Auction raises more than $80k for Bigfork

By ALEX STRICKLAND

Bigfork Eagle

The giving legacy of Ed and Pat Box continued Thursday night, Sept. 20 as much of their personal property was auctioned off in Kalispell to benefit the town they loved.

Pat passed away in 2006, a few years after her husband, and left her personal property and her home to the trust they created: The Bigfork Community Development Foundation trust. The trust then decided that the money earned from auctioning off these items would be split between the Bigfork QRU and the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork to support their sidewalk building project.

Upon moving to Bigfork in 1988, Ed and Pat immediately became part of the community, generously donating time and financial support to organizations around town.

"They were community benefactors," said Larry Jochim, chairman of the Flathead Bank board and one of the trustees. "The auction greatly exceeded expectations."

The sale, held at Gardner's Auction Service in Kalispell, brought in about $84,000, according to Jochim and auction house owner Todd Gardner.

Some advertising fees will be taken from the total, but Gardner's donated their space and services for the benefit.

"It was a good auction," Gardner said. "There was a great crowd and great crowd participation."

Items auctioned off included an oil painting by G. Harvey appraised at $22,000, and a wide variety of other paintings a large selection of bronzes. "Timberwolf," a bronze by famed western artist C.M. Russell was in the collection.

Leading up to the evening event Gardner's doors were open for people to look through the items and make notes on their auction sheets about which numbers looked most appealing.

Part-time Bigfork resident Terry Cummings and his wife Joan were perusing the tables of artwork and other items for something that caught their eye.

"We're just looking for some art," he said, and added that the cause brought him out as well.

Corey Salois, vice president of Bigfork Ambulance, said the QRU is putting the money toward their capital campaign to fund a new facility. They are currently housed in the Bigfork Fire Hall and are looking to expand both space and staff.

"We're trying to raise $950,000," Salois said. "It's really wonderful that the Box family did this and that the trust is willing to share it with us."

Since the ambulance is not tax supported, the organization relies entirely on donations and other forms of supplement to pay their staff of two and buy equipment. Increasing that staff is one of the things Salois said donations like this can help accomplish.

"The volunteer is kind of a dying breed," she said. "As Bigfork grows, so do our number of calls. We foresee in the future needing to pay staff at night also."

The two Emergency Medical Technicians on staff now work only during the day, leaving all nighttime calls up to volunteers.

The Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork, on the other hand, will be putting the money on the ground immediately with a new sidewalk that will run from Mountain Mike's to the Bridge Street Cottages.

"I was floored and elated when I got the news (CFFB would be a recipient)," Paul Mutascio, president of the CFBB, said.

The same day as the auction took place, the CFBB voted on a bid to complete the construction so that it can be under way soon, he said. Wisebuilt Construction won with a bid of about $86,000.

The sidewalk will be ADA compliant, which means hand rails on both sides of the walkway and not exceeding a five percent grade.

"The expense is more than we anticipated because of the ADA standards," he said. "This money will be really helpful."

Construction should start on the 300 ft. sidewalk in the next few weeks and be completed by winter, Mutascio said. "Everybody is ready to go."

CFBB's next goal in the sidewalk project is to build a walkway from the Bridge Street Cottages to Highway 35, but Mutascio said that's "still in the wishful stage."