Hoiland | North Fork Preservation Association

This week, Larry Wilson points out that a number of North Forkers were recently recognized for decades of dedicated effort: Duke and Noami Hoiland were named Montana Tree Farmers of the year and John Frederick, NFPA President, received a Conservation Achievement Recognition Award from the Flathead Audubon Society . . .

I think virtually every North Forker will tell you that it’s the people who live and/or recreate here that make the place so special. This week, two prestigious awards to North Forkers confirms that perception.

On Saturday, the Montana Tree Farmers met at Sondreson Hall and the organization named the Hoiland family Montana’s Tree Farmers of the Year for 2014…

The second presentation was a Conservation Achievement Recognition Award given to John Frederick by the Flathead Audubon Society. The award was given to honor John for his 35-year effort to keep the North Fork wild…

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Larry spent a few days in Seattle last week, officiating at a fifth-generation, North Fork-connected wedding . . .

I spent most of last week in the Seattle area officiating at a wedding. I have had the honor of doing this several times, and this is only the second time I felt it was worthy of mention in this North Fork column.

The first, which was the first ceremony I ever performed, was when I officiated at John Fredericks’ latest wedding when he married Sharon Costantino. That ceremony was performed in a meadow south of Polebridge, and the bride was delivered in the back of a pickup. Also, the ceremony was mostly attended by family and North Fork friends.

This most recent wedding took place more than 500 miles from the North Fork, but the groom is the fifth-generation of his family with North Fork ties. That makes his wedding of interest to North Forkers.

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