Keeping HOPE Alive

The Fourth of July weekend brought fun and festivities for many in the area, from camping and the John Hahn Memorial Softball Tournament at Fort Peck to the revived Milk River Days in Hinsdale. In Glasgow, people gathered for the annual fireworks show at the Valley County Fairgrounds on Saturday night.

But before the big show was another one. The Valley County HOPE (Helping Others Pay Expenses) Project, Inc held its second annual Celebration Fundraiser. The grill was fired up and supporters gathered for the barbeque and visiting from 5 to 7 p.m. under what was still a sunny sky. Organizers bumped up the start time for the live auction as the horizon darkened with storm clouds.

Brian Austin served as auctioneer and comic relief as he and Willie Plouffe went through the 40 donated items to be sold to the highest bidder. A few bid wars broke out as good natured ribbing between participants drove up item prices. At press time, total funds raised from the live and silent auctions were not available, but suffice to say, the generosity of Valley County was on full display.

HOPE was founded to replace the local Relay for Life Committee after participants lamented that too few funds were being distributed locally. The new HOPE Project sought to fill a community need as too many struggle with medical expenses and bills. Organizer Rod Karst addressed the crowd with a history of HOPE and their plans for possible expansion in the future. Luminarias continue to be a part of the fundraiser and were hung and lit along the fairgrounds fence.

As more and more people wandered into the area, it was time for the entertainment portion of the evening. Gabriel Proctor took to the open stage and performed The Star-Spangled Banner for the assembled crowd. The crowd was then treated to a dance performance from Hailey Taylor, granddaughter of Dan and Cindy Taylor, a young competitive dancer who was in from Texas to visit her family. Her routine had the crowd oohing and aahing.

Cloggers from Tiffany Ross' HiLine Gymnastics and Clogging were up next, anxious to show off their all American dance moves. Ross gave a history lesson on clogging and a tutorial on the special shoes dancers wear for their routines. Dancers of all ages shared time on the stage, from the youngest students to those with the most life experience. Friends and family members held cell phones aloft, capturing the moment for posterity. Applause and cheers brought the show to a close.

Valley County continues to keep HOPE alive, supporting each other and demonstrating the giving nature they pride themselves on. Leading the way, the HOPE Project hopes to expand to cover all of northeastern Montana.