At its February 12 meeting, Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety Board of Directors awarded $11,050 to support three community life safety projects.
Among the recipients, the Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center was awarded $7,550 towards creating a beacon training park. Jenny Cloutier, Executive Director, presented on behalf of FOFAC. First, she explained that a beacon training park is a designated practice area where backcountry snowmobilers, skiers, snowboarders, and mountaineers can train with their avalanche transceivers (commonly called “beacons”) in a controlled environment that simulates a real avalanche rescue. Cloutier noted that such parks are “designed to help users develop speed, accuracy, and muscle memory for avalanche rescue.” She continued, “Installing a new beacon training park benefits the more than 2,500 local students per season who participate in youth, human-powered, and motorized programs around the Flathead Valley.”
At the Board’s request, Cloutier offered her thoughts about the extremely high avalanche risks currently pervasive across the West. The Board granted FOFAC’s grant request, agreeing that the project was timely, and thanked the Flathead Avalanche Center for its commitment to safety and consistent educational outreach across Northwest Montana.
In addition to the Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center award, Roundup for Safety grants were approved for the following organizations:
- Big Sky Bible Camp – $2,000 – CPR mannequins
- Whitefish Community Center – $1,500 – AED
Roundup for Safety funding comes from Co-op members who choose to have their electric bills rounded up to the next dollar, with the extra change supporting local life safety projects. The program costs each member an average of about $6 per year, yet it has provided more than $5.5 million in community funding since 1997. To learn more, visit flatheadelectric.com/roundup.
