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406 WOMAN
406 contents
Outdoor Women
Home & Pets
10 From Whitefish to Wapta 14 Woman’s Voice in the
56 Nancy O’s Interiors
Wilderness
406 Love 17 Love is Sweet 22 Love Stories 26 Make Your Event
Extraordinary in Any Season
Food & Flavor 30 Three Forks Grille 34 PERFECT CUTS 36 Beginning Pantry 5 40 Wines For
the Holidays
People & Places 46 The Generosity of a Long Life
48 406 Man, David Hunt
50 Book Review 52 Help-Portrait 54 Camas Creek
Gets its game on!
58 Understanding Colic
HEALTH, Family & WELLNESS 60 Mindful Living
62 Real Relationships 64 The Weightless Workout 66 Ask Dru: This column is for you
if you...
68 Tis’ the Season to be Jolly 70 Home for the Holidays, and After
72 Screening tests can enhance
quality of life for women of any age.
In every issue 74 Shop Talk
Donna Schumacher-Davis Stacey Averill
76 Professional Profiles
Insty Prints All Ways Travel Trails West Real Estate Sydney Lillard, M.D. Karen Perser, M.D. Esther Barnes, D.P.M.
78 Community
Ethos Paris Boutique, fashion show First Annual Bachelor Auction Fundraiser The Village Shop: Runway for a Reason Sage & Cedar, You Can Leave Your Hat On
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406 WOMAN
Publisher Cindy Gerrity cindy@montanasky.net
Business Manager Daley McDaniel daley@montanasky.net
Creative Director/Photographer Sara Joy Pinnell ayourartisan@yahoo.com
Editor Kristen Pulsifer Kristen@whitefishstudycenter.com
Staff Photographer Brent Steiner steinerbw@gmail.com
Copy Editor/Writer Carole Pinnell queencarolerule@yahoo.com
Marketing/Events Kaycee Mohl kayceemohl@gmail.com
Photography Intern Alisia Cubberly alisiadawnphoto@aol.com
On the Cover
Cover Image by: Audrey Hall audreyhall.com
406 Woman
Hélène Werner is a junior studying music at Yale University. She is a cellist and pianist, and performs frequently with her siblings as part of the Werner Cello Quartet. They have been featured on NPR’s “From the Top,” and give concerts in Montana, Wyoming, California, the East Coast, and Europe. Originally from Bozeman, Montana, Hélène’s many other interests include opera, history, art history, painting, and travelling.
Published by Skirts Publishing Copyright©2009 Skirts Publishing Published six times a year.
6477 Hwy 93 S Suite 138, Whitefish, MT 59937 406-862-1545 info@406woman.com
View current and past issues of 406 Woman at www.406Woman.com
406 WOMAN
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Contributors Amy Grisak lives with her husband, Grant, and their two rambunctious boys in Great Falls, Montana. Amy is a freelance writer who's blessed to be able to stay at home with the kids while she writes about gardening, cooking, health and outdoor recreation. Amy also loves teaching people how to grow their own food, and is a garden speaker as well as around-theclock resource for Great Falls' community gardens. For gardening questions, www.amygrisak.com.
Mary Pat Murphy
Denise Dryden is a
Lee Anne Byrne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering counseling in private practice in Whitefish, Montana. She blends holistic and conventional approaches in her work with adults, adolescents and couples, drawing on her extensive and diverse experience. Lee Anne also offers classes in mindful approaches to our moods. She can be reached at 406-862-1440.
John and Colette are a married, creative team with over 16 years experience in the Los Angeles film and photographic industries. They were inspired by their (Bigfork) wedding to combine their skills in photography and makeup specifically for destination weddings. Offering two cameras and professional beauty for the bride. They consider Bigfork their second home and return often to visit family, photograph weddings and to share the beauty of Montana with their two daughters.
Noah Clayton is a
Amy May was born
Kiersten Alton, RPH,
Maggie Neal Doherty
Christine Phillips is
Krista Conger is a Columbia Falls native who returned to the area six years ago after a long stint in the San Francisco Bay Area collecting a variety of biology-related degrees. After attending the University of California, Santa Cruz’s science writing program, she accepted a job in the Office of Communication and Public Affairs at Stanford’s School of Medicine, where she writes primarily about stem cell science, cancer and genetics. She spends her days telecommuting to her California job from her Montana bedroom office, wrangling three kids, one parakeet, one dog and (recently) 17 chickens, and her evenings running, knitting and drinking cheap boxed wine—not necessarily in that order. She’s thrilled to be back in the 406 area code and can see no reason to ever live anywhere else — with the exception of the dreary months of March, April and (this year) most of June and July.
Kristen Hamilton
and raised in Bozeman, MT, Amy is the newest addition to the Outside Media crew. Equipped with a degree in Print Journalism from the University of Montana, she is passionate about meeting new people and documenting their unique and fascinating adventures. Since college, Amy has worked as a reporter at several community newspapers across the state, including Whitefish, Kalispell, Bozeman and Big Sky. Away from the office, Amy enjoys traveling to faraway places (but always coming home to Montana), pumping iron, reading library books, cooking, gardening and any other Martha Stewart-approved activities. At home in Whitefish with her pound puppy, Nettie, Amy is working towards her master degree in Public Relations.
grew up in Kalispell and graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in journalism. She moved to Alaska in 1974 after serving as a legislative reporter for The Associated Press in Juneau and spent the next 22 years there, working as a reporter and editor for the Anchorage Times, serving as a media coordinator in the Governor’s Office and as a legislative aide, among other jobs. She returned to the Flathead Valley in 1995 and lives on a small farm along the Whitefish River. She currently works from home as a writer for organizations including Northwest Healthcare and the United Way and participates in a number of community organizations.
is a pharmacist at Big Sky Specialty Compounding in Kalispell. She attended pharmacy school at the University of Texas in Austin where she learned about herbs, vitamins, homeopathics and how to make medicines from scratch (compounding). She helps patients reduce or eliminate medications and teaches classes on women’s hormones, environmental toxins, and nutritional and natural medicine for infants and toddlers. Recently Kiersten started an autism support group. For more information, e-mail Kalton@ bigskycompounding.com.
Certified Parent Coach with over 30 years of experience in the fields of education, parent support, and therapeutic placement for adolescents and young adults. Her passion is working with people who are ready to make some changes in their life! After raising three kids she is happily maturing into mid life and enjoys living a balanced life in Whitefish. To contact her, please visit her website at www. DeniseDrydenCoaching. com
wrote and illustrated her first book in the 4th grade, titled, Jesse in Hollywood. Still an aspiring writer, she abandoned her childhood ideals of stardom once she figured out her true love, the wilds of northern Michigan where she was raised. With a B.A. in English Writing from DePauw University in 2004, she moved to Montana where the mountains claimed her heart. Not one to set any limitations on herself as a writer, her life adventures have taken her into telemark ski racing, paddling her canoe, climbing mountains, and jobs where she’s wrangled sailboats on Flathead Lake, slung drinks at a ski bar, taught English to high school girls, and introduced kids and adults to the wonders of the outdoors. When she’s not backpacking or traveling the country in a ’64 Airstream adorned with red ants, her nose is typically stuck in a book. Her writing has appeared in literary journals, local newspapers, and on her mother’s refrigerator. Maggie resides in Whitefish, Montana.
Originally from Washington, DC Christine is a freelance writer based in Whitefish, MT who specializes in copy that educates, sells, creates change, and inspires action. When not playing with words and working with her clients, you can find her chasing her two pugs, two-wheeling through town, and enjoying everything that Montana has to offer. For more information, visit www. christinewrites.com.
photographer based out of Whitefish, MT. Originally from a small town in North Carolina, he feels "right at home" here in Montana and enjoys having "the world's largest playground as my backyard". He feels fortunate to have a lifestyle that provides unique opportunities to travel the world, while living an active lifestyle and meeting some of the greatest people on earth. To see more of his images, please visit: www.noahclayton.com
earned her degree in communications and journalism from the University of Nevada-Reno. She has lived in the Flathead Valley for over two decades and wouldn’t trade it for the world. With an extensive tourism background in hotel and resort management and most recently as marketing director for the Flathead Beacon, she enjoys working with the business contacts she's gained over the years. So much so, that she and her husband have started their own company, Ham It Up Strategies, to work with associations such as NMWEPI and Friends of the Flathead County Library along with concert promotions planned in the future. In her free time, Kristen likes to hang out with her husband, Bob, and two great kids, Sam and Sarah.
406 Woman
Outdoor Women
F
rom Whitefish to Wapta: Local Ladies Hit the Backcountry By Amy May - Photos Courtesy BlueBird Guides
Pristine powder -- waist-deep. Towering peaks in all directions. Exploring untamed mountainsides -- literally creating your own path. This is the stuff of skiers’ dreams. For many, ski days like this seem too far away, too remote or too expensive. As local skiers begin to push beyond the confines of ski resorts to get their powder fix, many have begun to look north to British Columbia’s Canadian Rocky Mountains. With peaks rising to nearly 13,000 feet and an average snowfall of almost 40 feet, British Columbia is becoming the backcountry destination for Montanans in search of a unique off-the-grid ski adventure.
For a group of Flathead-area women, the opportunity to ski these majestic peaks arose last spring when they booked a trip with Whitefish-based ski guiding company BlueBird Guides. For three days last February, five friends with a mutual love for skiing and the mountains packed up their gear and headed into the rugged and breathtaking interior of British Columbia.
Now in its third season of operation, Bluebird Guides has made a name for itself as the go-to professional for anyone looking to access the best parts of the mountains – whether it’s in the sidecountry just outside the resort ropes or miles away from lift lines and groomed runs. Based in Whitefish, owners Greg and Shell Franson operate most of their trips out of British Columbia's Selkirk and Purcell ranges. According to Franson, a growing number of his clients come from the Flathead Valley; some looking for a weekend getaway to Rogers Pass, and others coming in search of an epic journey traversing to gorgeous lodges, backwoods cabins and barebones huts. “I get the impression that a lot of people in the valley have never been on guided trips because they think its ultra expensive,” Franson said. “But when they see the rates they are always super surprised. A weekend of all-inclusive backcountry skiing for under $300 is something we feel is important so that this is not only an opportunity for the super-rich.”
The five women who chose a backcountry adventure as their all-girl getaway have a strong background in skiing and mountaineering, some with avalanche training.
“Since I’ve known Greg for a while, I knew he was organized and motivated to lots of great skiing,” said Durea Daniels. “Not only did I trust his decision-making, I also knew I would learn a ton from him and still be out doing what I love to do – ski.”
Lisa Steiner, another skier on the trip said, “When you’re in mountains you haven’t been in before, it’s nice to go with someone who really knows the best lines, so you can get more skiing accomplished.” With their sights set on a BlueBird Mountain Session at Mount Columbia, the women’s group departed from Whitefish with Greg Franson as their guide, and Backcountry Magazine writer Jason Layh along to document the trip. BlueBird Mountain Sessions, just one of the specialized trips available through BlueBird Guides, is designed to train and educate skiers in all things necessary to safely explore the backcountry.
While the sessions are specifically designed to teach backcountry skills, Franson is adamant about providing on-slope training and spending as much time skiing as possible, rather than in an indoors classroom. “The focus of the sessions is not so much about me guiding the group,” Franson said. “But more about passing along the essential skills to ski confidently in the mountains.” This particular session was to include winter camping and glacier navigation, but with dropping temperatures and three feet of new snow, the group switched gears and instead headed for the huts along the Wapta Traverse. The Wapta Traverse is often referred to as the Canadian version of the classic European haute route. Located in the Wapta Icefields of Banff and Yoho National Parks, the traverse is about 45 km long. Traveling between four and eight hours a day to a series of huts, it’s a trip that Franson says is within range for most skiers because BlueBird Guides opts to have a porter ski along with the group, lightening each skier’s load.
“The traverse worked out fantastically. The girls from Whitefish were a blast to do the trip with,” Layh said. “I don’t think any of us were looking forward to camping with super-cold overnight temperatures. Plus the huts in BC always make you feel like royalty.” Situated on the edge of a glacier, at the halfway point of the Wapta Traverse, the group shacked up at the Balfour Hut for their two nights. The basic hut is large enough to accommodate up to 12 people. Sharing the dormstyle hut with another small group of skiers, Greg put his culinary skills to the test, preparing “backcountrygourmet” meals for his skiers.
Basing their excursions out of the Balfour Hut, Greg led the group through technical exercises each day, demonstrating proper application, techniques and skills as they moved through different terrain with the women taking turns leading the group. Each evening the group would continue the lessons back at the hut, debriefing each of their leads from the day. “It was really good to see teachings based on reusing much of the common sense and skill-set honed over a few hundred years of mountaineering,” said Layh.
Franson says all-women trips are unique in their team dynamic. The women are more open than men about their challenges without the fear of judgment. They genuinely supported each other throughout the workshop, which seemed to empower them, Franson said.
“Men seem to be a little less open and not always completely honest about their skills, and this harms them in the learning process,” Franson said. “These women had really strong ski skills, but before coming they had mostly skied in the backcountry with male partners and unfortunately sometimes that means just following the men around. On this trip, they took turns leading the group and making the decisions.” “I had experience in glacier travel, mountaineering and rock climbing,” Steiner said. “I was hoping to refresh and improve my route-finding skills on the trip. And I was able to practice these skills on our trip and put them to good use when Greg put us in charge of navigating.” Armed with a great experience and plenty of new mountaineering skills under their belts, several of the women plan to return as a group to the Wapta Traverse this spring along with their partners. And this time, they say, they’ll be the ones breaking trail for the men.
To book a trip with Whitefish-based BlueBird Guides, email info@bluebirdguides.com or call (406) 2495812. And visit their website at: www.bluebirdguides.com
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A Woman’s Voice in the Wilderness Text and Photo by Maggie Neal Doherty
A week in a remote Forest Service cabin is nothing out of the ordinary for West Glacier’s Beth Hodder. However, something completely unique was her week at the Silvertip Cabin with the Artist Wilderness Connection program. There she dedicated an entire week to writing her third book. Hodder, author of the award-winning young adult mystery, "The Ghost of Schafer Meadows", completed her residency portion of the program this past September. The Artist Wilderness Connection program is a collaborative project managed by the Flathead National Forest, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, the Swan Ecosystem Center and the Hockaday Museum of Art. The program founded in 2003, is a cooperative artist in residency project that connects Montana artists to local wildlands. Each winter as many as three artists are selected from the application process for a two week retreat in a remote Forest Service cabin in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex.
Hodder, a retired employee for the Flathead National Forest, worked and explored the Bob Marshall Wilderness for much of her twenty five year career. Her husband, Al Koss, still an employee of the Forest Service, spends his summers at the Schafer Meadows guard station in the Great Bear Wilderness. For many years, Hodder joined her husband at the ranger cabin; her experiences in the wilderness are the basis for her series. This summer her second book, "Stealing the Wild", which again features Jessie Scott and her dog Oriole, debuted.
