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Great Fish Community Challenge Special Edition Newsletter September 18th, 2023 THANK YOU! The Great Fish Community Challenge 2023 ended on Friday, September 15th at 5pm and we have raised $40,400! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us! We appreciate each and every one’s contribution. This amount guarantees that the Whitefish Community Center's world will go around and around this coming year. We will see if the matching fund will get us to or maybe even over our goal of $50,000. The matching percentage will be announced at the final campaign event at the End of October. Please stay tuned for our next “ordinary” Newsletter that will keep you informed about our activities and programs. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please just let Jennifer know. …… And GoodBye You all made my day on Friday! Once again the Community Center was bustling with people, just the way I like it. Thanks for joining my ByePie Social - what a blast! Thank you all for your kind words, the hugs, cards, flowers and gifts. I feel so honored to have been part of your community! So long, Katja Katja Schalbetter Ex - Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center

Great Fish Community Challenge Special Edition Newsletter 5/5 September 10th, 2023 Getting so close We have had an ANOTHER amazing week and have now surpassed the $30,000 mark! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us! We appreciate each and every one’s contribution - big and small. Our goal for this year is to raise $50,000, so we only have a little ways to go. There are 6 days left to support YOUR gathering place, the Whitefish Community Center and one of the other 77 organizations. Donate online Download the Donation Form Learn more Our new Executive Director The Board of Directors warmly welcomes our new Director, Jennifer Roche, who will start her work at the Center on Monday, September 11, 2023 and overlaps with Katja for one week. Jennifer Roche is excited to join the Whitefish Community Center as the new Director in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana! She began her career in management in Denver Colorado and progressed back home to the Flathead Valley. For several years, she served as the manager of the Northwest Montana History Museum and has enjoyed volunteering for various nonprofits. In her free time, she likes spending time with her Jack Russell and exploring the great outdoors! Please come stop by and say hi to her! Have you seen us waving our signs outside WCC? Roughly once a week for these past five weeks our dedicated board members are spending a couple of hours outside the Center waiving signs at passing cars with a friendly smile to remind Whitefish to GIVE to the Great Fish Community Challenge! Pictured here with me is Joan Paulson! Thank you to all our board members who are willing to contribute their time and energy to get waived or honked at! 65th High School Reunion at WCC The class of 58’ will be celebrating their 65th High School Class reunion held at the Whitefish Community Center on October 6, 7 and 8th, 2023. “A magical bubble of time” is the descriptive phrase used by the 1958 graduates of Whitefish High School as they reflect on growing up in their hometown during the 1940s and 1950s. To celebrate this momentous event they have collected memories of their childhood years into a book entitled “Love Letter to Whitefish.” The book will be released at a public book signing Saturday October 7th from 1 to 3PM and Sunday, October 8th from 11AM to 2PM at the Whitefish Community Center, 121 West Second Street. Wednesday Evening Series: Caring for Aging Family Members - September 13, 2023, 5:30 pm - 6.30 pm Please join us this Wednesday, September 13th at 5.30pm for the second part of our Wednesday Evening Series on Caring for Aging Family Members. Denise Romer is an attorney whose expertise is estate planning, wills and trusts, and probate. She will be discussing subjects that may help in answering questions you have in this often complex area. Up next: September 20, 5:30 pm — Assessing Health Issues - Dr. Ken McFadden September 27, 5:30 pm — Grieving and the End of Life - Lon Eliasson ByePie Social - Friday, September 15, 2023 at 12.30pm This was one of the many very special encounters I was given during my time here at WCC. Doug Follet, his stories, poems and love for this place fill my heart now too. Let’s not cry that it is over but smile that it happened. - Dr. Seuss Come smile with me at the ByePie Social on September 15th at 12:30pm. No need to RSVP, just walk on in! So many wonderful people have offered to bake a pie, there will be no shortage, stay assured. See you all on Friday, Katja 💕 Katja Schalbetter Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center 121 East 2nd Street Whitefish, MT 59937 call: (406) 862-4923

