Park staff looking for 100-year celebration ideas

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

On May 11, 1910, Congress created Glacier National Park. On May 11, 2010, the Park will turn 100.

And now it's time to start planning for that celebration.

Park officials will start bending the ear of the public later this month on ideas on how to celebrate the Park's birthday. The first "listening session," as the Park calls them, is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the West Glacier Community Building at Park headquarters. A host of other meetings are planned as well, said Kass Hardy, the centennial coordinator for Glacier.

"It's open to everyone and anyone," Hardy said of the meeting.

Other sessions:

? Aug. 21 — Many Glacier Hotel Lucerne Room, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; St. Mary Visitor Center, 4 to 7 p.m.

? Aug. 22 — East Glacier Park Lodge, 4 to 7 p.m.

? Aug. 26 — Polebridge fire house, 4 to 7 p.m.

Many more meetings are on tap for September and October.

The hope is to get as many ideas from the public as possible and put them to work. After all, you only turn 100 once.

"Our hope is that a lot of events will take place in gateway communities," Hardy said.

The centennial celebration isn't just about a party, however, it's also about raising awareness to some of the threats that face the Park. It's also about educating children, who are ultimately the future managers of the Park, Hardy noted.

Currently about 50 people sit on a steering committee to plan the 100th anniversary of the Park. They include gateway community members, Park staff and the Park's four partners.

The focus of the committee right now is to hold the listening sessions and then put those ideas to good use.

Hardy has set up a blog about the Centennial of the Park's Web site at www.nps.gov/glac/parknews/blogs_hardy.htm that will have updates on the celebration.

There is also a Web site that takes you directly to the Centennial events at www.glaciercentennial.org/. The centennial Web site has useful applications for retailers and other vendors who would like to use the Park's Centennial logo in events, on merchandise and in publications such as books. The logo is copyrighted by the Park and must be licensed before use.

Fees from usage then go back into the celebration.