On the morning after Night of Lights, the Rotary Club of Columbia Falls held its inaugural (2008) Brunch with Santa event in support of our local Rotary projects for 2009, especially a new evening teen program at the Boys and Girls Club of Columbia Falls.

More than 300 kids and their families came out to eat, meet and get a photo with Santa, and bid on auction items.

Quite simply, we couldn’t have done it without the support of businesses and individuals from Columbia Falls and across the North Valley.

Despite being challenged by a difficult economy, Columbia Falls showed what it is made of. Businesses big and small, individuals and families opened their hearts (and wallets) to our Club members as they asked for auction items, food and other assistance.

Businesses and individuals in Whitefish and Kalispell also stepped up to help in critical areas, blurring the artificial boundaries between our homes.

Thanks go out to A Able Fishing Charters, Alex Negron, Andrew Burgess, Ann Matika, Austin DuMay, Barb Jenkins & The Barber Shop, Big Sky Waterpark, Bill Dakin, Bob Ramsey, Cardinal Hardware, Carol Pike and the Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce, Chris Peterson – Glacier Geographic, Cimarron Catering, Come Clean Organics, Cowboy BBQ, Curves, Dave Wick, Mike Nicosia and the School District 6 trustees (for allowing us to use the Junior High), Dean Calderwood DDS, Dennis Barrow, Embroidery Plus, Eric Kaplan, First Best Place Task Force, Flathead Electric Co-op, Freedom Bank, Funtastic Finds, GCR Tire, Glacier Bank, Glacier Boat Company, Glacier Raft Company, Grover + Company Architects, Hanson Trucking, Herberger’s, Home Town Video, InstyPrints of Kalispell, Irene Burgi and family, Iron Fitness, Jody’s Barber Shop, Joe Sova – Hungry Horse News, Kaplan Law Firm, Karen Ulmer and her Wind Ensemble combo, Karla West and John Goodrich, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Laff It Up Rentals, Laurie’s Deli, Los Caporales, Meadow Lake Resort, Montana Coffee Traders, MontanaMerc.com, Never Stop Looking Good, North Valley Hospital, O’Brien’s Liquor and Wine, Parkside Federal Credit Union, Paul Dube, Pepsi of Kalispell, Phyggs Deli, Pizza Hut, Plum Creek, Quinten Sago, Rescue Marketing, Rocky Mountain Images, Role Photography, Special K Productions / Karl Skindingsrude, Smith’s Food and Drug, Sportsman & Ski Haus, Stageline Pizza, TJ Wendt State Farm Insurance of Evergreen, The Bean Hive, The Nite Owl/Back Room, Tien’s Place, Western Building Center, Whitefish Lake Lodge, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Wildflower Florist and the Mac Bledsoe family.

These generous folks and businesses provided funds, labor, music, food and/or silent auction items for our event. For those gifts, and their confidence in our desire to make this event a success, we thank you.

Whenever possible, please spend your money here in town at these businesses.
Support them as they repeatedly support our community.

Finally, I’d like to thank a couple of folks personally and publicly for not only providing food, but for taking the time to provide the advice needed to help us make dreams real: Ray Negron of Cimarron Catering and Steve Marquesen of the Nite Owl/Back Room.

Santa looks forward to seeing you at the 2009 Brunch!

Mark Riffey, President 2008-2009
Ron Nash, President-elect 2009-2010
Rotary Club of Columbia Falls

Rotary International is the world’s first service club organization. Its more than 1.2 million members worldwide volunteer their time and talent to further the Rotary motto: Service Above Self.

Rotary members belong to a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service and encourages high ethical standards in all vocations.

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

• FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
• SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
• THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
• FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Based on the Object of Rotary, the Avenues of Service are Rotary’s philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which club activity is based:

• Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.
• Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.
• Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.
• International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.

The Four-Way Test

The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions:

Of the things we think, say or do

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Mission

The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

In addition, there’s a nice, brief “How to get involved” new member video here.