Barbecue Fundraiser

The members of the Ferndale Volunteer Fire District would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the entire community for the overwhelming display of support at our annual barbecue fundraiser. The July event was a huge success with the best turn-out ever! Thanks to many generous donations from local residents and businesses, our silent auction received spirited bidding. The funds raised will assist our district in the purchasing of additional safety equipment.

We consider it an honor to serve the people of this community and greatly appreciate the support and friendship they offer us. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!

Be safe out there!

FVFD

As I write this, I am looking at one of my favorite Elmer Sprunger cartoons.

I liked it so much, I framed the original pencil and ink drawing. The cartoon is a parody of George W. Bush's State of the Union address. The president is wearing a tutu and is vigorously tossing about milk and honey. Elmer's cartoon self, a little floppy eared dog, is sitting and pondering, "but how about cutting off Amtrak funds and how about spending two trillion to fix social security."

Quintessential Sprunger.

Elmer Sprunger was a lot of things, and all of them were good. He was a historian, nature's patriarch, an uncompromising liberal, an accomplished artist, a devoted father, a true friend. He was my friend, and my life is better for it.

As a former editor of the Bigfork Eagle, I can tell you that everything Elmer drew for our newspaper had an impact on the community. I would love when he and Jerry would stop by the office to drop off that week's cartoon or just to chat about the state of the world. When Elmer was hospitalized after bouts of illness, he would pencil the cartoon from his hospital bed and give it to Jerry to be inked and set. In my tenure, I don't believe he ever missed a deadline. In fact, I'm sure he didn't.

My heart is heavy at his loss, for it is a loss to Bigfork and Montana. He captured the natural beauty of the west in his paintings, both landscape and wildlife. He was a tremendous advocate for preservation of the area's natural resources. He loved the land, and was such an integral part of it. His footsteps have trekked across the Flathead Valley, and I often wondered if there was any part of it he had not explored.

Since I moved from Bigfork just over a year ago, I have thought about my friends Elmer and Jerry often. I knew the day would come, that I would get that call, and I have tried to prepare. There was no preparing. The death of Elmer Sprunger is death to a part of Bigfork that I will always treasure. He was part of the town's soul. But his spirit will always remain in the white-capped mountains of the Swan range and the majestic beauty of the lake. His humor and wit will forever be sketched into the pages of the Bigfork Eagle. And his grace and charm will eternally be marked in my memory. Goodbye, my friend.

Katherine Head

Seaside, Ore.

In regards to the 200 ft. no wake zone that seemed to be in effect this summer, I have to ask when it was passed and who got to vote on it? Last we had heard, it was put in, then was sait it could not be inforeced because it had been started without going through proper channels.I know a young man that received a hefty fine, even while it was not supposed to be legal.

I am an Echo Lake property owner and I believe that those of you that live there year long, and see us "summer people" coming up, do not like the extra noise and commotion and lake traffic. I am sorry, but I have spent 27 years bringing my children up there for vacations, foregoing disneyland and all other vacations. My children played with and became good friends with neighborhood children. They all had a a wonderful childhood, skiing, tubing, and swimming. I know and understand people being worried about shorelines, and the diminishing of them, but this little lake has not a lot of places to go, that you are not within 200 ft. of shore and thus not able to have a safe traffic pattern.

Extending Swan Lake will have a rippling effect, and pretty soon, ski boats will not be allowed on any of these small lakes. Lets all just be sensible and kind to our neighbors and lets stop restricting our lives to the point of "legal" regulations.

I know that this is not going to be a popular letter, but I believe my opinions to be valid opinions, and they are not meant to anger others.

I love Echo Lake dearly. As my granddaughter said this summer: It is the most perfect place in the world"

Sincely,

Teri Iverson

When Judge Leslie Southwick was nominated to the US Court of Appeals, the American Bar Association gave him a rating of "highly qualified." They took a look at his decisions as a judge in Mississippi and concluded that our nation would be well-served to have him as a federal judge and gave him their highest rating.

Mr. Southwick's confirmation has been approved by the congressional Senate Judiciary Committee, but has been derailed by Senate Democrats as has happened in the past to other good nominations. It's important that the Senate nomination process be used to ensure good judges on our courts, and this man certainly fits the bill. He is known for following the law. Please call the local offices of Senators Max Baucus (256-1150) and Jon Tester (257-3360) and urge them to do their duty and give Judge Southwick a fair up or down vote!

Verdell Jackson

Senate District 5

I am writing in response to Jim Willows letter to the editor concerning the decision to not have a religious band perform at this year's Relay For Life. Apparently Mr. Willows is not aware Bigfork is a community with many different religions and beliefs, including people who may not believe in God at all. Relay is a community event where people of all belief systems are welcome. Deciding against having a Christian band was strictly to KEEP from discriminating against any religion or anyone. Just because Christianity is your belief Mr. Willows, does not mean it is everyone else's. There is a time and a place for individuals to express and practice their religious views, however Realy For Life is not one of those places.

Bailee Ingram

Bigfork

The musical entertainment at this years' Relay for Life was the best ever. We have many talented musicians in our area and are fortunate to have so many volunteer their time.

Bigfork is a diverse community and the entertainment is chosen with the hope of appealing to all. It was never our intention to slight anyone with our choices, and we apologize if anyone felt that way.

Many thanks to those who came together to work to find a cure for cancer and assure the success of Bigfork's 2007 Relay for Life. Planning for the 2008 Relay will start in the spring, please join the committee by contacting Debbie Ingram at 837-6280.

In Service,

Debbie Ingram - Entertainment Chairperson/2008 Event Chairperson

Diane Kautzman - 2007 Event Chairperson

Well a right of passage has past and once again the birds fly south. Through the haze of smoke, that is common this time of year, the young peregrine falcons that have flown over the skies of Bigfork for the last 12 years have once again taken to wing and are hunting along the lake with their parents.

This past research season had seen a great advancement in learning a bit more from these great trans-boarder indicator species (falcons to the great people of Bigfork). Around the world people may visit various websites to view these magnificent creatures perched upon buildings, water towers, bridges and many other man made structures, but only in Montana and more importantly, only in the Bigfork area was a research biologist able to place mini cams within a natural eyrie to observe what really happens in the wild (guess what, they do not eat just pigeons). This was a great breakthrough since the Bigfork falcons have been around for 12 (now 13 years) and since there are only about 65 known eyries (nest) in the entire state, this is special for Bigfork. Also a piece of wildlife research history (the first wild eyrie recorded) is not a bad item either. Next season we hope to have it available on the internet for interested people, right now we use the video to study behavior.

As the study season comes to an end we will be writing up our findings but also we will be informing people of what we have learned. Also, an important issue that is being raised is whether we will be back at the Bigfork site if the falcons do not return. I only bring this up since the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is going to allow falconers to go into falcon nests and remove young for their sport. We all keep our fingers crossed that this does not happen to the Bigfork falcons and ends the piercing screams, and fanciful flight, of the young at play over the bridge on a clear (when we have them) summers evening.

Again, thanks to the people (your local Forest Service office) who paved the way for this first ever research project, and the families who allowed us to access their properties to get to the study areas. It was a great season, and we have seen things that have never been observed before. See you next year.

Byron Crow

Field Worx Consulting

Polson