The Columbia Falls High School athletic program got a boost to its budget recently as Weyerhaeuser made a $2,000 donation in the name of volunteer coach Chris Nagel.

The donation was made through the company’s Weyerhaeuser Active Volunteer Employees (WAVES) program in recognition of the more than 180 hours of volunteer time Nagel gave to the school as an assistant soccer coach and kicking coach for the football team.

“It’s amazing. It’s mind blowing, actually,” Nagel said. “I found out one of my fellow employees had gotten an award for giving a whole bunch of volunteer hours. They said he had like 40 hours and I thought to myself, I blew that out of the water.”

Nagel played soccer for the Wildcats while in high school and was one of the first Columbia Falls soccer players to also serve as kicker on the football team. His kicking earned him a scholarship to MSU Northern. Nagel returned to the area after graduation and volunteered as an assistant soccer coach for O’Brien Byrd when Byrd coached in Whitefish. Nagel then became Byrd’s assistant coach after Byrd took over the soccer program for Columbia Falls.

Columbia Falls High School Activities Director Troy Bowman says the money will more than likely go towards the installation of a privacy fence around the soccer field. Flathead Electric is also providing funds for the project, which is scheduled to be completed this summer.