Food bank founder wins Great Whitefish Award

 The 2013 Whitefish Community Awards were presented at the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet on Tuesday at Grouse Mountain Lodge.

The Great Whitefish Award, recognizing a lifetime contribution to the community, was presented to June Munski-Feenan, founder of the North Valley Food Bank.

Munski-Feenan began running the food bank out of her garage in 1977. Initially, she and a few friends collected and offered breads, fresh produce and limited amounts of canned goods to people in need.

Today, the food bank lends a hand up to more than 7,000 families a year, with more than 70 percent of donations going directly to families in Whitefish. The organization relies 100 percent on unpaid volunteers.

Now in her 80s, Munski-Feenan still donates her time as the director, as she has for 30 years. Under Munski-Feenan’s leadership, the food bank is working to build a new facility next to the Wave to provide more space for food storage and preparation.  

The Citizen of the Year Award, given to someone who has made outstanding contributions to Whitefish, was presented to Paul Johanssen.

A fourth-generation Montanan, Johannsen was raised in North Central Montana on a wheat farm just south of the Canadian border. After graduating from Montana State University, Johannsen worked for the Farm Credit System in Bozeman and Missoula, then First Bank/U.S. Bank and First Interstate Bank in Missoula.

Johanssen and his wife, Teddi, moved to Whitefish in 2003 when Johanssen became the president of First Interstate Bank. In 2006, he left the banking industry to become the managing member of Great Northern Ventures, a real estate development company. He also is the managing partner of National Parks Realty of Whitefish.

Johnanssen has served on several local boards including the Whitefish Community Foundation, Whitefish Lake Golf Club, Flathead County Economic Development Authority, North Valley Hospital Foundation and Bulldog Boosters. He has also been active in fundraising for the Memorial Field Stadium and the 2008 high school bond committee. He served as the chairman of the Whitefish Winter Carnival Committee.

North Valley Hospital was given the Business of the Year Award, honoring a business that leads through job creation, public service, philanthropy and  volunteerism.

The hospital gave more than $287,000 to a wide variety of organizations and causes, including an athletic trainer in the Whitefish school district, Relay for Life, Save a Sister Initiative, Flathead Industries and Special Olympics.

The hospital also supports ALERT, Wings Cancer Support Group, For the Children and the Flathead County Agency on Aging/Eagle Transit program.

North Valley staff members have volunteered at the Shepherd’s Hand Clinic, contributed to Thanksgiving baskets and food drives for local families, provided first aid at school sporting events, offered medical and educational services to local schools and businesses, and served on civic boards.

The Whitefish Lake Golf Association was named Tourism Business of the Year.  

Since the late 1920s, when the golf course was initially conceived, the Whitefish Lake Golf Course has been operated on a volunteer basis through the association and its board of directors.

The money generated from course operations has been put back into course improvement, equipment, other capital expenses or paid out to the city of Whitefish as lease payments.  

Scott Skerlock was named Volunteer of the Year for his assistance to the Chamber and its member businesses. Skerlock chaired the Whitefish Oktoberfest committee in his third year of volunteering with the event.  

The Chamber Ambassador of the Year award went to David Boye for his contributions representing the Chamber and the spirit of volunteerism within the organization.