Armory Update

I haven't updated about the new building lately. The press release was sent out several weeks ago by the Government Services Administration in Fort Worth, Texas. Since then we have been waiting for the deed and keys to the property. We have not been given the official "go ahead" to get in there yet. I did speak with Government Services Administration in Texas as well as the Property Disposal Branch in Washington D.C. to inquire of any updates. Both departments relayed that it may be one or two weeks before we can take possession.

Thank you to all who have kept this in your thoughts and prayers. The goal is to provide better services and care for the people we serve.

Success Story - Mr. Gene Kelch

I’d like you to meet Gene Kelch. Gene stopped by the shelter today to bring in some clothing donations. A success story of the Samaritan House, his story is one that is somewhat typical of the people we serve.
Gene has lived in Northwest Montana since 1946, he says, “It was a hard working life growing up in the Flathead Valley.” He quit school in the eighth grade as soon as he was able to get a job. He got his first job working at the bowling alley in Whitefish as a pinsetter. At age ten he began working in the woods, “As soon as I could hold a chain saw.”
Gene spent his career working for the US Forest Service and Plum Creek. Along the way he was part of the Montana National Guard for seven years.
Gene fondly recalls shooting his first elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness as a teenager. “I hit it right between the eyes at 100 yards, it was a 3 or 4 mile pack job to get it back to camp.” He lectures me about the importance of a good rifle and praises his .30-40 Krag, “That rifle is worth its weight in gold. I still have it.”
Gene came to the Samaritan House in 200. At the heart of his homelessness issue is the struggle to maintain a budget on his Social Security retirement check. Gene had just retired from working at Plum Creek. He stated that he would have liked to continue working there but was unable to keep up with the physical demands of the job. With no savings Gene wound up homeless.
Samaritan House helped Gene initially with shelter, applying for other work and ultimately with assistance completing applications for other mainstream resources. Gene worked at McDonalds during this transition and is again retired.
Gene receives a monthly Social Security check in the amount of $679. Gene’s monthly bills are: $150 for rent, $20 for “an old doctor bill”, $15 to Best Buy and $3.79 each month for “AARP insurance.” That leaves the rest for groceries, gas and other expenses.
Gene is glad that his vehicle is now paid off though he bemoans the price of gas, “I just paid $3.53 per gallon down at Smith’s.” He says he spends, “around $20 every other week or so.” for gas.
“To make it work I have to mind my P’s and Q’s and do things that don’t cost so much.” Gene says for fun he likes to do things with his grandchildren and go fishing and camping. He also enjoys feeding the squirrels around his neighborhood.
“I am very thankful to the Samaritan House for the help I got. Without the Samaritan House I don’t know where I would’ve been.”

Leaders of Tomorrow

Yesterday at the Samaritan House this group of volunteers painted the hallways. Leaders of Tomorrow is a group of leadership-type students from all of the area high schools. You have to be nominated to the group, involvement with the program is a year-long commitment. What a great bunch. With great enthusiasm they painted a couple hallways, cleaned the linen room and parking lot. I think they are also leading today.

Knock Your Socks Off Service

Today the Samaritan House had it's socks knocked off by Cellular One, a local wireless phone provider. Cellular One is letting people know about their "Knock Your Socks Off Service." Not only did they make this monetary donation they also donated hundreds and hundreds of pairs of socks to the shelter.

Andy Murphy, shown in the picture on the right, is the area manager for the company and has shown to care for the Flathead Valley and the Samaritan House. Thanks Andy and Cellular One!

What A Great Night!

The Rob Quist & the Great Northern Cowboy Up for the Samaritan House Concert & Auction was a great success! Highlights from the evening included Rob spontaneously offering to play a private mini-concert to the highest bidder! All in all Samaritan House was able to meet fundraising goals, we heard some great music by Rob Quist, people got some good deals, fun was had and more importantly we were able to provide for the homeless of the Flathead Valley. Thank You to all who pitched in, volunteered and donated. Stay tuned to see the Samaritan House video from the event.