In 2004, Hodder retired and began to write. Her first novel was published in 2007. In 2008, she was awarded a silver medal by the Independent Publishers Book Awards for The Ghost of Shafer Meadows. Last autumn she once again ventured into the woods—this time with a totally new approach to her writing. To become a candidate for the Artist Wilderness Connection program an artist needs to apply for residency and submit a project proposal to use a Forest Cabin to work on their craft. Once selected to the program, the artist works with the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation to organize the logistics of their stay, reserve the cabin and
coordinate with a backcountry horseman for their food and supplies. Hodder’s proposal was to design a storyline for her third book using the “storyboard method”. For Hodder, this method was novel. “Usually when I write a book, I start typing,” said Hodder.
The storyboard method outlines the chapters in a book to give the writer a general layout of the story. Before going to Silvertip Cabin, Beth did know that in her story, her main character Jessie would attempt to solve an arson mystery at Schafer Meadows. Hodder covered the walls of the small cabin with large sheets of paper and outlined each chapter on the paper. Using sticky notes, she detailed elements of each chapter. Hodder confessed she was skeptical with this method, but once at the cabin and out of the pouring rain, the storyboard approach took hold. “It just went and went and went. I was so amazed at how quickly I could put a book together.”
At the completion of her residency at Silvertip, she left the cabin with fifteen chapters worth of material with which, in the upcoming winter she can organize to begin her book. Hodder also kept a journal of her experience, something she admits, she’s never done. She’s grateful for the week of solitude at the cabin where she had only the writing process as her focus. “Having the cabin and all this time to myself to totally focus on this one process for an entire week was huge. It forced me to concentrate on what I was doing and it was really neat too, because all these thoughts had a chance to come out.”
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406 WOMAN
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er recent stay at the Silvertip Cabin bestowed a wilderness intimacy exceeding her expectations. “It was intense alone time, which allowed me to bring out all kinds of ideas. I’ve not had any experience like this, ever. It went way beyond what I expected.”
She even credits the rain for progress on her story as it dampened the temptation hike and explore the Spotted Bear River surrounds.
Hodder‘s week alone at the cabin did include some visitors—one a friend and former Artist Wilderness Connection participant, Karin Connelly. Connelly, also a fellow artist and writer completed her residency in 2005. On her visit with Hodder, Connelly offered her support. Hunters and pack strings in the Wilderness also sojourned periodically at the cabin and chatted with Hodder. All artists benefit from the wilderness experience, but according to Keagan Zollener, the Executive Director of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, most artists are surprised to learn how much work and activity takes place deep in the Wilderness. “It’s a good experience for the artists to not only spend time in the wilderness and settle into the solitude and disconnect from the outside world but to also realize that it takes a lot of people and work to keep it the way is. From the upkeep on the old cabins to the trails
H odder joined her husband at the ranger cabin; her experiences in the wilderness are the basis for her series.
Photos of Beth and her new book courtesy of Beth Hodder
and to all of the research that occurs in the Bob requires a lot of work and volunteer support,” noted Zollener. Many past participants in the program reflect on the uniqueness of the Wilderness area—it is not just a place to find peace in the rush of the Upper Middle Fork but is also an environment to encounter a diverse assortment of wayfarers: a bear biologist studying hair samples, a packer complete with pack string hauling supplies to a distant and remote Forest Service work center. Hodder wasn’t the only woman artist participating in this year’s program. This summer heralded all artists female. From Bigfork, metal smith and jewelry maker Cyndy Mullings resided at the Granite Cabin. A collaborative art group from the Flathead Valley at the Spruce Park Cabin, included painter Julie Wulf, musician Lois Sturgis, and photographer Sandra Maker. Upon completion of their residency, the artists are required to deliver a community presentation of their experience and donate to the program a representative piece. Last year’s artists were featured at a Flathead Valley Community College program on September 14th, 2010. In November, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation hosted their fourth annual Voices of the Wilderness art exhibition and silent auction. The event included a presentation from painter and musician James Clayborn who spent fifteen days at Granite Cabin in the summer of 2009. Many program graduates
choose to donate pieces of their artwork to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation’s fundraiser. Hodder will travel south to New Mexico to join her husband for the winter. She hopes to write during the winter months and have book published by next summer. With all of her work in native and rare plant restoration, living in the ranger cabin at Schafer Meadows, and familiarity with the Bob Marshall Wilderness, her recent stay at the Silvertip Cabin bestowed a wilderness intimacy exceeding her expectations. “It was intense alone time, which allowed me to bring out all kinds of ideas. I’ve not had any experience like this, ever. It went way beyond what I expected.”
Applications for the 2011 residency program are available from the Hockaday Museum of Art’s website: www.hockadaymuseum.org. The application period is from December 15th to February 28th 2011. For more information regarding the program, perspective applicants can contact either Keagan Zollener from the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation at 387-3808 or Teresa Wenum from the Flathead National Forest at 758-5200.
406 Love
Love is Sweet
406 WOMAN  
By Marissa Keenan Dauenhauer Photos by John and Colette - photography & beauty
p.  17
This summer, Sam Dauenhauer and I wrote our wedding vows on top of a churning ice cream freezer in the kitchen of Sweet Peaks, our homemade ice cream shop in Whitefish. I met Sam at the Kalispell Winter Art Walk a few years before our days together would be consumed by ice cream and waffle cone making. Over wine and among art and friends we soon realized we shared big dreams and big ideas. After a little more time together we knew those ideas and dreams would be much better if we worked towards them together. Sam proposed in Glacier Park and I said yes. Soon our first shared dream of Sweet Peaks became a reality and our wedding date quickly approached. We opened Sweet Peaks in the spring and were immediately immersed in all things ice cream. Each day was increasingly busier than the one before but, between the scooping and the freezing and the waffle cone rolling we managed to plan a wedding and leave our little shop long enough to exchange vows and celebrate our marriage with many friends and family.
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406 WOMAN
W
e read our vows written on ice cream stained papers as rain drops started to sprinkle on the guests sitting at the edge of the lake.
Since we are two local Montana kids, the Flathead Valley was the focus of our wedding. We culled bits and pieces from our lives together and the things that make this area so wonderful to create a ceremony and a celebration reflecting our surroundings. Our attendants all wore vintage cowboy boots purchased from Tina at Redneck Chic in Kalispell and carried or wore locally grown Dahlias arranged by a talented friend. My parent’s property on the North Shore of Flathead Lake in Bigfork provided a beautiful rustic setting for our ceremony. A mowed path meticulously groomed by my dad led guests to a clearing directly on the rocky shore. Here Sam had constructed a gazebo using driftwood collected at the water’s edge. Chairs and hay bales were casually set up for guest seating providing them with an unrestricted view of Flathead Lake and the Valley’s mountains. With the Flathead Valley’s vast cloud smeared sky in the background, a close friend officiated our wedding and another friend serenaded everyone with his voice and acoustic guitar. John and Colette, our photographers and family friends, captured each moment of the day as only friends could with grace, talent and hugs. We read our vows written on ice cream stained papers as rain drops started to sprinkle on the guests sitting at the edge of the lake. Quickly, we moved our guests to the Bigfork Inn for our reception and managed to escape the increasing August rain. The Bigfork Inn, a chalet style restaurant and place I called home while growing up in Bigfork, set
the mood with its warm glowing lights and classic Montana lodge décor. We opted for food stations instead of a buffet or sit-down meal in order to encourage our guests to mingle and dance.
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riends and family packed the dance floor the entire night and took turns on the washboards. Spread throughout the restaurant, each food station featured a local or classic Bigfork Inn dish in appetizer sized portions. Labeled by smooth river rocks collected on the lake shore, the tables included shaved buffalo with huckleberry sauce, quinoa with local vegetables and the Bigfork Inn’s famous Cajun shrimp with horseradish sauce. In the bar, our guests were treated to huckleberry margaritas and kegs of Sam’s favorite beer Yard Sale Ale from local Tamarack Brewery. The kid guests happily munched on chicken fingers and mini mac ‘n cheese cups while coloring goofy cartoons of Sam and me that my sister made using an online program. Erik “Fingers” Ray, a very talented one-man band who is known for his music as well as his washboards and spoons, was our musical entertainment. Friends and family packed the dance floor the entire night and took turns on the washboards.
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406 WOMAN
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he Sweet Peaks mobile unit, a converted horse trailer, sat in front of the restaurant all night long so our guests could enjoy our locally grown Rhubarb-Pear Sorbet, Madagascar Vanilla, and Fresh Flathead Valley Mint Chip Ice Cream. We created these flavors just for our wedding and as a special treat for our guests.
Our wedding was about us – Sam and Marissa- and our newest adventure Sweet Peaks (right down to Sam’s ice cream cone
cufflinks) but it was even more so about friends and family who came and shed a happy tear, shared a smile and danced with us well into the night. Long after midnight, we dragged ourselves off the dance floor happy and filled with love – sweet, sweet love and a few scoops of Sweet Peaks ice cream.
k
www.cocoablue.com 404.520.8855
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406 WOMAN
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y Once in a
while, in the iddle of an rdinary life, ove gives us a
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l
o
fairy tale
Photo by: A. Yourartisan Photography
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Couple: Alejandro (Alex) Garcia, Outside Sales, FSA & Kayla Leifer, office manager for Farmers Insurance. Meeting: Met when Alex was assigned as a food sales representative to the bar I worked at. A few exchanges of witty repartee soon turned into dinner and a movie. What is love? Love is a promise between two people to share a life together, in good times and bad. What do you love? Alex: I love how Kayla balances my negativity-she's the eternal optimist in our relationship. Kayla: I love that Alex keeps me grounded. He has always encouraged me to be a more practical and responsible version of myself. When did you know it was love? Alex: Knowing she is the last person I want to see before I fall asleep, and the first I want to see when I wake up. Kayla: The notion of love really set in when I began thinking and speaking in terms of "we" instead of "me".
Wedding Details Cake: : Miniature cupcakes by Pastry Chef Vicki with John's Angels Catering lLocation: Outdoor venue at John's Angels Catering, Whitefish, MT lPhotographer: A. Yourartisan Photography. lCaterer: Chef Kristen Ledyard, John's Angels Catering l Rental Company: Party Time
Photo by: Thousand Words Photography
o
Couple: Jesi Remp, hair designer and owner of Salon Jazlin, Mike Schuman, owner of Schuman Construction. Meeting: Introduced by fabulous friends. What is love? when you smile just thinking about them, you love almost everything about them, they make you so happy that you cant wait to grow old together. What do you love? Mike: Her brown eyes, she is always happy, she can ride snowcats, drive boats, and a great cook. Jesi: his kindness, his amazing handyman skills, his love for toys, and his great ambition to do anything. When did you know it was love? Mike: a romantic boat ride. Jesi: I realized he is an adrenaline junky just like me, and the romantic boat ride. Wedding Details Rings: Costco, Ridddles Jewerly l Dress: J Scott Couture lLocation: Cabo San Lucas Mexico lPhotographer: Engagement Photographer: Shannon and Jeremie Hollman, Thousand Words Photography Wedding Photographer: Cabo Image lCaterer/Boat: Sun Rider l Hair/Makeup: Salon Jazlin l Cupcakes: Senor Sweets
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406 WOMAN
Make Your Event Ext raordinary in Any Season By Kristen Hamilton, Ham It Up Strategies
I awoke this morning to a beautiful sunrise that only the Northern peaks of the Montana Rockies can provide. A feeling overcame me knowing it was going to be a great day…this is the feeling you can experience when you have prepared for your special event. It could be your wedding, your anniversary, a landmark birthday, or a special occasion…if your canvas is Northwest Montana. Having lived in the Flathead valley for over 20 years, I have planned and attended my share of weddings and special events. The key to success is determining early on the outcome of your event and then planning early to secure those important details that will make it special. You’ve heard it before, but it really is that simple…be organized! Some of the obvious first steps are deciding the type of event (casual, formal, indoor, outdoor), approximate number of people (venues in the valley can accommodate the smallest to the largest groups), and theme (traditional, unique, or a true Montana feel). This will help narrow your options and strike a “to do” off your list.
Spring
Photo By Mandy Mohler Photography
We are lucky to have four very distinct seasons in the valley that are all attractive in their own way. These seasons offer year-round activities (both indoor and outdoor) that will enhance any occasion with the promise of your guests really enjoying the experience. It is really important to at least gather the information for your guests if not going so far as to plan these activities for them.
Winter Photo By B2 Photography
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Consider it to be your guest’s vacation. Lets face it, guests that attend your event are not only taking time off to be with you, but also to see the area. Help make it extra special.
The winter season offers a dramatic backdrop to an event with snow-peaked mountains. This is the season that rich vibrant colors are a great choice for decorations and attendants attire to stand out against a beautiful blanket of white. Venues with roaring fireplaces help set a cozy mood. Catering can be simple with an incredible soup and bread buffet served with hot drinks. Activities should include the traditional Montana winter choices of skiing, boarding, and snowmobiling but don’t forget unique options such as sleigh rides, snowshoeing, and sledding. For the less active, there are spa facilities that rival the finest in the country for a more relaxing time.
Springtime in Montana can present a cold rainy night followed by a warm sunny day. Events planned in the spring need a backup plan for weather, but don’t be discouraged. Locations with gardens full of spring tulips and crocuses make a beautiful backdrop. The holidays during the spring make this time of year a great time to incorporate a special theme (Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day or Father’s Day) in your event, which will really touch your guest’s heart. After a long winter, bright colors and a new mood is in the air. My favorite catering choices in the spring are brunches “with the works” using fresh veggies that are best at this time of year. Mimosa’s and Mint Juleps are fun themed springtime drinks. In early April, a great activity day can include skiing in the morning and golfing in the afternoon. By mid-May, the rivers are swollen and rafting can be exhilarating! For the less adventurous, a simple entertaining walk at one of the many parks in the valley can be watching the new ducklings learning the ropes. The spring also offers some very good deals on lodging and activities.
Photo By Alicia Brown Photography
Summer
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Fall
Photo By Lindsey Jane Photography
Ah summer…the choices are endless, and the weather is wonderful. For the traditional, plan your event at one of the lodges or resorts in the area. They have the means and the staff to cater to your every need. For the non-traditional, it takes a bit more effort, but the rewards will be worth it. Plan your event by a lake, in a hayfield, at a ranch, or on a mountaintop. You’ll need to invest in the help of a professional caterer or party planner to help with all the details, but it’s a small price to pay to be sure your guests are taken care of. Food & Beverage in the summer can include an outdoor barbeque, a fancy banquet on the shores of a lake, or a plethora of appetizers taking advantage of the local and seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables in supply. Refreshing cool drinks are a must with lots of water on supply. The activities are boundless. The lakes in the area offer boating, swimming, sailing and just hanging on the beach. There’s hiking, biking, and horseback riding along with zip lines and alpine slides. Use the resources of a planner or your local chamber for activity packets, as there is truly something for everyone in the summer.
