Blacktail Trail must raise $28,000 by July 31

With the funding match for Lakeside to Blacktail trails at almost 30 percent of what’s needed, the Lakeside Community Development Foundation presents three fundraising nights and $5 raffle tickets in their final push to raise the remainder of the funding before the July 31 deadline.

In order to secure the $300,000 in Community Transportation Enhancement Program funding allocated by the county last March for the Blacktail Trail project, the community development foundation needs to raise $40,000. At this point they have raised just over $12,000.

If the match requirement is not met by the deadline, there is only one other option in the eyes of committee members — to scale down the project and apply what they have raised so far as a match to some CTEP funding.

“It’s nothing that’s going to stop the project. It’s (amount of funding) just going to decide where it’s (the trail) going to go,” said committee member Debbie Spaulding. “The biggest goal is to connect Volunteer Park to Ben Williams Park.”

But the committee still has six more weeks to raise the remaining $28,000 they need to complete the full project. The proposed trail would be ADA accessible and run from Volunteer Park up Blacktail Road until just beyond the Youth With a Mission complex.

Committee member Johanna Bangeman said they are waiting to hear back on several grants in addition to the fundraisers they have scheduled for the end of June. They’ve applied to Plum Creek for money and to the Flathead Electric Co-op Round Up For Safety grant. Their fundraisers include $100 tickets for a cruise around Flathead Lake on June 23, Community Tap Night at the Tamarack on June 27 and an outdoor barbecue at the Homestead Cafe on June 30.

“We’re expecting people coming back for the summer to want to donate,” Bangeman said. “Every dollar donated is increased at least seven times, if not eight, by those CTEP funds.”

The lake cruise starts at 3:30 p.m. at The Docks in Lakeside and includes a drawing for a week stay in a beach house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Only 48 tickets are avaiable and can be purchased at The Docks, ARTrageous or the Tamarack.

Community Tap Night runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes a drawing for “Dine Out Flathead.” The Homestead Cafe barbecue runs from 4-7 p.m. and includes a “Pamper the Pup” door prize.

The committee is selling raffle tickets, which can be purchased from ARTrageous or any committee member. Raffle packages will be drawn at the Lakeside Fair on July 14. Prizes inclue a mountain bike package, hiking package, ski/snowboard package, running/walking package and a paddle package.

For more information on the raffle contact Barb Miller at 871-7318.

Donations can also be mailed to P.O. Box 1002, Lakeside, MT 59922.