Big fun at CSTA charity dinner
By Cole Boehler
As an avid motorcyclist and frequent Montana road tripper, I collect routes like some people collect stamps. I've got dozens of them filed away in my memory and they are all categorized as to volume of traffic, quality of the road engineering and surface, scenery, wildlife (not a plus if you're two wheeling, but usually an enhancement when in a car), good hospitality businesses along the way and so on.
Everyone ranks the stunning Beartooth Highway from Red Lodge to Cooke City near the top of their route list, but almost as pleasant and far underrated is Highway 78 which runs from the I-90 exit at Columbus to Red Lodge.
It careens through big rolling hills that are the footings of the mighty Beartooth Range. From vantages high atop the loftiest hills you can see the next hilltop a couple of miles away, and see the road snake between the summits following or crossing undulating ravines and creeks.
Get past the construction to the south of Absarokee, though, and it's heaven once again: light traffic on a beautiful trail traversing one of Montana's most gorgeous areas. We felt this as we cruised toward Red Lodge June 22 to attend the annual Carbon/Stillwater Tavern Association (CSTA) Banquet and Silent Auction. Such a fine drive puts a mellow outlook on the evening's proceedings.
The crowd that gathered for the event at a Carbon County Fairgrounds pavilion on the north edge of Red Lodge also exhibited that mellow mood: big smiles, warm handshakes, friendly greetings, along with two bars setting up the beers and cocktails.
The silent auction was magnificent and is a warm-up to the one CSTA will be running at the Montana Tavern Association Convention and Trade Show in Havre Sept. 13-16. The local association that will host the convention the following year (Red Lodge in 2012) conducts the convention silent auction to prime the fundraising for the next state-wide event.
The silent auction had just short of 100 items for sale by bid! In it were tool sets, fishing gear, raft trips, unique artwork and crafts, barbecue grills, tents and camping gear, three golf bags, a dozen or so fancy liquor baskets, mountain bikes, a Jim Beam signature electric guitar ... even a pedicure and a mammogram!
Hosted cocktails were available at 6:30 and dinner was ready one hour later, prepared right in the fairgrounds kitchen: big slabs of prime rib in savory au jus, shrimp scampi, new potatoes, an excellent green salad, buttered rolls, vegetable and a scrumptious piece of cheese cake drizzled with chocolate syrup. Good job Cactus Flats Barbecue and Catering!
Following CSTA tradition, "Mike The Flower Man" gave the invocation. The evening's program was ram-rodded by emcees Jimmy Howard and Rocky Roberts. They commenced the nominations and eliminations for the 11 seats at the head table and quickly had representatives of these businesses and individuals seated: GEO, Chico Hot Springs Resort, My Time Nail Design, Tiny's Tavern, Rock Creek Resort, ATM Express, Fishtail Vending, Jeanne Hallock, Cheri McCully, Gallatin County Tavern Association and Beartooth Foods.
During the drawings a couple of games of heads-and-tails were run as were several live auctions, $50 cash prizes and liquor baskets were raffled. Spirits were high!
Eight seat-holders were eliminated but won $150, leaving just three who would win $750, $1,000 or $1,500. Cheri McCully won the $750, and the last two were offered a chance to pool and split $2,500. Since Montana Tavern Association Executive Director Bob Anderson was on hand and filling the seat for the Gallatin association, he declined. Too bad, because Gallatin won the $1,000, while Bear Tooth Food's Tonya House grabbed the $1,500 (and a booze basket, to boot!).
CSTA certainly recharged their association coffers that evening, which is a good thing because they have to fulfill their generous legacy. In the past they have funded local fire departments, Shriners childrens hospital, Red Lodge Rodeo, Santa and His Elves Kruisin' 4 Seniors, Park City Toys For Tots, Stillwater Christmas Fund, Carbon County Foster Children's Fund, Al Bedoo Shrine Transportation Fund, Joliet Centennial Celebration, Tammy Stevens and Chrissy Walker medical funds, Reed Point Sheep Drive, Bridger Food Bank, Travis Schwend Memorial scholarship and donations to individuals in crisis.