MISSOULA — In the middle of downtown Missoula is a historic carousel rich with stories of community collaboration.
A Carousel For Missoula is one of the organizations participating in the annual Missoula Gives fundraiser which begins on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
“This place is such a heart of Missoula,” Ride Operator Jeff Overturf expressed. “It's the only job I've ever had where you come in in a bad mood and the kids will say something silly to you and ok, I see what's important in the world.”
A Carousel for Missoula opened in 1995 thanks to the community.
“This place was totally built from the ground up by volunteer labor, volunteer funds. And that's the way we continue to operate today,” shared Overturf.
Overturf told MTN the carousel is more than just a carnival ride, it’s a piece of Missoula's history and future.
“A company, a family, or an organization would donate $2,500 for the wood and the paint, then they could design and name their own horse," detailed Overturf. "That's why they're all so different. You got 42 different designers here.”
Four horses were made from a school ‘pennies for ponies’ fundraiser years ago and a few others were created as gifts to family members.
However, no matter which horse you ride, all of them have personalized touches from their carvers.
Showing off his wooden horse, Brian Barnes stated, “This is the first horse that I've actually put a chisel to.”
After volunteering for five years, keeping carousel horses in tip-top shape, Barnes is getting to chisel a horse himself.
Barnes found wood carving after coming back to the U.S. from overseas.
It's a passion that makes time fly and a way for him to get his emotions out, “I feel like I'm able to be more creative and I think it's made me happier.”
Now, his fingers are crossed that when he's finished, his horse will join the rideable carousel herd.
“It would be a legacy type deal to be able to have my son come and ride it, my grandkids ride it, my friends will be able to come and ride it,” said Barnes.
Just like volunteers have been doting on this carousel since the beginning, anyone can be a part of A Carousel for Missoula’s history this Missoula Gives.
“If something ever goes wrong or something breaks, the community comes out of the woodwork and offers to say, how can we help with this?” Overturf explained
A Carousel For Missoula is just one of the organizations participating in this year's Missoula Gives, a 26-hour community fundraising celebration.
Visit https://www.missoulagives.org/ for a full list of all the participating groups and events.
KPAX is a proud sponsor of the 10th Annual Missoula Gives, our community giving day that is happening on Thursday and Friday.
This 26-hour online fundraiser aims to raise $1.3 million for 209 participating nonprofits. It's a way for us to come together to celebrate all the ways these organizations sustain and enhance the life of Missoula.