Last, but certainly not least, is autumn. This is truly my favorite time of year! The crisp feeling in the air, the colors, and the long Indian summer days. Venues, as in the spring, need a weather-related backup plan, but my favorites include one of the many beautiful golf courses, a pumpkin patch, or an apple orchard. Catering should include rich tasting foods with squashes, pumpkins, and tomatoes that are at their peak. A great themed drink can be fresh apple cider with a cinnamon stick. Activities are winding down, but they are still available. Take advantage of the last days before the snow flies! Favorites include golf, hiking and horseback riding for many of the locals and guests alike. This is a great time of year to take advantage of special deals too!
Whatever the reason, whatever the season, we are lucky to have all these options at our fingertips. Make the most of any special occasion or event by planning and using the great resources that are available. The Northwest Montana Wedding & Event Professions (NMWEPI) is made of a group of businesses that are truly professionals in their fields. Whether you need someone to take on your entire event or a small detail, they can help you create an extraordinary event. Plan to attend the February 19, 2011 Wedding & Event Expo at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in Kalispell for inspiration and assistance in planning your next event! Visit www.mymontanawedding.com for more information. Other resources: Kalispell Chamber, www.kalispellchamber.com - Whitefish Chamber, www.whitefishchamber.com - Bigfork Chamber, www.bigfork.org - Columbia Falls Chamber, www.columbiafalls.com
406 Woman
Food & Flavor
406 WOMAN
Three Forks Grille By Krista Conger - Photos by Noah Clayton
It was the powder that brought them here. The scenery held them. And now they’ve put down roots at the Three Forks Grille. For a year now, Tim and Sara Seward, with their friend and chef Chris DiMaio, have served ‘Rocky Mountain Fare with an Italian Flair’ in downtown Columbia Falls. It’s local, sustainable, seasonal, and—as anyone who has eaten there will tell you— just darn good.
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“It’s the food that keeps people coming back and puts smiles on their faces as they’re walking out the door,” said Tim. “Food is our primary focus.” Food, that is, and the way that food gets to the Three Forks’ tables. The trio melds a passion for food with an awareness of the sustainability and environmental impact of every item on the menu. It shows. The restaurant serves a varied menu of burgers and sandwiches, entrees and appetizers showcasing local, fresh meats and produce. Bison and elk share space on the menu with tempeh and trout; drinks include over 80 wines and an all Montana tap list.
“We use as many local ingredients as we can find,” said Sara. “This allows us to support local farmers while also serving products that are more flavorful and better quality than you find in many restaurants. All of our meats are free-range, hormone and anti-biotic free and locally raised.”
It’s true that freshness matters. But chef Chris DiMaio also works his magic on every dish. DiMaio is the former sous-chef from Café Kandahar at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Self-taught, he is known for his thoughtful approach and original food pairings. From elk meatballs with mozzarella and parmesan to bison short ribs with bittersweet chocolate, raisins and pine nuts, his menu brings a range of variety rarely seen in the Flathead valley. “There are so many ingredients that fall into ethically correct choices about what we should eat and where it comes from,” said Chris. “I like to offer hearty dishes with some tradition — comfort food for foodies — and we have a commitment to all things local and Italian. I feel good about everything that is on the menu.” So do the customers, who particularly enjoy the grilled rainbow trout, the Tucson flat iron steak and the seasonally changing gnocchi (now sporting wintery flavors of pumpkin, gorgonzola and walnuts). In fact, Three Forks Grille was named the Best New Restaurant of 2010 by Flathead Valley residents in an annual poll.
“Chris puts an extreme amount of thought into everything he does,” said Tim. “Very little is wasted. He uses leftover parts to make stock, or incorporates them into other dishes.”
Located on Nucleus Avenue in Columbia Falls, the welcoming, intimate space showcases local art on the walls and warm wood floors. A wide staircase curving around the bar leads to a loft seating area, while on the main level tables are scattered over two rooms in the front and back for a total of about 60 seats. Servers explain menu items while DiMaio holds forth in the compact kitchen behind the bar.
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3 Forks Grille
“Everything is made from scratch,” said Tim, “and the sauces are made to order. And if a diner wants to source out their meat to its original location in Montana, we can do that.” That’s because the restaurant gets all of its steaks just down the street from the local specialty butcher shop Perfect Cuts. They use Huterite chickens and Farm-to Market pork. Alaskan and Pacific seafood — including shrimp, clams and scallops — is ordered through Flathead Fish and Seafood. “You can tell that the food is healthier and fresher because the flavor is so good,” said Sara.
The trio is also sensitive to diners with food allergies or sensitivities. “Many of our dishes are gluten free,” said Tim, “and we don’t
use a lot of dairy. If a vegetarian doesn’t see something on the menu that looks appealing, Chris will work with them to design a meal that meets their preferences.”
Three Forks Grille has been on the Columbia Falls scene for about a year now, and the local response has been enthusiastic. “Our customers come from all over the Flathead Valley,” said Tim. “And we’re hearing from our Columbia Falls diners that they really appreciate having something more elegant to choose from in their neighborhood.” And then there’s the tourists. “Many bed and breakfast owners have begun to recommend Three Forks,” said Sara. “We’ve earned that trust by treating their clients to a fantastic dining experience. We’ve not done
much advertising, but instead have relied on word of mouth.”
That word of mouth has traveled far and fast: one summer diner shared that they asked a construction flagger at Logan Pass where to eat that evening. The answer? Three Forks Grille. “That’s the kind of thing that puts smiles on our faces,” said Tim. Although the Three Forks Grille is Tim and Sara’s first restaurant, the two have a long history in the industry. Both began waiting tables at 18, and continued to support themselves with restaurant jobs through college. But they never expected it to become a career.
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“You can tell that the food is healthier and fresher because the flavor is so good” “What started out as a job to pay for school became for us a passion for the industry,” said Tim. “We love food and wine, and creating a quality menu and atmosphere. We like people and we love the work. But we wouldn’t have done this without Chris.”
Tim, Sara and Chris met in 1999 as like-minded skiing partners. Tim worked at the lodges in Glacier National Park to support his skiing hobby. There he met Sara, who moved to the area 12 years ago after visiting the park one summer and being astounded by the natural beauty. “That was it,” she said. “I was hooked.” Chris catered Tim and Sara’s wedding six years ago, and the two knew that he would be a key
component of any future plans. “Anyone can be taught to cook,” said Tim. “But to be a true chef is an art and a gift. We give Chris free rein to express his creativity.”
That’s led to dishes like Chicken Saltimbocca with prosciutto, fresh sage and candied carrots, and vegetable lasagna made with sliced yams, zucchini and eggplant with smoked gouda and roasted pepper tomato cream. “I want the menu to be dynamic and evolving,” said Chris. “There is so much to look forward to.” The menu may be evolving, but the restaurant is here to stay. “We’re not trying to reinvent
the wheel,” said Tim. “We’re just taking small steps toward the most ethical ways to serve fresh, fantastic food to the public. I know our approach is working when people want to shake our hands when they walk out the door. When they say ‘That was the best meal I’ve ever had,’ I know we’re doing something worthwhile.”
Three Forks Grille is located at 729 Nucleus Avenue in Columbia Falls. They are open from 5 pm to close every day. Reservations are accepted but not required. Their menu, which changes seasonally, is online at threeforksgrille.com. I know we’re doing something worthwhile.”
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PERFECT CUTS Text and Photos by Steven Trent Smith
When we moved to the valley back in 2003, one of the first things we did was check out local food sources. The friendly folks of the Flathead were very helpful in our quest. “Try Terrapin Farms, at the Kalispell Farmers Market.” Judy’s veggies were awesome. “Go to Haskill Basin Road and look for Norskstar Seafoods.” Kirk and Tracey’s salmon and halibut were fantastic. And when we asked where to find the best meat in the valley, a friend suggested Perfect Cuts, in Columbia Falls. The shop is located just on the outskirts of town, on 3rd Avenue East. On our first visit we were eyeing some NY strip and flank steak—our staples back in Philadelphia. Then butcher Danny Hansen asked us if we’d ever tried flatiron. We shook our heads as he pulled out a tray of cuts. To us they looked a lot like the flank steak. “They’re really tender,” Danny told us. Flank is anything but tender, so we bought a couple of flatirons. That night at dinner we lightly salted and peppered the steaks, then pan fried them to the rare side of medium rare. The first bite of flatiron was like a revelation. It was tender. It was flavorful. And it was half the price of a filet mignon. We converted on the spot. Perfect Cuts opened in October 2001. Danny had been a butcher for over thirty years. His wife, Karla, quit her job as a hairdresser to work in the shop. They had first met in grade school in Geraldine, Montana, a tiny hamlet in Chouteau County, on the other side of the Divide. While working at the Hungry Horse IGA Danny got the idea of opening his own place. One of the things he wanted to offer was smoked meat. But as Karla told me, “He didn’t know a thing about smoking.” So he taught himself the process, then developed his own recipes. A wall full of awards attests to his success. The smoked products have been so successful, that a couple of years ago the Hansens added more commercial smokers to meet the demand. Today their offerings include jerky, dogs, hams, turkeys, bacon, and even fish. When you first enter the shop you’re greeted with the pleasant aroma of smoked meat. Display cases to the front, to the right, to the left, and even
behind you, are chock-a-block full of beef, pork, poultry, seafood, elk, buffalo, and many styles of sausages and jerkies. All the beef comes from the Pacific Northwest. Most of it is Choice grade, but premium Prime may be available on request. All the pork is raised in the Flathead. The poultry comes from a Hutterite colony. The seafood— dry diver scallops, mahi-mahi, tuna, halibut, among others—comes in frozen. But as Karla said, “We can get fresh. And we can also get just about any product a customer might want.” In the past few years the Hansens have added a private label line of bottled sauces, olives, garlics, and salsas. Karla also has a knock-‘emdead spice mixture—Karla’s Rib Rub. “It’s got twenty-seven kinds of herbs and spices. I make it up about six times a year in 125 pound batches. It’s very popular. And it’s not just for ribs.” I asked the couple what was the single most popular item. Without hesitation they answered “the flatiron.” “We practically had to give them away when we first started carrying them,” Karla said. Since then, Danny has gotten calls from butchers across America asking how to cut flatirons. And Saturdays bring a flurry of demand. It’s not unusual for the shop to sell a hundred flatirons. Also known as the top blade steak, the cut comes from an area of the shoulder muscle. In the past it was simply ground into hamburger. But at the turn of this century researchers at the University of Nebraska, on a mission to identify undervalued portions of the beef carcass. The result was the flatiron. It’s a bit difficult to cut because a tough piece of connective tissue runs through the middle. And even though a steer may weigh 1200 pounds or more, each has only enough top blade to make four 8-12 ounce steaks. Flatiron is now the fifth most popular beef cut in America. And the first most popular at Perfect Cuts. The shop’s business has been increasing steadily. Why? I asked Karla. “Word of mouth. We get customers from all over the country, even from overseas.” While I was there three people from Princeton, New Jersey were in buying some jerky and brats. They had heard about the
place at their hotel in Glacier Park. During the summer season anything elk or buffalo flies off the shelves. “Tourists love to take the stuff back home to share with their family and friends.” The wholesale business at Perfect Cuts has taken off, too. The best restaurants in the valley are very likely to offer meat from the shop, and most especially the flatiron.
Danny and Karla Hansen have made Perfect Cuts an indispensable stop for folks interested in the best meats available in the Flathead. It’s been fun to watch the popularity of their shop grow as their reputation spreads far and wide. "Perfect Cuts" 1030 3rd AveEast. Columbia Falls, MT 59912 (406)892-3718 - Fax (406)892-3718
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"Beginning Pantry Article 5”"
New Year’s New Classics By Kristen Ledyard from John’s Angels Catering LLC Photo by Alisia Cubberly
Well, Christmas is over and the New Year approaches. Let’s start this year off with a new resolution “I will not make any boring or over done dishes. If it is a classic, then I will put my own twist on the recipe.” With that in mind, let’s open your pantry and create a fun cocktail party for New Year’s Eve. The menu should be easy enough that you can enjoy time with friends and still see the ball drop.
Classic Cocktail Party Appetizers
T
The cheese and sausage platter Pigs in a blanket Mini quiches Salsa and chips Seasoned cream cheese loaf Shrimp cocktail
hese are some truly old classic appetizers. It is time to let your pantry create a new exciting version of this menu. Starting with the cheese platter, homemade marinated mozzarella squares are a much more innovative and tasty show piece. Simply buy fresh mozzarella that is plain in flavor and cut into cubes. This is an item you may want to keep in your pantry inventory because of the many uses and long shelf life. Now, go to your olive oil, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and create a marinate in a shallow pan. Place the squares in the pan and store overnight turning once. This is a great appetizer as it has to be prepared the day before. On the night of, just place toothpicks in each square and serve with a little of the marinate. For your sausage platter, your local specialty store will often carry elk, venison, or signature sausages. Slice them thin and arrange around the mozzarella squares. Serve with crackers on the side and fresh basil leaves as garnish. Your first classic is “kicked up” and ready for your guests to be awed with flavor. Pigs in a blanket need to hibernate for the winter. Let’s just let this appetizer retire and replace it with jumbo lump crab on top of brie wrapped in philo and baked to perfection. You can find canned jumbo lump crab at most seafood markets. Brie should be one of those standard cheeses in your pantry and you have philo in your freezer for use at any time. Remember to let the philo thaw properly and as you put melted butter on each layer, keep a damp towel over the unused philo. Make the sheet to your desired thickness and wrap over the crab that is on top of the brie. Most people prefer to thinly slice the top layer of the brie off. Use a standard egg wash on your “purse of deliciousness” and bake at
375 degrees until golden brown. Serve hot with crackers. No, this is not too much cheese to serve because this is a hot appetizer and seafood has been added. Mini quiches look like you have just bought them at the store and you probably have some in your freezer right now. I suggest replacing these with stuffed mushrooms, but not your ordinary stuffing. Completely take the classic seasoned cream cheese loaf off of your menu and combine it with our new stuffed item= Prosciutto stuffed mushrooms. I prefer crimini mushrooms to button for more flavor. Wipe clean (do not rinse or the mushrooms will take on water) and take the stems out. Save those for a delicious soup for later. Take cream cheese, diced prosciutto, diced green onion, your favorite hot sauce to taste, Italian dried spices, salt and pepper and combine in a bowl. This is best done the day before to let the flavors combine. All you have to do is stuff each mushroom (don’t over fill as you will lose it when the mushrooms shrink during cooking) and cook at 375 degrees until melted tender. This is now one of my Holiday classics. Everyone has their own salsa recipe. What I suggest is not to change the recipe, simply the method in which you make your salsa. Roast all of the ingredients in the oven until you can pull the skin off the onion, tomatoes, jalapenos, or any other ingredients you put in your salsa except the herbs. You will be surprised on the depth of flavor and how you have just heightened your own recipe. Our final classic is the shrimp cocktail. The most important things are the size of the shrimp,
freshness, and cooking time. 16/20 shrimp are a perfect size for an appetizer plate. Make sure to buy enough so each guest gets at least two. Try to buy uncooked, if you can. Clean the vein out of your shrimp and leave only the tail. In a large boiling pot, put halved lemons and oranges that have been squeezed into the pot, fresh thyme whole stems, salt and pepper, Drop the shrimp in only until they turn pink. Do not overcook. This is one pot that can’t be left to itself. Strain the shrimp and drop into an ice bath to stop further cooking. Dry and plate your shrimp. Remember to use platters that are special or will create conversation. For the sauce, you don’t need anything special just ketchup and very hot horseradish. Hot horseradish can be part of your pantry and has an amazing shelf life when store properly. Combine the two together to desired hotness. I can’t stand fancy sauces that cover up the flavors you have created in your boiling pot and the sweetness of fresh shrimp. Keep it simple is my rule. You are ready for your New Year’s celebration and cocktail party. Don’t forget to take inventory (this probably won’t happen until the next day) and store food items properly. I am sure you won’t have any left overs. Have fun and let your imagination create new classics.
