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64
HONORING THOSE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE .
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Cyndy Andrus
Even with all the change and the growth, Bozeman is special because it is my community. ”
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Public service has been a true decades-long passion for Cyndy Andrus – a beloved former Bozeman mayor who continues to give back to her community.
Andrus, 67, served on the Bozeman City Commission for 13 years, and completed two terms as mayor. She served during a time of major changes – through the pandemic, the rise of homelessness and urban camping, and the high turnover periods within the city of Bozeman and the city commission. Andrus led with grace as the city dealt with community pushback against rapid growth, the effects of climate change, extreme housing challenges, and systemic inequalities.
“Not everyone is fortunate enough to hold the position of mayor. I woke
up every day (okay, maybe not every day, but most days) excited that my job was to serve my community. I loved it,” Andrus said. “I had the opportunity to steward public policies that contributed to improvements in our quality of life. It was a real privilege and I never tired of it.”
Andrus also incorporated her passion for art into her work, helping establish a city percent-for-art policy. She brought experience in the tourism industry after serving on the Montana Tourism Advisory Council under three governors and working for the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce. She was a board member of the Montana League of Cities and Towns, the National League of Cities, and the Montana Arts Council.
A role model to other women, Andrus was one of Bozeman’s longestserving female mayors (and only one of four women to serve as mayor in Bozeman). In 2022, she received the Distinguished Public Service Award from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies for her outstanding service, creative thinking, and support for public art. In 2018, she earned the Bozeman Business and Professional Women’s Woman of Achievement Award.
“Like so many people who live here, I love Bozeman. It has been my home for 30 years,” Andrus said. “My friends are here, my work has been here, and I feel very connected to the people here and to this place.”
Cyndy Andrus
Doug Badenoch
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
TNow I am able to give back to this community some of what it gave me. ” “
he cultural and creative landscape of Bozeman gets brighter every year, thanks to the tireless work of Doug Badenoch.
Now 72, Badenoch grew up in Bozeman and, after a career in industrial manufacturing, he returned to the area in 2004 to spend 16 years as the proprietor of Wine Gallery (a business Wine Spectator Magazine named an outstanding U.S. wine store five times). Badenoch has served on several boards and supported many nonprofits, including the Museum of the Rockies, Haven, Bridgercare, and the Montana Wilderness School. He joined the Board of Intermountain Opera in 2016, became the board president in 2021, and will continue to serve through 2025.
“Living here feels snug, comfortable, and the right place to be. But it isn’t just the surroundings; it’s the culture, the arts, and the people who generously have made this community the envy of the nation,” Badenoch said. “I intend to give back some of the extraordinary experiences that have enriched my life in Bozeman.”
Badenoch supports every opera event, whether it is a performance in a park, a parade, a community event at Montana State University’s American Indian Hall, or a mainstage production. He is frequently the one who hauls sound equipment and props, hands out information to the audience, puts up posters, and helps tear down the sets after productions. He recently loaned his personal vehicle to the
indigenous artists taking the “Wheels of Harmony” on an extended tour to K-12 students throughout Montana.
Badenoch helped rebuild the performing arts in Bozeman from near disaster during and after the pandemic era. He spearheaded the rebranding transition of Intermountain Opera Bozeman to Opera Montana. And he is currently the vice chair of an effort to build a new, grand, performing arts center in the region.
“What I value in living here is not just the books I read in school or the peaks I climbed or the fish I caught,”
Badenoch said. “The thing that makes Bozeman so special is the people who have made Bozeman a wonderful place to live.”
Doug Badenoch
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Ted Barkley
TI think we are all called to develop and support healthy communities in our own ways. ” “
ed Barkley has worn a lot of hats –as a local government management official, a police officer, and a wilderness guide – and each one of these roles has led him to become the esteemed Montanan he is today.
Now 67, Barkley is the retired manager of the City of Belgrade. He has served as a board member and chair of the Montana Municipal Interlocal Agency, providing risk-management services and policy development for Montana’s cities and towns. He has also been a board member of the Montana League of Cities and Towns, advocating for Montana communities to the state legislature.
“When I was in high school, I wanted to be a commercial pilot. Poor eyesight ended that dream, and it took years to find my professional passion,” Barkley said. “I decided that the best way to
have a positive impact for me is to manage cities. I did that for 37 years.”
Currently, Barkley serves on the board of directors and as board secretary for Yellowstone Fiber, a nonprofit that works to provide affordable broadband access in and around Bozeman. He is a board member of the Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District.
In his 11 years in the Gallatin Valley, he has made significant contributions to the greater Gallatin community. As city manager in Belgrade from 2014 to 2021, he led during a period of explosive growth. He was an active community supporter through his involvement with the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, the Belgrade Community Coalition, and the Belgrade Library Community Foundation.
Barkley has dedicated himself to
Ted Barkley
helping improve the entire Gallatin Valley. He often mentors and coaches younger professionals, guiding them to make better decisions for themselves and the people of Montana. Over the years, he has taken on voluntary roles in church governance, service clubs, Habitat for Humanity, a school for pregnant and parenting teens, a boys and girls club, a national park advocacy program, renewable energy demonstration initiatives, and downtown revitalization projects.
“I like to use my energy to shape and sustain efforts toward building better communities in policy areas that I see as critical for communities and individuals to thrive,” Barkley said.
KC Barnhardt
The people in Bozeman are very caring and giving. That is something that I hope we do not lose as we grow. ” “
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Many Montanans know KC Barnhardt as a reliable roofer and successful businessman, but he is also a family man and philanthropist.
At 66, he is the president of Quality Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc. – a company that has been serving the Gallatin Valley for nearly 60 years (and owned by the Barnhardt family for 50-plus years). Ken A. Barnhardt purchased Quality Roofing in 1972 and KC Barnhardt started in the business in 1974, working summers while still in high school. Now his son, Austin Barnhardt, is about to take the reins, making Quality Roofing a thirdgeneration company in Bozeman.
“To me, roofing is more than just putting a material on a roof to just get it covered. I’ve always wanted to give the owner the best solution to their problem. One system may work perfectly on one building and not at all on the
next building,” KC Barnhardt said. “It’s not just the material on a roof that makes it perform; it’s the whole package, deck, insulation, and building use that dictates the type of roof that should be installed.”
KC Barnhardt was one of the founding members of the Montana Roofing Association and became president of the organization in 1992. He spent more than 20 years on the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WRCA) Board of Directors. In 2000, he became president of the WSRCA and was eventually elected into the WSRCA Hall of Fame.
He has coached various youth sports in the Gallatin Valley, from tee-ball to Babe Ruth Baseball, Lions Club midget basketball, and girls summer fastpitch softball teams. He was a member of
the Montana Officials Association for more than 30 years, officiating football and basketball throughout Montana. He earned the title of Montana Football Official of the Year in 2013.
Through Quality Roofing, he has worked with Habitat for Humanity by donating several roofs to the first Habitat homes that were built in the Bozeman area and providing roofing services for nonprofits. KC Barnhardt enjoys spending time with his seven grandchildren; recreating outdoors; and living life with his wife, Karen, of 46 years.
“I’ve lived in Bozeman nearly my entire life,” Barnhardt said. “I love the mountains and the recreation that we have here.”
KC Barnhardt
When it’s your home and you believe in your community, I feel helping those around you who are in need is important.” “
Kandi Davis
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Serving as a role model for entrepreneurs, as well as an avid volunteer and patron of the arts, Kandi Davis can’t help but inspire those around her.
At age 76, Davis has been an active member of the Bozeman, Belgrade, and West Yellowstone communities for more than 40 years. Nonprofit organizations throughout the Gallatin Valley have benefitted from her time, energy, volunteer engagement, and financial support. Most recently, she was the capital campaign chairperson for Family Promise’s Early Learning Center fundraising campaign. She is also heavily involved in Eagle Mount and serves as a volunteer advisor to the organization’s special events and development committees. She volunteers in the kitchen at Family Promise’s Early Learning Center, buying
Christmas toys for underprivileged families during the holidays.
“A hand up to a homeless family or teen or senior can truly make a difference, and what you give comes back in unexpected ways,” Davis said.
One life-changing experience for Davis was visiting Zambia with Golf Fore Africa – a foundation that partners with World Vision and drills wells in villages to provide clean water.
“It was eye-opening to see women and girls still walking miles to get water from an unclean stream or river,” Davis said.
Davis often hosts tournaments to benefit local nonprofit organizations. She is also involved in the West Yellowstone community, primarily
through the Little Rangers Learning Center and the West Yellowstone Community Foundation. She was active in the local small business and Bozeman downtown community for years, as she owned After 5 and Weddings. From 1981 until she sold the company in 2002, she operated her business at 33 S. Tracy and participated in the Downtown Business Association. She also mentored students from Montana State University.
“Bozeman has a great sense of community, and when you volunteer with different organizations, you meet amazing individuals who contribute not only financially but with their time and expertise to continue to make this a wonderful place to live,” Davis said.
