Thanks for feast, friendship

There are many on this day after Thanksgiving who are stuffed with gratitude for the magnificent holiday feast that fed hundreds on Thursday in the grand tradition begun 27 years ago at Sykes’ Restaurant.

Even though Sykes’ closed in August, scores of volunteers continued the community effort at the Samaritan House administration building in Kalispell. Food and friendship abounded, and about 400 people who couldn’t get to the dinner received their meal at home.

We are thankful and grateful for this wonderful event.

WHEN IT comes to tireless community leaders, put Richard Atkinson at the top of the list.

The Whitefish philanthropist’s innovative “Old Man Walking” campaign to raise the last round of funding for the Whitefish Performing Arts Center at the middle school is commendable. He intends to walk six kilometers a day, rain or snow, for 151 consecutive days to get the job done.

When the recession took a $700,000 bite out of pledges for the auditorium, Atkinson decided he had to get creative. That’s when he put on a bright green T-shirt and started walking.

In the latest twist, he’s encouraging Whitefish Middle School students who use the state-of-the-art auditorium to get involved in the fundraising once again. Their slogan: “Old Man Walking... Young Kids Running.” If you can help with a donation or pledge, send it, made payable to Whitefish Middle School Auditorium Project, to P.O. Box 4225, Whitefish, MT 59937-4224.

BRAVO to Flathead High School for promoting a “culture of literacy” with its He-Man Book Club. As high-tech gadgets and games relentlessly compete for teens’ attention, this club is promoting the importance of reading and fostering skills that will take these boys a long way in life.

The 28 members of the year-old club are somewhat of an anomaly because high-school boys generally aren’t known for their love of the written word. But they’re finding out that reading is not only cool, it’s also fun. They frequently hang out with and read to kindergarten “buddies” from St. Matthew’s School, showing the next generation the value and the thrill of a good book.