by visiting our website at www.greaterpolsoncommunityfoundation.org or contact us at (406) 883-4723 to ask us about directed gifts, donor advised funds, legacy gifts and memorial donations.
“Being able to support our community non-profits and their projects is definitely the highlight of our year. GPCF is able to fund these grants because our donors truly love making a difference,” GPCF president, Toni Young said.

Clean Up ~ Green Up!

Polson Clean Up 2017[4734]

~~2017 Grant Cycle & Workshop Dates Announced~~

Greater Polson Community Foundation Announces New Grant Funding Cycle:

The GPCF invites 2017 grant applications.  The 2017 grant application deadline is April 28, 2017.  Grant applications will be accepted from non-profit organizations with a 501c(3) status in the Greater Polson area.

Grants from the Greater Polson Community Foundation can make a significant difference.  A total of $414,755.00 has been contributed to meet needs in our community since grants were first awarded in 2009.  Grants are funded annually by the earning’s from the foundation’s growing permanent endowment and other available GPCF funds. Past grant awards have supported a variety of youth and community projects. GPCF President Toni Young says “our grant funding support to our community non-profits and their projects is a highlight of our year”.

The Committee is looking for how well the prospective project matches the mission and values of the GPCF as well as addressing critical needs that strengthen our community.  As you prepare your application, think about how your project can enhance and improve the lives of the people who live here.

The GPCF is planning a Grant Application Workshop at the North County Library in Polson on March 23rd from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. This workshop, which is not mandatory, will walk an applicant through the process and is beneficial to non-profits writing grants or foundation requests for funding.

GPCF will accept applications for pre-screen completeness until April 14th 2017 and complete applications must be postmarked no later than Friday, April 28th.  The complete 2017 Grant Application is available to download online at www.greaterpolsoncommunityfoundation.org  where you will also find a list of previous GPCF grant recipients.  If you have questions, please contact the GPCF office at (406) 883-4723

FLIC Unspooling in Polson on January 20-22, 2017

Polson’s Fifth Annual FLIC Film Festival

The Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (or FLIC for short) is unspooling its fifth annual winter film festival during the weekend of January 20-22, 2017 at the Showboat Cinema on Main Street in Polson, Montana.

FLIC has been recognized as one of the top 15 Winter Film Festivals in the United States by the Audience Awards. David W. King, FLIC Co-Chair and producer said, “We’re excited to bring a diverse slate of 61 independent films to Polson and the Mission Valley for the fifth year in a row. Each year brings with it new cinematic treasures.”

FLIC 2017 will be screening full-length features, shorts, animated films, and documentaries. True to its name, FLIC is once again offering a broad selection of international films from countries that include Australia, Canada, Spain, Taiwan, Croatia, France, and the USA. In addition, there are 14 films produced in Montana, which is more than in any previous year.

FLIC kicks off on Friday, January 20th with an informal gathering from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Lake Bar on Highway 93 in downtown Polson. Film showings on two screens begin at 7 p.m. On Saturday, January 21st, there will be a break in film showings from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. for a second informal gathering at the Vine & Tap on Main Street. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served each evening.

As in years past, the FLIC judges have enjoyed unearthing FLIC 2017’s gems. This year’s standout films include North of Known, a stunning feature documentary in which professional paragliders and adventurers Gavin McClurg and Dave Turner attempt a full, unsupported traverse of the Alaska Range by foot and paraglider. Another rich documentary, The Walk, produced by Polson’s Jim Ereaux, profiles the Coast to Coast walk across Northern England with images and poetry. Narrative stories are also bountiful this year, including Life Now, Life Then, another Montana feature in which an introvert recounts the summer of ’94, when he and his brother plotted revenge against their abusive father. The weekend is packed with a broad array of short films, too.

Saturday morning begins at 8:30 a.m. with a FLIC’s popular free family movie screening. This year’s film is Home, featuring an alien on the run from his own people who makes friends with a girl and tries to help her on her quest.  Attendees are encouraged to arrive in their pajamas and enjoy a free breakfast sponsored by Polson’s Rotary Club, which also prepares the breakfast. This non-ticketed screening is free so seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

As with previous years, many of FLIC’s screenings will include question and answer sessions with filmmakers. Stay tuned for more details as FLIC’s grand weekend in January gets closer!

The festival closes on Sunday, January 22nd with a “Best Of” awards show, which will be held at Showboat Cinema. Approximately 20 awards will be handed out in various categories.

All films, times and events are subject to change. Additional information on the festival is being updated online at www.flicpolson.com and/or Facebook or email info@flicpolson.com.

~~Record Breaking Passion for Polson ~~
  • October 18, 2016 – 1:00 pm | Posted in Events

Annual Fund-Raiser Sets New Record

The eighth annual “Passion for Polson Celebration” held Friday, August 5 at the home of Tim and Kelly Bagnell, generated $26,759, a new record for the Greater Polson Community Foundation.

