Good will trumps vandals in Hungry Horse

Hector Martinez of Allied Cleaning gave Hungry Horse a bit of the holiday spirit Wednesday, Nov. 21.

Martinez took a high-pressure washer to the massive steel ball that sits alongside U.S. 2. The historic ball was used by contractors S.L. Wixon and John H. Biddle to clear timber from the South Fork of the Flathead during construction of the Hungry Horse Dam in the 1950s.

A couple of weeks ago, vandals spray-painted graffiti in black paint on the ball, as well as several buildings and houses in Hungry Horse.

Volunteers painted over the graffiti on the ball last weekend, but they used a water-based paint. That night it rained, and the paint washed off.

Martinez said Allied Cleaning learned about the vandalism from the Flathead Country Sheriff’s Office and volunteered to help. He said the company often does this sort of work as a community service.

People thanked him as he operated the pressure washer using a compound called Elephant Snot to remove the graffiti. The washing didn’t affect the paint underneath.

An employee from the Huckleberry Patch restaurant across the street, which was also hit by the vandals, invited him in for a slice of pie and ice cream when he was finished.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is seeking help catching the perpetrators. Anyone with information about this crime or suspects is asked to call Crimestoppers at 752-8477 (or 752-TIPS).