Kandi Davis
I think we all want to make a difference in some way, and it’s great to know that working to protect birds and bird habitats is recognized as a valued contribution to the community.”
Paulette Epple
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Birds have had better lives in Bozeman ever since Paulette Epple – an animal lover and devoted environmentalist – started championing their cause.
Now 68, she is the conservation co-chair of the Sacajawea Audubon Society – an organization that inspires the conservation of local wildlife and the natural environment. Epple has been working to protect birds and bird habitats in Southwest Montana for decades. She has worked in a variety of jobs in natural resource conservation, landscaping, and garden nurseries.
“All my life, I have had a deep appreciation of wildlife and wildlands and the joy that they bring to our lives,” Epple said. “I’m most passionate (maybe obsessed!) about birds, and I’m committed to making a difference
in the conservation of birds and their habitats. Because I have had a career in landscaping and gardening, I now take special pleasure in using my knowledge of plants to support bird populations by promoting birdfriendly landscaping.”
Epple’s work includes leading birdwatching excursions, installing and monitoring boxes for nesting kestrels, and promoting bird-friendly gardens. She also leads the Sacajawea Audubon effort to eradicate burdock – a nonnative, invasive weed with Velcro-like seeds that trap and kill songbirds –from the Bozeman region.
“Our goal in the Sacajawea Audubon Society is to make Bozeman a truly bird-friendly community,” Epple said. “To that end, we promote the use of bird-friendly plants in landscapes, encourage window
treatments (to prevent often-fatal bird strikes), advocate for responsible cat ownership, and remove invasive weeds that kill songbirds.”
Epple has won a variety of awards, including the Montana Audubon Conservationist of the Year award in 2014 for her work in helping to design and protect the 54-acre Story Mill Community Park. She also won the Cox Conserves Heroes award, a national award given to those “who make a significant impact on sustainability and environmental protection in our communities,” in 2021.
“Bozeman is a community full of caring, generous people who support others in need and who appreciate nature and work toward the conservation of our wild places,” Epple said.
Paulette Epple
Dr. Walter Fleming
My passion comes from being around young people and feeding off the energy they bring to our shared spaces. ” “
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Afierce advocate for his culture and his community, Dr. Walter Fleming has spent decades educating the public and making Montana a more inclusive state.
Now 71, he has been teaching at Montana State University (MSU) for 47 years and has been the department head of Native American Studies for the past 22 years. He has served on various boards, committees, and advisory positions to guide interested organizations, businesses, and institutions to authentically include Native American culture into their methods and structures.
“There is a saying that ‘We teach best what we most need to learn,’” Dr. Fleming said. “For me, my career has been a journey to learn about Native history and culture, but with the goal to then share what I’ve learned with the
community, my family, and students.”
Dr. Fleming was born at Crow Agency, Montana, and raised at Lame Deer on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. He is a member of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, and his name in the Kickapoo language is Wa-saw-suk, which means “Light-lying-down.”
He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, an M.Ed. degree from MSUBozeman, and a bachelor’s degree from MSU-Billings. He was named the 2016 “Indian Educator of the Year” by the Montana Indian Education Association. He is a committee member for the Yellowstone National Park 15th Biennial Scientific Conference of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem; a National Endowment for the Humanities committee member; a member of the MSU Minority Achievement Council;
and a member of the MSU Montana American Indian Scholars Program. He is a board member of the Bozeman Area Urban Native American Health Center Project Team, a committee member of the Global Peace Foundation - CrossCommunity Reconciliation Pilot, and a committee member of “Gallatin County Communities that Care.”
“The Gallatin Valley has so much to offer folks. It has a vibrant music and arts presence, as well as natural beauty,” Dr. Fleming said. “There are many opportunities to attend lectures, festivals, sporting events, and workshops. We are so blessed to have something here for everyone.”
Dr. Walter Fleming
Anthea George Everyone
who gives their time and talent to better the community should receive an award. ”
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
From the time she arrived in Bozeman from the Midwest in 1998 with her family, Anthea George has striven to help her community thrive. Now 70, George –along with her husband, Bill Muhlenfeld – has become one of the city’s most cherished philanthropists for a wide range of organizations.
“Like the Margaret Mead quote about ‘a small group of committed people changing the world,’ I believe we do that when we get involved,” George said.
George’s graduate degree in public administration prepared her for a life of service in social work and local government. She has been a volunteer with fundraising events for Museum of the Rockies and The Emerson, and she has served on the board of Eagle Mount. She chaired the board of a world development organization called World Neighbors, working in Asia, Africa, and
Latin America. She also chaired the board of the Montana Center for International visitors, hosting emerging leaders from around the world through Montana State University.
She was an active board member of the first founding board of the Bozeman Schools Foundation. As PAC president at Morning Star Elementary, she helped organize the parent-led Spanishlanguage extracurricular program and the parent-funded enrichment program.
Currently, she is a volunteer peer educator for the Bozeman chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, leading monthly support groups and classes for families who have loved ones facing mental illnesses. She serves on the Gallatin County Mental Health Advisory Council, helping develop improved mental health services in
Gallatin and statewide.
“I’m grateful to live in a place with an abundance of trees, rivers, and mountains,” George said. “I love to hug trees and do it often.”
She and her husband formerly owned Distinctly Montana magazine, Distinctly Montana Gifts, and the Saddle Peak Ranch real estate development. They were co-owners/co-developers of The Village Downtown, creating the first modern, walkable real estate development off Main and Broadway in downtown Bozeman.
“The people who choose to make Bozeman home care about this community and have put generous time and energy in making it better for everyone,” George said.
Anthea George
“
Dennis Glick
Not every community is as fortunate to have such fiercely loyal and caring residents as we have in our towns. ”
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Dennis Glick has been helping Montanans connect with, appreciate, and preserve natural resources throughout his professional career – carving out a reputation as a national leader in conservation.
Now 71, Glick started his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Latin America, and he was tapped by the World Wildlife Fund and other international non-governmental organizations to create new national parks and sustainable development projects throughout the world.
“Since I was a child, I have derived immense pleasure from exploring, understanding, and defending the natural world – our wild places and wildlife,” Glick said. “So helping people address the challenge of conserving natural values while facilitating growth and development has been a logical career trajectory – and a deeply
satisfying one.”
Glick arrived in Bozeman to work with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition in 1989, hired to lead initiatives focused on the intersection of people and nature. He later served as the director of the Northern Rockies Office of the Sonoran Institute and co-founded FutureWest. Since the 1990s, he has helped make sure conservation and smart-growth strategies were considered in the local decisionmaking processes of Park County and Livingston.
“vision” document that provided a blueprint for how Greater Yellowstone could be conserved far into the future. More recently, he has written several popular articles on emerging conservation issues, such as the impacts of recreation on wildlife and wildland resources.
He also collaborated on the creation of the Montana Smart Growth Coalition, and worked with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks in devising subdivision recommendations so that the built environment heeded the habitat needs of wildlife. He wrote an unprecedented
“As much as I love being in the wilderness backcountry, my home is in town, and I love living here. Our Southwest Montana communities still retain that precious combination of historic character, livability, caring people – and, increasingly – cultural diversity,” Glick said. “The sheer number of people willing to roll up their sleeves to keep our towns livable and lovable speaks volumes.”
Dennis Glick
George Haddenhorst
It’s the other caring people in our circles that make our lives worthwhile. ” “
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Raising funds for the less fortunate and preserving Bozeman’s beautiful landscape are two of George Haddenhorst’s passion projects.
Now 69, Haddenhorst has worked with United Way in various locations for 39 years, and locally with the Greater Gallatin United Way (GGUW) since 2016 as a board of directors member, patron, and volunteer. He served as the interim CEO for the GGUW in 2022 while the organization searched for a permanent CEO. This included intense efforts working as the case manager and fiscal administrator for donated funds, in partnership with the Park County Community Foundation, to aid people affected by the 2022 Yellowstone River flood in Park County.
“United Way has always been a favorite organization of mine, but being retired has allowed me to support them and to be passionate about the work they do,” Haddenhorst said. “It’s their work that strives to keep our community
safe and happy, and to change lives for the better.”
Haddenhorst was awarded the GGUW Volunteer of the Year in 2023. He has donated time to Gallatin Valley Food Bank as a volunteer and food rescue driver. He currently serves as the chairperson for the Architectural Review Committee for the Knolls community in Bozeman, helping his neighbors preserve their retirement community neighborhood. In the winter, he helps his Skunk Creek neighbors get to work by assisting with plowing miles of country and rural forest service roads.
and estimator/project manager while executing electrical power projects around the United States, serving clients such as ExxonMobil, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and many municipalities and corporations, until his retirement in 2016.
