COMPLIMENTARY
BILLINGS’ MOST READ MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
30 LONGS LONGS FOR FOR AA DAY DAY WITHOUT WITHOUT ALZHEIMER’S ALZHEIMER’S
SUPER SENIORS
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
FEEDING YOUR BRAIN EATING TO KEEP IT HEALTHY
A PIECE OF PARADISE
A TRIP TO PINE CREEK LODGE
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©2020 Media I Sixteen All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
Letter
FROM THE
Editor
JULIE KOERBER
GROWING UP ,
I remember crossing the quiet street in my Royal Oak, Michigan, neighborhood. I would knock on the door of our neighbor’s quaint Tudor home, not to play with a child my age but to visit two people I cherished — Charley and Olive Kepley. Charlie would sit and listen to my stories about nothing all day. He had the best chuckle. Olive, behind her hornrimmed glasses, would smile and offer me one of those large, round dinner mints that she never seemed to run out of in her crystal glass jar. In fact, she would always tell me when she filled up the jar, just for me. They didn’t mind that I pretended to play the piano and wasn’t that great at it. They always smiled and never let me leave without a hug. In my memories, they seemed elderly. As I do the math, however, when I came for my visits Olive would have been in her late 60s, Charley in his early 70s. This charming couple didn’t lead terrifically active lives. Olive always wore a dress. Charley, as he sat and read the newspaper, always had on a short sleeve dress shirt with dress pants. They were like grandparents to me. I can’t imagine them hiking the Appalachian Trail or leading a bustling business or wowing crowds in community theater. Times have changed. As I get emails with story ideas, I set the “keepers” in an electronic file to return to as we plan out each issue. As I was planning this issue, I noticed that I had a handful of stories involving women in their senior years, doing amazing things, inspiring others. Why wouldn’t we want to honor these “super seniors?”
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Paired with that, our cover story idea involved a woman on the front lines of the battle against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Did you know that one of every three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia? Her story touched my heart, knowing that she fights daily not just for all Montana families affected by degenerative brain diseases but for her own. Her father and father-inlaw died with vascular dementia. Her husband has a form of early-onset dementia and her mother was just diagnosed within the last year. Her story is powerful and her message promoting early detection is critical for people to read and understand. Please take time to read it and maybe you’ll be inspired to join her and thousands of others as they virtually Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 26. If preparing for this issue taught me anything, it’s this: Life should be explored. It should be cherished. It shouldn’t be taken for granted. While I will always remember Olive and Charley with complete and utter respect and love, I am sure many of you will agree that we’ve gracefully left behind the days spent at home in dresses with dinner mints. Let’s go chart our next course for adventure, no matter what our age. Enjoy this issue!
Julie
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 On the Cover
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PLANTING A PROMISE
Lynn Mullowney Cabrera longs for a day without Alzheimer’s
Features
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20 26
HITTING HER STRIDE IN HER 60S
Elaine Osmun walks through life, seizing each day
FOR RITA HEIZER, LIFE'S A STAGE Love of theater fuels her volunteer spirit
REFLECTING THE LOVE 92-year-old volunteer gives her all
NO SLOWING DOWN Fishtail entrepreneur bakes up new business
SNIPPETS OF TIME
30
New company creates videos for families to cherish
40 STRENGTH, CONFIDENCE AND HAPPY
HORMONES
The battle Maranda Ratcliff waged to earn all three
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48
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68
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UNRESERVED English teacher uses art to bridge diversity among students
FLEDGLING DEVELOPERS
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Leading off with a project to benefit downtown
A PIECE OF PARADISE Our trip to Pine Creek Lodge
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Wedding planners bring adventure to saying, “I do.”
