Buttercup Run helps fund Arlee teacher grants
MAX DUPRAS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 weeks, 1 day AGO
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. The top three finishers of each age group earn a medal at the end of the 10k and 5k. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. The route starts at the Arlee Community Center. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. The event is hosted by the non-profit organization Friends of Arlee. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. There are three distances that take place at this event: the 10k, 5k and one-mile run. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. All proceeds from the event are donated to mini-grants for teachers of Arlee Schools. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Max Dupras joined the Lake County Leader as a sports reporter in January of 2026. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Montana. Max is a lifelong Montana resident, growing up watching Griz sports in Missoula. He has covered sports and news for multiple publications, including the Rapid City Journal, NonStop Local News and the Montana Kaimin. He is also a former intern of the Lake County Leader, having covered everything from city council meetings to wildfires. He covers sports for all Lake County schools. Reach out to Max at [email protected] or 406.531.0978 | April 9, 2026 12:00 AM
It was a cool, sunny day as runners took their places in front of the Arlee Community Center April 4 for the annual Buttercup Run.
Friends of Arlee Schools, a local nonprofit that coordinates fundraising efforts for Arlee Schools, organizes the run, and has been supporting educators since 1992. They focus on handing out mini-grants to teachers across the school district for different projects that might otherwise be neglected due to financial constraints.
To date, Friends of Arlee School has given more than $175,000 in scholarships and mini-grants to the Arlee schools.
The three races all, at some point, ran concurrently with each other. The 10k started first, with most participants finishing just before or just past an hour. The next two races, the 5k and the one-mile race, started 30 minutes later.
All races ran at the same time, starting at 10:30 a.m., with participants of all ages and abilities showing up. It was packed with people ready to go, with food and coffee available for purchase before the start.
In the 10k, the top finisher for men was Isaiah Gariepy of St. Ignatius with a time of 42:54.44. The top women’s finisher was Shanna Many Wounds of Elmo, who logged a 48:23.44.
In the 5k, Trevor Van Maanen of Arlee was the top finisher in the men’s category with a 17:59.53. The top women’s finisher was Madison Harris of Dixon with a 26:04.58.
In the one mile, the top boy’s finisher was Dean Matt-Antoine of St. Ignatius with a time of 8:35.86. The top girl’s finisher was Ella Knoll of Arlee with a time of 9:17.44.
While those were the top finishers for each race, the top three finishers for each age group also earned medals for their efforts.
For more information on who finished in the top three in this year’s Buttercup Run, head to competitivetiming.com/results/2026/26516240.
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. The route starts at the Arlee Community Center. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. The event is hosted by the non-profit organization Friends of Arlee. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. There are three distances that take place at this event: the 10k, 5k and one-mile run. (Max Dupras/Leader)
Runners take on the Buttercup Run on April 4 in Arlee. All proceeds from the event are donated to mini-grants for teachers of Arlee Schools. (Max Dupras/Leader)ARTICLES BY MAX DUPRAS
Packed baseball weekend pushes Lake County teams further
The busiest week for any Lake County sport was baseball with both Polson and Ronan taking on the Paddlehead Showcase this past weekend. With games galore, each team needed their best to come out victorious in this packed slate.
Ronan, Polson softball rivalry game highlights short softball week
Even in a weather-affected week, softball was alive in Lake County with Ronan and Polson battling it out for their first rivalry game of the season. It was a close one early as these two teams highlighted a short week on the softball diamond.
Lake County track teams top podiums at three different meets
This week’s track and field slate was packed for Lake County’s Class B and Class C schools. Two meetings in five days is a quick turnaround and results to prove the work was worth it as the final meets of April start rolling in.