Thumbs up to Sally Montoya Day.

On Monday night, the Powell City Council declared Dec. 23 as Montoya’s day in the sun for her efforts to serve her community, which trace back to 1949.

Montoya leads the local Christmas Basket program, which provides food, toys and clothing for local families. If you want to give, send a monetary donation to Powell Council for Community Services, P.O. Box 794, Powell, WY  82435. You can also drop gifts off at 253 N. Ferris St. Call her at 307-202-1663 to make arrangements or for more details.

To receive a basket, stop by the Powell Police Department at 270 N. Clark St. and sign up. They will be distributed on Sally Montoya Day, which is entirely appropriate.

“Sally has given a lifetime of unconditional care and love to those needing help,” the proclamation states. She has done so while serving as “a moral compass and lasting legacy of selflessness for our community,” it added.

We agree. Montoya has displayed the true spirit of Christmas for 65 years in the Powell community, and a day in her honor that close to Dec. 25 is a wise move by the city.

Thumbs up to Country Christmas, which will be celebrated Saturday in downtown Powell.

The annual parade, which was always held at night, will start at 10:30 a.m. The holiday event was an evening tradition since it was launched 27 years ago, but it was canceled last year due to severe cold.

We admit we were reluctant to see the shift, since a lighted parade against the black winter sky has always seemed compelling and attractive. But local businesses are hoping a daytime event will mean warmer weather and a larger crowd, with the stores seeing a boost from that, so we’re willing to see how it goes while wishing all involved well.

“We just thought it might be time to switch it up,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jaime Schmeiser.

The theme this year is Polar Express: Believe. The gift show starts at 10 a.m., followed by the parade. Events and entertainment will continue until 5 p.m.

Thumbs up to Powell Middle School for its innovative anti-bullying program.

The school decided not to just talk about reducing bullying but to do something about it. It has held daily events during Bully Prevention Week in the last week of October.

In one activity, kids were assigned colors, which determined where they would sit during lunch. That brought together students who might not ordinarily spend time with each other. We think it was an excellent idea.

In addition, the middle school asked the kids what to do to combat bullying. Students huddle monthly to discuss the issue and propose ways to combat it. Having the people most impacted by bullying take ownership of the effort was a smart decision.

Most of us know the pain and discomfort of being physically, verbally or psychologically abused by someone. Powell Middle School chose to take steps to ensure fewer young people will have such a painful experience in its halls.

That’s a lesson well worth teaching and learning.

Thumbs up to the Park County Commission for proposing to convert a section of the Powell Branch Library into a teen room.

The commission isn’t planning to fund a new library for Powell, despite the desire of some locals for a new, larger facility. But the county Buildings and Grounds Department will come up with an estimate for creating a gathering place for young people in the basement of the library.

The location is already a magnet for kids, as anyone can tell by driving or walking past the library once school is dismissed. Creating a teen center will serve three purposes — giving young people a place to gather instead of just hanging out in front of the library, further exposing them to the joy of spending time inside such a facility, and finding a new use for an older building.

We await the report from the Buildings and Grounds Department, and we also are sure accommodations will be made so that enthusiastic, energetic teens will not spoil the peaceful atmosphere in the library. Perhaps making the Clark Street entrance, with the available stairs to the basement located near the youth section, as the way to access the center would serve that purpose.

We think this is an idea well worth examining.