1.  Go Biking, Hiking or Fishing from the Sloway Cabin.  Spend 3 nights in a cozy cabin on the Lower Clark Fork River, just east of St Regis. This woodsy 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom getaway sleeps 6.  Perfect base camp for any number of activities.  Superb biking on the nearby Hiawatha Trail, hiking in the Great Burn, or fishing right out the back door.  Or just sit back and watch the river flow.
Thank you Kate Supplee! Value:  $500

2. Search for El Lobo – on Horseback.  Take a trail ride with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wolf specialist Liz Bradley to learn about and to look for wolves! Liz tracks most of the wolf packs in western Montana and is extremely knowledgeable about their habits.  Horses and logistics provided by SuzAnne Miller of Dunrovin Ranch.  An extraordinary opportunity to spend a day with a real wolf expert while taking a great ride on incredible Tennessee Walking horses in a beautiful location.  Limited to four people. 
Thank you Liz and SuzAnne! Value:  $1000

3.  Explore Yellowstone with Your Personal Park Ranger & the Park's Leading Historian.  Discover the hidden features of Yellowstone accompanied by Michael Leach, the Park’s interpretative ranger & bear specialist for the past 6 years.  He’ll join you in your vehicle for a day and a half, showing you hidden waterfalls & little known thermal features.  But his greatest passion is for grizzly bears & wolves, and he knows where to find them & how to observe them safely.  The final part of this extravaganza is a personal 2-hour tour through Yellowstone’s new Heritage and Research Center, led by renowned park historian Lee Whittlesey.   Lee has written 8 books on Yellowstone’s history & has appeared in many public TV specials.  If you have friends or relatives to take to Yellowstone, this will be an unforgettable experience.  Up to 4 people. 
Thanks to April Christofferson, her son Michael and Lee Whittlesey! Value $1000 their cabin for the first and only time for 5 nights.

4.  Flathead Lake Vacation.  The relatives are going to love you! Spend 3 nights in a Nantucket style cottage on Finley Point of Flathead Lake.  With 3 bedrooms and two baths, the house sleeps six comfortably.  Relax on the large deck with a beautiful view of the lake and the peaks of Glacier Park.  Two kayaks and a canoe for exploring the lake, Thank you Tom and Sue Roy! Value:  $700

5.  Native Plant Garden Bonanza! Plant or expand your own water-wise, butterfly-attracting garden with this starter kit, which includes:

• Garden consultation with Giles Thelen of Native Yards, Inc;100 native perennials of your choice from the Fort Missoula Conservation Nursery (you don’t have to take them all at once!); 2 helpful native plant books; Guided tours of 2 Missoula native plant gardens, with extended time for questions and discussion with their owners. Value $500

6.  Women’s Weekend in Coeur d’Alene.  Spend 3 days, 3 nights in a charming 2 bedroom Lake Coeur d’Alene cabin with lake access and a boat slip in scenic Beauty Bay.  Enjoy great hiking, biking and boating adjacent to marvelous galleries & eateries, all a short distance from terrific shopping at outlet stores.  Also included is golf for 4 at sharply discounted rates at the legendary Coeur d’Alene Resort, famous for its floating green.  Bring lots of balls! Thanks April Christofferson and Steve Leach!Value: $700

7.  Blackfoot Valley Waterfowl Extravaganza.  Join MNHC board president and quackmeister Hank Fischer for an extraordinary day of duck and goose hunting on an outstanding Blackfoot Valley private land location with exceptional waterfowl concentrations.  Decoys, super retrieving dog and expert calling included.  An unforgettable outing for: 1) the dyed-in-the-wool duck hunter; 2) the occasional sportsman who wants to try something new; or 3) the young and enthusiastic hunter you might know who wants to learn the ropes from a seasoned water fowler.  Finish off the day with a gourmet meal at Trixie’s Saloon. 
Thank you Hank Fischer and Paul Roos!Value:  $500

9.  Flathead River Float with Gourmet Picnic.  Float down the Flathead River in a hand-built wooden kayak!  This is a great option for your out-of-town guests. Available as a guided trip for 2 or non-guided trip for 3. Both options include a gourmet picnic lunch, shuttles and Tribal permits.  Thank you Megan Parker!
Value $500

10.  Golfing and Eating Rampage.  Enjoy 18 holes of golf for two people (with cart) on three of Missoula's finest golf courses.  Tour the fairways and avoid the deep rough of the beautiful Ranch Club, enjoy the hilly terrain of the always challenging Highlands Golf Club and try to avoid hitting the geese at the spectacular King Ranch.  But that's not all!  Our package includes dinner for two at each of these courses.  Shadow's Keep is the epic Missoula spot for a sundown meal.  The Ranch Club's gourmet cuisine is a special treat.  The King Ranch, on the banks of the Clark Fork, overlooks some incredible wildlife habitat.  Thank you, all of these generous donors! Value:  $600

