Winter Carnival wraps up

The Whitefish Winter Carnival Committee wrapped up its annual celebration earlier this month and also helped launch the 2005 Whitefish centennial.

From the Yeti Snow Skate to a fireworks finale on the slopes of Big Mountain, this year's 46th carnival was colored by all the magic, playfulness and pomp of previous carnivals.

The grand parade marched and the penguins plunged - those who took the icy dip in Whitefish Lake not only raised goose bumps but also $19,000 for Special Olympics Montana.

Of that total, 60 percent stays in this area, one of 12 areas statewide, to fund the Special Olympics; the remaining 40 percent provides funding for the statewide program, according to Terri Sappington, the law enforcement torch run coordinator for Special Olympics Montana.

Sappington helps oversee the six penguin plunges that take place each year across Montana. This marked the seventh year for the Whitefish event. This year's Special Olympics Winter Games are March 6-8 on Big Mountain.

Although many of the outdoor events scheduled for the Winter Carnival were canceled this year due to lack of snow, this year's carnival theme, "Trains, Trees and Skis," targeted what is always in abundance in Whitefish, along with a community that, year after year, turns out in hearty support of its traditional carnival.

"None of the activities could happen without the enthusiasm and support of the committee, the business community, and all of the fantastic citizens of Whitefish and the surrounding area," writes committee member Rod Juno.

Vic and Debbie Direito are grateful to those who pitched in to try to save their dogs' lives last week. Louie, a golden retriever, and Sally, a beagle/shepherd mix, had gotten out of their fenced yard and wandered down to the Stillwater River together.

The two started across the thin ice, only to have it break beneath them. A woman driving by on West Reserve Drive saw the golden retriever struggling to scramble out and quickly called for help on her cell phone.

Animal control officer Paul Charbonneau responded to the call but another passer-by, Bill Ashe, had already rescued Louie by calling on his childhood Boy Scout training, crawling out over a log, threading his belt around the dog's collar and tugging him out. Unfortunately, Sally was already under and couldn't be saved. The two men carried Louie up the bank and Charbonneau rushed the 6-year-old retriever to All Creatures Veterinary Clinic.

Dr. Greg Markellis found the dog hypoglycemic, hypothermic - its body temperature had dropped to 92 degrees - and with an erratic pulse. He treated him with an intravenous catheter, sugar and oxygen, and gently warmed him with a hair dryer.

Sally's body was retrieved from the river the next day.

The Direitos and their two boys, Ben and Kyle, though saddened by the loss of their 12-year old dog, are happy to have Louie home safe and sound. He's still pretty stiff and sore, says Vic, who predicts he'll be an inside dog from now on.

And when Louie does go out, he still "woofs" for his companion, Sally. But his family is deeply thankful for everyone who took action to save Louie.