Art project gets boost from TF community

The Thompson Falls community came together to support local art last Saturday as the Thompson Falls Main Street hosted the second annual Spring Jamboree fundraiser at the Elks Lodge.

Last year, the Main Street committee chose the veterans memorial at Ainsworth Park as the recipient of Spring Jamboree funds. This year, they selected the new initiative promoting art in the community. Micah Grossberg, the Thompson Falls art teacher, spoke to the crowd Saturday. The school will partner with local businesses to add art installations in the community. Local artist Jared Shear has agreed to work with the students on developing community art pieces.

Linda Rocheleau with the Main Street Committee said the Spring Jamboree raised about $5,000 for the art project. That will help purchase supplies for murals, sculptures and other artwork. “That’s a good start,” Rocheleau said.

A pulled pork dinner catered by the HighLead was cooked up for more than 100 fundraiser attendees, and students from Mountain Meadows Ranch helped serve the meal. Dave and Deb Oliver kept the crowd entertained with music and shenanigans, and Dave Oliver enticed community members to open their pockets for the live auction items. Items donated for the auction included a picnic table, a barbecue grill set, a mount from Haun Taxidermy and a stay at Rocky Point Ranch. Student artwork was used as raffle items for the event.

Rocheleau said the event was well organized and well attended, noting that social media brought some folks in from out of town for the event, because of the auction items highlighted.