Holiday Greetings 2020 Park County Gardiner Bank lights up Clyde Letters to Santa Christmas Essays Christmas Stroll Park with cheer Pages 8-11 Starting on Page 14 Page 2 Page 4 A PUBLICATION OF THE LIVINGSTON ENTERPRISE 2 HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2020, Monday, December 21 On the cover and below: With the famous Roosevelt Arch behind her, Tah Madsen, a long- time Gardiner resident, displays at the pavilion at Arch Park some of the graham cracker houses she and other community mem- bers created and donated for the children’s graham cracker deco- rating event. Enterprise photos by Elias Baer Gardiner holiday traditions adapt to COVID By Elias Baer iday season will look much different from years on the Thursday after Thanksgiving.” Enterprise Staff Writer past, many of the holiday traditions having been As a result of the pandemic, the Christmas Stroll canceled due to concerns over the ongoing coronavi- was knocked down, but not out. The Stroll won’t be ardiner is a seasonal tourist destination rus pandemic. the grand event it usually is, but Gardiner has perse- with just several hundred year-round resi- “The Christmas Stroll is our main event,” said vered despite the circumstances to make the tradi- dents, but the hardy locals deciding to Terese Petcoff, of the Gardiner Chamber of Com- tion carry on, just in a different fashion. Gstick it out and live in the area during the merce. “Every year the Christmas Stroll takes place The Christmas Stroll is “the event that everyone harsh winter off-season typically enjoy annual holi- day traditions, including a Christmas Stroll and art fair in town. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, this year’s hol- Merry Happy Holidays Christmas From the Zeman family to yours... from everyone at Rick’s Refrigeration. Come see us for all your heating & cooling needs. 406-222-6774 406 N. 13th St. 3 HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2020, Monday, December 21 A close-up of some of the graham cracker houses Tah Madsen and other community mem- bers made for the children’s graham cracker decorating event. looks forward to each year,” Petcoff the COVID holiday season enjoyable.” Madsen said she would strictly the event. As usual, masks will be said, so this year the Gardiner commu- Tah Madsen, a Gardiner resident, has enforce a policy limiting the number of required. nity came together to make it happen had another longstanding Gardiner hol- people in the pavilion at one time and Weather permitting, the graham in the safest way possible. iday tradition and, like Petcoff and that the two-lane road leading to the cracker house event will be held Dec. “I think we did a great job of incorpo- Holloway, she was determined to carry pavilion will be one-way for the dura- 18, with viewing beginning at 5:30 p.m. rating those traditions into something it on, even if it will look different than tion to help keep children and their and pick-out and pick-up beginning at 6 that the people can enjoy,” she said. “I in previous years. parents safe as they drive to and from p.m. think it shows the resiliency of our Every year Madsen comes together community and our ability to adapt to with other Gardiner community mem- (the pandemic).” bers to build graham cracker houses Several Gardiner businesses opened and then holds an event for local chil- up part of their space, the Gardiner dren to decorate them. This year Mad- Market for example, for artists to dis- sen still built the houses and the tradi- play their wares. This serves two pur- tion will continue, with some safety From all of us at: poses: One, the artists will have a phys- precautions in place. ical platform to display their art, but “I have been doing this event for also the businesses displaying the art many years,” Madsen said. “The last will draw some foot traffic, something several years Yellowstone Forever has small-town businesses desperately been my host. With the restrictions of need in these trying times. COVID we have moved it outside at the Rather than holding the Christmas pavilion at Arch Park.” Stroll on the first Thursday of Decem- Madsen emphasized the importance Frank & Karen O’Connor - Owners ber as usual, this year’s Stroll will take of maintaining a safe event strictly place over the course of several days. adhering to CDC guidelines. She said 222-0214 • 908 East Park St. It started Dec. 9 and will go to Dec. 18, she was a bit nervous about holding the providing the community with the event given present circumstances, but opportunity to participate over the plans to do everything in her power to course of nine days, rather