Park Service party draws a crowd

About 150 people attended a party to recognize the 100th birthday of the National Park Service last week at the Glacier Outdoor Center in West Glacier. The event was hosted by Glacier Country tourism.

Glacier Park Superintendent Jeff Mow, Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney and Katherine Cheng, the head of global corporate citizenship for online travel giant Expedia spoke at the event.

Cooney noted some of Glacier Park’s history, recalling when Franklin Delanor Roosevelt gave a fireside chat from Two Medicine Chalet.

“I wish everyone, old and young could see this place,” Cooney recited from Roosevelt’s speech.

Cooney noted it was up to us to protect and preserve the park for future generations.

Mow said he was also looking to the future, noting the Park Service was in the “forever business.” He noted the Park was the first ever international peace park and this fall, upwards of 40 representatives from other nations are expected to come to Glacier to discuss peace parks across the world.

Cheng said her family have been visiting parks for years now and have come to Glacier often. Expedia is working a grant for the Glacier Park Conservancy and hopes to do projects in the Park later this fall.

The company also had a host of young bloggers visiting Montana on a journey from Missoula to Glacier who attended the party.