He is an electrician by trade and worked for ConocoPhillips as an electrical/instrument supervisor and large industrial projects manager, which included industrial work in Syria. After ConocoPhillips, he purchased half ownership in Yellowstone Electric Co. He served as the company’s president
“Bozeman is a very special place to be. We embrace each other and try to accept everyone as they are without judgment,” Haddenhorst said. “We are passionate about doing these things because we care about our neighbors and our community. I hope that, in small ways, we are helping to lead by example so others might be inspired to do more.”
George Haddenhorst
Dr. George Haynes
I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the long-term wellbeing of the Bozeman community. ” “
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Being an educator is not just Dr. George Haynes’ profession; it also gives him a sense of purpose.
A professor of agricultural economics at Montana State University (MSU), Dr. Haynes is actively engaged in research and community service related to economics, finance, and management, particularly in family businesses, agriculture, and small business development.
“I’m an agricultural economist who studies the production, distribution, and consumption of agricultural products and services. Agricultural economics is important because everyone needs to eat,” Dr. Haynes said. “A healthy agricultural economy is critically important to rural Montana communities, where agriculture is often the most important basic industry. How agriculture goes, so goes the community.”
Now 70, Dr. Haynes serves as a committee member of organizations such as the Western Extension and ERME, and the NC1030
Regional AES Committee on Family Business. As a board member of Child Care Connections, Dr. Haynes contributes to initiatives aimed at improving childcare services and business practices.
“Even though I’m in the agricultural economics department at MSU, I’ve actively worked with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (MDPHHS) on childcare issues for several years,” Dr. Haynes said. “My most important work with the MDPHHS been analyzing childcare rates and helping set the scholarship rates for families below 185% of the poverty line.”
Dr. Haynes holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University in Consumer Economics and Housing, a master’s degree from MSUBozeman in Agricultural Economics, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana in Economics.
He has received honors such as the Distinguished State Award from the
National Association of County Agricultural Agents, the Distinguished Fellow from the American Council on Consumer Interests, and the Impactful Outreach and Community Engagement Award from the MSU College of Agriculture.
His multifaceted contributions span academia, industry, and public service, demonstrating a commitment to making a positive impact at various levels. Dr. Haynes has built an incredible reputation as a leader, scholar, teacher, and community servant.
“I value organizations that recognize productivity and community service,” Dr. Haynes said.
Dr. George Haynes
William Muhlenfeld Small investments in time and energy can produce outsized results. ” “
BY ABBY WEINGARTEN
Devoting decades of time and energy to his community, William Muhlenfeld has become a beloved good Samaritan in Bozeman. He and his wife, Anthea George, are constantly giving back to the town.
“Bozeman has undergone a great deal of change since we moved here from Chicago. Change is inevitable, but I appreciate the work being done to preserve open space and the consideration given to wildlife management,” Muhlenfeld said. “It is difficult, but good things still happen among like-minded people.”
Now 74, Muhlenfeld – a runner for 50 years – has held numerous professional roles locally since he moved to Bozeman in 1998. He served as a board member and Development Committee chair of the Emerson during major renovations to the
Tim Crawford Auditorium, the front foyer, and the ballroom. He was a contributing member of the editorial board of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and wrote a weekly column called “View from Mt. Ellis.”
He was a donor for the purchase and preservation of the Tuckerman Park Trail, and he organized a family 5K called the “Downtown Dash” in the early 2000s. He has been a Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce member, the chairman of the Bozeman Historical Society, a community board member of the Bank of Bozeman, a volunteer for the opera production of Aida as an onstage extra, and a volunteer basketball coach at Morningstar Elementary. He is currently a S.C.O.R.E. mentor, providing advice to new and aspiring small businesses owners.
He and his wife formerly owned
Distinctly Montana magazine, as well as the Saddle Peak Ranch real estate development, which utilized an openspace provision provided by the county to preserve a deer winter range in the Bridgers. They were co-owners/codevelopers of The Village Downtown, creating the first modern, walkable real estate development off Main and Broadway in downtown Bozeman. He is also the co-owner/co-developer of Northtown Livingston, a carefully planned and architect-designed real estate development in Livingston with single-family and duplex housing.
“This Prime Award has given me pause to reflect on my 25 years in Bozeman and my participation in the community,” Muhlenfeld said. “And it is a realization that there is always more to do.”
William Muhlenfeld
Harriet Mauritsen
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
TI’ve been a teacher all my life, even in grade school. ” “
eaching has been a part of Harriet Mauritsen’s life well before she got her degree in education, and continues to be after retiring.
“I’ve been a teacher all my life, even in grade school,” she said. “I’m the oldest of six, so when I got home I would teach the kids.”
“I just love students.”
After moving to Bozeman with her husband four years ago, “I didn’t teach anymore, so I went right into teaching bible study,” she said.
She started off as a student in the area’s bible study fellowship, but was soon recruited to be a leader, which wasn’t unfamiliar territory as she’s been leading such studies since she was in junior high.
“[It’s] just been a part of my life.”
Mauritsen’s career as an educator also gave her love of children that continues to this day.
“When I was teaching little kids I had such a good relationship with the students and the parents.”
She continues to work in support of children through her involvement with a non-profit that benefits children abroad.
“Big on my heart is Hope 4 Kids,” she said. Hope 4 Kids International is a non-profit that seeks to help struggling communities in Uganda access safe water, education and health.
“I’m so impressed by how they give every dime we give [to] the kids.”
The funds Mauritsen and others donate are used to drill fresh water wells to ensure villages have access to clean water, with all the work being done by Ugandan residents. She herself has had the opportunity to visit some of the areas herself to connect with the local children and families there, including a trip there this summer.
“We go over there to get to know the kids we support and to see the villages where we drill fresh water wells,” she said. “There’s a lot of blessings going back and forth, and gifts going back and forth.”
Though it extends all the way to Africa, Mauritsen’s desire to give back can be seen locally too.
She is also a volunteer at Stillwater Hospice in Bozeman, and says she gets “every bit as much as they do” out of her interactions with the folks there.
“It’s a loving relationship, it’s a meaningful relationship,” Mauritsen said. “It’s a time when they need somebody present, and of course I get joy just from their smile or some little comment or them wanting me to come back.”
“Even a 15 minute [conversation] goes a long way to people who are sitting all by themselves.”
Harriet Mauritsen
To me, every employee is part of my extended family. ” “
Jon Moullet
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
When Jon Moullet and his son-in-law first started their company in 2003, there were a total of two employees: themselves.
When deciding to make the leap and take the risk of starting their own business, the challenges it presented and opportunities for growth appealed to him.
“I’ve always been competitive in my life,” Moullet said. “I always wanted to grow.”
And the company certainly has grown over the past 20+ years. Today, Monteriors (which sells flooring, cabinetry, appliances, countertop fabrication and more) has multiple locations, about 90 employees and did $45 million in sales just last year.
Moullet’s favorite aspect of his business though is the people he works with.
“To me, every employee is part of my extended family,” he said.
To prove that point Moullet goes out of his way to make his staff feel valued. Once a year he has a camp out for employees and their children, hosts a Santa party at the holidays for staff’s families, sponsors a retreat at Chico Hot Springs for staff and their spouse and holds a company golf tournament.
“I know as a businessman my business is only as good as my weakest employee, and I don’t want to lose them.”
Moullet makes it a priority though to give back to the Bozeman area outside of his business as well.
He is currently a member of the MSU Bobcat Quarterback Club, on the Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and sponsors youth participating in 4-H programs and their animals.
He said growing up he witnessed how involved his own parents were in their community, inspiring him to do the same.
“This community has been very good to me, and [I] just feel the need to give back,” Moullet said. “If it’s something you believe in, it’s really easy to give back.”
Jon Moullet
“I’ve always been involved in aviation somehow. ” “
Mike Phillips
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
When I called Mike Phillips for our interview I caught him at the airport. He wasn’t in the midst of traveling though, he was busy working on an airplane.
This unusual hobby has been a lifelong interest for Phillips. As an 8-year-old he built his first model airplane from scratch.
“I didn’t have the money to buy a plastic kit, so I made a model airplane out of wood.”
In college he began taking flying lessons, and eventually became a helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army where he served in the Vietnam War.
While his professional career, following two military tours, didn’t involve flying airplanes or helicopters, his love for aircrafts continued. While working as a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas industry in Texas, Phillips was a member of the Houston wing of the Commemorative Air Force, where he and others took care of and flew the group’s planes.
“That was my after work hobby,” he said.
“I’ve always been involved in aviation somehow.”
Since retiring and returning with his wife to Montana, he spends much of his time with local aviation groups, including the Montana Pilots Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, Commemorative Air Force and the Montana Antique Aircraft Association, as well tinkering with his own plane, an L19 single engine. He and his friends are currently in the process of building a World War II airplane too.
“I really like working on airplanes because I’m a mechanical engineer,” Phillips said. “It’s like any other craft that people develop a skill for, it takes your mind off other things.”
It’s more than a personal passion however, as Phillips uses his love and knowledge of aviation to benefit the local community.
