The Missoula Tavern Owners Association will present a check to organizers of the Max Wave on Thursday, November 14 to help fund a river enhancement project in honor of Max Lentz, the Hellgate High School student who died at age 17 in a kayaking accident in West Virginia.

Owner of Zootown Surfers Jason Shreder said the Max Wave project started in 2008.

"Since then, we've been working hard to turn a current irrigation structure down at the Flynn-Lowney diversion, located behind Osprey Stadium and across Broadway from Safeway," Shreder said. "Right now, you can see there are jersey barriers, concrete and rubbish all along the banks there. So the idea of this project is not just to build a surf wave, but to show the community that we care and the river not be turned into a trashcan. Instead, we really want to build a world-class recreational structure."

Shreder said the Max Wave project has become a community-wide effort.

"Right now, we're working with the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and the City of Missoula to also rehabilitate the Broadway island," Shreder said. "We're hoping to have three to four features that are hopefully going to be world-class waves that vary and fluctuate with the water levels."

Jason Shreder, owner of Zootown Surfers:

To help raise funds for Max Wave, the Missoula County Tavern Owners Association created a special brew that was sold all summer, according to President Brad Martens.

"Four local breweries participated in the fundraising effort," Martens said. "Big Sky, Bayern, Draught Works and Kettlehouse came up with a special brew called the Garden City Community Brew. We sold over 68 kegs and ended up raising over $4,200 for Max Wave."

Martens said there will be a check presentation ceremony on Thursday, November 14 at 1 p.m. at the Kettlehouse, 313 North 1st Street West. The public is invited to attend.

President of the Missoula County Tavern Owners Association Brad Martens

 

 

 

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