11.  Lake Inez Getaway.  Stay 3 nights at Jack & Wendy Sturgis’ rustic one bedroom cabin on Lake Inez.  This is up the Swan Valley, far enough to get away from the tourists but not too far for a wonderful get-away weekend.  Great birding and hiking, peace and quiet.  Canoe up the Clearwater River at the head of the lake or sit on the deck and read a good book. Sleeps 4 (one queen bed and a futon) Must be used June through mid-September, 2008.
Thank you Jack and Wendy Sturgis! Value:  $500

12.  With You We Grow!  Thanks to a $600,000 grant from the Kendeda Fund, we're staying at our special location on the banks of the Clark Fork River near McCormick Park.  But we need your help.  The Kendeda Fund asked MNHC to demonstrate the breadth of our community support by providing us with a matching grant to help pay for our building and its maintenance. For every dollar we raise, Kendeda will give us two dollars, up to $200,000.  We've already raised $30,000 and our goal is to raise the remaining $70,000 by the end of the year.  If we do, we can pay for our building and save nearly $60,000 in interest payments.  There's never been a better -- nor a more important time -- to make a gift to MNHC.
 
Paying for our building will strengthen our organization, as we can take those funds that we formerly spent on rent or mortgage payments to our programs.  Our immediate plans call for expanding our highly-praised Visiting Naturalist in the Schools program to more rural locations in western Montana.   We'd also like to grow our increasingly popular summer camps.
 
We'll start at the $10,000 level and end up at $100.  Thank you for helping us grow!   

13.  Elton John in Las Vegas, Baby!  Didn’t get to see Sir Elton John in Missoula this fall?  Now is your to chance to set things right.  This package includes 2 round trip tickets to Vegas and tickets to the Red Piano Concert at Caesar’s Palace.  Get back, honky cat. Thank you Allegiant Air and all of our event sponsors tonight!  Value:  $600

14.  Country Italian Feast.  How about throwing a dinner party where someone else prepares the meal? A cooking demonstration and dinner for six prepared in your kitchen by chef Graham Roy, trained at Cook Street in Denver and the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners.  The dinner will feature dishes from the Piedmont area, such as an antipasto plate, homemade ravioli, Hunter’s chicken, panzanella, and rice pudding.  Thank you Sue Roy and son Graham! Value $500

15.  Day on Flathead Lake, in Grand Style.  A day-long picnic cruise on Flathead Lake aboard a pontoon boat. Fishing, swimming, soaking up the sun--you can do it all on the most relaxing craft on the water. You choose the itinerary--Wild Horse Island, the west shore, Polson Bay, or the river portion above Kerr Dam. Boat captain Ken Caffrey knows every channel, nook and cranny on the lake, including incredible island homes and other local points of interest. In addition, Ken, MNHC host Ian Marquand and their spouses will provide a picnic lunch on the boat. This item is for summer 2008 at a mutually convenient date. Thank you Ken Caffrey and Ian Marquand! Value $500

16.  Yellowstone Winter Wolf Expedition. Watch wild wolves with the experts in Yellowstone National Park this January 7-11.  All food, lodging & transportation included. The trip is  led by Nathan Varley, whose doctoral research on wolves & elk has illuminated fascinating aspects of ecology in the nation’s first national park.  Stay at the Yellowstone Institute in the heart of wolf country, the famous Lamar Valley.  January is one of the most predictable times of the year for observing vast herds of bison and elk and the wolves that pursue them. Hike and snowshoe short distances to areas of interest that might include a wolf den or a wolf-killed carcass.  One person. Thank you Nathan Varley! Value: $1400

17.  Two Thrilling Whitewater Trips!  Use them yourself or entertain your-out-of-town visitors on thetwo premier whitewater runs in western Montana.  Package includes a full-day trip for two down the Alberton Gorge west of Missoula and a trip for two on the thrilling Buffalo Rapids of the Flathead River near Polson. 
Thank you Lewis & Clark Trail Adventures in Missoula and Flathead River Rafting Company in Polson! Value $400

18.  Portrait of Your Pet.  Once in everyone’s life, you have a very special pet.  Here’s your chance to immortalize your favorite feline or canid in a piece of art created by local artist by Janet McGahan.  Janet is renowned for her pet portraits- several of her portraits are currently on display at the Dana Gallery -- you will treasure this for years to come.  Thank you Janet McGahan!  Value $500

19.  The Quest for the Great Gray Owl.  Join former Yellowstone Park guides Hank and Carol Fischer for an unforgettable birding journey to Yellowstone Park in search of the rare and beautiful great gray owl.  Spend the night of June 6 at Jack and Lilly Tuholske’s incredible cabin in Cooke City, and the next morning be joined by professional photographer and naturalist Dan Hartman, who has devoted most of his adult life to photographing owls in Yellowstone (yes, his favorite is the great gray!).  Hank and Carol will take you to nest sites of golden and bald eagles, peregrine falcons and sandhill cranes, and can probably even find a few wolves and bears.  Prepare yourself for a four-star natural history experience. Thank you Hank & Carol Fischer, the Tuholskes, and Dan Hartman!.  Value $1200.