Great Fish Community Challenge Special Edition Newsletter 4/5 September 1st, 2023 Great Fish Fun Run and Community Celebration - September 9th, 2023 Celebrate the 9th annual Great Fish Community Challenge and the incredible work of our nonprofit community by participating in the Great Fish Fun Run! This event features 5K and one-mile courses, yummy BBQ, a nonprofit fair, prizes, and more! Creativity and costumes are encouraged! Children 12 and under can participate for free. Top male and female finishers in the Great Fish 5K and Great Fish 5K - Para Athlete will receive prizes and recommend a grant to their favorite Great Fish Community Challenge participating nonprofit. Everyone is welcome to register for the Fun Run! There are plenty of opportunities to participate and enjoy the festivities. SCHEDULE 10 a.m. 5K and 5K Para Athlete divisions start 10:15 a.m. 1 Mile starts 11:30 a.m. Lunch from Piggyback BBQ 11:45 a.m. Tot trot 12 p.m. Incentive grants and awards announced Whitefish Together: A place for babies and their big people Back in action! Stop in between 9.30am - 11.30am on the first and third Tuesday of the month to connect with other young families. This group is geared towards families with babies 0-24 months but older siblings are welcome to join in. Hosted by local parents, our mission is to create an open space for babies and their people to gather, play, share and connect through the ups and downs of the early years. It is a great opportunity to meet other parents and caregivers, and form lasting friendships. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided by the Whitefish Community Center. Bringing generations together and building community. Meet our Board of Directors Our Board of Directors is a phenomenal crew of people who work behind the scenes to make our everyday operations possible. Thank you all for your continued support and the countless hours and love you pour into this place. From left to right: Jesse Mazur, Bill Schustrom, Lya Hardwicke, Joan Paulson, Ruth Harrison, Tom Hughes, Pam Fletcher, Rick Kinonen and Nancy Beougher (missing: Scott Plotkin, our president) Wednesday Evening Series: Caring for Aging Family Members - September 6, 2023, 5:30 pm - 6.30 pm Please join us next Wednesday, September 6th at 5.30pm for the first part of our Wednesday Evening Series on Caring for Aging Family Members. Christine Neater, Community Outreach Coordinator for Flathead County Agency on Aging, will walk you through some of the programs available through the County that can assist and advise you with the costs of caring for a family member. Up next: September 13, 5:30 pm — Legal Issues - Denise Romer September 20, 5:30 pm — Assessing Health Issues - Dr. Ken McFadden September 27, 5:30 pm — Grieving and the End of Life - Lon Eliasson We have reached a crucial milestone! We have had an amazing week and have now surpassed the $20,000 mark, which allows us to maximally profit from the matching fund. Thank you so much to everyone who got us here! We appreciate each and every one’s contribution - big and small. Our goal for this year is to raise $50,000, so we still have a little ways to go. There are 14 days left to give where you live ❤ Donate online Download the Donation Form Learn more Time to say goodbye My time here at the Center is coming to an end in September. For the last ten months I have had the pleasure and the honor of working with and for all of you. You have touched my heart and the memories of this very special time will accompany me in my journey to Switzerland. Please come to my ByePie Social on September 15th at 12:30pm to send me off. In lieu of gifts, please consider a donation in my name to WCC through the Great Fish Community Challenge. Thank you! 💔 Katja Katja Schalbetter Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center 121 East 2nd Street Whitefish, MT 59937 call: (406) 862-4923

