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Scholarship foot race to start soon

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ARLEE – A pack of wolves could soon be seen running around Arlee — that is if participants wear their shirts on race day during the 2016 Buttercup Run on Saturday, April 2. 

Every year, a new artist designs the race day shirts. Local artist Jane Lindgren is this year’s artist. She chose a portrait of a wolf from her collection of paintings to feature on the canvas-colored shirts. 

“It’s a mixture of abstract and realism,” she said of the design. The wolf is the realistic natural side of the mixture and the bright colors express the artist’s imagination. 

Lindgren mixed watercolors using what she calls a secret technique to blend the colors so they combine without specific edges. She is now in her 90s and has 40 years of painting experience. She continues to experiment with different techniques.

Her work can be seen at the Hangin’ Art Gallery Killdeer Artisans Guild reception after the race along with the work of several artists.

The Buttercup Race started in 1992 and developed into a fundraiser organized by the Friends of Arlee Schools to provide educational scholarships for students in the Arlee School District. 

“We target kids that might not be getting scholarships or might not be at the top of their class,” said Joe Weydt, secretary of Friends of Arlee Schools. 

The race raises about $10,000 on average for scholarships that go to three to nine students each year, depending on how many students apply. The amount of money given to the students depends on race registration and sponsors.

“We couldn’t do this without the generous sponsors,” he said adding that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes donate to the race along with businesses all the way to Missoula and other private contributors. 

The Friends of Arlee Schools also raise money to give to teachers for supplies. A small portion of that funding comes from the race, with the majority provided by grants, although the grant source is running out.

“We do this so teachers don’t have to dig into their own pockets to supply what they need for their classrooms,” Weydt said.

The chip-timed race is structured so that people can choose a distance they can handle. The one-mile loops around the school, the 5K goes up Pow Wow Road and back down, and the 10K continues past the 5K course through farmland and over the canal. The half marathon goes even further past the 10K route, towards the east end of the valley.

“The course has a little uphill at the start but it’s all downhill on the way back,” he said of every route. 

Every one-mile finisher gets a medal, and awards are given out for each age group in 10-year increments. The 80-plus award is reserved for runner Bob Hayes. He has been a regular participant in the past with record-breaking finish times. A raffle for various prizes donated by businesses starts after the race.

Race coordinator Tony Hoyt is tracking race day weather. He said it looks like it should be a typical spring day, which means it could rain. He recommends dressing in layers and being ready for anything. 

Participants can register on race day starting at 9 a.m. without a late penalty fee. The first race takes off at 10 a.m. For those who like to get ahead of schedule, early shirt pick-ups are available on Friday, April 1, at the Arlee school cafeteria at 5 p.m. 

More information is available at www.buttercuprun.org or 406-726-3335.   

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