Rob Quist & the Great Northern "Cowboy Up for the Samaritan House"

Saturday, April 26th at Easthaven Baptist Church. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the music starts at 7:30 pm. There will be a live auction at 8:30pm. Featured in the auction are items including a boat, a kayak, artwork, trips, Cat/Griz tickets and so much more.

Put your boots on and Cowboy Up for the Samaritan House!

Some of the items in the auction are:

4th of July Package
Fireworks! Fireworks! Fireworks!
Fire extinguisher
Supplies for a picnic outing
$100 Schwann’s
Archery Package
1yr family membership to Spirit Quest Archery
Archery target
Binoculars
$75 certificate to Montana Taxidermist
All About the Auto Package
Car detail from Oh’s Body Shop
2 windshield chip repairs from Autoglass
Moto pack bag
Road emergency kit
Bobcat / Grizzley Football Package
2 tickets to the Bobcat / Grizzley football game
Autographed Grizzley helmet
Train to Essex Package
2 train tickets from Whitefish, MT to Essex, MT
1 night lodging in Essex
Experience Bigfork Package
1 night lodging at the Bridge Street Cottages
Bottle of wine
Dinner for two at Showtime
Breakfast for two at Grateful Bread
Shopping downtown
Eva Gates - $25.00 certificate
S.M. Bradford Co. - $25.00 certificate
Merry Gems - $25.00 certificate
Let’s Go Fishing Package
Pontoon boat from Sportsman Ski Haus
Fishing pole from Snappy’s
Keg of beer from Fun Beverage
Jerky from Montana Jerky Company
Get to Know Glacier Package
Witsend Cabin – 2 nights for 4 adults
Bottle of wine
Boat cruise for 4 adults
Half day raft trip for 4 adults – Glacier Raft Co.
Glacier Grill - $20.00 certificate
Golf Them All Package
2 rounds of golf with a cart
Big Mountain, Buffalo Hill, Village Greens
Meadow Lake, Whitefish Lake
Home Improvement Package
8 hours labor – drywall / paint (Amazing Painting)
20 gallons of paint from Sherwann Williams
Lilenthal Insulation - $50.00 certificate
Landscape Time Package
7 foot blue spruce tree
50 landscape timbers
Lesson with Alice Ritzman Package
1 lesson with Alice Ritzman
Golf club / balls
Autographed item from David Graham
Pig Roast Package
Pigroast for 75 / 100 people at Vista Linda
Individual Auction Items - Art
Allan Jimmerson
Name of art
Eric Thorsen Gallery
Mini sleeping bear bronze
First Interstate Bank Whitefish
Whitefish train station
Glacier Quilts / Mary Rice
Double size, western quilt
Glacier Quilts / Mary Rice
Queen size, ducks limited quilt
Mark Ogle
Heaven’s Peak
Nancy Codry / Glacier Framing
Signed “Life in the River”
Individual Auction Items -

Antique coke machine
Jon Dahlberg - drift boat
Melby’s – 5x7 rug
Plum Creek- CDF plywood unit
Rocky Mountain Outfitter - kayak

Samaritan House / Rob Quist – guitar & CD’s
Wrights Furniture – Rug

Flathead Community Health Center

This picture was taken a couple weeks back. It is Montana's Governor Schweitzer and some of the people involved in starting the new Flathead Community Health Center. We were awarded almost $2.2 million for FCHC.

I feel strongly about the need for more affordable healthcare. My feelings come both from personal experience and from seeing how the medical bills of shelter clients have led to further financial hardship and homelessness.

In his comments during the awards ceremony, Gov. Schweitzer stated that Flathead Valley has plenty of "who are's", meaning people with title and possessions. Then he mentioned that there are also people here "who aint's". This is who we serve.

Flathead Community Health Center is at 1035 First Avenue West in Kalispell. It is in the Earl Bennett building. It is a reduced cost/sliding fee health center featuring the work of Chris Holdhusen M.D. and Ginny Lewis F.N.P. Payment is based in your income. FCHC phone number is 751-8113. Call for an appointment. Their website is www.flatheadhealth.org