The kitchen is suppose to be where you have no stress and can unwind. I get my best ideas in the kitchen. Here’s to a fantastic 2011! Happy New Year!!
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14,000 Square foot show room
full of unique items for your holiday shopping
home décor • antiquities • collectibles rustic montana made items • also barn wood and log furniture made to order
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Nearly all of our store is USA or Montana made.
406-892-SHOP-(7467) | www.eaglesnestmontana.com
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Sparkling Wines For t he Holidays By Kaycee Mohl of Crush Wine Bar
The holidays are here! And, like the holidays, wine is all about parties, events and anything social. If you're hosting an event this year, make the occasion even more fun with a little bubbly. The exciting ‘pop...fizz!’ sound always gets the party started off right. Sparkling wine is diverse enough to fit every type of event and any budget.
I f you plan to host an event, and have the time to do it, go online and research sparkling wines that pair best with your menu. If you're attending, a fine bottle of sparkling wine is a great, memorable gift to give the host. Check out the following pairings to get yourselves started – A few of the more common sparkling varietals are: Rose, Brut, Cava, Prosecco and Champagne. Rose sparkling wines are excellent compliments to soft cheeses, salty foods, berries and desserts. It tends to be a little sweeter than its cousins, making it fairly important to find a great balance between the flavors of the wine and food. Cava and Brut Sparkling wines are great options if you have a crowd because you can obtain a fairly decent option for a lower price. They always work well in champagne cocktails such as a Mimosa or Bellini. They also pair nicely with finger foods and…. well…. just about anything else you decide to serve.
Prosecco became a popular drink choice this past summer, and it looks like it's going to hold court straight into the holidays. It is fruitier and less acidic than many other sparkling wines, and it works well with or without food. My personal favorite is the Lunetta Prosecco. This bubbly is a morning cocktail for brunch, but be careful...it is so delicious that you may just drink it all day! If the occasion is truly special, there is no substitute for a great bottle of Champagne. And, a little side note for all of you wine geeks like me, Champagne is a varietal of sparkling wine that is produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France. The truly good champagnes are exclusive, impressive, and generally expensive.
Cristal, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot or Moet are fine choices. If you want to either leave an impression or truly celebrate an important occasion, the price is worth the quality. The champagnes listed above are truly that much better.
Have fun with champagne. 'Champagne Cocktails' are a great substitute to hard liquor and help tremendously if you have finicky drinkers. You have probably had a mimosa or two in your lifetime...but have you ever had a Sparkling Mint Mojito? Many bars, Such as Crush Wine Bar, now offer menu items that mix cocktail ingredients with sparkling wines, and even some hard liquors, for an even more exciting blend.
Start simple with either online recipes, or pick up a few simple berry flavored cocktail mixers and frozen or fresh berries. Pour into a champagne flute glass with an inexpensive sparkling wine, garnish, and serve to your guests. Enjoy the diversity of sparkling wines this holiday season. It's a fun way to step up your party, and you can be as creative as you like.
KNIT YOUR BOBCAT AND GRIZ SPIRIT!
OFFICIALLY LICENSED COLLEGIATE GEAR
338 Main Street • Kalispell
755-YARN (9276) www.camascreekyarn.com
C
rush is an innovative new bar on Central Avenue in Whitefish, Montana, specializing in an eclectic selection of fun affordable wines, handcrafted and specialty beers with a lounge like atmosphere featuring great music, as well as a menu of small plates, cheeses and desserts by John’ s Angels Catering every Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm. 124 Central Avenue Whitefish, MT 59937 above the Toggery Open Daily 4:00 pm - close crushwinebar@gmail.com or check out our page on facebook.
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406 Woman
People & Places
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T
he Generosity of a Long Life
by Maggie Neal Doherty
At eighty years old, Margaret Clack Askew Hood Cooper decided to give up waterskiing on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. She hurt her knee and wanted to stop because her injury didn’t allow her to dance — and she loves to dance. That knee injury happened nineteen years ago, and on October 8th this Montana native celebrated her 99th birthday.
Born in 1911, in Havre , Montana , Margaret was one of six children born to H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack. Her father would lead a successful business life, and his pursuits in the areas of oil, gasoline, grain, and civic service would earn him recognition throughout the entire state of Montana and beyond. H. Earl’s entrepreneurial success placed him on the list of one of the top 100 influential Montanans. A historical museum was named for him and his wife, Margaret Turner Clack. He was lauded as a key leader and developer of the small rural community on Montana ’s northern high plains. However, Margaret is quick to point out that it wasn’t just her father who deserved the recognition for the family’s achievements— her mother played an equally important role. “They were a pair,” reflects Margaret. “They both had remarkable accomplishments.” From her parent’s legacy in Havre, Margaret’s life would go on to touch thousands across the country. While Montana , still to this day, remains home, Margaret’s devotion to community service in education and medicine span from Glacier National Park to Memphis , Tennessee .
Education was paramount in the Clack family. At a time when most girls never graduated from high school, Margaret, her 5 sisters, and 1 brother all attended college. In 1929, she graduated from high school and enrolled at Montana State College — now Montana State University — in Bozeman , Montana . Margaret was not only active in her academic pursuits, but she also was involved in collegiate athletics. She participated in women’s basketball, speed walking, and the swimming and tumbling teams. An athletic sweater was normally awarded during a student’s senior year, but for Margaret’s participation and accomplishments, she was nominated to receive her sweater during her sophomore year. She left Montana State after two years and finished her education at the University of Washington. At both colleges, she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Margaret graduated with a degree in home economics, and she also obtained her teaching certificate. Margaret was also quite social. She organized dances and events for her peers in both high school and college. During her junior year in high school, she asked her parents if she could host a dance at their house for nearly 100 of her peers. All of the furniture in the house was moved to the front porch to accommodate all the guests and she even made all the food for the party. Her entertaining spirit didn’t end during her academic years. Margaret has a long resume of hosting men and women from around the world to Montana .
“She’s brought a lot of people here to show off Montana . It’s been an amazing experience,” her son Turner Askew, who lives in Whitefish, said.
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Last ingTie t o Glacier
Glacier National Park , at first, didn’t represent a place for vacation for the Clack family but served to relieve their mother’s severe hay fever during the summer months. Unable to live in the climate of the high plains during the summer months, especially during harvest, H. Earl and Margaret Turner toured the state to find a place of reprieve. It so happened that the environment at Lake McDonald was the only place her mother could summer without aggravated allergies. In 1932, the Clack’s purchased property at the head of Lake McDonald. The property remains in the family today. “It’s been joyous. And now, four generations are enjoying it,” said Margaret. Waterskiing isn’t the only thing Margaret enjoys about Glacier National Park. When she was younger, she hiked the entire park, and still loves driving the Going-To-The-Sun Road . Her favorite hike is Avalanche Lake . “I’ll never forget the first time seeing it,” she said.
In 1937, her childhood tie to Montana was threatened. She had recently met C.D. “Mose” Askew of Memphis and he wanted to marry her. Worried that her future husband would relocate her to Tennessee, she agreed to marry him if he agreed to her spending every summer in Montana. “I told him I had a responsibility to Montana. He was okay with that. He agreed I could go to Montana every summer.” With her tie to Havre and Glacier National Park safe, she married Mose Askew in August. Together, they had three children. Her children also spent their summers growing up in Montana .
It was Mose’s battle with Alzheimer’s that inspired Margaret’s involvement with Alzheimer research and support group organizations for families in Tennessee . She remarked, “We had a support group before they even knew what to name it.” Mose Askew died in 1981 and later she remarried. Sadly, within six weeks of their marriage in 1985 her second husband, Herbert Hood, passed away. Margaret wedded for the third time to a widower by the name of Robert Cooper. Two years younger than Margaret, he claims he’s already traveled so much that he stays home in Memphis while Margaret, as she’s always done, heads north to Montana for the summer. She returns to Tennessee each fall.
A Giving Spirit
Margaret is one of the original founders of the Mid-South Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and, after twenty years of effort, she helped establish the Alzheimer’s Research Center at the University of Tennessee. In her generous spirit she has also helped found two boy’s schools in Memphis, helped build a church, supported various humanities organizations, a childrens hospital, and has furthered the education and advancement of women. Her volunteer efforts throughout her lifetime are long in number, but what matters most is what she has contributed towards improving the thousands of lives she's touched. Margaret said, “My mother always believed in leaving something better than how you found it.” This philosophy has inspired and guided Margaret to serve people in need; it has also been the ideal her children and grandchildren have emulated. Her children report numerous instances of being told by female friends of their generation and younger “When I get old, I want to be just like your mother. I admire her spirit.” Philanthropy is not the only thing that runs through the Clack family, longevity does too. Margaret’s mother lived to 105 years of age. Margaret’s secret to a long life, she claims, is taking her vitamins, enjoying people, and helping others. Margaret’s granddaughter Elizabeth Askew of Whitefish added that her grandmother’s favorite saying has led her to a long and great life: “To her, age is a number and not a definition. And that’s how she’s lived her life.” While turning 99 years of age marks a significant milestone in Margaret’s rich life, she feels like she’s already lived an entire century. “When you have your first birthday, you’ve already lived for one year. I like to know that at 99, I’ve already lived to 100.” But still she plans to have a big celebration for her official 100th birthday. And while there won’t be any dancing at her 99th birthday celebration, as she’s in physical therapy to rehabilitate her knee, dance she will on her 100th, or rather, in her view, her 101st birthday.
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406 Man A Flight of Angels David Hunt
Text and Photo by Carol A. Buchanan
S
he gazes out her window at the blending of mountains and sky on the far horizon. Below lies a lake-studded valley between mountain ranges. Over the drone of the little airplane’s engine she says, “Flying is so calming when your system is not good. You don’t have to worry about traffic, or deer crossing, or rocks falling off hillsides. It’s good to fly.” Courtesy of Angel Flight West (AFW) she is flying her to her monthly chemotherapy treatment in Seattle. Stress is the friend of cancer, but thanks to the volunteer pilot, she travels stress-free. The calming flight costs her nothing.
David Hunt of Whitefish has flown 50 missions since joining AFW in 2003 as a command pilot. (A command pilot has been screened by AFW and authorized to fly missions.) Like all other volunteers for the organization, he flies his Cessna 182 at his own expense. “Pilots,” he explains, “donate all costs.” The Cessna is a sturdy, four-passenger airplane capable of landing safely on grass airfields. “If I had to, I could land it in a pasture.” Hunt began flying when his wife, Linda, gave him a flying lesson for an anniversary present. He earned his pilot’s license in 1999. In 2002 the couple came home to Montana and settled in Whitefish, and in 2003 he received his instrument certification. Following the tragic crash that took the life of Jim Long in 2004, Hunt succeeded to the position of AFW Wing Leader for Montana.
As Wing Leader, he recruits pilots, conducts pilot orientation and guides outreach to let medical facilities, doctors, and the public know about AFW. Besides pilots, he says, they can always use volunteers to help spread the word and assist in other ways. The 30 Angel Flight pilots in Montana fly 25 – 30 missions each year, although the economy has affected flyers, too. They do not fly emergency cases.
He says, “It’s a win-win for pilots. We love to fly, and Angel Flight gives us a chance to share what we love. It’s wonderful, because we get to see the sharing first hand.”
AFW began in 1983 in Santa Monica, CA, where it is still headquartered. To gain experience, a group of private pilots would fly to a different airport, have lunch, and fly home again. These flights became known as the “$100 hamburger” flights. Soon, says Hunt, “they began to ponder other, more purposeful, ways to use their airplanes.” The idea of AFW emerged.
In 1984 the group flew 15 missions. By 2009, AFW had flown more than 40,000 missions. The volunteer-driven organization of more than 1,900 private pilots and others covers the thirteen Western states including Alaska and Hawaii. They fly 2,000 missions or more each year. Medical personnel, clergy request flights on behalf of a patient, but all requests are channeled through the Santa Monica headquarters where requests are logged into a database visible to all pilots. They can then select flights. Passengers’ safety and comfort is always uppermost in the pilots’ minds. Small planes have no restroom facilities, so for some longer distances, the pilots will arrange a relay of shorter flights. For example, if a passenger living in Billings needs treatment in Seattle, one pilot will fly from Billings to Missoula, where a second pilot picks up the passenger and flies to Spokane. A third then flies to Seattle.
Hunt’s longest flight so far took place when a passenger in Great Falls needed treatment in Denver. He flew to Great Falls, picked up the patient and family, and flew them to Riverton, WY, where another pilot took them to Denver.
One memorable flight, Hunt flew a child and his father to Eagle Mount camp to celebrate being in remission from brain cancer. While the little boy slept, the father told how the parents had noticed a peculiar growth in the child’s ear. His brain cancer had metastasized to the outside. After quitting his job to be fulltime caregiver to his son, and watching the medical bills climb to the stratosphere, the father was only thankful that the boy was in remission. Another child received strong chemo that knocked out the cancer, but put her into a coma for eighteen months. Although she was still learning to walk again, she wanted to get home as soon as possible in order to go on speaking engagements and raise money to help other kids. “I get a whole lot more than I give from seeing how these people handle the challenges they’re facing. After getting to know them, you can’t have a bad day.”
406 WOMAN
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Book Review Sponsored by
862-9659 - 242 Central Avenue, Whitefish Below Copperleaf Chocolat Co.
Death Rites By: Alicia Gimenez-Bartlett Petra Delicado is the main character in this Spanish crime series, and she is an original. She is smart, intelligent and attractive, but she marches to her own beat and does not let sexist, publicity seeking, power hungry folks get in the way of the truth.
Petra has been married twice and is now on her own. Inspector Delicado has been put in charge of the documentation department of the Barcelona police department for months. It is a desk job and she does it well, but it is repetitious and boring. Out of the blue, the police department is short handed, so when it is faced with a serial rapist running rampant, Petra is ordered to step up
Nowhere to Run By: C.J. Box
C.J. Box has quite a following, and Nowhere to Run is his newest western mystery, out in 2010. My son introduced me to this author when he lent me Winterkill. Boxes’ novels take place in Wyoming, and Joe Pickett is the main character in ten of them. This novel interweaves two stories into one. The novel is a harrowing tale that takes place in an uninhabited, isolated part of Wyoming, where two brothers have made their whole existence claiming this territory as their own. Anyone who gets in their way is eliminated. The Sierra Madre is not a friendly place, especially if you are alone.
