Boys and Girls Club fundraiser features chance at a private jet from party to Vegas

The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country continues to work out costs and logistics of building a new structure in Columbia Falls or using the old junior high for its programs, board President Justin Lee said last week.

Lee and other club members recently toured the old junior high with school officials. School District 6 will no longer need the building, its 13 classrooms and its two gyms on a regular basis after the new Glacier Gateway Elementary School is built.

The school plans on demolishing the north wing of the building, but everything south of the gyms will remain.

The club initially considered building an entirely new structure next to Ruder Elementary. That project is still an alternative, Lee noted. Right now, a committee is looking at both options — build new or renovate the old.

The new building would likely come with lower maintenance costs. But the older building is pretty much turn key, though costs like utilities and such would be higher.

The club hopes to have a final determination in the next few months, Lee said, as talks with the school district continue and the club works out the financial options.

“We want to do the most financially responsible project we can,” Lee said.

Lee said the Hub — as the club calls the center — is seen as a base of operations.

He said in the future, the Club would like to expand its programs into other valley communities.

Right now the club serves about 150 youths in Columbia Falls and the Canyon, providing after school programs and programs all summer long. It an economical way for working parents to get quality care and programs for their kids.

The club has received community support both individually and from businesses. North Valley Hospital recently pledged $25,000 toward the Hub project.

Folks can also help the club next month. The club along with PureWest Real Estate, and other local sponsors are hosting the Montana Suitcase Party April 17 from 7-10 p.m. Guests will arrive with a packed suitcase to an airplane hangar in the Glacier Jet Center to enjoy an evening of cocktails, food, music, dancing and entertainment.

Culminating the evening, a pair of tickets will be drawn and those lucky winners will board a private jet that will head directly to Las Vegas, and enjoy their complimentary room at the Paris, along with spending money for their weekend getaway. Two more pairs of tickets will be auctioned off to give additional guests the ability to join in on the Las Vegas weekend getaway. On Sunday afternoon, the private jet will leave Las Vegas to have our guests back in the Flathead Valley so they can return to work Monday morning.

Tickets are $100 for general entry per person and $150 for the VIP area per person.

For more information on sponsorship, or how to purchase individual tickets, contact Mandy Anderson at the club by calling (307) 797-1189 or by e-mailing manderson@bgcglacier.org.

Lee said the club appreciates all the support it gets from the community.

“We’re excited to see completion of the Hub. We feel like we’re responsible to the community and we feel we need to do right by the community,” he said.