Kurt Blades was born and raised in Columbia Falls. After college at Montana State University-Bozeman and Pacific University, Ore., he opened his optometry practice in Whitefish. Always athletic, Kurt grew up taking part in most of the established school sports and took advantage of the local amenities of golfing, skiing, hiking and camping.

He and his late wife Dawn have two sons, so his energies were naturally drawn toward youth sports. He has served on a baseball board "of one kind or another" for the past 21 years and has coached baseball for 12. He coached Little Guys football and spent eight years coaching basketball.

He enjoys assisting in community events such as the Winter Carnival. He was a stalwart in the fundraising and rebuilding of the Whitefish Middle School gymnasium and is active in the current drive to replace the grandstands at Memorial Park. Of special importance to him is his efforts directed to fund raising for awareness and cure of breast cancer. He says he's so involved in fundraising that "my friends duck down an alley when they see me coming."

Kurt, as most coaches, likes to win, but feels that in youth sports, winning is secondary to building character. Though he's had many wins, his proudest accomplishment is that for four years in a row, his team won the award for good sportsmanship.

Co-workers praise his efforts to create winners in life as well as in sports, and emphasize how fortunate we are to have him coaching our youth.

Kurt, our community is known as "a great place to raise kids," and your efforts have gone a long way toward establishing that reputation. We are indeed fortunate to have you coaching our youth, and we thank you.

— Jake Heckathorn

This column is dedicated to those who give freely of their time and energy to worthwhile community projects, but whose efforts often go unnoticed. If you know such a person, please e-mail [email protected].