Chamber of Commerce discusses upcoming events
THOMPSON FALLS- The Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce met on Friday at the Rimrock Lodge just outside of town to discuss the effectiveness of past events and the potential for upcoming events. About 10 members including Mayor Carla gathered in the scenic lounge overlooking the Clark Fork River for the meeting.
Jen Kreiner of the Sanders County Community Development Corporation began the meeting with an update about Tour 200 and Ride Idaho. Tour 200 is a non-profit entity associated with the SCCDC dedicated to economic and community development in Sanders County.
Ride Idaho is an annual seven-day bicycle tour beginning on August 4 and ending on the 10th. The ride will feature cyclists from 37 states and three Canadian Provinces.
Three-hundred and fifty riders will make a loop starting and ending in Coeur d’Alene taking them over 425 miles from start to finish. Cyclists will travel through Noxon and Thompson Falls before heading back to Idaho.
Next on the agenda for the chamber was a report about the upcoming “Relay for Life” event on August 2 and 3. The fundraising event will take place at Thompson Falls High School and provides money to the American Cancer Society.
According to ACS website, 4 million people in over 20 countries participate in the annual event. The event raises 40 to 50 percent of the income for the ACS.
The opening ceremony for the “Relay for Life” will begin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 with a special reception for cancer survivors and caregivers at 5:30 p.m. The fundraiser will feature a silent auction and a luminary lighting. More information about the event can be found at www.sanderscountyrelay.org.
The next topic up for discussion was the Huckleberry Festival that begins on Aug. 9 and continues through the 11th. The need for a new public address system was raised by festival Chairperson Liz Citrino.
The Huckleberry festival has been held in Trout Creek for the last 30 years and was started by a group of local artists to sell their wares. More than 100 vendors are expected this year to sell arts and crafts. Scheduled events include a parade, a 5K fun run, karaoke, dancing under the stars, a dog agility show and a pageant among other activities.
The Trout Creek Fire Department will also serve a huckleberry pancake breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. More information about the festival can be found at www.huckleberryfestival.com.
Local businessman Bruce Moran was next to speak before the chamber members. Moran is head of a local company that builds traffic control lights. He said that while there are no traffic lights in Sanders County, his company still manages to provide a valuable service to the community through employment opportunities.
Part of the “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” workshop sponsored by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, a kayak float down the Clark Fork River was next on the agenda. Sanders County residents wishing to learn how to kayak or those experienced and just in the mood for a leisurely float were encouraged to attend.
Participants will meet at the First Security Bank in Thompson Falls and carpool to the state park about two miles away. The float will end at Finley Flat where attendees will enjoy a Dutch oven meal. More information can be provided by Ginger Ward at 406-827-4597.
Photographer Linda Elliot was next to speak about the Sunflower Gallery in Thompson Falls. The gallery features the work of 16 local artists utilizing a wide variety of mediums from pottery and jewelry to painting and knitting.
The meeting ended with a call for everyone to attend the chicken jamboree that took place last weekend. The event drew about 200 people to PPL park in Thompson Falls. Hungry residents consumed 350 pounds of chicken grilled up by members of the Men’s Prayer Breakfast Group; a non-denominational organization based in the community.