Boys & Girls Club Mustang raffle nears

RONAN — A long awaited raffle drawing for a classic restored car is in the planning stages by the Boys & Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County. The newly refurbished 1967 Ford Mustang Coupe has been a mouthwatering attention getter parked on Highway 93 in front of the club for the past few days.

The car raffle project by the board of directors is designed to add some horsepower to the fund raising activities of the club and help raise operational funding sufficient to keep the club doors open. Board member and spokesperson, Brenda Dennis, says the 3000 tickets are nearly gone and the board should be able to hold the drawing on December 5 as part of the Ronan Christmas Treasures drawing. “We’re excited about the drawing,” says Dennis, “we’ll ask our Youth of the Year for 2009, Wade Burland, to draw the winning ticket. The car turned out great and it was just fun to do.”

Dennis’s husband Rick, found the original Mustang and asked several auto restoration sources if they would be willing to help with a Mission Valley “Overhaulin”. The club was blessed by having each pitch in willingly. “A huge thanks to each who put in parts, paint, body work and labor,” says Dennis. Ronan Auto Body, Carquest, Collision Service, Ed Callantine, Rocky Mountain Signworks, Arnie’s Gas & Tire and Two Creek Automotive all took part in the project. Many individuals in the community also pitched in to get the car together including John Schnase, Rick Dennis, Brian Bocksnick, Miles Hackman, Ed Callantine, Glen Wunderlich and his paint crew, Ed Loder and Karl Kaphammer.

Ticket sales by the board and staff at the club included trips to Bigfork, Missoula and Polson with the car on display at a variety of events. “We met lots of people and heard dozens of “Mustang Stories” as we sold the chances to win the car. People are putting on the brakes and really looking it over when it’s parked front of the Boys & Girls Club, said John Schnase, Executive Director.”

According to board chairman, Gehrand Bechard, this particular event will be crucial in literally keeping the doors open through December 31. The club depends on our communities for approximately eighty per cent of its entire budget. “Most people have the perception that since Boys & Girls Club is a national organization that funding for local clubs comes from that source, it just isn’t true,” says Bechard, the board is responsible for raising funds from other sources. We truly appreciate all the support our club experiences from this generous community, and nearly 700 Ronan/Polson club members depend on it.”
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