BOOK REVIEWS BY JOAN G. SMITH
and take charge. Her partner is to be Sergeant Fermin Garzon. Garzon is a portly, by the book kind of guy, but these two very different types find common ground as their very different talents seem to complement each other.
Hugo is boring, bossy and full of himself, and Pepe is young, helpless, dependent and keeps coming around for therapy!
Petra and Garzon are charged with solving these crimes as quickly as possible, to save the reputation of the Barcelona police department.
This feminist mystery is my first introduction to this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was first translated and published by Europe Editions in 2008. Check it out at the Whitefish library.
The rapist leaves no clues, except a mark on the arm of each victim. The department is at a loss with no evidence to help this pair get started on the case. Therefore, Petra must be creative and Garzon must be his usual thorough self. Petra’s former husbands make their appearances and add some spice to the novel.
The main character, Joe Pickett, is leaving his position as temporary game warden in Baggs, Wyoming. However, reports keep coming in of camps looted, elk butchered and tents slashed and devastated. He decides he must investigate especially since a female Olympic hopeful, who may have been training in the area, has vanished.
in twenty-two languages, and Box has won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe and Barry book awards as well as the French Prix Calibre .38. C.J. Box lives in Wyoming. This book is available at the Whitefish Library.
What he finds on his journey is almost unbelievable. The runner’s family comes into the mix and politics contribute to the confusion. To tell more would not be fair to the reader. Just know that his books have been translated
Duck and Goose: It’s time for Christmas Children's BOOK REVIEWS By Kristen Pulsifer
By: Tad Hills
Duck & Goose: It’s Time for Christmas is my first introduction to this adorable Duck & Goose cardboard book series. The pictures are charming and quite humorous. My daughters and I laughed at each fun page. The simple and darling story has Duck reprimanding Goose for dawdling as Duck is ready to begin his Christmas preparations. The two characters are quite endearing, in their sparkling polk–a-dot and striped hats and funny scarves. I cannot wait to check out the rest of this fun little book series with my two year old.
Another wonderful element of this sweet book is, it works well as a simple learn to read book for ages five and up. The repetitive wording allows kids to practice the words and learn them as they work through the story: “It’s not time for sledding, It’s not time for making snow angels, it’s not time…”. My kindergartener was thrilled to have a Christmas book that mirrored the style of her learn to read books from school. She can’t wait to read it to her little sister as they chatter away in their beds each night. Look for Duck and Goose: It’s Time for Christmas, and more fun holiday reads at Book Works, located in downtown Whitefish.
Help-Portrait
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Local Montana photographers used their cameras to give back to the community this month. Joining a global effort called Help-Portrait, photographers and others volunteered their time to give -- not take -portraits for those who are in need. "This event is simply about Loving, Serving, Engaging, Creating and Giving" says Kelli Trontel, photographer, Whitefish, MT. "The recipients lives aren't the only ones touched by this event. After being part of the first- ever Help-Portrait event in Nashville, TN last year, I knew that I needed to bring this to the Valley. As soon as the doors opened last Saturday, it was evident that our city was ready for HelpPortrait. Each and every photographer, stylist and volunteer came together for our community and this was done in excellence. An example of this is how the hairstylists change their game plan from just styling hair to actually providing free hair cuts for the day."
406 WOMAN  
Photographers Use their Cameras to Give Back
"It's the local businesses in the community that help make an event like this possible" says Carrie Rowe. The local organizations and business who contributed to the success of HELP-PORTRAIT MONTANA this year include the Samaritan House, the Boiler Room, J. Thomas Salon, Salon Jazlin, Bitterroot Screen Printing, Trails West Realty and Photo Video Plus. "My dream scenario was for every one who was photographed to be able to leave that day with a framed photo in hand. And because of our donors, this is exactly what happened." says Kelli Trontel The Help-Portrait Montana community page (http://community.help-portrait.com/group/ helpportraitmontana) is where you can sign up to be a volunteer for next years event, which will be held on December 3, 2011
HOW IT STARTED
Help-Portraitstarted last year after entertainment photographer Jeremy Cowart had an idea to give professional portraits to people who would otherwise never be able At the Kalispell, Mont., event, 125 portraits were to afford them. The goal is create a sense of given by 20 photographers and 40 volunteers, community and connection on a local level. This which also included make-up artists and hair year 8,728 volunteers donated 45,583 portraits stylists. One male recipient expressed his in 384 locations around the world (44 countries gratitude: "Most of the time, when I walk into and 42 U.S. states). a room, people stare at me because I smell or because of the way I look. Today, I felt loved. HOW IT WORKS Today, I was blessed. Thank you." Photographers, make-up artists, lighting technicians and general volunteers sign up and A woman at the event told photographer, Jeremie join a local group (or create one) at http:// Hollman, that she had recently reconciled with community.help-portrait.com/. Groups plan her father after not speaking to him in 12 years. their events and partner with local nonprofits "When I asked her what she was going to do and businesses that donate supplies (printing, with her portrait, she said, 'This is for my dad.'" paper, frames, etc.) needed for the event. Groups also fundraise to cover their costs.
Help-Portrait's website (http://help-portrait. com/) also offers a blog with tips for organizing events and a downloads page with templates, logos, event signage and forms. The site also shares inspirational stories from past events and has apparel for sale.
REACHING AROUND THE WORLD
New this year was an online live stream of the main event day (Dec. 4, 2010) from the creativeLIVE studio in Seattle. H-P organizers from around the world via Skype checked in to share their stories as the events unfolded.
From Bangalore, India to Ghana, Africa, the language of Help-Portrait crossed cultural and socio-economic barriers.
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406 WOMAN
Camas Creek Gets its game on! By Erin Ek Rush
The importance of the hat to Montanans cannot be overstated. As Dwight Yokum famously said, “Wherever I lay my hat, there’s my head.” Nothing could be truer for the average Montanan. From farmers’ cow-feeding trucker hats to Stetsons in the sunset, from baseball caps to beanies; Montana has always been hat-country.
Hats are a form of self expression and a practical, necessary, part of our Montana life-style. Try finding either a hatless skier in the winter or a hiker out in the August heat without something to shade her eyes. Or, for that matter, try to get a Griz fan to don a Bobcat hat in Missoula on game weekend! So, in a place brimming with headgear, Camas Creek Yarn store owner, Melanie Cross set out to design her first hat when she spotted one she liked on a man in the Seattle fish market. Warm, quirky and Scandinavian, the hat was somewhere between dreadlocked skier and unshaven outdoorsman; certainly something her Montanan children and customers might wear. Without a second thought, she paid the confused (but delighted) man five dollars to take his picture and set about creating a pattern from the photo. She then used the pattern in a knitting kit for a Glacier Park themed hat to sell in her yarn store. They sold out almost immediately.
When relatives from England visited later in the summer, they took back with them suitcases worth of grizzly pawed and growling cat sweatshirts, so taken were they with the enthusiasm of Montana’s sporting spectators. After her success with Glacier Park hats for the tourists, Cross saw potential for more unique Montana hats, based around our beloved and fiercely supported football teams. Cross, mother to both University of Montana and Montana State graduates, has a houseful of U of M and MSU sweatshirts, hat, and t-shirts. “I realize how much people like to show their colors, ” said Cross, who has gone so far as to change her licence plates in order to show equal support for both her children. “For most Griz and Cats supporters, the rivalry is intense!” At first, Cross set out to design U of M and MSU themed hats, but later the project expanded into scarves, mittens, and even Christmas stockings!
According to Cross, the difficulty in representing such a recognizable, loved pattern in knitting is twofold: “It’s important to reproduce the correct motif. First it needs to look like the ‘Griz’ paw, not just any bear paw, and it also needs to be put into a pattern that is knittable,” she said. Cross said the new products have proved so popular because they both allow fans to show support for their schools and allow knitters to put their own stamp of originality onto the item they make. “The patterns are unique and locally packaged here in the store, “ said Cross, “ The kits include 100% highland Peruvian wool, and knitters can take the basic pattern and then make it their own.”
However, putting this project into action was no small task. According to Cross she and her husband and business partner Andy Hurst have been working on this project, “non-stop” since August.
“I am knitting every time I sit down. I sometimes wake up at 2 a.m. thinking about a certain way around a problem or how a certain aspect might work,” said Cross. Hurst has been far from idle himself. Becoming licensed to use the Universities logos was a big undertaking. “(Andy) has been dealing with all the contracts, paperwork, and art work with the Colligate Licensing Company and both Universities,” said Cross. Like most Montanan projects, this one has drawn in the larger community.
“The whole store was behind us with this,” said Cross. “I had a lot of incredible knitters ‘test-knitting’ these patterns. Both my excellent staff and loyal customers have offered their feedback, advice and expertise on the product. ”
To keep things in the family, many of the models on the front of the knitting kits are Cross’s children (one Bobcat one Grizzly!) and even Miss Montana, Kacie West, is seen sporting some of the stylish headgear. Cross was lucky enough to involve West, because, although she is currently a student at Montana State University, as Miss Montana, she’s excited to show support for both schools. “We saw Kacie at a fundraiser for FVCC, where we had donated a Griz and Bobcat hat. She was performing there, and her family really wanted a hat. So, we traded a hat for a photo of her wearing one!” said Cross. Cross says the kits have been selling well as Christmas gifts both in the store and on their website.
“It’s something that everyone wears, most of the patterns are suitable for advanced beginners and best of all, none of them take that long to knit,” explained Cross. ”They’re original, fun and most of all Montanan.”
201 Central ave. whiteďŹ sh montana 59937 406.862.3200
406 Woman
Home & Pets
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406 WOMAN
Nancy O’s Interiors Photos by Sara Pinnell
406- We featured Cedar Bear Retreat in this issue- why did you pick this project ….
Nancy - Because I was involved from the framing stage to completion. There's got to be chemistry and trust between the designer and client- Nancy O designed the interior layout of the rooms, chose the colors, tiles and granite—Nancy O’s worked closely with the builder, taking advantage of nooks for extra sleeping areas, adding windows for more interest, and a great room kitchen concept with functionality and warmth. It met the desire and philosophy of the owners & Nancy O’s
406-You like color
Nancy –Color can change the mood in a room quickly and it’s the most inexpensive bang for your dollar. I love red!! In chairs, couches and walls… it has impact… and yes it’s not for everyone.
406-What do you see for Interior Design in this economy?
Nancy - Opportunity & challenge- folks will recover their worn loved furniture- folks will entertain remodeling- the challenge, as always, will be budget.
406 WOMAN
406-What is great design?
Nancy- Nature. Look at the amazing colors that give us joy. Design creates emotion, comfort, warmth & relief
406- Your thoughts on the Internet
Nancy- It won’t replace the thrill of the hunt- finding the perfect table, piece of art hidden in a consignment or antique store. Design is tactile and textural. We all want to touch!!
406- What about the home decorating TV shows?
Nancy – They stimulate people to look at their options- one must remember real life building is neither as quick as TV nor as inexpensive.
406- What’s the perception of using an Interior Designer?
Nancy- They’re too expensive – or they’ll take over. Not so. We can usually save the client money, and help with the right proportion and scale. Besides we are fun people!!!
406- What do you like about doing Models?
Nancy- The challenge of satisfying the owner of the project and enticing the prospect to imagine himself settled in as the owner. The furniture and fabrics must support the space and views, not take over.
406- What about resources?
Nancy- It’s important to go to Trade shows- Highpoint Furniture Market and Vegas offer what’s new . We are lucky to have fabulous sales reps in Montana. Then, add in our cabinet makers, woodworkers, artisans, seamstresses, upholsters, consignment stores and antique stores – you’ll find what you need for a project. We have great contractors in the Valley.
406- Who or What influences you?
Nancy- Architecture, museums and travel… be it in the USA or Europe. As a designer it’d be Ralph Lauren – the touch of his fabrics are yummy and his color is amazing!
406- What’s your style?
Nancy – Eclectic- I love to mix things. For a client it needs to be their style. Their home or office should reflect them and who they are.
406- What do you see in the future?
Nancy- A desire for a smaller more efficient home. We’ll be combing 3 rooms into one with space for the TV screen, books, art and windows to bring the outside in and have it all be in balance. Also, more attention is being given to using sustainable products in fabrics and wood floors. Bamboo products are becoming more popular. The green market is just beginning.
406-What size project do you like?
Nancy- All! Sure, it’s great to be in on a big project start to finish; but, today, even the smallest spaces are important. I’m happy to be working. Right now we are in the process of doing a kitchen /dining room remodel- it’s awesome!
406- What do you see for Nancy O’s future?
Nancy- We are moving to the Branding Iron Station in February. Our new home is the Architect Larry Pearson’s offices- they are beautiful !!! We will feature new and reclaimed furniture, consignment items, art, rugs and our wonderful gift selections. Enjoy our neighbors, Luna’s Wine & Coffee Cellar, Conrad Florist, J. Scott Couture and Dan Parker’s Gallery. Nancy O’s looks forward to having you to our home at The Branding Iron Station, on Highway 35 in Bigfork. 425 Grand Ave, Bigfork Branding Iron Station in February
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Understanding Colic; What predisposes a horse to colic 406 WOMAN
and tips to prevent colic.
Excerpt from, “The 101 Most Frequently Asked Horse Nutrition Questions.” ~ by Dr. Stephen E. Duren, Ph.D. ~
~ What is Colic? ~
Colic is a generic term for abdominal (belly) pain. This pain can originate from any of the organ systems contained in the abdomen. Colic is most often associated with the digestive system, but problems with the liver, kidneys and reproductive organs can also produce pain symptoms. Horses experiencing colic display pain symptoms in many ways. Pawing, looking at the belly, repeatedly laying down and rising, rolling, sweating, leaving food uneaten, and grunting or groaning are a few common colic symptoms.
~ What dietary factors predispose a horse to colic? ~
The scientific community has identified several risk factors for horses developing colic. The incidence of colic increases as the amount of grain in the diet is increased. Horses on pasture or horses eating mostly forage diets are less likely to colic than horses being fed five or more pounds of grain per day. Lush pasture can be a cause of colic, as it contains an abundance of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates and minimal fiber. Rapid fermentation of carbohydrates can lead to gas production and colic. Mature, low-quality hay and straw can cause impaction colic due to poor digestion of the fiber in the gut. Feeding changes can also cause colic. Changing the type and amount of forage (hay or pasture) or grain are risk factors associated with colic. Contamination of feed with mold or foreign material (plastic, aluminum cans, insects, rodents, etc.) can lead to a colic episode.
~ What can de done to prevent colic in horses? ~
Several management strategies will help minimize the occurrence of colic. First, it is important to realize the natural diet for horses is forage. Maximize the amount of high-quality hay offered while limiting grain intake. Grain should be fed at the minimum level necessary to provide energy, vitamin, and mineral fortification. Horses are anatomically designed to be continuous grazers. Try to feed horses in such a way to provide small frequent meals rather than a single large meal. Maximize the opportunity for horses to have free access to exercise. Horses that are confined to stalls for long periods of time are more likely to colic. Dietary changes should be minimized. If dietary changes are necessary, plan ahead and make changes slowly over a two-week period. Access to fresh, clean water is always essential. Routine veterinary care including deworming and dental care is necessary to reduce the risk of colic.
