Pond Hockey: A classic 2nd year
The Montana Pond Hockey Classic appeared to be skating on thin ice just a couple of weeks ago when Mother Nature blew hot instead of cold in mid-February.
But instead of canceling the event when Foy’s Lake proved to be an unsafe venue due to ice conditions, Diane Medler and the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau kicked into high gear and moved everything to Woodland Park.
It seemed like a stretch to fit a bunch of hockey rinks onto the iced-over lagoon at Woodland in a couple of days, but it all happened right on time. Plus, Mother Nature actually helped out with beautiful sunny skies to accentuate the positive.
Thanks to the Kalispell City Council for agreeing to allow the event to take place in the park on short notice. Too bad they weren’t able to grant a permit for beer sales, but participants and spectators still seemed to have a good time.
And when the Pond Hockey Classic is safely back at Foy’s Lake in future years, skate veterans will enjoy telling tales about the wild year at Woodland!
A mother to do us all proud
Congratulations to Whitefish mother of three Corinne Bludworth. She recently was named Montana’s Mother of the Year.
The title was bestowed by American Mothers, a national organization that has been honoring mothers since 1935 when it was founded by an impressive slate of organizers that included Sara Delano Roosevelt, Mamie Eisenhower, J.C. Penney and Norman Vincent Peale.
In addition to two grown sons, Bludworth has a 25-year-old daughter with Down syndrome and has worked to promote awareness about the condition. In addition to working with disabled adults in the past and establishing an annual local Buddy Walk for Down syndrome two years ago, she also plans to create a local support group for parents of children with Down syndrome.
Her philosophy on parenting centers around showing children dignity and respect, and loving them unconditionally.
Bludworth will compete for the national Mother of the Year title in April in Washington, D.C. We’ll be rooting for her.
Bragging rights for Bigfork
Congratulations are due, too, to J.K. Simmons for winning an Oscar for best supporting actor.
Simmons has a long local history, since he got his start in acting in 1978 at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse after he graduated from the University of Montana with a music degree.
Simmons still fondly remembers his early years on stage in Bigfork — and he is fondly remembered, too, by those involved in the playhouse.
He returns often to both Bigfork and Missoula (he directed the Griz Marching Band during 2012 Homecoming at UM). The next time he comes back here it will be as an Academy Award winner.