When Columbia Falls School District liaisons realized they had miscalculated the number of families in the district needing assistance over the holiday season, their hearts sank. 

There were about 20 families and 53 children that still needed help to put a presents under the Christmas tree for their children and food on the table for a holiday meal.

But within one day and after several phone calls, local businesses and families rallied around the cause to bring the magic of Christmas to their neighbors. Anonymous donors and Columbia Falls businesses such as Freedom Bank, Melby’s Home Interiors, Western Building Center, The Nite Owl Backroom Restaurant and The Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell chipped in making sure all the families were assisted.

Ginny Gilman, Ruder Elementary counselor, made some of those phone calls.

“I was surprised, but I’ve lived in the area long enough to have tremendous respect and faith in the people who live here,” Gilman said. “In my heart I had a feeling it was going to happen because this community has come through many times before for a cause like this.”

Gilman also recognized  the longtime support of the Northwest Montana Hoo-Hoo International Club No. 187. Hoo-Hoo International is a fraternal order of the forest products industry. This year the local Hoo-Hoo club sponsored about 39 families and 80 children, said Barbara Foster of Somers, whose husband is a member of the club. The club began sponsoring families around 1979 

“For years and years the Hoo-Hoo organization has provided for Columbia Falls and this area,” Gilman said. 

Gilman said she hoped that the community would show their support by donating to the local Hoo-Hoo club.

Donations may be mailed to Northwest Parts and Equipment, Attention: Hoo-Hoo International Needy Children’s Fund, P.O. Box 107, Kalispell MT, 59903.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.