Carnival veterans outreach planned
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 8 months AGO
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | January 31, 2015 7:00 PM
An organization known for bringing soldiers to Whitefish to experience a Montana winter is turning its focus toward local veterans and their families during the Whitefish Winter Carnival.
The Whitefish Veterans Support Team is hosting a veterans outreach during the carnival on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Formally known as the Wounded Warrior Project in Whitefish, the group has spent the last five years hosting veterans and their families as they spend several days in the Flathead Valley.
Falling in line with this year’s carnival theme of “America the Beautiful” to honor U.S. veterans, organizers for the Whitefish Veterans Support Team wanted to do something more this year.
“We felt like we wanted to do a more local community outreach,” Chris Washer said.
The veterans outreach event will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the lobby of Whitefish Middle School. Representatives from Montana Veterans Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Montana Veterans Home, Flathead Valley Community College Veterans Association, military recruiters, Flathead Job Corps and other groups will be there.
“We want veterans, spouses and families to come and find out about benefits,” Washer said. “We want this to be a one-stop shop for them to get help.”
Information will be available on all aspects of benefits, including education, federal support, family support and individual well-being services.
“If we can help one person, or one family, get benefits they didn’t know about, we will consider it a success,” Washer said.
The group will still host five veterans and their caregivers during the week for activities that include skiing and snowboarding and an appearance in the parade.
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