The groups he’s a part of organize fly-
ins for the community that he frequently participates in, provide educational opportunities for the public to look at old military airplanes and work to inspire interest in aviation among younger people.
Phillips said that he tends to see the strongest response from children specifically during events.
“Its surprising when we do a fly-in how many families bring their kids, and the kids are the most interested usually.”
He also said it’s important to preserve and display these crafts as part of the nation’s story.
“We lose too much of our history,” Phillips said. “The main purpose [of the Commemorative Air Force organization] is just to let the people see these airplanes that you don’t ever see.”
Mike Phillips
Loreene Reid My focus was bringing conservation and environmental education into the school districts. ” “
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Loreene Reid’s lifelong commitment to conservation can be traced back to the strong hunting ethics her father instilled in her as a child.
“Hunters [are] the true conservationists,” she said, noting how they know not to hunt in certain areas and seek not to destroy the ecosystem they benefit from.
“[The lesson to] protect the habitat that wildlife is using was so integrated into my upbringing.”
In her youth, Reid saw a National Geography film in which scientists were trapping bears in order to ultimately study and protect them.
“[I] thought that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. “That’s when my conservation started.”
Reid went on to study wildlife biology at the University of Montana. She married a general bear biologist, and together they lived in Alaska, Wyoming, Whitefish and Bozeman (which had become their “homebase”). Regardless of their location though, “conservation was always our focus,” she said.
After settling in Bozeman, she and her husband started Reid Environmental Associates where they worked with government agencies looking to do
wildlife work and collaborated with nonprofits.
Notably, they collected ecological data for the Yellowstone Alliance in their efforts to prevent a road from going up in Yellowstone National Park.
They were also on a small committee that formed the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.
“The focus was keeping this ecosystem intact,” Reid said. “[We brought] together all these groups working to protect the ecosystem.”
After having children, she also sat on committees at the Bozeman School District to change their curriculum to include more ecological and biological studies for students at an early age.
“My focus was bringing conservation and environmental education into the school districts,” Reid said. “Not just [for] conservation [purposes], but to get our future stewards to understand why this ecosystem in Bozeman… is very important.”
Most recently she’s been acting as treasurer for the Sacajawea Audubon Society, a volunteerrun grassroots conservation and education group dedicated to protecting birds. She’s been instrumental in their work on the Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve. The organization
Loreene Reid
hopes to turn that land into the largest restored wetlands in the state.
While they want to bring more biodiversity into the area with this project, Reid also envisions it benefitting the younger generation.
“[This could be a] place where kids can walk to since a lot of the kids don’t get out of Bozeman,” she said. “This way they can stop in a wetland and catch frogs and understand the network of biological systems that make up a wetland.”
Reid says that her parents made it clear to her from a young age that it was important to get involved in one’s community and give back.
“At every dinner table the message from my father and mother was: ‘What did you do for the community?’”
She tries to keep up that mentality still, whether for environmental issues or other causes.
“It’s what can you do for the community today, not what can the community do for you.”
Gretchen Rupp
I no longer earn a paycheck, but I still have to earn my place on the planet. ” “
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
“Ino longer earn a paycheck, but I still have to earn my place on the planet,” Gretchen Rupp says of her extensive post-retirement volunteer work with local organizations.
Rupp retired a few years ago from her work as an environmental engineer. During her career, she worked at MSU for 27 years as an extension specialist, the Director of the Montana Water Center and a faculty member.
“I really enjoy[ed] working with graduate students,” she said of her time there.
Even before retiring though, Rupp found time to serve the Bozeman community.
In the past 34 years, she’s been a part of over a dozen local, state and national committees, primarily that deal with water resources. She additionally served on the Montana State Trail Advisory Committee
in the 90s, the Bozeman Parks Opens Spaces and Trails Committee from 1998-2000 and the Gallatin City-County Board of Health as chair during the 2010s.
Currently, she’s an Executive Committee member of Osher Lifelong Learn Institute (OLLI) and is the chair of the Montana Native Plants Society’s (MNPS) local Valley of the Flowers Chapter, in addition to serving as a volunteer tax return preparer for the AARP Foundation TaxAide Program.
The latter is a position that offers “instant gratification” given how thankful people are for the services they provide.
OLLI offers courses, seminars and trips geared towards seniors, which Rupp said is important as it helps folks “keep their brains nimble.” In her role with the organization she helps develop and direct policies.
A self-described “avid naturalist,” Rupp acted as the former state president of the Montana Native Plants Society for several years before settling into her current role for the organization, which involves organizing activities.
As a devoted vegetable gardener, it was a natural fit for her to get involved with the group
“Most years I am the ‘tomato lady,’” she said. “Last year I had 15 kinds of tomatoes.”
In addition to being an “expert gardener,” according to Sharon Eversman, who nominated her for this award, she’s a “tireless, selfless organizer and participant in the activities of… MNPS and OLLI.”
Gretchen Rupp
David Sands
It’s amazing how much you can do if you’re willing to keep solving problems. ” “
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Though David Sands has called Bozeman home for nearly 50 years, his work has brought him to over 80 countries.
He joined MSU as an assistant professor of plant pathology in 1976 before moving up to a full professor, and during his time at the university frequently traveled around the globe to inspect plots, educate and learn from local farmers, pursue plant growth solutions and more. His research took him as far as Egypt, Kenya and Tunisia, and earned him two Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grants.
“We worked on biocontrol of wheat, human nutrition, plasma curing, using plants to detect landmines, all kinds of things,” Sands said. “I guess you would say I’m crazy. I find all these projects
that are interesting, and I pursue them regardless of what industry they’re in. We did a lot of things, and I”m really happy that the university let me do all of those things.”
As a professor, Sands said you’re expected to publish two papers a year and teach your courses, but he wanted to do more and make a difference.
“Beyond that, if we can help people understand how the world works in terms of biology, we can have happier people [and] people eating better food. It’s a humanistic approach, but it goes beyond the two papers. You have to go the extra mile.”
In 2007, Sands and his team identified Striga as the worst pest threat to African food society. Building
off this discovery, he and a family member began the Toothpick Project to develop and deliver biotechnology solutions to protect sub-saharan African farmers’s harvests from this parasite, which he says is still “going well.”
“My daughter Claire Sands Baker is in charge of that project,” he said. “And right now she’s in Africa expanding that project to several other countries.”
While Sands retired from MSU a few years ago, he continues to work on projects from home, including the Toothpick Project.
“It’s amazing how much you can do if you’re willing to keep solving problems.”
David Sands
I know that we have to heal to move forward in a good way. ” “
Marsha Small
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Some may say that Marsha Small’s ambitions for the nation’s healing are too grand or ambitious, but that doesn’t bother her.
“I dream and think lofty,” she said.
Small is a doctoral candidate at MSU, and much of her work focuses on uncovering and acknowledging the histories of Indigenous people.
“I know that we have to heal to move forward in a good way,” she said.
She was instrumental in bringing Indigenous People’s Day (IPD) to Montana, working with a team of others to replace the Columbus Day holiday with IPD at MSU and at the city level in Bozeman.
“I just knew that we had to become more concerned about how to create more unification of people,” Small said.
She also works to identify the graves of Native American children forcibly sent to “boarding schools,” where they were stripped of their history and culture, and many kids died. Her goal here is to be “a voice for the children,” and help tribes heal.
“[I’m] try[ing] to let people see the actual history and the real people,” she said. “And to bring our children home.”
Small will complete her doctoral program this December, and while she doesn’t have any concrete post-graduate plans quite yet, she hopes to continue surveying offreservation cemeteries and is also interested in being a tribal liaison.
“I would like to continue to be a voice for the people.”
Marsha Small
Diana Stafford
If it’s in the community and it needs to be rehomed we are always ready to help. ” “
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Diana Stafford currently has six dogs in her home, which is not out of the norm for her. A lifelong animal lover, Stafford and her husband co-founded Tiny Tails K-9 Rescue years ago, a nonprofit that helps care for and find homes for animals in need, ranging from dogs to lambs, roosters, ducks and even peacocks.
“If it’s in the community and it needs to be rehomed we are always ready to help,” she said.
As a specialty animal rescue, they provide medical care to injured animals, have a neonatal care unit to help orphaned abandoned puppies and help animals with behavioral issues go from “unadoptable” to “adoptable” through training and obedience courses, as well as providing courtesy listings for local animals looking to be rehomed.
The organization is also 100% volunteerrun, and Stafford is one of its most active and
committed members.
As executive director and self-described “chief poop scooper” she “bring[s] pets home all the time.”
Stafford worked with animals at a kennel when she was a teenager, and said after retired from her career as an electrician she decided to go “back to doing what I loved when I was a kid.”
“This is a labor of love, and I absolutely love what I do,” she said.
Stafford believes that every individual has something they can do really well, and it’s important to share that talent with others.