Dr. Stephen Duren completed his Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences at the University of Idaho. Dr. Duren earned a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Duren is the president of Performance Horse Nutrition, LLC, and consults with feed manufacturers and horse owners throughout the world. Dr. Duren is also the co-author of the sold out book, “The Concise Guide to Nutrition In The Horse.” CHS Kalispell, Inc. provides feeders, waterers, heaters, testing for hay quality, and free advice on feeding and nutrition for your horses. CHS Feed Center 755-7439 - CHS Country Store 755-7427 Visit CHS Kalispell on Facebook or www.chskalispell.com
406 Woman
Health, Family & Wellness
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406 WOMAN
indful Living By Lee Anne Byrne, LCSW
“Happy Holidays” to you!!! ‘Tis the season to celebrate – usually with too much food. Enhance true merriment this season by adding a big helping of mindful and sacred connections that may help to guide your choices.
Sharing food has been a part of gatherings of all kinds across time and cultures. This holiday season, be invited to take a moment to “re-member” your sacred connection to both the food that you eat AND the people you gather/celebrate with. For example, truly greet the people whose paths you cross. Look into the eyes of the clerk at the store and in your heart. Honor their role in your life. Deeply greet the people you break bread with from a mindful awareness that connects to the individuality of their being. Be present to your children while baking the holiday delights with them. This is the only time you will experience this moment. Connect to the moments of your life with mindful gratitude for the sacred nature of life itself. Taking an attentive, aware moment for gratitude throughout your day will shift not only your holiday experience, but your life. Doing this before making your food choices will shift those as well. Consider for a moment the enormous amount of life energy that others have poured into bringing the delectable dishes in front of you to the table. Not only was there the effort of the person who prepared them (possibly you), but there was all of the effort behind the entire structure of grocery stores that made it possible to secure the ingredients. Before the store there are the distribution centers and transportation systems and all of the people who make them run. Before those people and centers, there are those who process the food. Before the processors are those who grow it. Before the growers is the magnificent miracle of the system of nature which provides the fundamental elements for crops and animals to grow. Be in awe of the enormous number of people who made this dish in front of you available in this moment. From this perspective, you will select more mindfully; taking only what is in balance for you. This same attentiveness to gratitude can support you in SLOWING DOWN while you eat. Realizing how grace has conspired to bring this food to your plate will support you in mindfully receiving it into your body. Take a mindful, slow, deep breath before making your food choices, tuning into what to eat and into what quantity. Use your senses to enjoy the aroma and to notice the moment of the food arriving in your mouth – the textures, the temperature, the taste. Now, the most important step – chew and chew and chew some more! People who chew more tend to enjoy their food more, actually
Be present to your children while baking the holiday delights with them. This is the only time you will experience this moment.
noticing it. They also tend to have fewer weight problems, on average, than people who chew only enough to make the food small enough to hurry it into the awaiting stomach. Notice the movement of your body as you chew and swallow. Set your utensils down between each bite to further slow into a state of mindful experiencing and appreciating of what you are eating. Sacred connection helps address in a more whole way the seven kinds of hunger which Jan Chozen Bays, MD, identifies in her book, Mindful Eating. They are: eye hunger, nose hunger, mouth hunger, stomach hunger, cellular hunger, mind hunger, and heart hunger. Only two of these are physiological hunger – stomach and cellular hunger. The other five are hungers of the senses and of the being. These five types of hunger are directly addressed through the mindful connection to not only what we eat, but to ourselves and to the living of our lives. For example, if we speed unconsciously through our day without truly seeing what we see, our eyes become hungry for nourishment. They tend then to take the table as a place to catch up on their nourishment and thus the “my eyes were bigger than my stomach” scenario. This is particularly a pit fall at the holiday season when the most beautiful food is presented. Certainly let your eyes take it all in as part of your mindful eating experience, but be mindful to “feed” your eyes throughout the day in other ways. When arriving at the table, be mindful of fulfilling all of your hungers nourishments in ways appropriate to their needs. Do this while prioritizing food selections based on the needs of the stomach and cells.
P ea ce and Jo y to Y o u and Y o u r s!
We could be at risk for diabetes. That is why we are taking steps now to prevent it. If you are overweight, physically inactive or have a mother, father, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes, you are at risk. But there is good news — you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Talk to your doctor to learn more, or call the Kalispell Regional Medical Center Diabetes Care and Prevention Center at 751-5454.
www.krmc.org
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406 WOMAN
eal Relationships By Denise Dryden, Parent Coach
I remember writing an article a few months ago about the way our family relationships are similar to a mobile hanging over a crib. A combination of shapes and sizes all perfectly balanced together, and when one spins or sways, the rest follow in reaction. Again, it is time to talk about how we have the role as parents to be aware of how any movement in our relationships will cause a reaction in the family system.
Have you noticed that this winter that there has been a shifting in all our relationships? Whether it is in the stars or just the phase of life we are in… lately there has been this little vibration of uncomfortableness going on just under the surface. Actually, it is a lot more than a little vibration. The mobile is swirling! It is about relationships, between a parent to child, child to child, or between our adult partnerships. This might look like a feeling of wanting more, perhaps a need for more honesty, more authenticity. Maybe it appears as a consistent agitation with one person. Maybe it is an internal tap on the shoulder for the “real” relationship to emerge. As a mom or a dad, are you feeling like everyone needs your support and guidance to help them? At any rate, it is an urgency, a budding, that is pushing up into the day-to-day and forcing us to address our previously comfortable relationships.
Listen to your own wisdom, and see what your child is really wanting from you or from another. “Listen” to what your spouse or family member is not saying.
It is my intention to bring up the unsaid. It is my role to point out that there has indeed been something going on for the last few months, and that the mobile is rocking, and that we as parents and adults are being invited to do something about it. That said, what do we do when one, two, or almost all of our relationships are bubbling? The answer is to take in some deep breaths, pay attention, and acknowledge that there is a bit more to this than just your child having an “off” afternoon, some edginess in the family, or that persistent sniping with your spouse. Trust yourself to know that this is not what it normally feels like. Pay a bit more attention to what you think this might be telling you. Listen. Listen to your own wisdom, and see what your child is really wanting from you or from another. “Listen” to what your spouse or family member is not saying.
I believe the key piece to this approach is to be willing to hear what is said, even if it is very different from what you thought, or wanted to hear.
Next, what if you bring it up in a soft, honest way…state what you are noticing, and then wonder... Invite your child or spouse to tell you what is on their mind. Then acknowledge what they told you. This is letting them know you really cared enough to notice, to ask, and then to listen. As a parent, as an adult, it is up to you to step first into your real, authentic space, and then to invite the other person to join you. This provides a calm, nurturing place for an honest conversation to occur. This will be the calm that slows down the spinning mobile.
I believe the key piece to this approach is to be willing to hear what is said, even if it is very different from what you thought, or wanted to hear. Be willing to be surprised. This is the opportunity to step completely into relationship, with yourself and the ones you love, even if change is necessary. It is time to bend a little and create something new, be in relationship from a new perspective. What comes up could be really simple to address. And what comes up may require you to dig deep into your own truth and step into what works for you and your family. Life is about changes, growth, possibilities and expanding past our comfort zones. Right now, in these next few weeks and months, we are being nudged into those expansion zones faster than we want to go. Just remember to breath and trust your self as you go along. This is when parenting and partnership is amazing.
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he Weightless Workout By Sam Glauber - Photos by Mike Potter
From time to time it is impossible to make it to the gym to get your workout in. So what do you do? You could just skip it or you could still get a great workout no matter were you are using nothing but your own body weight. It’s fast it’s simple and the best part is you don’t need anything besides your own body. The key to getting an effective body-weight workout is knowing how to modify the exercises to your current fitness level. Here are some basic body-weight exercises and how to modify them. Let’s start with push-ups. The best way to make them easier is to do them off your knees instead of off your feet. Want to make them harder? You can ratchet up the intensity level by bringing one knee up to your elbow as you come down into the push-up.
The squat is another great exercise for adding tone and shape to your legs. Don’t have any weights and want to make it harder….try doing them one leg at a time. You might want to use a bench or chair to start with. This will give you a marker for how low to go. Start by standing on one foot. Keep your foot that is off the ground out in front of you and about 1 inch off the floor. Squat down until your butt touches the bench and then stand up. Putting your hands straight out in front of you will help you keep your balance.
Another great body-weight exercise to work the back of you legs is singleleg bridges. Start on the floor laying flat on your back. Bend one leg so that your knee is at about 90 degrees. Push the heel of the leg that is bent into the ground to lift your hips up. Come back down until your butt is about an inch off the floor and repeat. You can make it harder by putting one foot on a medicine ball. This forces you to engage more muscles in order to keep your balance on the medicine ball. Remember focus on lifting your hips as high as possible.
There are several ways to use nothing but your body-weight to keep you in shape. Just remember to keep the exercises challenging and you’ll be seeing results in no time. Starting in December, the Wave will be offering a new form of body-weight training called TRX. TRX is a suspension training system that uses your own body-weight to perform hundreds of exercises that build power, strength, balance and mobility. It’s easy to use no matter what your fitness level. Follow this link for a quick video demo of how the TRX system works. http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWave59937
1250 Baker Ave. Whitefish, MT 59937 862-2444
Sam Glauber is a NCSA certified personal trainer. He has worked with clients ranging from soccer moms to professional athletes. Sam cares about one thing getting his clients results. He currently trains clients at The Wave located in Whitefish, MT. If you would like to find out more information about what personal training can do for you contact Sam at sam@whitefishwave.com or stop by the Wave.
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his column is for you if you:
Are thinking of making a New Year’s Resolution this holiday.
Cringe at the idea of making a resolution.
Have made exciting resolutions in the past and not kept them. Hate hearing about other people’s resolutions.
I’m forgoing the usual Ask Coach format this month because the topic of New Year’s Resolutions is the mother of all holiday subjects. We make them, hate them or pretend they aren’t for us. They’re in the air this time of year and they can bring out the naughty or nice in all of us. The trick to keeping them comes from knowing what makes a resolution stick.
New Year’s is a time to celebrate as we look back at the last twelve months and all that we accomplished and are grateful for. We look toward the coming year and re-visit our hopes and dreams for ourselves and our loved ones. If we’ve had success with making and keeping our resolutions then we tend to make them again. We want more of that energy, excitement and confidence that comes when we cross the finish line of a resolution. The end of the year is a benchmark and if we are not careful we can use it to beat up on ourselves. It can be a time of regret as we play back the tapes of all we meant to do, didn’t do and should have done. We had ideas and visions for the year but we didn’t demonstrate them in our daily lives. We had our reasons: this year’s challenges may have seemed too much for us, we made compromises that made our resolutions seem impossible to achieve, we gave up, forgot or came up with excuses for why our resolution was a bad idea in the first place. Resolutions are goals and those people who are successful at keeping theirs know a few things that the rest of us either don’t know or don’t practice. These goal gurus are no different than you or I; their lives have no fewer challenges. In fact, some of them have more. They are not smarter, thinner or cuter. But there are a few things they do consistently that you may not be doing.
1
Make sure your goals are SMART. You’ve no doubt heard this before but it’s worth repeating. Take the time to make sure that you goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time based. If you can’t say yes to each one, go back and refine.
2
When the going gets tough the tough get support. Successful goalgetters know they can’t do it alone and they don’t want to. Share your goal with someone who wants you to succeed. Check in with that person on a regular basis. Your support person may listen to excuses and sob stories but they won’t let you off the hook because they know how important this goal is to you. “I know it’s cold, early and you’d rather not go to the gym today…Call me back after your workout.”
3
Back up your goal with a Life’s Intention. An intention is a purpose, aim or direction that gives something meaning; a Life’s Intention is a purpose, aim or direction that gives your life meaning. Without a Life’s Intention your goal is as useful as a raft with a slow leak. It’s the R in SMART, the strong desire behind your goal that will motivate you over the long haul of challenges, obstacles and cold mornings. The intentions behind my goal, “I hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon by July 1, 2012”, are to be an adventurer and to be physically fit and healthy.*
4
Reevaluate your plan not your goal. If your goal is SMART and tethered to a Life’s Intention you’ve got a winner. There’s no need to change it when an obstacle blocks your path. When you’re driving to work and hit construction do you go to the movies instead? The thought may cross your mind but you take an alternate route and end up where you said you would.
5
Don’t wait for New Year’s. People who consistently make and keep goals know that they are capable of doing so whether it’s New Year’s, spring, Fourth of July, or Wednesday. When you work toward a goal you are demonstrating your dreams and visions for the future in your daily life. You’re not waiting until you have more time, money or energy to do the things that are important to you. Having a SMART goal will give you the energy you’ve been waiting for. You’ll begin to make better decisions about the way you use your time and money in order to get to your goal. You have all you need right now to start crafting – and keeping – resolutions all year long.
Wishing you a joyous, healthy and successful 2011!
*From the writings and teachings of author Maria Nemeth, PhD. For a complete list of Life’s Intentions contact Dru at info@solutionsbydru.com By Dru Rafkin Jackman,ACC
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Tis’ the Season to be Jolly….. By Kiersten Alton, RPH,
O
kay if this is the time of year where I am supposed
to be filled with holiday laughter then why do I feel too tired to laugh? I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s the season of giving, the time of year when we appreciate all of our blessings. The only problem is that some times I give so much of myself that I am left tired, irritable and stressed out. Well, let me give you an early Christmas present, the gift of Health.
During stressful times there are lots of wonderful remedies you can use to help support your body. In order for them to work we need to have a basic understanding of the function of our adrenals. Your adrenals are two tiny little glands that sit on the top of your kidneys and their job is to make cortisol and adrenaline. Basically these are your fight or flight hormones. In today’s busy society where we are pulled in many different directions at the same time, your adrenals try to keep up with the demand for cortisol, your main stress hormone. As you can imagine, your adrenals get tired and at times can’t keep up. If this happens for a long time you can suffer from “adrenal burnout.” Then you are running on adrenaline, which can make you feel tired and wired at the same time. It is like your body is running on jet fuel instead of regular gas. You can be really fatigued, yet anxious. Not a great place to be!
During stressful times there are lots of wonderful remedies you can use to help support your body.
Thankfully, there are many herbs and vitamins which help support our adrenals. There are also lots of great books; one I recommend is “Adrenal Fatigue” By Dr. James Wilson. There are also simple lifestyle changes which can help the adrenals repair. By providing support to our adrenals we can regain some of our energy, lift our mood, restore our patience and sometimes even lose a little weight.
Our adrenals begin to repair between 10pm and midnight. If you stay up and do that extra load of laundry you are missing some prime adrenal repair sleep time.
Lifestyle changes involve getting to bed earlier. Our adrenals begin to repair between 10pm and midnight. If you stay up and do that extra load of laundry you are missing some prime adrenal repair sleep time. Eating less sugar, drinking less caffeine and adding more proteins and vegetables will also support your adrenals. If you are exercising you need to make sure you are not actually stressing your adrenals out further. Exercise should be at a lower heart rate for a longer duration. This will allow you to access fat and burn it instead of holding on to it.
