After 30 years of teaching people about Glacier National Park and the wonderful world of the outdoors, the Glacier Institute wants to give back to the people of the valley.

Joyce Baltz, the executive director of the institute, has been hustling to try and get the 30th anniversary party ready for this weekend.

The public is invited from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center (22 miles north of Columbia Falls or 10 miles south of Polebridge on the North Fork Road).

Baltz said the event is not just to have a good time, but to give the public an idea of  what the Glacier Institute does.

“We will have education stations to show some classes,” she said. “We also want to show off the solar project that we won.”

Last year, the institute won $20,000 from the Tom’s of Maine natural products company. The money went toward solar panels that now power the Big Creek center.

“We use 75 percent less propane than we did,” Baltz said.  

Over the last three decades, the institute has increased what it offers to Flathead Valley residents tremendously.

“In our first year we offered between five and nine classes,” Baltz said. “Now, between everything that we do, there are about 80 different classes we can pull out of our hat.”

Baltz has been the director for nine years.

Some of these are relatively simple course, such as basic knowledge about bears, the trail and rail history of Glacier, or the wildflowers hikers might find.

Some, like multi-day camping courses, can be difficult for the unseasoned outdoorsperson.

Either way, Baltz said, the institute prides itself on family friendliness. More than 27,000 Flathead youths have taken part in the discovery program at the Big Creek center since it began.

The 15 employees (during the busy season) who work for the Institute during the busy season take children both to Big Creek and to the Glacier Institute Field Camp near West Glacier. It can be taxing, but Baltz said it is worth it.

“It’s been a hard job. When I got here we had two recent fires in 2001 and 2003 so we spent most of our reserves just staying afloat,” she said. “It’s a very rewarding job. When you get the piles of thank-you cards from kids on construction paper, it’s great.”

The event on Saturday will have donated beer from the Desert Mountain Brewing Co. in Columbia Falls, along with food and singer Greg Grant. It is free to the public.

Donors and volunteers can call 755-1211 or go to www.glacierinstitute.com to find out how to help the group.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.