RELAXING AND REUNITING Tasty Trout from the Big Horn River
NO COUNTRY LIKE THIS
The Life and Work of Poet Gwendolen Haste
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IN EVERY ISSUE
THE ART OF WOMEN'S WORK
38 NUTRITION: Feeding Your Brain
Online event sparks conversation and interest
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FASHION: Sassy in Sneakers
60
KAREN GROSZ: What I Learned From My Bra
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A HOME FOR ALL SEASONS
102
RECIPE FOR A FAMILY KITCHEN
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TASTE OF THE VALLEY: POP Goes the All American Snack
84
THE FIVE: Five Things to Add to Your Fall Calendar
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LOOK WHAT WE FOUND: Light Up Fall
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LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST IN YOUR 60S, 70S, 80S AND 90S FORGET SITTING AROUND complaining about the daily health woes, seniors today are seizing life and feeling good about it. One recent survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked those in their golden years to rate their overall health. Eighty-two percent of those 65 to 74 rated it as excellent. Only 4% described it as poor.
❯❯❯ ❯❯❯❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯❯❯ ❯❯❯❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯❯❯ ❯❯❯❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ While six out of ten people age 65 and❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯❯ up might have chronic such as ❯ ❯ illnesses ❯ ❯ ❯ heart ❯ ❯ ❯ diabetes, arthritis, or even kidney ❯❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯ disease, seniors are adapting to life changes and adjusting their outlooks on life. They are using the power of positive thinking to stay active and keep on doing what they love to do. Knowing these super seniors are alive and well here in the Yellowstone Valley, we found a handful of women who are proving they can climb every mountain, roll up their sleeves to help their favorite non-profits and even grow their own businesses in their sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties.
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ELAINE OSMUN WALKS THROUGH LIFE, SEIZING EACH DAY written by KAREN KINSER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN & ELAINE OSMUN
ON
A
CHILLY
morning on Feb. 25, 2018, Red Lodge resident Elaine Osmun, strapped on her 22-pound pack and took the first step of a dream that had been incubating inside her for 44 years. At the age of 61, she was stepping onto the Appalachian Trail in Springer Mountain, Georgia. The dream was born while learning to backpack in 1974 at an Outward Bound course. “I loved it,” Elaine says, and she realized, “I’ve just got to hike.” That’s when the long-distance hiking bug bit her, and the germ of the idea of through-hiking the Appalachian Trail was planted. In 1991, she and her husband, Martin McCollough, hiked 51 miles of the trail together and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Seven years later, after Martin died suddenly at 52 , Elaine’s big dream simmered on the back burner. But turning 60, she says, kind of put her into a panic.
“It was my midlife crisis,” she says. “I realized I had to do this while I still can,” and she started planning seriously. “If there’s something you want to do, do it. Don’t hesitate. Seize the day.” Elaine seized those days and rose to daily challenges on the trail for 880 miles. Starting so early in February, she encountered extremely cold, wet weather, icy trails, slippery and unstable rocks and, several times, the specter of hypothermia. Many nights — after crawling into her tent around 8 p.m., or “hiker midnight” — she slept with her water bottle to keep it from freezing, but would wake to find her shoes frozen stiff. While Elaine wasn’t ready to quit, she realized why – as a ranger had told her in the Smoky Mountains – the majority of people pack it in after their first 50 miles. Braving thunderstorms, snow storms, freezing fog and belowzero wind chill values, Elaine learned the value of perseverance SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯❯ and the importance of “being in the moment.” “You have to think about every place you put your foot,” she says. Even so, she fell dozens of times. By mid-June, Elaine — whose trail name was EWOKS (Elaine walks) — realized she wouldn’t be able to finish that season. To do so required completing 20 to 25 miles every single day. She also recognized that safely walking that pace meant there would be no time to stop and smell the wild roses, or to admire the rhododendron and carpets of trillium, or just take a day to relax. “All you’re looking at all day is the ground,” she says. So, with the help of her back-up crew and friend Elaine Spittler, who drove the RV (dubbed the Millennium Falcon) to re-supply Elaine, the decision was made to “leap frog” the trail. Also part of the back-up crew were dogs Deena, Kate, Tyger and Ziba, and July the Cat. Leap-frogging the Appalachian Trail allowed Elaine to experience the flavor of the whole trail, and the uniqueness of the states along the route. “I like seeing new things,” she says. She remembers thinking, “This is my country,” and she enjoyed the distinct personality of each of the 14 states she visited. She also enjoyed standing amid the rich history of the East Coast – especially Harpers Ferry – which she’d only read about in books.
TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF
Elaine’s Adventures, go to her Facebook page, EWOKS Hiking Adventures, or follow her video log at EWOKS Appalachian Trail Vlogs.
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It was an amazing journey for Elaine, who had grown up in Houston and over the years earned several degrees, including a B.S. in kinesiology, an M.S. in education and an M.A. in English. “I’m basically a teacher,” she says, and she has taught everything from swimming to science to dogs. Yes – dogs – Elaine’s second passion, along with hiking. She was introduced to dog training through
her husband, who trained retrievers for hunting, agility, obedience and herding. After attending summer dog camps in Idaho – and after Martin’s death – Elaine moved to Montana, trained dogs from her home, and then built and opened Yellowstone Dog Sports in Roberts. Yellowstone Dog Sports is the only canine event center of its kind in the country, and with its 19 motel-like rooms, RV hook-ups, massive indoor event center and training seminars, it has hosted humans and their best friends since 2011. Participants come from all over the country and Canada. But, with COVID-19, seminars have been scaled back, and social distancing has been implemented. “It’s not just the competition,” says Elaine, “it’s the camaraderie” that builds up from people and their dogs working together over 10 days or more. She misses that. Still, fewer events at Yellowstone Dog Sports mean that Elaine has more time for hiking in her favorite part of the country – right here. While hiking the Appalachian Trail was a fulfilled dream, she missed the visual rewards from hiking in this area. “It was just a long green tunnel,” she says of the Appalachian Trail, with lots of PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs). This summer, she backpacked with a group of friends to the Gates of the Mountain Wilderness. Her favorite backpacking trip is from Cooke City to East Rosebud. The visual rewards on this hike were constant – sapphire blue lakes, resplendent waterfalls and incredible views. Due to COVID, Elaine recently canceled a hiking trip through parts of Ireland, Wales and England this summer, but she hopes it can be rescheduled. Elaine’s advice to older women (well, anyone, really) is to keep moving and walking. She says that her aunt, who died at age 99, walked every day.
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IF THERE’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO, DO IT. DON’T HESITATE. SEIZE THE DAY. — Elaine Osmun
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RITA HEIZER,
Life's a Stage LOVE OF THEATER FUELS HER VOLUNTEER SPIRIT written by KAREN KINSER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN & ELAINE OSMUN
SOMETIMES BEING IN COMMUNITY THEATER gives you more notoriety around town than you might realize. Billings Studio Theatre actress and “super volunteer” Rita Heizer can attest to this, as she describes having lunch out with friends one day. As Rita was removing her coat, a gentleman at the next table looked over, winked and said, “You’ve got more clothes on than the last time I saw you.” At first, she was taken aback … but then she remembered her role as “the lady in the red slip” from “Nana’s Naughty Knickers.” In this production – “a frothy little comedy with no real message,” Rita says – Nana sold sexy lingerie for women of a certain age. There is a scene where Rita donned a red slip and pussycat knee socks and rolled onto stage while rockin’ a walker. The audience howled with laughter.
be laughter. Or tears. Or education. She relates how a recent production, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime,” made her realize that the theater was also a great way to dispense knowledge. The show dealt with autism, Rita says, and “Something astounding happened with people who saw that play.” She says autism affects the entire community, and this production was evidence of that. Rita’s love of the theater started early, when she auditioned for “Little Women” as a 13-year-old in a summer stock production. She dabbled a bit in drama in high school and at Oberlin College, where she was a piano major. But she didn’t feel the love for practicing five hours a day and switched her studies to English Literature.
Since 1984, Rita has had roles in 29 productions at BST. They include featured performances such as Linda Loman in “Death of a Salesman,” Daisy in “Driving Miss Daisy,” and Sister Aloysius in “Doubt,” but she thinks what she’ll really be remembered for is being that lady in the red slip.
She loved the “eye-opening” education at Oberlin, and loves that she met her husband, John, there. He was studying medicine, and after the couple married in 1953, they moved to Boston, and then to California for John to do advanced training. In 1963, they and their children moved to Billings, where John took a position at Billings Clinic, pioneering the cardiac surgery division and performing the first heart bypass in Montana in 1972.