For her, it’s working with animals, which is why she’s so dedicated to them.
“Making that connection with the dog and teaching them properful behavioral skills and emotional skills, teaching them they’re safe and they can trust humans again, it’s just something you either have or you
don’t,” she said. “You either can make that connection or you can’t. [And] it’s one of my favorite talents.”
She is quick to acknowledge and thank the support of both her family and the wider community though in the work Tiny Tails has accomplished in saving over 900 animals.
“This can become an obsession with always wanting to fix the injured or the ill, and [my family has] been really, really supportive of me.”
“[And the] Bozeman community [is] an amazing group of individuals, very animaloriented. We have great support here, and it’s been an honor to serve the community of Gallatin Valley and throughout the state since 1995, and I hope we have many more years of service to provide.”
Diana Stafford
I feel that I’m contributing to the health of the community, to other people in the community and to the students. ”
Patti Steinmuller
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Patti Steinmuller considers herself a team player, and thrives in that role.
“I like working as a team,” she said. “All my work and volunteerism has pretty much been [group] efforts.”
“I’ve learned a ton by working with other people.”
Since moving to Gallatin Gateway in 1992 (she and her husband have since relocated to Bozeman in 2015) she’s been a part of many teams throughout the community, all while juggling an active career as a dietitian and instructor at MSU.
Steinmuller said she willingly donates so much of her time and efforts to these causes for a simple reason: “I like the results.”
“I feel that I’m contributing to
the health of the community, to other people in the community and to the students.”
She’s been a member of the Willing Workers Ladies Aid, Inc since 1993 (including working as the treasurer for years). Dating back over 100 years, they’re a non-partisan women’s organization that benefits the community of Gallatin Gateway. In the 30+ years Steinmuller has been a part of the group, they’ve worked to establish and maintain the community center, donate to families in need during the holiday season, facilitated Valentine’s Day gifts to senior citizens and provided scholarships to local students.
Even after making the move to Bozeman 9 years ago, Steinmuller has
continued to be involved with them.
“I like the work we do,” she said. “I feel we make a difference.”
That group is far from the only team Steinmuller is on though. She’s also been a member of the Bozeman Women’s Activities Groups (BWAGs) for decades, is currently the secretary of the League of Women Voters in the Bozeman area and has served as an Election Judge for Gallatin County Elections Office.
Although Steinmuller has accomplished much both in her career and as a volunteer, she is quick to credit others for helping her at every step.
“There’s nothing I’ve done that I could have done alone.”
Patti Steinmuller
Louise Turner You’re
“
really involving the kids, and you really develop the joy of learning ”
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Louise Turner has a few guiding passions in her life: her faith, teaching and history.
“The gift He gave me was teaching, and the joy of bringing the Word first, and history and western civilization second.”
Turner has used these gifts to work as an educator throughout her lifetime, focusing primarily on her favorite subject: history.
“I’ve always loved history. I’ve read history [books] since elementary school,” she said. “Knowing what came before points us to the future.”
She believes that it’s crucial for people to have a “solid understanding of history and what brought us to where we are.”
After learning more about the
classical education model and looking at her own children’s needs, Turner started Petra Academy in 1995.
civilization and rhetoric there before the college relocated to another city.
“We were interested in providing something different than our kids had,” she said. “[As a] classical school there’s more emphasis on learning how to think. It’s more rigorous.”
She said that her time working with students there was “really neat.”
“You’re really involving the kids, and you really develop the joy of learning,” she said.
Following 13 years as an administrator and history teacher at Petra Academy, she joined the staff of Montana Bible College. For the next 14 years she taught history of western
Louise Turner
Though she no longer works at a school, she continues to use her talents for teaching in the community. She will be leading a class on history this fall at her church. She also plans to meet with parents in the state’s capital city this month to discuss classical education.
Turner als says she continues to see and hear from her former students about how their time together in the classroom benefited them.
“A lot of them wrote [to] me this spring,” she said. “They tell me that it was impactful.”
JimWebster
I thought I’d like to be part of something that’s bigger than I am, and something that makes the community stronger. ” “
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
The Story Mansion is a familiar and iconic location for residents across Bozeman.
It’s been owned by the city since 2003, and has since been partially restored inside, but its preservation wasn’t always guaranteed. Jim Webster and other members of the community had to work to ensure its protection.
Webster and his family moved to Bozeman in 1993, and as a former history major in college, it wasn’t long before he became involved in the issue of historic preservation in the area. That same year he joined the city’s historical preservation board, which he was on for 15 years. During this time he gave walking tours throughout the community and helped initiate the historic plaque program for Bozeman homes.
“I thought I’d like to be part of something that’s bigger than I am, and something that makes the community stronger,” Webster said of his involvement with the board.
In 2002, he began working with the then
mayor and city manager, as well as others in the community, to work towards buying the Story Mansion until the city could secure an approved long term buyer.
“We saw [that] the Story Mansion was a significant property,” Webster said. “It was one of the very few properties across the state of Montana that occupied a full city block.”
Following the city’s purchase of the building, he and others worked to obtain a Save America’s Treasure Grant, which enabled them to restore the building’s first floor, which continues to be used to this day.
With his work on Story Mansion, Webster said he aimed “to achieve that goal of [having] something the whole community can say ‘yeah, we’re glad that there. It’s a nice resource to have.’”
In addition to his time as a member of the historical preservation board, he has found
numerous other ways to be involved in the community.
He’s also been a board member for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County and the Bozeman Health Deaconess Foundation in the past, and currently he works with and consults numerous local non-profits and multigenerational families as an investment advisor at DA Davidson.
“Bozeman’s got a pretty vibrant nonprofit community, and that’s the strength of the area, and it’s very diverse.”
In his family there’s a saying that Webster said has guided his volunteer efforts: “for whom much is given, much is expected.”
“Having had some of the educational opportunities that I’ve had, I wanted to give back and be a part of a bigger group.”
Jim Webster
I’ve witnessed how music just became such an avenue of emotional health and drive. ”
Renee Westlake
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
While Renee Westlake has known she loved music from a young age, she wasn’t always so sure about teaching. This was quite a risk considering she pursued a career in music education.
“I didn’t know that I was going to love teaching,” she said. “I just knew that music was an avenue that had brought me a lot of joy and had been a connector with me and other people.”
Thankfully though, after she started student teaching she found it was the perfect fit for her skills and interests.
“I got home from student teaching one day and I told my husband: ‘I am so excited about this. I want to be a teacher,’” she said. “When I got into the classroom it was a thrill. You know how when you do something and it [just] feels right? That’s how teaching felt to me.”
Her passion for teaching and music led to 27 years teaching a multitude of different music courses before becoming the Fine Arts Supervisor for the Bozeman Public Schools for
13 years.
While she was hesitant about taking on the position and giving up her time in the classroom, she soon found herself very happy in the role.
“I ended up loving it and the teachers,” Westlake said. “The art teachers and the music teachers, they became my kids and I loved that too.”
She “believes in all fine arts” as an outlet for creativity, and says she’s seen firsthand how music can bring people together and impact them, particularly students.
“[I’ve witnessed how] music just became such an avenue of emotional health and drive,” she said. “I saw [with those] who were straight A students, music really focused them. And I saw [with] students who really struggled, music really kept them in school.”
Westlake views one’s passions in life as having a roadway, a vehicle and a destination.
Her vehicle is music and mentoring, her
roadway is education and her “destinations are student success and leadership.”
Although she is now professionally retired, she continues to be part of Bozeman’s musical and educational scenes in major ways. She’s the president of the board of directors for the non-profit group Montana Chamber Music, the treasurer of the Montana Center for the Arts, a supervisor for Montana State University (where she helps oversee music student teachers) and an officer in Delta Kappa Gamma, an organization for female educators.
Of all her many roles though, she says “grandma is my favorite” and she is able to continue sharing her love of music with her youngest family members.
“I have two grandkids and I love taking them to music lessons and taking them to sports practice,” Westlake said. “I love overseeing their piano practice at my house.”
Renee Westlake
“
Debbie White
There’s a lot of joy to be had with not having the limelight, but just being there. ”
BY JENNIFER VERZUH
Debbie White tried retirement. It didn’t suit her. She missed the connections she formed with clients and her fellow staff at work.
“I got really bored,” she said. “[And] I love people, I just genuinely love people, and I love to interact with them and hear their stories and just enjoy that one-on-one interaction.”
White has spent over 40 years working in medical practices in Minneapolis, San Diego and Bozeman. And after retiring from a role with Bridger Orthopedic, she continues to add to her already impressive resume as the front office care coordinator for Ridgway Plastic Surgery.
She said her work there is satisfying because it allows her to “collect people and stories,” and assist others.
“I love helping other people,” White said. “I love talking to older people because their stories are so varied, and you never know what you’re going to get. And I love helping younger people achieve their dreams and find their purpose in life and not hold back.”
