Anaconda celebrations and gatherings put on hold as community deals with tragedy

It goes without saying that our thoughts and our prayers are with our sister community of Anaconda as we are six days past the events that have truly shaken our area of Southwest Montana to the core.  Here in Butte we are shaken by last Friday's shootings but it is truly the people of Anaconda who are dealing with the worst of it.  In light of the ongoing manhunt for the gunman, the tragedy of the four lives lost, the grief felt my all affected families and friends and the community-wide need for healing and closure, many events are being cancelled or postponed.

The Smeltermen's Day celebration, which was set to include a brewfest, market, road race series, swimming, all kinds of live music, entertainment and more has been cancelled after lengthy thought, consideration and discussion by organizers and community leaders.  The consensus is that now is simply not an appropriate time for a community-wide celebration.

Word has also been received that the auction in support of the Anaconda Masonic Temple's "Christmas for Kids" program which was set for August 23rd at the It Club has been postponed.  Spokesperson John Goldberg says that the auction has been indefinitely postponed as the group directs their energy to the families of the 4 shooting victims and the healing of the Anaconda community.  Goldberg noted that the "Christmas for Kids" program will go on as scheduled this December as planned and a date for the auction will be announced sometime in the near future.