Great Fish Community Challenge Special Edition Newsletter 3/5 August 25th, 2023 Great Fish On Air at KGEZ We are two weeks into the Great Fish Community Challenge and we have already raised over $10,000 which makes us eligible for a contribution from the matching fund. Thanks to everyone who got us to this milestone <3 But we still have a long way to go to reach our goal of $50,000 and greatly appreciate your support to reach it. TODAY is a great day to donate to us! Tune in on KGEZ today and hear all about the 78 non-profit organizations that make a difference in this valley! Katja will be live on air around 10.25-10.35am. This is a great day to donate to us because your contribution of $100 or more during the broadcast between 7am and 2pm - online, in person at First Interstate Bank in Kalispell or dropping off by the Whitefish Community Foundation - makes us eligible for one of 10 incentive grants of $250. Thank you for your support! Senior Outing to Bibler Gardens Oh what fun was had! Our senior outing yesterday to Bibler Gardens was breathtakingly amazing. A huge thank you to the Bibler Garden crew who took care of us and accommodated everyone’s needs. We all had a fabulous time Wednesday Evening Local Author Series: Jess Owen - August 30, 2023, 5:30 pm - 6.30 pm Please join us next Wednesday, August 30th at 5.30pm for our last part of our Wednesday Evening Series with our favorite local authors. Come hear Jess Owen read from her new book “Don't ask me if I am doing okay” and answer the audience’s questions. Book Synopsis: Heartfelt and bittersweet, this coming-of-age story explores the tender space of healing where grief meets love. A year ago, Gage survived a car accident that killed his best friend, Hunter. Without the person who always brought out the best in him, Gage doesn’t know who he is. He likes working as a fry cook and loves his small-town friends and family, but they weren’t in the wreck and he can’t tell them how much he’s still hurting. He just wants to forget all his pain and move on. So when his stepdad shows him a dream job opening in one of his idol’s restaurants, Gage knows this is his chance to convince everyone and himself that he’s fine. To try to push past his grief once and for all, Gage applies for the job, asks out a crush, and volunteers to host a memorial for Hunter. But the more Gage tries to ignore his grief, the more volatile it becomes. When his temper finally turns on the people he loves, Gage must decide what real strength is―holding in his grief until it destroys him, or asking for help and revealing his broken heart for all to see. King Tut - Thursday, August 31st, 2023 at 2pm Travel back to 2600 BC, when Egyptian Pharaoh’s first began pyramid building. They created a pictorial language that was recorded on papyrus..... the world's first paper. You will be guided with an audiovisual presentation and stories to make those times come alive. The presentation is about one hour and the first of a monthly series at the Community Center. A nutritious meal at WCC every weekday Elizabeth Myers is our most regular regular. She comes and eats lunch with us pretty much every weekday and has done so for many, many years. She enjoys her cup of tea when she gets here, checks in with everyone and loves sitting and chatting with her friend Carol. She is enthusiastic about doing a craft during our SeniorWednesday but not so keen on playing games. Elizabeth, we love having you here. The Center would not be the same without you! The Great Fish Community Challenge is happening now. Please donate to the Whitefish Community Center to allow us to continue to offer connect and gather at the Whitefish Community Center. We appreciate your support! Donate online Download the Donation Form Learn more Follow us on Facebook or Instagram Hi, my name is Katja Schalbetter, I am the Director here at the Whitefish Community Center. Over the past 10 months, I have had the honor and pleasure of working for all the people that make the Community Center so special. Their enthusiasm for this community as a whole and the Center in particular, their laughter, their stories, their worries, and sometimes tears have touched my heart deeply. This is, hands down, the most rewarding job I have ever had. Please join me over the next few weeks as I share - with their permission - the stories of the people of the Whitefish Community Center and give you a peek behind the scenes and show you what makes our world here go around and around. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram! Come see me at the Whitefish Community Center any weekday between 9am and 2pm. I happily give you a tour and tell you all about the latest activities of ours! 💕 Katja Katja Schalbetter Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center 121 East 2nd Street Whitefish, MT 59937 call: (406) 862-4923

