CFBB auction nets more than $30,000

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

The Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork's 8th annual fundraiser went off without a hitch on Friday night at the Garden Bar, garnering plenty of cash for Bigfork as well as being the hottest ticket in town.

The fundraiser — complete with live and silent auctions — brought in just over $30,000 according to preliminary tallies, CFBB President Paul Mutascio said Monday.

"We were really happy considering the economy," Mutascio said. "The turnout was great, as was the generosity of Bigfork."

Last year the event raised about $35,000.

The CFBB — formerly known as the Bigfork Development Company — contributes to and performs many projects around the Village, from paying to have streets swept during the summer months to donating to the Bigfork Steering Committee to their most recent visible project, installing a new sidewalk on Bridge Street downtown.

Mutascio said sometime in the near future, the group would like to build a section of sidewalk that would close the gap on Grand Avenue between Marina Cay and Highway 35.

In March of this year, CFBB kicked off its "Big Green: Keeping Bigfork Clean" campaign, with a goal making Bigfork one of the "greenest" communities in Montana. Efforts include establishing a recycling center in town and the possibility of installing solar powered trash cans for visitors, and trash receptacles that will allow the separation of paper, glass and plastic.

This year's fundraiser was held on Friday night instead of the usual Thursday evening time, which Mutascio said could have helped the turnout.

"It was wall to wall," he said. "We ran out of Hale's Noodles and beer and wine."

CFBB also emptied out "Big Pork," the group's 350-pound brass piggy bank, recently, which contained about $600 raised in the last six months.