SEELEY LAKE - What do ospreys and the Maloney cabin have in common? What does a pianist and a mountain biker share? Where do you find both a memorial site and young mothers? What brings students focused on science and creative writing together?
They’re all connected to Seeley Lake, of course!
These are some of the many organizations making great things happen in our community: Wild Skies Raptor Center, Seeley Lake Historical Society, Alpine Artisans, Seeley Lake ROCKS, Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake, Sparrows Vine, Clearwater Resource Council and Seeley-Swan High School’s creative writing program.
The Seeley Lake Community Foundation helps local groups fund important community projects. In this capacity, the Foundation strives to be a community resource and catalyst for innovative approaches to improving the quality of life in Seeley Lake.
We’re pleased to announce the 2020 Seeley Lake Community Foundation Community Grants, awarded to projects benefiting Seeley Lake:
• $750 to Wild Skies Raptor Center to bring raptor programs to Seeley Lake
• $1,000 to Seeley Lake Historical Society to finish the roof of the Maloney Cabin
• $2,500 to Alpine Artisans for the Two Valleys Stage 2020-2021 Season
• $2,000 to Seeley Lake ROCKS for phase 2 of the Hill 16 Community Trails project
• $750 to Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake towards renovation of the Veterans Memorial Site
• $500 to Sparrow’s Vine for parenting curriculum updates
• $2,000 to Clearwater Resource Council for a middle-school summer science youth program
• $500 to Seeley Swan High School towards publication of creative writing publication ‘Backroads of the Mind’ volume 5
“It’s exciting to see what great ideas come out of this community,” said Foundation Executive Director Claire Muller. “Although we were unable to fund all of the great proposals that came in this year, I want to thank all the organizations that put in the time and effort to apply. Thank you to all of our local nonprofits for all of the great work you’re doing for the Seeley Lake area!”
The Foundation board of directors awards annual grants with the aim of supporting projects with broad community benefits. The Community Grant Program funds local projects in the areas of: art & culture, community & economic development, basic human needs, education and natural resources & conservation.
Grant applications for up to $2,500 are due Jan. 31 for the yearly Community Grant Program.
Reader Comments(1)
mjvande writes:
What were you thinking??? Mountain biking and trail-building destroy wildlife habitat! Mountain biking is environmentally, socially, and medically destructive! There is no good reason to allow bicycles on any unpaved trail! Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1996: https://mjvande.info/mtb10.htm . It's dishonest of mountain bikers to say that they don't have access to trails closed to bikes. They have EXACTLY the same access as everyone else -- ON FOOT! Why isn't that good enough for mountain bikers? They are all capable of walking.... A favorite myth of mountain bikers is that mountain biking is no more harmful to wildlife, people, and the environment than hiking, and that science supports that view. Of course, it's not true. To settle the matter once and for all, I read all of the research they cited, and wrote a review of the research on mountain biking impacts (see https://mjvande.info/scb7.htm ). I found that of the seven studies they cited, (1) all were written by mountain bikers, and (2) in every case, the authors misinterpreted their own data, in order to come to the conclusion that they favored. They also studiously avoided mentioning another scientific study (Wisdom et al) which did not favor mountain biking, and came to the opposite conclusions. Mountain bikers also love to build new trails - legally or illegally. Of course, trail-building destroys wildlife habitat - not just in the trail bed, but in a wide swath to both sides of the trail! E.g. grizzlies can hear a human from one mile away, and smell us from 5 miles away. Thus, a 10-mile trail represents 100 square miles of destroyed or degraded habitat, that animals are inhibited from using. Mountain biking, trail building, and trail maintenance all increase the number of people in the park, thereby preventing the animals' full use of their habitat. See https://mjvande.info/scb9.htm for details. Mountain biking accelerates erosion, creates V-shaped ruts, kills small animals and plants on and next to the trail, drives wildlife and other trail users out of the area, and, worst of all, teaches kids that the rough treatment of nature is okay (it's NOT!). What's good about THAT? To see exactly what harm mountain biking does to the land, watch this 5-minute video: http://vimeo.com/48784297. In addition to all of this, it is extremely dangerous: https://mjvande.info/mtb_dangerous.htm . For more information: https://mjvande.info/mtbfaq.htm . The common thread among those who want more recreation in our parks is total ignorance about and disinterest in the wildlife whose homes these parks are. Yes, if humans are the only beings that matter, it is simply a conflict among humans (but even then, allowing bikes on trails harms the MAJORITY of park users -- hikers and equestrians -- who can no longer safely and peacefully enjoy their parks).
02/26/2020, 9:42 pm