than having make it safe. everyone convene on one day. “We have about 70 small creations/ The Christmas Stroll has further houses made out of graham crackers,” adapted by going virtual, an effort Madsen said. “These are made by MERRY CHRISTMAS championed by Anna Holloway, an myself and community members. In employee at Gardiner School who is the past the kids pick out the house also involved with the Chamber. they want and decorate it at the event. & HAPPY NEW YEAR “I have organized a Gardiner Face- This year they will take it home to dec- We’re displaying our holiday cheer to thank book page for local artists to advertise orate with provided icing and candy,” and sell their goods,” Holloway said. “I thereby limiting the number of people everyone for stopping here. And for your am working with the Chamber of Com- convening in one place at the same merce on several things to help make time. winning attitude, You surely have our sincere gratitude... So without any fanfare or further delay ‘Tis the season Please accept our best wishes for new tires for a great holiday! We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patronage From all of us at: this year. Merry Christmas & Happy HORIZON New Year! AUTO PARTS 222-6272 • 1210 East Park St. 1222 E. Park St. • Livingston • 406-222-2823 4 HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2020, Monday, December 21 Bank of the Rockies lights up Clyde Park with cheer Sydney Wiley, left, owner of Glenn’s Shopping Center in Clyde Park, and Nancy McIlhattan, of Nancy’s Victorian Garden, are pictured between two trees donated to Glenn’s by the Shields Valley Bank of the Rockies. Enterprise photos by ELIAS BAER By Elias Baer “The trees are all around downtown in front of the special for the community during the holidays. Enterprise Staff Writer businesses,” said Barbara Doty, manager of the “Well, first of all, we love Christmas,” Doty said. Clyde Park bank. “We have solar lights on most of “At Christmas time everybody needs a little pick- he Clyde Park Bank of the Rockies branch them, because there isn’t really anywhere to plug me-up, and this year especially has been not a happy has an annual tradition that lights up the them in.” time with a lot of things that are going on, and it’s downtown business district with holiday According to Doty, the Christmas tree donation Tcheer — decorating and distributing Christ- tradition was born several years ago when bank mas trees to businesses. staff came together and decided to do something From our home to yours... Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas Happy New Year & Happy New Year Keep the holiday spirits high From all of us at and the good cheer flowing. We’re very happy to have you Livingston Flooring & Carpet as a customer. Many thanks From all of us at for your friendship. Clyde Park Tavern We will be closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. 222-4745 109 North N Street 222-7260 (406) 686-4778 2420 S. Park St. LIVINGSTONFLOORING.COM 311 Mile St., Clyde Park, MT 5 HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2020, Monday, December 21 “It is just really fun. It’s just a nice thing to do for the community, and it makes us feel good.” – Barbara Doty, manager of the Clyde Park Bank of the Rockies just a way to bring cheer to the com- Wiley said she couldn’t express munity.” her gratitude for the bank and Each year the bank staff volun- everything the bank has done for teer to help set up and decorate the the community. Christmas trees. Doty said this year, “I think the most impressive thing mild winter weather made it was is how the Bank of the Rockies is nice out when the volunteers got to truly showing their investment in work, but some years volunteers our community,” Wiley said. “The generously spend their time work- fact that we have even have Bank of ing in the freezing cold. the Rockies here in Clyde Park is Trees and decorations aren’t amazing in itself. It provides a cheap, but Doty doesn’t seem con- essential service to a tiny town and cerned about the price. makes Shields Valley a more viable “It is just really fun,” Doty said. place to live.” “It’s just a nice thing to do for the And the trees aren’t the only thing community, and it makes us feel they do for the community. good.” “Barb Dotty came to me and Sidney Wiley, owner of Glenn’s offered that if we bought the whis- Shopping Center, said she actually key barrels that they provided they received three trees, and a staff would fill them with flowers in the member took the time to add addi- summer time and the trees in the tional decorations to the trees to winter,” Wiley said.