Rotary Brewfest raised $27,000 for youth groups
BERL TISKUS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 5 months AGO
Reporter Berl Tiskus joined the Lake County Leader team in early March 2023, and covers Ronan City Council, schools, ag and business. Berl grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and earned a degree in English education from MSU-Billings and a degree in elementary education from the University of Montana. Since moving to Polson three decades ago, she’s worked as a substitute teacher, a reporter for the Valley Journal and a secretary for Lake County Extension. Contact her at [email protected] or 406-883-4343. | August 19, 2024 12:00 AM
The third annual Polson Rotary Brewfest was held Saturday afternoon, Aug. 13, on Main Street in front of the Mission Valley Elks Club.
Rotarians sell tickets for five prizes, each valued at $1,000, beforehand. Prize winners were Vicki Arndt, Konrad Cook, Lori Young, Lauren Grimes and Tony Seifert.
This year’s event raised around $27,000 for local youth. Beneficiaries are the Rotary baseball field, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County, Mission Valley Aquatics and Fitness youth programs and UM Flathead Lake Biological Station scholarships.
Hellcat Maggie played on the Anderson Broadcasting mobile stage and there was ample room for folks to dance. Polson High School cheerleaders provided fun, free face-painting for all ages.
The Rotarians replaced their Chili Cook-off with this family-friendly brewfest a few years ago. Polson Rotary member Larry Ashcraft said he thought the crowd was larger this year and added that replacing the chili cook-off with a brewfest seemed to be popular with visitors.
The annual affair coincides with the Cruisin’ by the Bay car show and the Courthouse Art Festival, so downtown Polson was busy. Visitors took time out from the other events to sample the wares of Tamarack Brewing Company in Lakeside, Flathead Brewery in Bigfork and local favorites, Glacier Brewing Company in Polson and Ronan Cooperative Brewery.
The smell of burgers sizzling on the Elks Club grill also tempted folks to enjoy a burger with their brew, seltzer, cider or Flathead root beer.
Rotary president Laura Dever thanked raffle sponsors, Rotary volunteers, participating breweries and community organizations “and everyone who attended and supported the Polson Rotary Brewfest.”
Certainly the Rotary Brewfest was a good place to be on a warm August afternoon, and the revenue boosts several good causes.
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