BigArm Association; A model for other communities
By China Wall Slim Porthole/Bit-A-News editor of outrageous things
Big Arm is a tiny unincorporated community 12 or 13 miles north of Polson on the west shore of Flathead Lake. Its a little bigger than a wide spot in the road, but a little smaller than a one-horse town.
But when the residents of Big Arm learned a couple of years ago that their volunteer fire department was going to be closed down by the Polson Rural Fire District, size didn't matter. The denizens of the little town got together, built themselves a big stick in the form of the Big Arm Association, and beat the PRFD into submission; The local fire station wasn't closed, but upgraded and Improved, It got a new fire truck, and It got financial and moral support for additional volunteers.
The Big Arm Association over the past two years or so has become the face of Big Arm. Not content with its firehouse success, the organization has begun looking around for other projects to improve or enhance life in Big Arm.
Its latest project is to rescue the town's old schoolhouse, which hasn't been used for decades. The building and land are owned by Lake County's District 23 school board and negotiations are underway to release the building and grounds. After renovation, plans are to use the facility as a community center.
I predict the Big Arm Association will be successful in this project also.
I hope that residents of other unincorporated communities in the area, such as Elmo and Pablo; take a look at what the Big Arm Association has accomplished. The people of Big Arm didn't sit on their asses and moan about the state of things. They actually stood up on their hind legs and did something, actually taking charge of their own community.
They should be very proud of what they've done.
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