If you follow Western Montana Lighting or shop with us regularly, you’ve probably heard about our annual fall and spring sales. You might even remember our blog post about it from last September. We promised to contribute a portion of the proceeds from the sale to a local non-profit, and we’re excited to present the results of that effort.

In conjunction with The Silver Foundation, Western Montana Lighting will offer a scholarship to support one Missoula College student pursing a degree in the Sustainable Construction Technology Program.

Drew Mihelish, WML’s owner, and Carolyn Maier, director of the Silver Foundation, agree that supporting our local, sustainable building industry is the best way to create more work opportunities for middle-class Missoulians and bolster the local economy for the long-term. Above all, it’s a way for us to show gratitude for the community’s support of both organizations over the years.

Western Montana Lighting celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017 and The Silver Foundation will mark its 20th anniversary in 2018, and the scholarship is being established, in part, to honor those milestones.

The Silver Foundation was established by Morris and Helen Silver, who owned the Big Broadway Store and Modern Plumbing, to benefit the residents of the Missoula area. As business owners, the Silvers had a long-standing relationship with both Western Montana Lighting and the Missoula building industry. The scholarship will continue this relationship and their mutual legacy of building community throughout Missoula.

All of us at Western Montana Lighting understand that our success is directly tied to local support by the Missoula community.

As Drew says, “I felt it necessary to find a way to give back to the community while also supporting the local building industry. It’s important to thank those who have kept our business in motion for over 100 years.”

Thank you, Missoula