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Volunteers hang winter decorations downtown

HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 1 month AGO
by HEIDI DESCH
Heidi Desch is features editor and covers Flathead County for the Daily Inter Lake. She previously served as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, spending 10 years at the newspaper and earning honors as best weekly newspaper in Montana. She was a reporter for the Hungry Horse News and has served as interim editor for The Western News and Bigfork Eagle. She is a graduate of the University of Montana. She can be reached at [email protected] or 406-758-4421. | November 21, 2021 10:00 AM

Volunteers Sunday morning hoisted up the garland punctuated with red bells, snowflakes and wreaths that have become an iconic winter scene in Whitefish.

The lighted garland was strung across the streets signaling the beginning of the holiday season. The decorations are a tradition that have brightened town for more than 50 years.

A group of dedicated volunteers have been repairing, replacing, improving and hanging and taking down those same decorations every winter season.

The nonprofit Whitefish Shines takes donations for the materials to keep the tradition alive. To donate to the decoration project, Whitefish Shines, P.O. Box 695 Whitefish, MT 59937.

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. Among those assisting are a crew from Flathead Electric Co-op. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Volunteers hang the winter decorations downtown Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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Ayva Orr, 7, and Theo Orr, 5, delivered cookies to volunteers hanging the winter decorations downtown on Sunday morning. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)

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