Thank you to Havre for being awesome

Although this letter my be a little late, I would just like to express my gratitude to the people of Havre. My son Will Perry came to Havre two years ago to play basketball.

In February this year, my wife and I came to Havre for the Montana State University-Northern Lights Senior Night basketball game. The encouragement that all MSU-Northern teams receive from the city of Havre is amazing. All the team posters throughout the local businesses, Holden's Hot Wheels throwing all the balls and T-shirts at the game, the coverage and writeups in the Havre Daily News, the support of sponsor families and the size of the crowd for the home games was truly inspirational. Many people came up to us and commented on how glad they were for my son to have come to Northern to play, and how much they enjoyed their interaction with him. This made Will’s mother and I feel very special. After the game, there was a chili feed at the Elks Club, which was a pleasant surprise. There we met many supporters of the team.

Additionally, while we were visiting Havre, my son and Chelsea Ostgaard had a beautiful baby girl, Willa, born at Northern Montana Hospital Birth Center March 1. The care and support that they received there was unsurpassed.

I don’t know what the future holds for Will’s family, but I do know that his time in Havre has allowed him to mature and, more importantly, has shown him how great a community and its citizens can be.

I am proud to say my family has grown in Havre, and if this grandpa has his way, my granddaughter will be a future Skylight and student at MSU-Northern.

Bill Perry

Bremerton, Wash.