Lastly, there are Chinese herbs called adaptagens which help the adrenals adapt to stress. Ginseng, Rhodiola, and Cordyceps are a few of the most commonly used herbs to support adrenal health. Working with a holistic practitioner is essential because adrenal fatigue or adrenal burnout can be difficult to treat. Other vitamins such as Vitamin C, Magnesium, a B-Complex and vitamin D are also important. It can take weeks or even months to repair stressed adrenals. We spend a lifetime burning them out so we need to be patient when it comes to repairing them. I hope this article helps you have more energy and laughter this holiday season. Happy Holidays, may you be both merry and healthy. If you are feeling stressed out and tired please email me and I will try to help. Kalton@bigskycompounding.com.
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“Home for the Holidays, and After” By Kristen Pulsifer
I cannot believe the holidays are here and in full force! With a summer that did not bring much reprieve from cool weather, and a fall that was quite wet, I feel as if I just finished putting away holiday decorations! Anyway, Christmas lights are being hung, and holiday events are being planned – game on! In about two weeks, kids will be out of school for two weeks. What will we do with our days? Well, my answer is, have fun with them! Let your kids sleep a bit more and take a break. While it is important to keep all family members safe and close, a break is necessary. Plus, our high school students will head back to school after the first of the year and begin preparing for final exams. What then? While your kids are out of school, plan some enjoyable family events and keep kids active, but make activities fun! Skiing, skating, sledding,…. Have it! Get the ‘yayas’ out and have some healthy fun. As winter break comes to an end, start keeping kids a bit closer to home and re-instill curfews and bed time routines, and plant the seed for your children returning to school. If home study areas have become cluttered throughout the first part of the school year, work with your kids to either clean them out or even find new study areas that they will look forward to using.
Suggestions for a productive study area:
Find a place that your child enjoys. You want your little scholar to look forward to spending time in that area
Make sure the study area has good lighting. Avoid bright, overhead lights. Supply softly lit lamps that provide strong enough light that your kids can read and study easily.
Make it comfortable. Pillows, and bean bags are great for reading, but also have a desk top of some sort that kids can easily write on or use a computer.
I believe that music is oaky to have available, as long as it is relaxing. Students can enjoy their favorite music, but keep it mellow! That could be a great winter break project. Have your kids make a mix of music on their ipods, or whatever, that is conducive to studying and relaxing.
Look at schedules with your kids, and construct study hours that students can count on. Knowing that there are certain hours in a day where school work can be done alleviates stress. Provide healthy snack food. Make good food available so kids can snack on food that won’t drag them down. Avoid sugars and anything that is too heavy- this seems to differ for different people. Have kids turn in cell phones during study hours. Avoid social time during study hours. Chatting with friends on the phone is something they can look forward to when study time is done.
Lastly, make sure the area is void of distraction. Keep it away from entry ways where there is traffic such as family members and friends coming in and out of the house. Quiet is important. If you have the space to avoid keeping the study area out of bedrooms, that is the best, but definitely not a necessity. Some kids work the best in the quiet of their own rooms.
Have a happy holiday, and truly work towards appreciating the time off with your families. Holidays, overall, can be stressful. Avoid the chaos and just enjoy. The snow is great this year so get outside and try not to take it all too seriously! Laugh! Turn on cheesy Christmas/holiday music and just relax!
S
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creening tests can enhance quality of life for women of any age. By Mary Pat Murphy
While pondering resolutions for 2011, how about resolving to safeguard your health by making sure you’re up to date on your annual physical examination and any diagnostic tests recommended for women of your age?
Good habits such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, getting regular exercise (the latest recommendation is for 30-45 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week), drinking in moderation and avoiding smoking promote good health for women of any age. Screening tests appropriate to your age group can detect problems early when they are more easily treatable. Getting regular screening is one of the most important things you can do for your health. You may be screened for:
° Some types of cancer ° Heart disease ° Diabetes ° Osteoporosis (weak bones)
Dr. Debra Acord, a breast imaging specialist at Northwest Imaging and The HealthCenter, is a firm believer in the benefit of screening mammograms, one of the basic screening tests for women.
“I see the benefits of annual screening mammography every day. Annual mammography has been shown to actually decrease the risk of dying from breast cancer,” Dr. Acord said. “One in 8 of us will develop breast cancer in our lifetime. It is very important to try to catch it early!”
Screening for heart disease also is important for women’s health. According to Dr. Thomas Amidon, a cardiologist with Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s Rocky Mountain Heart & Lung, more women die each year from heart disease than all the forms of cancer combined. “Early detection in women is critical since they don’t have typical symptoms,” Dr. Amidon said. “Women need to know their numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and hs-CRP, a marker of inflammation, which is an important component to measure one’s risk of developing heart disease.”
Talk with your health care provider about scheduling important screenings. Some are needed once a year, and others are needed every few years. Tell your doctor about the diseases that run in your family and ask questions about your health. Make sure to get the results from every screening. Ask your health care provider to explain the results to you. Most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, will pay for screening tests recommended by your health care provider. Ask your insurance provider which tests are included in your plan. You can still get important screening tests even if you don’t have insurance. Monthly low-cost screenings for cholesterol and blood pressure are offered at The Summit Medical Fitness Center. Financial assistance for breast cancer screening is available through Save A Sister. (For more information on Save A Sister, call 1-800-399-0384.) Getting routine screenings to safeguard your health is a major gift you can give to yourself as a woman, and will help you live a healthier and more active life at any age. So go for good health — and screenings — in 2011.
What screening tests should you get at what age, and how often should you get them? Medical experts differ on some recommendations, but here are some general guidelines for women of various ages, compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
Ages 18 to 39 —
General health screening, including weight and height, annually or as recommended by a health care provider. Blood pressure test: at least every 2 years. Cholesterol test: Start at age 20, discuss frequency of test with your health care provider. Breast health: Clinical breast exam at least every three years. Pap test: every two years starting at age 21; women 30 and older every three years. Pelvic exam: yearly beginning at age 21 or earlier if sexually active and recommended by a health care provider.
Ages 40 to 49 —
Blood pressure and cholesterol screening recommendations remain the same as for younger women unless a problem is detected. Diabetes: Blood glucose of A1c test starting at age 45, then every three years. Breast health: Clinical breast exam annually; screening mammogram every 1 to 2 years beginning at age 40. Reproductive health: Pap test every three years (Many professionals recommend annual screening). Pelvic exam: Yearly.
Ages 50 to 64 —
Blood pressure and cholesterol screening recommendations remain the same unless a problem is detected. Bone health: Many professionals recommend a baseline bone density test at age 50. Colorectal health: Use one of these three methods: fecal occult blood test (yearly); flexible sigmoidoscopy with fecal occult blood test (every five years) or colonoscopy (every 10 years). The colonoscopy is regarded as the “gold standard” of colon testing and can remove polyps discovered in the colon during testing. Diabetes: blood glucose or A1c test every three years. Breast health: Clinical breast exam annually; mammogram every 1 to 2 years. Pap test: every three years. Pelvic exam: annually.
Ages 65 and older —
Breast health: Clinical breast exam yearly, mammogram every 1 to 2 years. Bone health: Get a bone mineral density test at least once. Talk to your health care provider about repeat testing. Diabetes: blood glucose or A1c test every three years. Pap test: discuss with your health care provider.
In addition to the preventive screening, an annual flu shot is recommended for almost everyone, and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster is recommended every 10 years. For women over 65, a onetime pneumonia vaccine is recommended. A one-time herpes zoster vaccine to prevent shingles is recommended at age 60.
?
Interested in FREE screenings
Kalispell Regional Medical Center will host a Heart Health Fair on Tuesday, February 15, 2011, at 5 p.m. in the Arts & Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College. Screenings offered will include cholesterol, blood pressure and more. For more information, call 751-5389.
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Shop Talk : Donna Schumacher-Davis Destination: 33 Baker
Donna
By: Maranda Johnson
Schumacher-Davis
has taken her clippers abroad traveling around the world and much of the U.S. for Farouk Systems International, a Huston based company providing hair care and spa products to professional salons. Today, she owns and operates 33 Baker Salon and Spa. Even after 22 years of teaching color, there is always more to learn for Donna and her team and they always do. Furthering the teams education and staying ahead of the curve is the highest priority for the salon after their customer’s satisfaction. When Donna isn‘t putting on mileage in Glacier Park, she‘s backpacking around other countries. In her life, she estimates that she has hiked an impressive 3,000 miles in the park, trying to average 150 miles a year. “I got the traveling bug in the 90’s, started with my son in Australia,” and ever since Donna has been leaving the country about every year to indulge in a little R&R, but also to do what she can for those in need. Now she travels mostly by herself or with friends she makes along the way going from hostel to hostel not knowing where she will end up next. When she was in Honderous she spent a day raking and picking up plastic along the beach in blistering hot temperatures. Most recently, she spent a week in Thailand at an elephant nature park for those of them that were abandoned, abused, or just retired. In the late 80’s it became illegal to use elephants for logging, so with no way to log and earn income the elephants became neglected. Donna reflects on an occurrence that happened to one of the elephants that she took care of, “There was one elephant Jokea, the mahout (trainer/keeper) that had her, she wasn’t doing things the way he wanted her too so he poked her eyes out and made her blind.” It was an emotional and touching experience for Donna explains, while showing me a tattoo she had done while there of an elephant, Hop (pronounced Hope). She spent her time there gathering food for the elephants, cleaning watering and wash holes and going to the local Karen Tribes School helping teach subjects like English and math.
Pamper Yourself
33 Baker will relax and style your life. What better way to start then with a massage. They offer various techniques of massage such as: Swedish, sports, neuromuscular, low level laser therapy massage, Russian massage and prenatal massage for all the soon-to-be moms. Also offering reflexology, aromatherapy, paraffin and parafango treatments, geo-thermal stone therapy, body wraps, and rehabilitation therapy. To complete the pampering treat yourself to a mani/pedi. 33 Baker offers spa manicures, French nail manicure, gel nails, French polish change and Acrylic nails and an Omni foot spa pedicure. They also offer all types of waxing, facial, arms, legs, bikini, Brazilian, backs and full body.
Color is their specialty
Traveling to places like Italy, Chicago, Calgary, and New York too keep their excitement and edge on all the current trends and techniques to meet your every desire. Demi Color, glass shine, block, weave, foil, and natural just to name a few techniques. But don’t forget they also do waves, spiral and texture perms as well as a variety of hair extensions. This salon caters to everyone and every occasion. Your needs are fulfilled at 33 Baker, but if you require special treatment on your wedding day, they will go to you making your day a little less stressful.
Photo by Brent Steiner
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Shop Talk : Stacey Averill
Disguised Blessing: One Woman’s Journey through Tragedy “Home is where the heart is”
By: Maggie Neal Doherty - Photo by: Sara Pinnell
rings especially true for local resident Stacey Averill. Born and raised on a ranch and farm in Whitefish, Averill’s heart still beats strong for her home and her family. But twelve years ago, it was all in jeopardy when she was shot twice in the chest at her college apartment in Flagstaff, Arizona.
As the co-general manager for the Lodge at Whitefish Lake, this
young businesswoman counts her near-death experience as a blessing. A selfproclaimed farm girl, she graduated from Whitefish High School in 1996 and although she loved her family, she was ready to step away from her hometown and experience a new place. She attended Northern Arizona University and in August of 1998 of her sophomore year, she was the victim of mistaken identity that almost cost her her life. Her then-boyfriend, a college football player, was involved in a fist fight with four men at a bar. Four days after the fight, Averill slept alone on her couch in her apartment and her boyfriend’s vehicle was parked outside. She awoke to four men wearing ski masks and holding guns standing in her doorway. Seeing her and not her boyfriend, they left immediately. She got up from the couch, locked the door and it was then she realized she’d been shot, twice. She crawled to the kitchen and dialed 911. A friend, who lived above her, came down to her apartment to find her friend shot and bleeding. Two EMT’s arrived, both not experienced in gunshot wounds, but her friend knew to call Stacey’s dad, a surgeon, for help. From his home in Montana, he was able to tell the attending EMT’s on how to stabilize his daughter and thereby save her life. She had two bullet wounds in her chest, one of which hit all of her organs but her heart. Averill realized the assailants mistook her for her boyfriend. Once she was stable, she was flown home to her family in Whitefish and recovered with her family’s support. She confided that the most difficult aspect of the shooting was returning to Arizona to testify against her shooter at his trial. The man was found guilty and is serving a multiple life sentence.
“My mom bolstered me through it. She taught me to move on and to find this as a blessing to refine myself.”
She was nineteen years old when the shooting occurred and instead of resigning to fear or remaining a victim, Averill, encouraged by her family, didn’t allow this traumatic experience to define her. “I believe that God doesn’t put anything in your path you can’t handle. I feel blessed to have this experience to live my life in a new way,” says Averill.
Averill took off just one semester of college to recover and with her mother’s help, she found the courage continue on with her young life. “My mom bolstered me through it. She taught me to move on and to find this as a blessing to refine myself.” Once healed, Averill rediscovered her Montana roots and remained close to home. She enrolled at the University of Montana and graduated with a degree in Business Management. She lived in Missoula following college and took a job at an investment firm. She met her husband when working on a finance project and they fell in love. In 2004 she married Sean Averill and together they reside in Whitefish. Family continues to be her focus and where she draws her strength and finds a source of happiness. Averill notes, “We’re an extremely strong family unit.” Her father is now retired and with her mom, they still work their one-thousand acre farm and ranch. Averill’s older sister, Kelly, lives and works in Singapore. Younger by ten years, Averill’s brother, Buck, helps run the family ranch. Averill spends a lot of time with her mother and her horses. Her mother hosts nearly fifty horses and Averill boasts that her mother still rides every day. Averill still hangs on to her ranching roots and joins in on her love of horses.
Her work also involves family. She joins her brother-in-law, Brian Averill, as cogeneral manager. He and his wife, Fabienne, both work for the Lodge at Whitefish Lake. Averill says, “We run it together as a family.” She first ran the Spa at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake for five years and then, with Brian and Fabienne, took over the lodge operations two years ago. The Averill family is a fourth generation Montana family and steeped in Big Sky country hospitality. The Lodge at Whitefish Lake was recently awarded the prestigious Four Diamond designation from AAA. Averill truly enjoys running a family business. “I feel lucky to share my work with three family members in the day-to-day operations. It’s a fantastic blend of home and family.” Often the lines of life, family and work can be blurred, but her there is clarity. While the family business is very important to Averill, she’s not one to allow work to completely take over her life. She finds time to enjoy this place she loves so much. “I’ve developed an affinity for the lake and boating and waterskiing.” She’s proud that she and her husband still average 40 days of skiing each winter. “We take advantage of living so close to the mountain,” she adds.
Averill has found in her heart not scars, but the love of family and of
securing her home in the Flathead Valley. Her second chance at life has allowed her to find meaning in pain and to live the life of her dreams.
She divulges, “There’s nothing like the way the air smells in Montana.”