She describes her career as playing the part of the “backup singer,” a solid presence who consistently pushes others forward and can be “enthusiastic for someone else’s success.” It’s a role she loves.
“There’s a lot of joy to be had with not not having the limelight, but just being there.”
This is a mentality White takes to heart in her personal life as well when
it comes to showing up for friends and family, such as volunteering at her grandchildren’s schools or Museum of the Rockies fundraisers.
“If friends or family ask me to do something, I’m going to be there.”
“It’s been such a rewarding life,” she said. “At 72 I can say I’ve had a wonderful life, and it’s due to the people, and my family and friends.”
“It’s all about the connections you make and the lasting memories, and that’s what I love about my life.”
Debbie White
INathan M. Kirby
Edward Jones Financial Advisor
f you’re planning to retire in a few years, are you looking forward to it? Or are you somewhat apprehensive? Are you asking yourself: “What sort of retirement can I afford?”
It’s a good question—because the answer can make a big difference in your ability to enjoy life as a retiree.
And retirement can indeed be enjoyable, exciting and fun. Consider this from a recent survey by Edward Jones and AgeWave: a majority of respondents said retirement should be looked at as a whole new chapter of life, and not just a time for rest and relaxation.
In other words, people are viewing retirement as a chance for new experiences and new opportunities, rather than a time to simply wind down. But if you’re going to make the most of your retirement—which could last two or even three decades—you need to be financially prepared.
This preparation can involve many steps, but here are some of the key ones:
• Decide what your retirement lifestyle will look like. How you choose to spend your retirement years can make a big difference in the financial resources you’ll need. For example, if you plan on traveling the world, you might need more income than if you were to stay close to home and pursue your hobbies. If you can envision your retirement lifestyle and estimate how much money you’ll need to support it, you can help reduce some of the uncertainties you might face once you do retire.
• Review your income sources.
Do You Need To Fear Retirement?
During retirement, you’ll likely need to draw on all your income sources, so it’s a good idea to know what you’ll have available, such as your IRA, 401(k) and other investment accounts. You’ll also need to decide when to take Social Security—if you wait until your full retirement age (probably between 66 and 67), you’ll get much larger monthly benefits than if you started taking them at 62.
And here’s another variable: earned income. Even if you’ve retired from your career, you might, if you desire, use your acquired skills in a consulting or part-time position. The more you can earn, the less you may have to withdraw from your investment accounts and the better position you’ll be in to delay taking Social Security.
• Consider adjusting your investment portfolio. For most of your working years, you may have invested mostly for growth —to increase your assets as much as possible. But growth-oriented
investments are also, by nature, riskier, so when you retire, you should review your portfolio to determine whether you need to move it toward a more conservative position. Also, more conservative investments may provide more current income in the form of interest payments. However, even in retirement, you may need some investments with growth potential if you want to kee ahead of inflation.
Retirement is certainly a major milestone in your life, and adjusting to it can take some time. But there will be much less to fear—and much more to enjoy— if you’ve done what you can to prepare yourself financially.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Edward Jones, Member SIPC.
“There’s no denying the power of music,” said Cierra Wallace, the Bozeman Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement Coordinator. “Music can make us smile or cry, inspire us to dance, connect us, and is the soundtrack to many important moments in our lives.”
Photo courtesy of the Bozeman Symphony
THE POWER OF MUSIC with the Bozeman Symphony
By Kristin VanDeWalle
Executive Director of Befrienders, a nonprofit that enhances the lives of seniors through volunteer companionship and support. She encourages seniors to ‘Get Out There’ into the community to combat isolation and loneliness.
Befrienders had the privilege of working with the Bozeman Symphony this past year to coordinate a free community concert in Manhattan—featuring a wonderfully talented string quartet— and begin working on a curated musical experience for the Parkhaven Retirement Community’s Memory care residents.
The power of music is magical. It can help trigger memories and emotions, allowing families to share moments of clarity with their dementia-stricken loved ones. The complexity of a musical performance can stimulate and engage our brains, keeping cognitive functions sharp. Music can also boost communication skills, broaden social networks and spark discussions that improve connections with others.
Listening to live orchestral music can evoke powerful emotions. The experience of live music involves multiple senses (sight, sound and vibrations), which can lift spirits, reduce feelings of loneliness, enhance well-being and even reduce pain. Stimulating those senses with music can increase dopamine levels, or happy hormones, which can override symptoms of depression and even physical pain.
Attending the Bozeman Symphony is not just about the music—it’s an intellectually stimulating journey. Music Director Norman Huynh’s captivating storytelling
about composers, musical styles and historical contexts enriches the experience. His special gift for connecting the audience with the orchestral performance transforms each concert into a shared, intimate encounter.
The Bozeman Symphony has three concert series: Classical, Bozeman Symphony Presents, and a new Choir Series. The Bozeman Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Choir’s 2024–25 season, a celebration of “Music that Moves Us,” includes 11 different concerts showcasing talented musicians, renowned guest artists and revered symphonic works. The season’s opening weekend is September 21-22, with concerts continuing through early June 2025.
The most efficient way to enjoy all the Symphony has to offer is by becoming a subscriber. Packages are available as low as $193 for the Classical Series, which is just $28 per concert ticket. Individual tickets may also be purchased, with Classical Series ticket prices starting at $30 (plus a $3 handling fee per ticket).
While the Bozeman Symphony does not offer senior ticket pricing or discounts, consider becoming a volunteer to enjoy free admission and make new friends. For more information or to contact the Symphony’s Volunteer Coordinator, visit bozemansymphony.org/ volunteer.
In addition to the regular concert series, the Bozeman Symphony offers numerous education and community engagement programs throughout the year. These include free community concerts around Southwest Montana (and beyond) and at local assisted
living communities. Follow the Symphony’s Facebook and Instagram pages or visit bozemansymphony. org for details. The Event Calendar on the website is regularly updated with all of the Symphony’s events. You can also call the Bozeman Symphony office at 406-585-9774.
Regarding access, the Bozeman Symphony concerts have both evening and matinee options.
Classical Series concerts are at 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. All Classical and Presents Series concerts are at the Willson Auditorium, in downtown Bozeman. Parking lots are available on the building’s west side and southeast corner for those with accessibility issues. Special seats are available for wheelchairs, and a ramp and elevator are provided. The Fall Choir concert is at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, and the Spring Choir concert is at Hope Lutheran Church. Both churches offer accessible seating and ample parking spaces for accessible vehicles. Ushers are also available at every performance to help with walkers and wheelchairs.
Now you know how to ‘Get Out There’ with the Bozeman Symphony. Attending a Bozeman Orchestra performance with Music Director Norman Huynh will not disappoint! These events can significantly enhance one’s quality of life by offering a multifaceted experience that nurtures your social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being.
INDEPENDENT LIVING | A SSIS TED LIVING | RESPITE C ARE
Bozeman Health Hillcrest Senior Living sits atop Burke Park/Peets Hill, giving our residents beautiful views of Bozeman and easy access to outdoor spaces and trails. Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center is also just down the street. Call today to schedule your tour and meet our team and residents. See why we call ourselves family here at Hillcrest Senior Living.
Another Year Older
By Bobbi J. Geise OLLI at MSU volunteer
“Ithink you are the same age as my grandma,” said the little bike rider as I put on my helmet, preparing to hop on my bike.
“That could be,” I said. “How old is your grandmother?” I asked.
“I think she’s 90.”
It will be five years this fall that I have worked with the 50 and betteraged audience at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU. They are a worldly bunch with backgrounds and interests as diverse as today’s global societies. Yet, they gather with and share a common characteristic— curiosity. From Boomers to the Silent Generation, ranchers to attorneys, municipal employees to homemakers, each has stories, diverse experiences and interests, lives to celebrate and an innate enthusiasm for learning.
Most of us are familiar with the science and benefits of staying physically active throughout life and older adulthood. Learning new and complex skills can keep our brain cells working at optimum levels, which may slow cognitive and memory decline as we age. The best part is that learning without grades
and homework makes it more fun to delve into new topics, embrace the beginner’s brain and develop new skills for its pure joy.
A study in Psychological Science (Vol. 25, Issue 1) examined adults ages 60 to 90 who were assigned to either learn a new complex skill that demanded more use of working and long-term memory or do simpler mental activities like word and number puzzles. After three months, the findings suggest that sustained engagement in cognitively demanding, novel activities enhances memory function in older adulthood. Recent studies continue to support these important findings.
We are fortunate to live in a community that hosts many opportunities for those in their “prime” ages to stay physically and mentally fit. You can find organized programs at the Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department, local senior centers, the Bozeman Women’s and Men’s Activity Groups (BWAG, BMAG), OLLI at MSU and adult classes with local theater groups, language and art organizations.
Our growing community also offers endless volunteer opportunities to keep your mind and body engaged while you invest in the
greater good. Nonprofits, schools and the university often need mentors, number crunchers, research assistance, grounds and garden helpers and coaches. Other organizations need volunteers to listen to or read stories, walk dogs, pet cats, build, teach or run errands. There’s an activity and need for every level of interest and ability.
