Chamber honors citizens, businesses

Thirteen businesses and people were awarded Community Spirit Awards at the Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas luncheon Dec. 13.

The Teakettle Community Hall on Nucleus Avenue was completely full as members of the Columbia Falls High School band and choirs performed Christmas music. Several well-known local families were in attendance, including the Windauers, Kartheisers, Foleys, Weavers, Madsens and Torens.

The highlight of the event was an emotional speech by Tien Windauer, owner of Tien's Place. Windauer escaped from Vietnam and came to Columbia Falls 27 years ago when was 14. He was adopted here by the Windauer family.

Windauer also recognized Derek Toren, a Kalispell CPA attending the luncheon, as the red-headed kid who helped him adjust to life at Gateway Elementary School in 1984.

To honor all that Windauer has done for the community since graduating from high school here - including feeding so many local athletes on his dime - the Chamber made the first scholarship donation to the high school's new academic endowment fund in his name. A plaque honoring Windauer was made by the high school's shop class.

The Community Leader Award was given to Dee Brown, owner of Canyon RV, in Coram. Dee Brown is the outgoing Chamber president and was recently honored with the Columbia Falls Lions Club's Citizen of the Year award. She served in the Montana House until term-limited out and currently is running for the local Montana Senate seat.

Gladys Shay, a Hungry Horse News columnist who's been with the newspaper since it started in 1947, was one of the Community Spirit Award winners. She is a founder of the Columbia Falls library and the local Rainbow Girls chapter, was the local Lions Club's first president, served with the Montana Veterans Home Foundation and the VFW Auxiliary, and currently serves on the Flathead County Mental Health Board.

Lea Bechtold, another Spirit Award winner, has worked at the Chamber's visitor center near Marantette Park for 10 years. She said she has "a lot of fun telling people where to go."

Two outgoing Chamber board members were presented with Spirit Awards - Bill Shaw, the former city manager who plays Santa Claus for the Rotary Club at the Night of Lights event, and Kathleen Flint, who owns a campground in the Canyon.

Businesses that were presented Community Spirit Awards included Abbot Valley Homestead, Angie's Greenhouse, A & W Restaurant, Beehive Homes, Kalispell Regional Medical Center's Columbia Falls Clinic, Fox's Drive-in, Montana Earth Pottery, North Valley Eagles and Town Pump. Many of these businesses have new or remodeled buildings or have made significant contributions to local charities.

First Buck Awards were presented to Antiques And A Lot More, Kozy Cabins, Glacier Distilling Co., Muffler Alley, The Palette Cafe and Timber Creek Village Assisted Living Community.