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Rhonda Kohl, Trails West Real Estate Your Iron Horse Expert
Professional Profiles
Rhonda Kohl,Trails West Real Estate 492 East Second Street Whitefish, MT 59937 c: 406.250.5849 - o: 406.862.4900 Rhonda@TWRE.com
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Meet Tamara & Judy, Insty Prints Insty Prints Gives Back
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Insty Prints, 131 Main ST, Kalispell MT. 406-752-8812 49504 HWY 93, POLSON MT. 406-883-3778
uccessful communities help each other, share ideas and work to make their collective environment a better place to be. At Insty-Prints we not only believe in this, but we act upon it daily. Giving back to our community is vital not only to those we are helping but to us as well. There are so many worthwhile organizations doing great things to make this a thriving community. It's impossible to help and give to them all, but Insty-Prints believes in supporting as many as we can. In 2008-2009 we supported more than 70 businesses and organizations in their efforts. So many of these organizations are from the non-profit sector, and they appreciate and understand the value of the support that Insty-Prints provides. In 2009 alone, we printed more than 36,000 free posters announcing events or fundraisers for groups and organizations around the Valley. Hundreds of dollars in gift certificates have been donated for various auctions or charities. It's simply helping each other out and giving back to a community that's been a positive place for us to be. We also feel it's important to give our time in the community. Volunteering in various groups and organizations has allowed us to give back with our time and learn more about some of the worthwhile opportunities in our valley. Having an active role in our wonderful community…it's what Insty-Prints is all about.
honda Kohl (Oseen), Broker/Realtor is pleased to announce her recent move to Trails West Real Estate and Affiliate of Christies Great Estates to join the Whitefish Team. Originally from Southern Alberta, Canada, Rhonda has resided in Whitefish since 2003. Shortly after getting settled here, she had the great opportunity to be employed by Discovery Land Company's Iron Horse Golf Club; a high end private golf community which transferred over to member ownership in the spring of 2008. With over 14 years of real estate sales experience, including 6 ½ of those years with Iron Horse, Rhonda has established herself firmly and brings a level of dedication and knowledge to the 'Iron Horse' market offering unparalleled customer service and confidence. She will continue to market Iron Horse through Trails West Real Estate and Christies Great Estates and is also excited to broaden her horizons and expand her knowledge to the greater Whitefish area and Flathead Valley. You can be confident that every aspect and detail of her work will be addressed with expertise, enthusiasm and discretion. Trails West’s affiliation with Christie’s Great Estates opens an international market to buyers; they however also feel it is important that Trails West maintain a small town feel. The company takes pride in their agents on passion for service, their unwavering commitment to clients, and dedication to the real estate profession. Trails West/Christies have a competitive edge in the “premier” real estate market and are able to present the stunning Flathead Valley to the world through their comprehensive website at Christies Great Estates website at www.ChristiesGreatEstates.com Trails West website at www.TrailsWestRealEstate.com. Offices include downtown Bigfork, Harbor Village, Lakeside, Whitefish and at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake. Trails West has been locally operated for over 40 years in the Flathead Valley.
Carrie Reis All Ways Travel- Bigfork 406-837-5411 allways@montanasky.net
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arrie Reis is the owner of All Ways Travel, operating out of Bigfork, MT. Carrie has 15 years of experience in the travel business and loves to help people plan the best possible vacation or business trip. In this day and age where there are unlimited travel options and destinations, making travel decisions can be confusing and paralyzing. Carrie is someone who helps her clients personally by matching people with what they truly need, being are source for changes or setbacks, able to give the best advice for cruises, vacation packages for individuals, family/special groups, or simply helping clients efficiently fly from one place to the next. Her experience of traveling both domestically and internationally combined with her savvy know-how makes her invaluable for anyone traveling for their first time or those who travel on a regular basis. Carrie knows what it is like to travel on one's own or with a family, organize and lead tour groups and go on adventures (such as biking through the south of France!) She's got tips about packing, what to do and what not to do, and how to handle the challenges of moving about this wide, wonderful world. And unlike the automatic voice prompts and the various internet pages required to click through in order to book a trip, Carrie is only one phone call or email away: 406-837-5411 - allways@montanasky.net
As women who live in Montana, many of us herald the merits of buying local, whether it’s at the farmer’s market or our neighborhood hardware store.
But even more than that, it’s nice to be able to recognize the people behind the businesses that are getting our money, and to know that, like us, they’ve invested in our community. According to Civic Economics’ Andersonville Study of Retail Economics in October 2004, every $100 spent at a nationwide chain results in $43 of local economic activity. On the flip side, every $100 spent at a locally-owned business results in $68 of local economic activity. And more money in the community means more jobs. On that note, we proudly introduce a few of the professionals doing business in a neighborhood near you.
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Sydney Lillard, M.D., Surgical Oncologist Northwest Healthcare Dr. Lillard can be reached at Northwest Montana Surgical Associates- Surgical Oncology office at 751-5392.
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orthwest Healthcare welcomes Surgical Oncologist Sydney Lillard, M.D., to the medical staff and the practice of Northwest Montana Surgical Associates. Dr. Lillard attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and completed her residency in general surgery at the University of Washington. Most recently, she completed a Surgical Oncology fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. During her surgical oncology training, she was awarded a gastric cancer fellowship from Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea. She specializes in surgical treatments for cancer, specifically gastrointestinal related cancers, endocrine cancers and skin cancers. Dr. Lillard and Dr. David Sheldon, her partner at Northwest Montana Surgical Associates, are the only two surgical oncologists in the State of Montana. For patients, it is very important to have access to high-level, multidisciplinary care in their local community,” she said. “It’s critical to their health care — not to be away from home and family.” Dr. Lillard believes that cancer care involves a team approach, involving multiple physicians, clinicians and the patient’s support system. “Not only does the patient need to be taken care of but the family members need to be integrated in that process as well,” she said. “They provide that second set of ears, which is really important for a cancer patient.” Dr. Lillard has an adventurous spirit and enjoys traveling, hiking, biking and all things outdoors. She looks forward to exploring the magnificent surroundings in the Flathead Valley.
Karen Perser, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon Northwest Healthcare Dr. Perser can be reached at Northwest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at 752-6784.
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orthwest Healthcare welcomes Orthopedic Surgeon Karen Perser, M.D., to the medical staff and the practice of Northwest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Dr. Perser attended medical school at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed her orthopedic surgery residency at The University of Washington in Seattle. She later was awarded a sports medicine fellowship from the State University of New York, University at Buffalo Department of Orthopedic Surgery. While there, she was the assistant physician to the Buffalo Sabres (NHL), Buffalo State Bengals (NCAA Division III Football), and the Buffalo Flash (USL-W League). While Dr. Perser specializes in sports medicine and sports injuries, she also treats patients with other orthopedic needs including joint/tendon problems, fractures, arthritis and more. She has extensive training in both general orthopedics, including trauma, as well as specific training for arthroscopic (minimally invasive) surgery of the hip, shoulder and knee, most commonly treating ACL tears, rotator cuff tears, meniscus tears and labral tears. Dr. Perser believes that getting to know her patients and understanding what’s going on in their lives is critical to their treatment. “One of the reasons I chose the specialty of orthopedics is because I enjoy getting people back to doing what they enjoy best,” she said. She also firmly believes in a team approach, working with referral physicians, athletic trainers, podiatrists, physical therapists and other members of the patient’s health care team. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Perser enjoys skiing, running, biking, hiking and camping. She also loves to travel and has visited more than twenty different countries. She’s looking forward to becoming part of the Flathead community.
Esther Barnes, D.P.M., Podiatrist Northwest Healthcare Dr. Barnes can be reached at Northwest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at 752-6784.
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orthwest Healthcare welcomes Podiatrist Esther Barnes, DPM, to the medical staff and the practice of Northwest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Dr. Barnes attended Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, and completed a three-year residency in foot and ankle surgery at Highlands Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, CO. Dr. Barnes treats patients with heel pain, bunions, hammertoe deformities, and diabetic foot wounds. In addition, she treats many foot and ankle conditions, both surgically and non-surgically, including structural deformities, fractures, tendon ruptures, ankle instability, sprains and more. Dr. Barnes has a particular passion for working with sports medicine, biomechanics, pediatrics and wound healing. She will be working with patients at Northwest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine as well as the KRMC Wound, Ostomy and Hyperbaric Center. “I consider it a privilege to treat my patients,” she said, “and I work very hard to build and maintain each patient’s trust.” She is sensitive to those times when a patient may be better served through a referral to another health care provider, and she collaborates closely with other providers working as a team for a patient’s overall improved health. She favors a conservative approach when treating foot and ankle pain, but has trained extensively at one of the most reputable podiatric surgery and medicine residency programs in the United States. Her undergraduate emphasis in biomechanics at Northwestern University gives her a strong foundation for her practice. Dr. Barnes and her husband Joe enjoy hiking, backcountry skiing, camping and any other outdoor activities with their Siberian Huskies Niko and Zoe. She also spends her time mountain and road cycling, running, downhill skiing, reading and hand-crafting wood furniture. She looks forward to enjoying the sense of community offered at Northwest Healthcare and throughout the Flathead Valley.
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thos Paris Winter Fashion Show at Crush in Whitefish October 23, 2010
Text By Kaycee Mohl - Photos by Nico
High fashion came to Whitefish on October 23, 2010, when Whitefish's own Ethos Paris Boutique
hosted a runway fashion show at Crush Wine Bar on October 23, 2010. With the help of hairstylist Peter McNamee and several of the town's most beautiful women, transforming Crush for a night of fashion class and style.
Large hanging canopy spotlights hung from the ceiling displaying two separate stages where models struck poses on the runway for photographers while local jazz/electronic band Re/Bop set the scene with high-energy beats. You could find an experience similar at Fashion Week in New York City. The bar supplied wine and champagne as models strutted the runway for the over 200 people in the crowd. The highly successful event was the second production hosted by stylist Peter McNamee and Ethos owner/designer Leslie Leroux, with the help and support of several local businesses.
Ethos Paris Boutique is an environmentally friendly pioneer company in the fashion industry. The company introduced 'sustainable fashion' to France in 2002 and has since expanded to the United States. Since owner Leslie Leroux brought the brand to Whitefish, the organic clothing line has had incredible success as the only sustainable, ecological, ethical and original store of its kind. The boutique offers both men's and women's collections, as well as modern accessories made of 100% organic cotton. Ethos Paris is located across from Depot Park in downtown Whitefish at 525 Railway, Suite 101. For more information, go to www.ethosparis.us.
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irst Annual Bachelor Auction Fundraiser October 15, 2010 Text By Kaycee Mohl Photos by Brent Steiner
What better reason to be put on the auction block than for a great cause, and that's just what 10 local bachelors and 1 local 'mystery' bachelorette did when they signed up
to be auctioned off at the First Annual Bachelor Auction Fundraiser held on October 15, 2010. The event, hosted by the Blue Moon Night Club, raised money and awareness for Save a Sister- a collaboration between Northwest Healthcare, North Valley Hospital, and Flathead City-County Health Department that provides mammography and breast ultrasound to anyone with a financial need.
Each of the bachelors and bachelorette were auctioned with a complete "date package" that they either donated themselves and/or with the support of local businesses. Hundreds of single women, groups, and married couples bid on the "dates" with each bachelor/bachelorette . The highest earning packages were provided by Larry Wilson, who sold 2 separate trips to his ranch in eastern Montana. After high anticipation, Charene Herrera, co-host of the Bear Morning Country Club on 106.3 The Bear, was unveiled as the 'Mystery Bachelorette' and sold for an outstanding $3500. Combined with WIlson's packages, which sold for $11,000.00 each, the event raised a total of $57,000 for the cause. Breast cancer survivors, locals and business owners from all over the valley joined North Valley Hospital, Kalispell Regional Medical Center, Northwest Healthcare Foundation and Health Center Northwest to make the night an incredible success. Everyone in attendance enjoyed the crowd, enthusiastic bidding, and exciting environment of this memorable night for a great cause. If you or anyone you know is not obtaining the breast care that they need due to financial concerns, please contact Save A Sister toll free at 1-877-399-0384, or email saveasistermt@gmail.com.
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Village Shop Fashion Show to Fight Breast Cancer: Runway for a Reason
November 5, 2010
Text By Kaycee Mohl Photos by Sara Pinnell and Alisia Cubberly
It was a full night of fun, fashion and fundraising on Friday, November 5, 2010, when the Village Shop hosted the "Fashion Show to Fight Breast Cancer: Runway for a Reason" event at Crush Wine Bar in downtown Whitefish. The event raised money and awareness for the Save A Sister Foundation, a local project that provides screening and diagnostic mammography and breast ultrasounds to individuals with financial needs.
The fashion show and party featured styles from the Village Shop and hair and makeup design by Reecia'Salon. Event-goers sipped wine and champagne from Crush while bidding on silent auction items and noshing on appetizers from John's Angels Catering. The sold out show began at 7:30pm, with 11 local ladies modeling the season's hottest trends to high energy music on a fully constructed runway down the center of the bar. Crush was turned pink for a night with decorations from the ladies at Details, And… Event Planning. Event sponsors included The Village Shop, Reecia'Salon, Crush Wine Bar, 406 Woman Magazine, Top Copy Printing, and more.
Local men and women, businesses, volunteers and breast cancers survivors flooded the event with volunteered support and donations. The event pre-sold over 200 tickets for $20 each. Combined with raffle sales, proceeds from the sales of silent auction items and donations from wine sales, the event raised over $4300 for the cause.
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age & Cedar, You Can Leave Your Hat On November 11th, 2010
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Text By Kaycee Mohl Photos by Alisia Cubberly
here's no better way to celebrate 16 years in business than with a fun-filled night with friends, shopping and raising money for a great cause. Sage & Cedar, a local skin care boutique on Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish did all of that when owner Nicole James and staff hosted the "You Can Leave Your Hat On" party November 11th.
The event showcased new product lines and holiday specials while raising money for the Flathead Youth Home. Sage & Cedar staff got into the theme by wearing adorable fedoras while 'male models', dressed to the nine's as well, sold raffle tickets to event attendants. Each ticket sold provided a guess as to which 'Magic Boxers Short' each male model was wearing. (Magic Boxers Shorts, a functional novelty, when put in water, grow to full size and are 100% cotton.) Proceeds from raffle ticket sales amounted to over $500 and were matched by Sage & Cedar to be donated to the Flathead Youth Home. The Magic Boxer line is only one of the unique products the store retails. Sage & Cedar is most known for its natural and organic skin care, custom scented lotions, lounge wear, unique jewelry and more.
Sage & Cedar is located at 214 Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish, Montana. Call (406) 862-9411 or visit www.sageandcedar.com for more information.
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T h e Va l l e y ’s N e w e s t Event Facility
S p e c ta cul ar p ri v a te re s i d e n c e o v e rl o o ki n g B i g fo rk Bay & F l a th e a d Lake
call for more information or to schedule a tour
(406) 837-1447 455 Grand Avenue, Bigfork
In The Heart of Downtown Bigfork E VE NT S · W E DDI NG S · FA MILY R EUNIONS CO R P O RAT E RE T R EATS · BA NQUETS
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