Special Edition Newsletter 2/5 August 18th, 2023 We are hoping to raise $50,000 during the Great Fish Community Challenge 2023 The Community Center is a multi-purpose hub that connects people from all walks of life and offers different things for different people. The social bonds created here help build a strong, safe, and inclusive community, and promote social interaction, volunteerism, and civic pride. What does your contribution do for the Whitefish Community Center? WCC uses the funds to provide activities, programs, senior outings and so much more to its members and the public throughout the entire year Funds help to keep membership pricing very affordable, currently at only $25 for the first year and $10 to renew thereafter for ages 18 - 99 Contributions allow us to maintain and rent WCC for private gatherings at a very affordable rate Please read in these newsletters over the next few weeks about the services and activities we provide and how they touch people’s lives. Meals-on-Wheels This is Aloma Clayton. She receives meals through our Meals-on-Wheels program. She is 98, lives with her son Clark, who is 75. She loves cats and flowers and lives in a beautifully decorated home. She loves to draw barns, buildings and mountains. She will invite you in for a chat and a root beer any day. Every month we deliver roughly 600 - 700 hundred meals to homebound seniors in Whitefish. A large fleet of volunteers helps us to provide this much needed service to the Community of Whitefish. They put in over 2600 hours in 2022. Kudos to all our drivers and kitchen volunteers! You are amazing! Spanish for Toddlers with Señora Luna and Señora Brooke Every second and fourth Tuesday of the month the Center echoes with songs and laughter of little toddlers. Board member, Lya Hardwicke, and volunteer, Brooke Myhre, are hosting at 10am and engage in a fun and loving way with the toddlers. The caregivers also attend and get to know other families in town. Wednesday Evening Local Author Series: David Blair - August 23, 2023, 5:30pm - 6.30 pm Please join us next Wednesday, August 23th at 5.30pm for our third part of our Wednesday Evening Series with our favorite local authors. Come hear David Blair read from his book Firebug and answer the audience’s questions. Book Synopsis: Daniel Patrick has a history of setting things on fire. Among the residents of the small town of Ferdinand, his dangerous obsession has even earned him a nickname – Firebug. It isn’t until a strange, winter wind blows into Ferdinand that perhaps Daniel’s impulse to set fires comes in handy. Because on the back of that wind, rides a mysterious and deadly creature that only Daniel can understand – and stop. Firebug is a suspenseful, Spielbergian coming-of-age horror story told against the backdrop of the holiday season where belief in the impossible, the potential for redemption, and the magic of nature collide to terrifying (and at times, heartwarming) effect. Up next: → Jess Owen, Don’t Ask if I am Okay. Wednesday, Aug 30, 2023 at 5.30pm The Great Fish Community Challenge is happening now. Please donate to the Whitefish Community Center to allow us to continue to offer connect and gather at the Whitefish Community Center. We appreciate your support! Donate online Download the Donation Form Learn more Follow us on Facebook or Instagram Hi, my name is Katja Schalbetter, I am the Director here at the Whitefish Community Center. Over the past 10 months, I have had the honor and pleasure of working for all the people that make the Community Center so special. Their enthusiasm for this community as a whole and the Center in particular, their laughter, their stories, their worries, and sometimes tears have touched my heart deeply. This is, hands down, the most rewarding job I have ever had. Please join me over the next few weeks as I share - with their permission - the stories of the people of the Whitefish Community Center and give you a peek behind the scenes and show you what makes our world here go around and around. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram! Katja Katja Schalbetter Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center 121 East 2nd Street Whitefish, MT 59937 call: (406) 862-4923

The Whitefish Community Center is in the Great Fish Community Challenge and appreciates your support For us as a non-profit organization this is our largest fundraiser and we are honored to be part of this tremendous fundraising effort for a total of 78 local organizations in the area. The Great Fish Community Challenge starts today and runs through September 15th. I absolutely love the enthusiasm that the Whitefish Community Center’s board members are showing up with to make the most of this annual fundraiser for us. Rick Kinonen, a senior board member at WCC for over 20 years, is waiving a sign here at one of the pop-up stations last year but you will see him standing on the streets again this year. Thank you Rick, for all your hard work! Donate online today Download the Donation Form Learn more Saturday Car Window Wash at WCC Did you take your car to GNP recently, or any of our scenic back country roads? If so, your car windows for sure need some TLC! Come by WCC tomorrow, Saturday, August 12th between 10am and 12pm and get your windows washed for free! We have a young crew lined up that will help this. The Whitefish Community Center is located right by Kay Beller Park on 121 East Second Street. You can’t miss us, we will be all dressed in orange and waiving our Great Fish Community Center signs at you. Keep the memories…… Lose the grime! The Great Fish Community Challenge is happening now. Please donate to the Whitefish Community Center and your other favorite non-profit organizations during this time. We appreciate your support! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram Hi, my name is Katja Schalbetter, I am the Director here at the Whitefish Community Center. Over the past 10 months, I have had the honor and pleasure of working for all the people that make the Community Center so special. Their enthusiasm for this community as a whole and the Center in particular, their laughter, their stories, their worries, and sometimes tears have touched my heart deeply. This is, hands down, the most rewarding job I have ever had. Please join me over the next five weeks as I share - with their permission - the stories of the people of the Whitefish Community Center and give you a peek behind the scenes and show you what makes our world here go around and around. The Community Center is a multi-purpose hub that connects people from all walks of life and offers different things for different people. The social bonds created here help build a strong, safe, and inclusive community, and promote social interaction, volunteerism, and civic pride. Come see me at the Whitefish Community Center any weekday between 9am and 2pm. I happily give you a tour and tell you all about the latest activities of ours! 💕 Katja Katja Schalbetter Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center 121 East 2nd Street Whitefish, MT 59937 call: (406) 862-4923

