Lanterns send good wishes into sky, proceeds support food bank
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner/Valley Journal People gathered in Polson on New Year’s Eve to send their hopes and wishes for 2015 floating upward in the night sky.
Nicole Tavenner
Wishes are written on lanterns and sent into the cerulean sky.
Nicole Tavenner
Jackie Cripe presents $800 raised from lantern sales to Loaves and Fish boardmember Merle Parise.
Nicole Tavenner
Bill Smith mans the bonfire where folks gathered to light lanterns.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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In the indigo twilight of Dec. 31, sky lanterns — red, green, pink and white — floated upward, bearing scribbled wishes for 2015 and remembrances of people who’ve gone ahead.
Carrie Millstead and her family sent a lantern into the sky in celebration of the new year and their new home in Polson. Originally from California, the Millsteads moved here six months ago, a family that “sticks toether and works together,” Carrie said.
Wishes for peace and joy to the world and for a happy birthday for her sister were written on Sue Brueggeman’s lantern. On the other side of the fire pit, the Goddard and Beeks families sent up a lantern wishing a happy second birthday to daughter and granddaughter Gracie.
The sky lanterns were a project of the Polson Business Association, thanks to Marilyn Frame, owner of Polson JC Penney/Hallmark. Frame bought 160 lanterns and then approached Jackie Cripe, co-owner of Jackie M’s Footwear to talk about an idea for the lanterns that involved the community. They decided on New Year’s Eve and worked with Providence St Joseph, another Main Street business. Cripe said they sold out of lanterns about 10 a.m. on Dec 31.
The lanterns sold for $5 each, and all the funds raised went to Polson Loaves and Fish Food Pantry, with Cripe presenting a check to
Merle Parise, a Loaves and Fish board member.
On the chilly evening, people were warming up at the City of Polson’s portable firepit, kept blazing by Bill Smith, as they watched lanterns drift into the sky. Kelly Provins and John Onakite’s lantern read, “2015, the year of good things,” and many hope this will prove to be true.