I am surrounded by hundreds of inspiring OLLI members who stay sharp, engaged and curious later in life. Though I am not as old as “grandma,” between work, family, new and interesting OLLI program topics and outdoor pursuits, I plan to stay as mentally and physically fit as I can until I am 90. I have a few decades to practice.
We look forwardtocontinuing to provide SouthwestMontanawith the highest level of eyecare in our new state-of-the-art clinic and surgerycenter.
Bobbi J Geise
Member volunteer and guest author
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University
Visit: montana.edu/olli Email: olli@montana.edu Tele: 406-994-6646
By Jim Drummond
This week one of the fellows at the old guy waterhole appeared extremely fatigued. His unfocused eyes were underscored with dark circles and his face
OLD GUY Nightmares
was pale. As he looked vaguely into the distance he ignored the surrounding conversations about taxes, tourists and grandchildren. Someone finally nudged our friend and asked him how he was doing.
The fellow shrugged his
shoulders, made eye contact with the group and responded, “I haven’t been sleeping well recently. I wake up in the middle of the night without fail. Then it takes me a long time to fall back asleep.”
Someone asked, “What wakes you up?”
The gent replied, “I’m having horrible nightmares. For example, last night I had a nightmare that I died in my sleep. Then, when I woke up in my dream, I was in a pulsating bright red room with two small beds and a blackboard on the wall. The room temperature
Jim Drummond is a retired banker and Bozeman native.
apart. He told me to calculate how long it would take until they passed by each other. He said he had more questions for me after I completed that problem. Then he scraped his fingernails down the blackboard. That’s when I woke up from my nightmare.”
go to the bathroom.”
was about 300 degrees, and I was gasping and sweating from the heat. The exit door to the room was shut but I could hear moans and screams coming from the other side. A man who looked familiar was sitting on one of the beds. He gave me a hearty welcome and told me that we would be roommates for eternity.”
The fellow at the end of the table inquired, “Did you recognize the fellow who was sitting on the bed in your dream?”
Our bleary-eyed friend responded, “He was my high school math teacher.”
Somebody else asked, “Did he say anything else in your dream?”
The first gent replied, “He asked me to imagine two trains coming towards each other on side by side tracks. One is going 40 miles an hour and the other 60 miles an hour and they are seven miles
A fellow down the table commented, “I’ve been having nightmares as well. Ever since I attended my class reunion I dream that I married my high school sweetheart and we are growing old together. Then I wake up in a cold sweat with my heart racing.
I’ve dreamed a couple of times that she is chasing after me and I can only run away in slow motion. I discovered at the reunion that she’s changed quite a bit since high school.”
Someone replied,”I’ve seen you try to run. It is slow motion.”
A gent in the middle of the table offered, “In the middle of the night I have nightmares that I can’t find a restroom. I dream that I’m in the hallway of a large building looking for restroom signs and opening each unmarked door. I usually wander at least four floors of the building looking for a restroom before I wake up. Then I get up and
Bozeman
Lions C Lu B
Someone commented, “That’s very normal. All old guys have nightmares about being unable to find a restroom. Most of us dream that we can’t find the bathroom at an indoor family reunion or in the waiting area of the motor vehicle department and the doors to the room are locked from the outside. It’s common to wake up screaming.”
The oldest member of the group shared his nightmares, “I have the same two nightmares night after night. Sometimes I dream that I forgot to make my quarterly tax estimates to the IRS, and sometimes I dream that I forgot my wedding anniversary. In my nightmare a black horse drawn cart comes to my front door in the
middle of the night, two thugs in dark hooded robes grab me by the arms and pummel me, then I’m thrown into the back of the cart in manacles.”
Someone inquired, “Are the thugs IRS agents?”
The fellow responded, “No, in my dream they’re a consequence of the forgotten anniversary.”
A fellow part way down the table spoke up, “I never have nightmares. I fall asleep in a minute and don’t awaken until there’s light in the room.”
Everyone peered at our friend in astonishment. Someone finally questioned, “What’s your secret?”
The gent responded, “I play classical music all night long and had my bedroom decorated to look like a ballet stage.”
By Jan Cashman
This article was originally published in 2010.
Want a hardy, drought tolerant perennial that survives with little water or care and adds interesting textures and colors to your garden all seasons of the year? Then you’ll want to plant sedum, also known as ‘stonecrop’. There are 400+ species of sedum; some are evergreen, some have interesting leaf colors. Sedum is a succulent, which means its thick (and edible) leaves store water.
Sedum makes an excellent rock garden plant, even growing well when tucked into dry stone walls. Or you can plant them in a container of mixed flowers. A creative use of sedum is in a patchwork planting of low-growing varieties with different leaf colors and textures, either in a container or small garden. Because of their drought tolerance and ease of growth, sedum is one of the few plants that work well for green roofs.
Regarding cultivation, sedum grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It tolerates drought and seems especially adapted to our hot, dry summers. But, it also grows in partial shade and wetter areas. It is a commonly planted perennial in the more humid climates of the Midwest, and does well there, too.
Sedum needs little fertilizer and has few pests and diseases which affect it. However, slugs have been known to be a problem, and deer are one of its biggest pests.
Sedums are either creeping, low-growing ground covers, or upright plants that grow to 18 to 24 inches. Creeping sedums come in a wide range of foliage colors and textures:
ANGELINA: a low-growing sedum whose bright, needle-like golden foliage
SEDUM
Jan Cashman has operated Cashman Nursery in Bozeman with her husband, Jerry, since 1975.
stays evergreen under the snow in the winter. Its yellow flowers stand up above the plant. In the fall, the leaves turn orange. Angelina is easy to grow and spreads. I have this ground cover sedum planted in a perennial bed mixed with other yellow-leafed perennials.
DRAGON’S BLOOD: an old stand-by ground cover with dark maroon foliage and deep burgundy blooms.
TRICOLOR: just as the name says, its leaves have three colors--green with a red and cream-colored border. It also has pink flowers. The plant is evergreen where it has snow cover or protection.
PACHYCLADOS: another evergreen which looks like tiny hens and chicks plants. It has mounds of blue-green, toothed leaves and pale yellow flowers. There are many wonderful, easy to grow, upright sedums as well:
AUTUMN JOY: is one of the most popular upright sedums because it
provides interest in the perennial garden during every season—its light green leaves come up like little cabbage plants in the spring, then grow to look like a big broccoli head in the summer. The blooms turn from a pale rose to brick red in the fall. Leave them standing in the winter and enjoy their interesting texture.
POSTMAN’S PRIDE: is taller and quite upright, growing to at least 24” with small, glossy burgundy leaves and pink flower
heads.
ELSIE’S GOLD: is a new upright variety with variegated leaves and large clusters of deep pink blossoms on tall stems. There are other noteworthy fall-blooming perennials too of course. Asters, rudbeckia (brown-eyed Susans) and Russian sage, to name a few. And, of course, mums are still a popular fall flower. But, sedums can’t be beat for their adaptability, texture and four-season interest.
Terry Cunningham and Jen Madgic. Your leadership and dedication to the community are an inspiration!
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASHMAN NURSERY
Pictured above is Angelina Sedum.
Meal Service in Senior Centers:
SEPT.
SEPT. 12 Chicken Enchiladas, Green Beans, Green Salad, Vanilla Pudding
SEPT. 18 Hamburger, Tater Tots, Peaches, Chocolate Pudding
SEPT. 19 BBQ Chicken Thighs, Baked Potato,
Bozeman MENU
807 North Tracy • (406) 586-2421 •
Shannon Bondy, shannon@bozemanseniorcenter.org (Executive Director)
Kristi Wetsch, krisi@bozemanseniorcenter.org (Director Program & Marketing)
This menu is subject to change due to the availability of food. You must call us at 586-2421 by 1:00 p.m. the day before or earlier to make a reservation. Meals are served from 12 to 12:15 p.m.
The cost of the meal is a suggested donation of $5 for people 60 and over and $7 for people under 60 (this is not a suggestion donation).
Large salads are served every day at the center. The cost is $7.00. You must call in a day ahead for the salad.
