Our community celebration at the Hungry Bear on June 27th was a big success.
A great big thank you to the 100 Swan Valley Residents that came to the Swan Valley Community Foundation 2023 Celebration Dinner and thank you to the Hungry Bear for hosting us. By all accounts everyone had a good time, the food was excellent, and the music was fine.Best of all, lots of laughter, and good conversations with old friends and new.
We shared a a brief history of the Foundation with our guests and how it was time to formulate a new strategic plan. We asked them to help us over dinner by talking about community needs they saw in the valley and how the Foundation might help.
We asked folks to write their ideas down on cards, and if willing, to volunteer to help with foundation projects or even serve on the board.
The response was very positive and we collected 71 cards. Now we are transcribing the cards and collating the suggestions. We will send out an informational email later in July that summarizes the suggestions and describes what the Foundation sees for its agenda over the next few years.
Joyce Sharp with acclaim from all, received the first annual Swan Valley Community Service Award, for her tireless and unstinting work supporting the Swan Valley Emergency Services and the Swan Valley Fire Service Area Board. Seven Swan Valley community oriented groups successfully applied for SVCF community service grants. Representatives from those groups received their grants after dinner. Each representative spoke about their group and how they were going to use the funds. The groups received a total of $9,100 in Grants. These funds will help: the Alpine Artisans bring musical artists into Swan Valley Elementary School; the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 63 install lights on our flag at the Community Hall; the Living with Wildlife Foundation clean up wildlife attractants at campsites throughout the valley; the Swan Valley Community Library replace the worn out classics collection; the Swan Valley PTA host the Missoula Childrens’ Theatre; the Swan Valley Senior Services provide nutritious hot meals to our elderly, and the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society repair a leaky roof at the Museum.
And finally a great big thank you to those who donated funds. That is really appreciated and supports the continued work of the Foundation.
We wish everyone in the Swan Valley to have a very good Fourth of July!