The event also broke previous attendance records as 198 donors made reservations for the festive dinner-dance.  A live band, The Grateful Dads, traveled from the Sacramento area at their own expense and rolled back the clock by playing danceable rock and roll music.  Their lead singer, whose voice was amazingly similar to that of “The King,” Elvis Presley, delighted the crowd when he sang those familiar songs.

There was lively bidding for both the live and silent auction items which together generated $12,270, which also set a new record.

The 2017 “Passion for Polson Celebration” will be held Friday, August 4.

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~Because you love making a difference ~ 2016 GPCF Grants Awarded
  • October 6, 2016 – 7:45 am | Posted in Events, News

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The Greater Polson Community Foundation recently distributed $18,501 among nine local non-profit organizations as part of its 2016 grant cycle.  The amount distributed represents the annual earnings from the GPCF’s permanent endowment fund.  The award recipients are:  Crown of the Continent Guitar Scholarship, Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC), Friends of Lake County Fairgrounds, Lake County Parks Board, Mission Valley Aquatics, Mission Valley Ice Arena, Onward and Upward, North Lake County Public Library, and Polson Middle School.

The grants support a wide variety of youth and community-oriented projects including: amenities and exercise stations for trail users on Polson’s walking trails, a LEGO project and building table, scholarships for local guitar students, support for communication and literacy skills for Polson Middle School students, materials for STEM projects (science-technology-engineering-math) in Polson’s elementary schools, support for the FLIC film festival, a portable multi-use stage for 4-H and other youth activities, equipment for a new winter festival organized by the Mission Valley Ice Rink and Boys’ and Girls’ Club member swim lessons at the Mission Valley Aquatics Center.

“Being able to support our community non-profits and their projects is definitely the highlight of our year.  GPCF is able to fund these grants because our donors truly love making a difference,” said GPCF Board President Penny Jarecki.

Gifts and contributions from donors have added significantly to the permanent endowment, which now totals over $600,000.  Only the earnings can be used from the permanent endowment.  The more this fund grows, the more earnings are available for GPCF’s annual grants.

Denim & Diamonds — Passion For Polson Event 2016
  • May 10, 2016 – 2:12 pm | Posted in Events

20160510_094731 copyThe 8th annual “Passion for Polson Celebration” will be held Friday, Aug. 5 on the park-like grounds surrounding the home of Drs. Tim and Kelly Bagnell on Rocky Point Road. Their beautiful home has an unobstructed view of the lake, the Swan Range, and on a clear day, the peaks of Glacier Park.

A special treat, and one in keeping with this year’s party theme, “Denim & Diamonds,” will be the opportunity to see examples of the popular performance quarter horses the Bagnells raise. Seeing mares with their foals will be sweet.

Recipients of the 2016 GPCF grants will be announced, and a delicious dinner will be catered by Caffe Firenze. There also will be a short list of interesting items for a live auction. The festive evening will be rounded out with music provided by the band, the Grateful Dads. The four members of this band, special friends of Polson, are traveling from the Sacramento area at their own expense to make our evening together especially fun. So wear your dancing shoes!

All “Passion for Polson Celebration” parties have been graciously hosted at the homes of donors who believe in the mission and possibilities of the Greater Polson Community Foundation. These events have been a big part of the GPCF’s foundation and growth. Since 2009, when grants were first awarded, donors have made it possible for GPCF to give over $420,000 to meet needs in our community.

Donors Share Passion At Annual Celebration
  • November 11, 2015 – 2:46 pm | Posted in Events

11822989_1457496004576798_4546091336722873890_oDenver Holt has been around the world, more than a few times, and knows a thing or two about beautiful locations and natural attractions. He’s the director of the Owl Institute in Charlo and one of the world’s foremost experts on owls.
Holt was the guest of honor at this year’s Annual Passion For Polson Celebration, and he wasted no time sharing with his audience that the Mission Valley is unique, and it has a lot to draw one particular crowd: birders.

Holt’s talk brought the theme of the party, Go Wild for Polson, into sharp focus. He encouraged community members, and the leaders in attendance, to look into nature-based, sustainable tourism opportunities to contribute to a more vibrant year-round local economy.

Violinist Geoffrey Castle dazzled guests with lively melodies as the evening sun set on the lakefront home of Darrell and Sandi Cain. The event saw a record number of guests in attendance and raised $21,562.12 for the foundation.

“A great many people told me afterward that this event was the best one we have ever had,” said GPCF Penny Jarecki, praising the location, food, decor and presentation.

A live auction, which rounded out the evening with some animated bidding, earned $8,700, and was highlighted by the sale of two “Day With Denver” packages, each bringing in $2,800.