SEPTEMBER 2 – CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY
SEPTEMBER 3 – Fruit Salad, Loaded Tater Tots with Bacon, Cheese, Chives, Broccoli, Garlic Bread, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 4 – Green Salad, French Dip with Ajus, Roasted Potatoes, Corn
SEPTEMBER 5 – Green Salad, Ravioli in Marinara, Mixed Vegetables, Garlic Bread, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 6 – Salad, Ham and Cheese Quiche, Creamed Spinach, Bread Stick
SEPTEMBER 9 – Grandparents Day: Salad, Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Peas, Garlic Bread, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 10 – Salad, Crispy Fish Tacos, Beans and Rice, Cabbage Slaw
SEPTEMBER 11 – PATRIOT DAY: Fruit, Bacon Cheeseburger, French Fries, Cherry Tomatoes, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 12 – Salad, Chicken Strips, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Bean Salad, Chocolate Milk Shake
SEPTEMBER 13 – Green Salad, Homemade Beef Pasties, Mashed Potatoes, Butter Carrots, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 16 – Fresh Fruit, Chicken Salad Sandwich, Pea Salad, Potato Chips,
SEPTEMBER 17 – Fruit, Beef Stew, Corn Hard Roll, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 18 – Aging Awareness: Green Salad, Ham Steak, Cheesy Potatoes, Broccoli, Dinner Roll
SEPTEMBER 19 – Salad, White Sauce Lasagna, Bread Stick, Mixed Vegetables, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 20 – AIRFORCE DAY: Salad, Boneless BBQ Wings, Roasted Potatoes, Carrot/Celery Stick, Garlic Bread (Active and Retired Personnel eat free).
SEPTEMBER 23 – Fresh Fruit, French Toast Sticks, Sausage Patty, Fried Egg, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 24 – Green Salad, Shrimp Chow Mein, Green Beans, Egg Roll, Fortune Cookie
SEPTEMBER 25 – Women’s Health Fitness: Fresh Fruit, Chef Salad, Deviled Egg, Dinner Roll, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 26 – Green Salad, Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Peas, Dinner Roll
SEPTEMBER 27 – Salad, Chicken Parmesan with Pasta, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Garlic Bread, Dessert
SEPTEMBER 30 – Dill Pickle Pasta, Pork Chop John Sandwich, Sweet Potato Fries, Mixed Vegetables
Menu items may contain or come into contact with WHEAT, EGGS, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, FISH, SHELLFISH, SOYBEANS, and MILK. Meals are now being served at the Bozeman Senior Center.
• The Bozeman Senior Center will be closed September 2nd in observance of Labor Day
• Board meetings are held on the third Friday of each month at 10 a.m.
• Bozeman Senior Center’s Second Hand Rose is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• The Bookstore is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Accepting donations for Second Hand Rose on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
*These dates and times are subject to change dependent upon volunteer and staff availability. Please call 586-2421 to be sure before you shop or bring donations!
BOZEMAN SENIOR CENTER TRAVEL DEPARTMENT
YOU MUST BE A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE BOZEMAN SENIOR CENTER BEFORE WE CAN ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST AND YOU (AND YOUR TRAVELING PARTNER) MUST BE AT LEAST 50 YEAR OF AGE!
Judy Morrill, Coordinator and travel article author
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m to 12 p.m. Phone: 406-586-2421
TRIPS FOR 2024:
SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA AND VICTORIA FALLS: This trip is sold out. For those of you who are on the trip, the orientation meeting will be on Monday, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. at the Senior Center.
NORMANDY, PARIS, AND THE SEINE RIVER CRUISE TRIP: This trip is also sold out. The orientation meeting date has not been set, as yet. We will keep you posted.
TRIPS FOR 2025: Two of the trips we have for 2025 are now sold out. -Holland, Belgium River Cruise, April 2025 -Italy’s Treasures, April 2025
NEW TRIP FOR 2025:
We are offering the CANADIAN ROCKIES by Rail trip, again, for 2025. It is a wonderful trip that you would surely enjoy. This trip starts in Vancouver and takes you across the country to Banff, and back on a wonderful itinerary. This trip also offers a full day trip to Butchart Gardens at the beginning of the trip. Pick up a brochure from the Senior Center travel kiosk. Fill out the attached registration form and get it back to Judy so we can get you on this wonderful trip.
SUNNY SAN DIEGO AND CALIFORNIA HIGHLIGHTS ON FEBRUARY 20, 2025: This is a one hotel trip, with many trip highlights. We will be going to the San Diego Zoo, where you will have the opportunity to see the new pandas China has given to the zoo. You’ll also enjoy the Midway Museum, home to retired aircraft from the Korean and Vietnam wars. You will enjoy a winery visit in the Temecula Valley too, and will travel to San Juan Capistrano, known for the “return of the swallows.” Plus, there will be an opportunity to go on a San Diego harbor cruise and visit Coronado Island. This is a fun trip and an excellent getaway from winter in Montana. Brochures and registration forms are in the travel kiosk.
HISTORIC SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON TRIP IN OCTOBER 2025: This is the perfect time of the year to travel to Savannah and Charleston. Spend two nights in Charleston, two nights in Savannah and two nights at Jekyll Island, enjoying lots of sightseeing, great food and beautiful stately southern mansions. Pick up a brochure from the Senior Center travel kiosk and get signed up now to hold your space.
ICELAND TRIP IN AUGUST 2025: We are still waiting for brochures for this trip. They should be coming soon. Will be a wonderful trip.
Come travel with the Bozeman Senior Center!
SEPTEMBER 6 – Green Salad, Chicken Stir Fry, Rice, Brownie
SEPTEMBER 11 – Green Salad, Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cake
SEPTEMBER 13 – Green Salad, Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Italian Vegetables, Brownie
SEPTEMBER 18 – Green Salad, Enchiladas, rice, Beans, Cake
SEPTEMBER 20 – Green Salad, Chicken Tenders, Fries, Mixed Vegetables, Brownie
SEPTEMBER 25 – Green Salad, chicken Fajitas, Cake
SEPTEMBER 27 – Green Salad, Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Brownie
SEPT. 3 – Coleslaw, Cod, Scalloped Potatoes, Corn
SEPT. 4 – Green Salad, Lasagna, Mixed Vegetables, Bread Stick
SEPT. 5 –Jell-O Salad, Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
SEPT. 10 – Pea Salad, Chicken and Dumplings, Broccoli
SEPT. 11 – Applesauce, Pork Roast, Potatoes, Carrots
SEPT. 12 – Fajita, Rice, Refried Beans
SEPT. 17 – Green Salad, Stew, Biscuit
SEPT. 18 – Cottage Cheese, Goulash, Pickled Beets
SEPT. 19 – Cucumber Salad, Potato Soup, Sandwich
SEPT. 24 – Cranberry Salad, Pepper Steak, Rice, Cauliflower
SEPT. 25 – Fruit, Breakfast Casserole, Bacon, Toast
SEPT. 26 – Green Salad, Roast Beef, Potatoes, Glazed Carrots
Bozeman Senior Center Fitness Classes
ALL EXERCISE CLASSES ARE HELD IN THE FITNESS ROOM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LINE DANCING (Dining Room) AND CORE CLASSES (Downstairs Meeting Room).
The monthly fitness dues are $20.00 a month
STRONG PEOPLE (MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT 1 P.M.)
Strength building class focuses on increasing bone density and muscle mass. Class follows accepted protocol for people with bone loss. Participants work at their own level increasing weights as they build strength. Each class also includes exercises to strengthen the core and finishes with stretching. All are welcome and weights are provided.
STRENGTH TRAINING (MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS AT 8:30 A.M.)
A great class for men and women looking to increase muscle mass and overall body strength. Body weight, dumbbells, leg weights and bands are all incorporated into a full body workout. Strength training doesn’t have to be intimidating; drop in for a class and see how much fun you can have getting stronger. Just bring a water bottle.
AEROBICS WITH STRENGTH (MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE DINING ROOM)
This is a full hour’s workout. We do 40 minutes of cardio (which can vary in intensity depending on your own ability) and 15 minutes of stretching. Come join this dynamic workout!
CORE ON THE FLOOR (MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AT 10:35 A.M.)
Pilates inspired. Gentle mat work and stretching.
BEGINNING LINE DANCING (TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS AT 10 A.M. TO 10:45 A.M.)
Beginning line dancing is a fun form of exercise with physical, mental, emotional and social benefits. Learn and practice common line dance steps. Then dance to a variety of music including rock, Latin, country and waltz. Beginners who have no prior dance experience of any kind are
encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early on their first day for some pre-instruction.
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED LINE
DANCING (TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS AT 10:45 A.M. TO 11:30 A.M.; FRIDAYS AT 10 A.M. TO 11:30 A.M.)
More complex and challenging dances will be taught and danced. Experienced dancers are invited to participate in this class.
ENLIGHTENMENT TAI CHI FORM
(TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT 11 A.M.)
Tai Chi is a graceful form of exercise characterized by slow, methodical, gentle movements and deep breathing exercises that are low impact, relaxing and somewhat aerobic. People of almost any age and fitness level can participate. In this class you will be learning the Enlightenment Tai Chi Form, some other easy short forms, warm-up and deep breathing exercises, and Tai Chi
positions. Tai Chi can be a positive part of an overall approach to improving and maintaining your health.
HIKING WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER EVERY TUESDAY. Meet at the Bozeman Senior Center at 8 a.m. You must be a member of the Bozeman Senior Center and pay the $20 monthly fitness fee to participate. The list of hikes and other information is available at the front desk.