20.  Watercolor painting: Turban Squash.   Sue Newell graciously donated this stunning painting, which is beautifully framed.  Here is the artist’s statement, from Sue:
I painted this watercolor of a Turk’s Turban Squash last October while studying the tradition of Botanical Art with Nancy Seiler, a way of working that emphasizes deep observation and careful rendering.  I found the experience to be similar to keeping a faithful field journal of a particular place, a mesmerizing pathway to explore, record and internalize a bit of the natural world.  After I have painted a leaf, seedpod or squash in this way, I will always know a part of it ... and, if the image has truth, so will the viewer.
Making this piece was an especially delightful experience.  After reveling in the wonderful forms and colors of this gorgeous squash, I baked and ate it with a bit of butter!
Thank you Sue Newell!   Value $500.

21.  Week in a Nova Scotia Cabin.  Five-day (6-night) stay at the Eshbaugh family home in tranquil Waternish, Nova Scotia, in the heart of the boreal forest, next to the St. Mary’s River on 160 acres.  Meander along the river or walk along beautiful ocean beaches.  Great sea kayaking with opportunities to see seals & pelagic birds.  Fish for brook trout in nearby lakes, or for Atlantic salmon when in season.  Golf on incredible courses. Take out the canoe or bikes for exploration.  The nearest neighbors are a mile upstream or down stream.  The house comfortably accommodates 6 people. Available from June 2008 – October 2008. Thank you Wendy Brown and family!
Value $1500

22.  Girls Gone Fishing!  Former fishing guide turned nurse Mindy Adams will provide a fabulous day on the Bitterroot River for two women, either experienced nimrods or flycasters-in-waiting.  With a patient hand and a feminine touch, Mindy specializes in introducing aspiring flyfisherwomen to the magic of moving waters. Includes lunch, and it’s not soggy sandwiches wrapped 6 hours before.  Mindy will treat you to a gourmet lunch & finish things off with an unforgettable dinner on top of McCauley Butte.  Food, flies & even rods provided if the purchasers do not own equipment.  The trip also available to men, or couples.  Destination river may change depending on current fishing conditions.
Thanks Mindy! Value:  $400

23.  Winter Tracking and Gourmet Dinner.  Pearl Cash & Bob Brugh invite a group of 6 totheir Ninemile Ranch to spend a winter afternoon tracking wolves, otters, coyotes & other animals in the snow.  Pearl &Bob are experienced trackers, having studied with Jim Halfpenny at the Yellowstone Institute & at Northwest Connections in Seeley Lake.  After meeting at 2:00 pm & following critter trails, adjourn for wine by the fireplace at 4:00 followed by an early supper at 5:00.  Pearl has been Chef and owner of some of Western Montana's most critically acclaimed restaurants since 1976. Her knowledge of food is extensive & her cooking has been the subject of numerous articles & reviews.  She is the only Montana chef to have received the Best Northwest Award from SEATTLE MAGAZINE. Pearl was profiled in BERNARD CLAYTON’S “COOKING ACROSS AMERICA" as “arguably one of the best young chefs in the country."  Bob is known for his innovative development projects, including the renovation of the old Mercantile Warehouse on Front Street, where Pearl’s Café is located.  Their home in the Ninemile has been similarly lovingly & beautifully renovated.  Bob & Pearl ensure their guests a memorable experience! Thanks Bob and Pearl!  Value:  $900

We thank our auction sponsors!

Stuart & Mindy Goldberg ~  Northern Lights Development, LLC ~ Stephen Noyd, DDS ~ Rick & Penny Oncken ~
Alan Okagaki & Donna Ridgeway ~ Anonymous ~ Insured Titles ~ Anonymous ~ Gary & Judy Matson

Special Contributions

John Engen ~ Amy Martin ~ Nancy Seiler ~
Bill Rideg

Business Donors
Thank you for supporting this event with your generous donations of goods and services.  Tonight would not be possible without your help!
Bernice’s Bakery ~ Big Sky Brewery ~ Gateway Printing ~ Nancy Seiler Design ~ Rockin Rudy’s World Headquarters ~ Ten Spoon Vineyard & Winery ~ William E’s Incredible Edibles