Category: News

By now, if you have paid up your NFLA dues, you should have received a copy of the 2018 Spring Newsletter and Calendar in the mail.

The newsletter is the main result of work by Carol Groebe and Chris Heitz, plus articles by Lynn Ogle, Allen Chrisman, Lois Walker and Mark Heaphy. Besides social activities, the articles give great information on wildfire and how to protect your property, the activity of the North Fork Patrol, as well as the latest in the Lois Walker series of North Fork history. This time, she writes about the history of the Pole Bridge, which, since 1988, has been converted to steel and concrete.

If you’re not a member or didn’t receive the newsletter in the mail, you can read it here on the website. Check out our NFLA Newsletters page that includes a message from NFLA President Larry Wilson.

And don’t forget to check out the NFLA Calendar on line throughout the summer. Dates change and new events get added!

As bears emerge from their dens in the next few weeks, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offers guidance for avoiding conflicts between humans and bears. Visit FWP’s Be Bear Aware web pages for important tips on maintaining bear-safe residences and camping expeditions.

“You’ll learn responsible ways to feed your pets, manage your garbage, landscape the yard and build electric fences to protect beehives and chickens in bear country, ” said Ron Aasheim, FWP spokesman. “Managing each of these activities properly will significantly reduce conflicts between bears and people.”

Learn about bear attractants, how to tell if your residence is bear-friendly, and some bear-aware tools to help keep bears wild.

If you have any problems with bears coming too close to your structures, please contact FWP Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley at tmanley803@gmail.com or call (406) 892-0802.

FWP’s Be Bear Aware web page is a great resource and this perfect time to be making an assessment about attractants around your North Fork home. Please, let’s keep our grizzly friends safe.

I am SURE summer is right around the corner, so this is just a reminder that your NFLA dues ($15 per person) are due before April 1^st if you want to receive the Spring Newsletter with the calendar of wonderful events planned for the summer.  Once again your Board of Directors has been working hard to make this summer memorable.  In addition to our usual picnics, floating, hiking and biking we have TOURS OF HISTORIC HOMESTEADS, a bi-weekly FARMER’S MARKET, and presentations on BEARS, FIRE MITIGATION around your home, and a 1^st AID, CPR, AED Class to name just a few of the  events lined up so far.

Tap here for a copy of the NFLA Membership Form.  Just send it and $15 per member to:

NFLA Treasurer
PO Box 1603
Columbia Falls, MT  59912

We look forward to seeing you this summer!

The North Fork Preservation Association has a story about Alan McNeil that begins… Alan Rideout McNeil died of a heart attack on the 29th of December, 2017. The family wish to thank the neighbors, the Sheriff’s department, and the Coroner, all of whom were most helpful in the midst of the recent blizzard conditions. Read the full story here.

There will be a gathering on the North Fork this summer in Alan’s memory. Alan will certainly be missed.

We just received word that Alan McNeil, dear friend of the North Fork, died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Friday. Our hearts go out to Cecily, Bruce, and especially Alan’s daughter Fiona. Alan was a good neighbor and active member of the NFLA. He will be greatly missed.

The Flathead Beacon has a wonderful article about our good neighbors the Chrismans and the good work that they’re doing. It starts… NORTH FORK — To accompany siblings Allen Chrisman and Kari Wiley in the Chrisman Family Forest is less of a nature walk than it is a meander through the woods to meet old friends. Read the full story here.

The 2017 NFLA Fall Newsletter comes to you courtesy of the North Fork Landowners Association (NFLA).  A copy of the newsletter is sent out every fall to NFLA members reminding them to renew their membership and includes a membership renewal form as well as a letter from the NFLA President.

We invite you to join us! Membership dues are only $15 a year per person. Your dues are important to us. They help us maintain the Community Hall and organize lots of exciting activities that bring the community together. We have activities for everyone, whether you are interested in reading, gardening, hiking, biking, dancing, birding, or floating the river.  We hope to see you at NFLA activities this fall/winter including Thanksgiving day dinner.  More information about joining the NFLA may be found here.

Get a copy of the current newsletter and access to past newsletters on the NFLA Newsletter page.

Treasurer Chris Heitz reports that the Annual Financial Report for the 2017 fiscal year has been audited and is now ready for your review. Read the full report here.

Thank you, Chris, for all of your hard work throughout the year. And thanks to the Audit Committee who performed the audit!

Don’t forget, you can get access to all of the associations documents including this report on the Documents/Meeting Minutes page.

Larry Wilson announced at last night’s NFLA Business Meeting that we will once again be conducting our October food drive.

The annual food drive, originally proposed by Bob Grimaldi years ago, is a way for the NFLA members to get involved in a community service project and provide others with a small share of our good fortune. North Forkers set aside appropriate items while cleaning out and closing their North Fork homes for the season and bring them to the Sondreson Hall during the final business meeting of the year.

This year we’re collecting for the NW Montana Veterans Food Pantry. According to their website, “You can help by donating coffee, canned and boxed goods, juice, frozen meats, grains, cereal, produce and peanut butter.” They’ve provide a Food & Nutrition Chart as a guide to what might be most appropriate to donate.

If you want to write a check, you can give it to one of the Board members and they’ll see that it gets turned in with the food. For those who want a receipt that they can use for tax purposes, just let Larry or someone on the Board know and they’ll make that happen.

In years past we’ve collected over 100 pounds of food. We can do it again! So gather up your food donations and either bring them with you to the hall for the Sunday, October 8th, Business Meeting or drop it off with a neighbor who will be coming.