Celebrating 50 Years Of Flathead Valley Community College! – Pink Gloves Boxing, 2/2-4/7, Kalispell, Montana

Flathead Valley Community College is celebrating the 50th anniversary http://www.fvcc.edu/50 of its founding this year with a series of commemorative events, publications and exhibits honoring the college’s earliest advocates and highlighting the achievements of the past five decades. FVCC was founded on April 1, 1967 after Flathead County voters approved a ballot initiative to create a community college in Northwest Montana.

The 50th anniversary celebration kicks off February 2 with a presentation by boxer, entrepreneur and international speaker Garret Garrels, who will discuss how ordinary people can change lives by taking action on their extraordinary ideas. Free and open to the public, Garrels’ presentation will begin at 12 p.m. in the large community room of the Arts and Technology Building on campus.

Garrels founded Pink Gloves Boxing https://pinkglovesboxing.com/ in 2006 while he was a student and football player at Carroll College. Pink Gloves Boxing, a physical and emotional empowerment program designed for women and teenage girls, has been recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s "Top 100 Innovative Businesses." Pink Gloves Boxing clubs can be found in eight states, as well as in Norway, Sweden and pending in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. A collegiate program that started at Montana State University in 2010 has been implemented at universities and colleges across the country.

Despite struggling with a stammer all of his childhood, Garrels has finished in the semi-finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking twice. In 2011, he finished 18th out of 35,000 contestants. He is a published author and frequently speaks at events and engagements around the world.

In addition to hearing Garrels speak, attendees of the February 2 event will receive a complimentary copy of FVCC’s 50th anniversary commemorative publication. The 40-page book includes historic photographs, testimonials from alumni and faculty, a timeline of major milestones of the past 50 years and other information. Complimentary copies of the publication can also be obtained at the FVCC Foundation office in Blake Hall.

FVCC will hold a Founder’s Day celebration for the community on April 7. Event details are forthcoming. For more information, visit http://www.fvcc.edu/50.