Kids get quality time with Rooty the Root Bear
Kids and family from the Columbia Falls Head Start preschool program visit with Rooty the Bear after getting free root beer floats last week. In the background is owner Brenda Matson.
The kids at Northwest Montana Head Start program in Columbia Falls got a special treat last week, with free root beer floats at A&W in Columbia Falls as part of the “Week of the Young Child” celebration.
About 70 kids attend the Head Start program, which prepares kids from ages 3 to 5 for elementary school, said teacher Margo Frahm. The Columbia Falls program serves communities from the Canyon to Whitefish, she noted.
Every year during the Week of the Young Child the kids make artwork and hang it in a local business. A&W owner Brenda Matson invited the kids and their families to the restaurant this year. They also met the A&W mascot Rooty the Root Bear.
The local restaurant has been in Columbia Heights since 1969, Matson said.
The restaurant chain is celebrating its 100th year, best known for its fresh-made root beer, served in a frosted glass mug.
The Columbia Falls Head Start is currently taking applications for enrollment next year, Frahm said. Visit its website at: http://nwmtheadstart.org for more information.
The school is located at the end of Nucleus Avenue and busing is available for students to and from the program.