Our View: Band represents best of a great community

OK, we’re a bit biased, but we think the Havre High School Blue Pony Marching Band stole the show at the Washington National Independence Day Parade Monday.

The Blue Ponies made Havre proud by entertaining the hundreds of thousands of people who were on hand for the major parade.

There were many other bands that were bigger and better funded, but none had the spirit and the spunk that the band from the Hi-Line had.

The band will be an inspiration to the entire community as we work hard to make this great community better every day.

Sometimes it gets easy to have an inferiority complex in Havre, thinking perhaps because we are a little out of the way that we can’t do things as well as the big cities. Thank you, band members, for reminding us that is not the case.

By hard work and determination, the band made its way to the national stage.

Thank you, for your hard work and congratulations on your success. You have, once again, shown us why this little place on the Hi-Line is so special.

But the band’s public performance is just one thing that reminded us how special our community is.

Recently Jerry Donoven, a well-known Havre resident, drowned in Fresno Reservoir.

Family and friends were devastated by the tragedy. And, in fact, the entire Hi-Line was devastated as well.

People pitched in with volunteering for the search. More than 40 people with boats came forward, and many others searched the shore. Others prepared food for the volunteers. The Walleye Tavern closed down and prepared meals for the searchers.

We’re sure other communities have a volunteer spirit like Havre, but we’re pretty sure that it is not as prevalent in other places as it is here.

It’s a cliche, but it is the people. It’s contagious. There is a special spirit to this town, and it’s great.