TUESDAY BRIEFS: Restaurants to raise money for CFBA; two locals reach MOA Hall of Fame

WHITEFISH — The Glacier Restaurant Group will be holding a fundraiser on Aug. 5 to help rebuild the grandstands at Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Field in Columbia Falls. The grandstands, which stood since 1989, were completely destroyed by a fire on June 27.

The restaurant group, which includes Whitefish’s Craggy Range Bar & Grill, Ciao Mambo and Latitude 48, and three Flathead Valley locations of MacKenzie River Pizza Co., will donate a portion of the night’s proceeds to the Columbia Falls Baseball Association to help in the rebuild. The CFBA is inviting other restaurants to join in the efforts.

For more information, or to donate or participate, call Ray Queen at 406-253-0857.

Two from NW inducted into MOA Hall of Fame

HELENA — Libby’s Doug Crum and Kalispell’s Keith Ori were inducted into the Montana Officials’ Association Hall of Fame earlier this summer.

Crum officiated for 41 years in the Northwest, 39 years as a master wrestling official. He was selected to officiate more than 60 postseason wrestling tournaments, including divisional and state contests. Crum served as the assignor for the Libby wrestling pool for more than 30 years and was chosen as Montana’s National Federation of High Schools wrestling official of the year in 2013.

Ori retired in 2013 after 36 years as an MOA official in both girls and boys basketball, officiating more than 100 postseason contests in that time. He was a pool member in Helena, Missoula and Kalispell, and served as president and lead assignor for the Flathead Valley Officials Association. He was chosen as Montana’s NFHS basketball official of the year in 1992.

FVHS to hold open gym for basketball

Flathead Valley Homeschool girls basketball coaches will be holding a pair of open gym sessions the next few days.

Winners of the Montana Christian Athletic Association state title last season, coaches Charles and Mark Kenney will be holding open gym today and on July 28 from 5-7 p.m. at the East Haven Baptist Church gym. All girls are welcome.

Pioneer Days 3-on-3 deadline nears

RONAN — The 21st annual Pioneer Days 3-on-3 basketball tournament will be held on Aug. 6, with the deadline for registration on Aug. 1.

Forms can be found on MissionValley3on3.com and dropped off on Aug. 1 from 7-8 p.m. at the Ronan Dairy Queen or by mail to P.O. Box 91, Ronan, Mont., 59864.

In addition to the 3-on-3 tournament, there will also be a free throw contest, 3-point contest and dunk contests on 6-, 7-, 8- and 9-foot rims. For more information visit the Mission Valley 3-on-3 website.

Summer Sandlot Series begins Monday

The Kalispell Pee Wee baseball league will be holding a Summer Sandlot Series for the second straight year, inviting kids of the age to play 10 Prep or Majors levels for pickup baseball games at Kidsports Complex.

The series of games will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday nights from July 25 until Aug. 15 on the Majors fields at Kidsports.

In true sandlot form, there won’t be coaching but adults will be present for supervision.

For more information visit the Kalispell Pee Wee Baseball Facebook page.