$100,000 gift will support Whitefish Trail development
Pictured from left to right are Hall-Halliburton Foundation chairman Randolph Mahoney, Axel the dog, Whitefish Legacy Partners Executive Director Heidi Van Everen, WLP Director of Development Alan Davis, and WLP board members Mike Jopek and Becky Smith-Powell.
Whitefish Legacy Partners has received a $100,000 donation from the Hall-Halliburton Foundation in support of recreation development on the Whitefish Trail, conservation efforts at the head of Whitefish Lake and WLP’s free outdoor education and volunteer programs.
The donation was given to Legacy Partners during this summer’s Great Fish Community Challenge, a fundraising campaign made possible by Whitefish Community Foundation.
Randolph Mahoney, chairman of Hall-Halliburton Foundation, was eager to help protect local open lands and public access in the Whitefish community.
“With so many new residents moving to the Flathead Valley, including myself, the time is now to support local conservation and recreation efforts,” Mahoney said in a prepared statement. “We want to give back to help protect the natural resources and recreation opportunities the community cherishes and hope this donation will inspire others to give. Whitefish is an incredibly special place, and we should all do our part to keep the community thriving for generations to come.”
The Hall-Halliburton Foundation has formally transitioned to Montana in hopes of increasing its philanthropy in rural areas.
Whitefish Legacy Partners Director of Development Alan Davis said the foundation’s “generous gift is a major investment in the future of Whitefish.
“As growth and development further impact our front-country landscapes, WLP’s mission to ensure conservation, education and recreation for future generations has never been more important, David said.
Hall-Halliburton Foundation’s gift, along with support from 350 other donors who gave to WLP during the Great Fish Community Challenge, will support new trail development at Holbrook Overlook and the nonprofit’s ongoing programs. Trail and trailhead construction has begun, and Holbrook Overlook Phase I is anticipated to open before winter. Phase II will take place when the snow melts, with a grand opening planned for early summer 2022.
The Whitefish Trail is the anchor project of Whitefish Legacy Partners, and the result of collaborative partnerships providing public access and recreation while protecting clean water, thriving forests and prime wildlife habitat on open lands in the urban interface of Whitefish. The Whitefish Trail is currently 43 miles accessed by 14 trailheads just steps from town.