Smokey the Bear contest concludes October 29

Bikes to be given out to winners of the Smokey the Bear poster contest were donated by local business. Autographed NFL helmets will be raffled to raise money for the contest. (Courtesy photo)

PABLO — Ways on preventing forest fires are going to be left in the hands of young minds with a first time 2012 Smokey the Bear poster drawing contest sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fire.

The purpose is to get kids into thinking on ways to prevent fires from happening, says Monte Marengo, CSKT Division of Fire official.

The contest is open to grades kindergarten to fifth grade.

The state winner will have an all expense paid trip to Washington D.C. on April 7, 2013, for the award ceremony, adds Marengo.

The deadline for the contest is Monday, October 29.

The contest is open to all private and public school on the Flathead Reservation.

Top six winner will receive cash prizes in each division.

The contest theme will surround “fire prevention.”

All drawings must be on an 8” x 10” poster board. For kindergarten, students’ drawings may be on a 11” x 17” sheet.

Drawings must include name of student, school and grade on the back of each entry.

There will be a dinner for all category winners, parents and teachers along with fire staff members at the KwaTaqNuk Resort at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 7.

Local area business, Ronan Ace Hardware, St. Ignatius NAPA Auto store and Polson Wal-Mart have donated bikes to go to top winners.

Raffle tickets to win autograph NFL helmets from teams: Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers will be available immediately at $20 per ticket.

The raffle will go toward limo service for students in the Hot Springs School District.

There will only be 40 tickets sold for the autographed helmets and winner must be present on November 7.

For more information about the 2012 Smokey Bear contest, please call Curt Matt at 676-2550; or Monty Marengo at 212-1699.