Sunday marked the 75th year that Whitefish Shines, the City of Whitefish and several volunteers have gathered to decorate the town for winter.  

Another partner, Flathead Electric Cooperative, brings several bucket trucks and connects garlands to the top of the light posts, but due to Saturday's wet, heavy snow that caused mass power outages in the valley, they were unable to send volunteers this year. 

Whitefish Public Works Department’s one boom truck was employed and other volunteers stepped up. Terri Conat with a boom truck from Rocky Mountain Painting helped, along with Jacob Cassidy from Glacier Painting in the Fast Signs truck. 

“Sunday was truly a community effort,” said Chris Schustrom, who spearheads the effort. “It was a great way to begin the 75th year of this all-volunteer community project.” 

This year, the decorations included 29, newly refurbished historic snowflakes that were installed in the parking lot across from Central School, all the way down Spokane Avenue. 

Donations can be mailed to Whitefish Shines, P.O. Box 695, Whitefish, MT 59937.