The Flathead Valley is fortunate to have several published authors in our midst and the Whitefish Community Center is happy to announce that we have secured four of these authors for an exciting author reading series in August. August 9, 5:30 pm Susan Purvis, author, writing coach, wilderness medicine and avalanche educator, reading from her award winning adventure memoir, Go Find – My Journey to Find the Lost and Myself. August 16, 5:30 pm Christine Carbo, award winning author for her Montana based suspense books, reading from her book, A Sharp Solitude. August 23, 5:30 pm David Blair, author, screen writer, film maker, producer, director and performer reading from his first published novel, Firebug, which Blair describes as “coming-of-age supernatural thriller.” August 30, 5:30 pm Jess Owen, also writing under the pen name Jessica Kara, talks about her newest novel, Don't Ask If I'm Okay. Jess will talk about writing, publishing, switching genres, and the challenge of reflecting the modern teen experience. Next Senior Outin

Dear members and friends of the WCC, Our highlights this month are: Outing to Big Mountain on July 14th, leaving WCC at 10am Q&A Mountain Climber App Use on July 19th at 10am at WCC Elder Hub Connection Corner on July 27th from 11am till 1 pm Otherwise, July looks like a little quieter month but the following activities are still taking place regularly and we would love for you to join us: Lunch served every weekday at 11:15am (see the menu attached). Call us before noon the day before, if you are planning to join us for lunch Senior Fitness every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am Yoga, Mondays at 9.30am Tai Chi, Wednesdays at 10am Pinochle and Cribbage on Tuesday at 1pm Ladies Mahjong every Wednesday at 1.30 - 4pm Spanish for Toddlers on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am Bingo on the second Monday of the month Book Club every third Friday of the month (Book this month is Rosie Project by Greaeme Samson) Free Birthday Lunch for Members with a July Birthday on July 20 at 11am Toe Nail Clinic on July 24th at 1pm Happy 4th of July! Katja Katja Schalbetter Director of Operations Whitefish Community Center 121 East 2nd Street Whitefish, MT 59937 call: (406) 862-4923

Stop in at the Center starting April 4th between 9.30am - 11.30am and continuing each first and third Tuesday of the month to connect with other young families. This group is geared towards families with babies 0-24 months but older siblings are welcome to join in. Hosted by local parents, our mission is to create an open space for babies and their people to gather, play, share and connect through the ups and downs of the early years. It is a great opportunity to meet other parents and caregivers, and form lasting friendships. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided by the Whitefish Community Center. Bringing generations together and building community. whitefishcommunitycenter.org P.S. The photos of these beautiful little ones were used with permission from their families and @newmoondoulaphoto

Did you learn French in school? Did you live abroad at some point and learned French? Did you grow up with a family who spoke/speaks French? Is your French rusty and needs a little love? Come join us on April 17, 2023 at 1pm for pâtisserie et café and some conversation in French. This is very low key, no proficiency required. Just a good old excuse to get together and enjoy each others company.

Join us for Generation-to-Generation Technology: Juniors help Seniors. Whitefish High School Seniors will be offering one-on-one coaching to seniors on pretty much any tech topic — smartphone use, texting, digital safety, cloud computing, connecting to a network, etc. Drop in anytime from 9:30am thru 11:30am with your questions and devices for some help.

The WCC Book Club welcomes new members at any time. Read the book and show up before 1pm every third Friday of the month and be prepared to share your thoughts! Never been part of a book club before? No worries. We are a friendly, congenial group and easy to become a part of. Each month one of our members volunteers to lead and direct our discussion. 2023 Reading list: January: Naked Lies the Truth by Michael Nicholas February: Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides March: Red Notice by Bill Browser April: The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan May: From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks June: Grizzly Years by Doug Peacock July: Rosie Project by Greaeme Samson August: Dinner with Ruth by Nina Totenberg September: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin W. Kimberley October: Horse by Gerladine Brooks November: Radium Girls by Kate Moore December: Phantom of 5th Avenue by Meryl Gordon