A dream come true for vets

Vision, dedication and commitment.

Allen Erickson was lauded this week for having all of those qualities as he works tirelessly to make life better for our military veterans. He’s been the driving force behind the Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down and Food Pantry, which inaugurated its spacious new facility in Evergreen on Monday.

The 11,098-square-foot building is a dream come true not only for Erickson and his faithful army of volunteers but also for the many veterans who need assistance. Erickson, of course, is quick to credit others, like the anonymous benefactor who gave them the million-dollar building and the many local businesses and individuals who have contributed to the expansion project.

And he’s right. It takes a community to give our veterans the service they need and deserve, be it a bag of groceries or better access to job opportunities and veteran benefits. We salute everyone who helped make this project a reality.

FLATHEAD VALLEY Community College gave a salute recently to another notable community benefactor: Frank Garner.

Garner received the fifth annual Montana Mentor Award from college President Jane Karas.

Garner, the former Kalispell police chief, is a worth recipient of this honor. For everything from Rotary work with children to his efforts in local law enforcement to far-flung duties training police in Afghanistan, Garner has been a superlative mentor to young and old.

We add our congratulations to those of the college.

FLATHEAD HIGH SCHOOL and several of its students should be commended for taking the initiative to place a Native American sculpture in a prominent place on campus.

Based on FHS student Tara Crane’s design, Blackfeet artist Jay Laber worked with several of the school’s art students — Gabrielle Stow, Alisa Hanson, Ashley Judd, and Jason Ritchie — to create a metal statue of a horse and rider that will now grace the main entrance to the school.

It is certainly fitting that a school whose name (Flathead) is of Indian derivation should take a step to honor the local tribal cultures. And Laber actually represents both of the major tribal groups in Northwest Montana. In addition to his Blackfeet heritage, he teaches at Salish-Kootenai College in Pablo on the Flathead Reservation.

The Braves and Bravettes of Flathead High School should be proud.