And that’s OK for this spirited 88-year-old, who sees live theater as an intimate form of entertainment where both the audience and actors get something emotionally. That “something” can
Busy with raising four children, Rita found no time for acting. But she was on the Board of BST and would gather props for shows and do other odd jobs. When the kids got older, she
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I FOUND IT OVERWHELMING THAT I WOULD GET AN AWARD FOR DOING SOMETHING THAT BRINGS ME SO MUCH PLEASURE. — Rita Heizer
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decided to go to an audition in 1984, and was awarded the role of a doctor in “Macbeth.” It took off from there. For many years, she volunteered in other positions and took on smaller roles — often in the chorus, as a bush or tree, or square dancer — until 1997 when she auditioned for the role of Linda Loman.
Rita continues to sponsor about one show a year. She says there are so many extraneous costs for putting on a production. “It’s very costly to do live theater,” she says. “BST has been around for 70 years through the generosity of the community that has helped to subsidize the cost of every production.”
“I was startled that I got that,” she says, and after that, “I decided to try for more.”
Rita thinks that the entertainment, release and communication that live theater provides to audiences are especially important during this pandemic crisis. But, putting on productions now also presents challenges. Upcoming shows have small casts, and only 100 of the 250 seats will I’VE BEEN SO LUCKY TO HAVE be available to maintain social distancing. SPENT SO MUCH OF MY LIFE
Acting isn’t all Rita does for BST. She volunteers in just about every position possible. You’ll often find her working as an usher or in the box office. She’s on the play-reading committee, has served as assistant director and stage DOING THEATER. “There have been some great moments,” manager on numerous shows, finds — Rita Heizer Rita says about her many years at BST. props and costumes, and plays the “I’ve been so lucky to have spent so much piano for some auditions and as a fillof my life doing theater. It’s all played out in for some performances. She’s been very well.” such a super volunteer that in 2017, she was presented with an award named after her — “The Rita” — to Whether she’s in a starring role (don’t miss her repeat performance honor individuals who have served way beyond the norm. of Daisy in “Driving Miss Daisy” this September), directing, or inhabiting the character of the “lady in the red slip,” Rita Heizer “I was astounded,” Rita says. “I found it overwhelming that I gives it her all for herself and the audience. would get an award for doing something that brings me so much pleasure.”
“I love what I’m doing,” she beams. And so do we. ✻
What also brings Rita pleasure is sponsoring shows. She and John started doing this about 17 years ago. John died in 2009, but SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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REFLECTING THE
92-YEAR-OLD VOLUNTEER GIVES HER ALL written by SUE OLP photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
IF YOU STOP in at Montana Rescue Mission’s Bargain Center on Billings’ West End, chances are you’ll see Lorraine Vinces. Whether stocking shelves, organizing clothing or letting customers into dressing rooms, Vinces volunteers at the bargain center six afternoons a week – every day the store is open. She has donated her time there for more than two decades. Even more remarkable, Vinces is 92 years old, with another birthday coming up in September. “I can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning and get dressed and come here,” she says. “I love people, and I talk to all of them.” Store Coordinator Dan MacIntyre says the feeling is mutual. “There are a lot of customers who come in specially to see Lorraine,” he says. “They’ll come in and they’ll take her to lunch, and it’s really sweet.” The bargain center is a for-profit arm of the Montana Rescue Mission. Profits earned from the large, wellstocked store help support the work of the faith-based organization, which includes the Men’s Shelter and the Women and Family Shelter in downtown Billings. The Montana Rescue Mission’s goal is “to reflect the love of Jesus Christ, by providing emergency, temporary and rehabilitative care for those experiencing hunger and homelessness.” Vinces herself is a woman of faith, and of prayer. “I’m always talking to the Lord because that’s who is taking care of me every day,” she says. “I never leave the house without a prayer, and when I’m driving, I thank the Lord for getting me safely to the bargain center and home.” Vinces prays throughout the day for her family, for the 18
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people she works with and for her boss. She ends her day by engaging in one last conversation with God. “I pray a lot,” she says. Vinces, born in 1927, spent much of her life in Chicago. At age 19, she married Charles Robert Vinces, and the couple had two daughters. When Charles retired from the Chicago Fire Department, the couple moved to Billings.
I NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A PRAYER, AND WHEN I’M DRIVING, I THANK THE LORD FOR GETTING ME SAFELY TO THE BARGAIN CENTER AND HOME. — Lorraine Vinces
Once here, Lorraine worked for a private care home for several years, until the business was sold. Then she started caring for one elderly woman at the woman’s home. “My husband passed away in 1998, and that’s when I came to the bargain center,” she says. For a time, she cared for the woman and volunteered at the store. When the woman died, Vinces turned much of her attention to the bargain center. These days, she usually arrives at the store in the early afternoon and focuses on her first task, restocking items she finds in a cart near the cash register. Vinces keeps the shelves neat, unlocks dressing rooms for customers and then returns clothes to their racks. She is spry and independent. Vinces lives in an apartment, and she carries her groceries up two flights of stairs. When she’s home, she doesn’t spend much time watching TV. But Vinces loves reading magazines and books about antiques, a topic that especially interested her husband when he was alive. Over her 20-plus years at the bargain center, Vinces has worked for at least five different bosses, and she says she liked every one of them. She has especially appreciated MacIntyre’s leadership.
That matters to Vinces, who learned from her mother the value of keeping a clean house. She’s glad to help make the bargain center a place that shoppers enjoy. “If I see a piece of paper on the floor, I pick it up,” Vinces says. “I joke that I don’t want to ruin my nails, but I’ll pick up anything to keep things clean.” Toward the beginning of her tenure at the bargain center, Vinces was offered a job as a cashier. But she didn’t want to handle money, and so she decided to spend her time there as a volunteer. MacIntyre is glad for Vinces’ multiple daily contributions. This past spring, after the bargain center had closed as part of an effort to curb the coronavirus, it reopened initially with only the paid staff. “Lorraine was missed,” he says. “You knew she was not there. She is that much a part of this place.” ✻
“He takes time with you, he talks with you, he shows you things and he shares things with you,” she says. “Every so often he has a luncheon for all of us, and that is wonderful.” During Vinces’ tenure there, she has appreciated improvements to the store’s interior, including new flooring and better lighting. Under MacIntyre’s leadership, she says, the emphasis has been on keeping everything clean, right down to the bathrooms. “They shine,” Vinces says.
SUE OLP, writer Sue Olp worked for many years as a reporter at the Billings Gazette, covering everything from healthcare and education to county government, tribal issues and religion, not to mention plenty of human-interest stories. Now retired, she is a freelance writer and enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her family, including her grandchildren.
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No Slowing Down FISHTAIL ENTREPRENEUR BAKES UP NEW BUSINESS written by LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
KATY MARTIN
is a human whirlwind. The longtime Fishtail resident is a circus ringleader, community cheerleader and daring entrepreneur all rolled into one. She runs on high octane. “Some people are blessed with looks and I’m blessed with energy,” Katy says with a grin. “I guess I’m just lucky.” To “celebrate” her 70th year, the owner of the Fishtail General Store hasn’t just kept her doors open and her shelves stocked during these times of COVID-19. She’s expanded her “side” business, Fishtail Food Distributing, into a brand-new facility. Her distribution company supplies roughly 8,000 items a week — including the popular “Anytime Breakfast Burritos,” “The Skinny” sandwiches and sundried tomato wraps — to more than two dozen City Brew outlets from Kalispell to Cheyenne to Bismarck. Katy’s life — aside from her weekly run into Billings for supplies — exists within the scope of a small triangle in “downtown” Fishtail, a community of 60 to 200 souls, depending on who’s counting. Her home sits three doors down from the Fishtail
General Store and her new building is located just across the street and about two lots to the east. Wrapped in her bright-red apron, the diminutive figure is often glimpsed as a scarlet blur sprinting from place to place. “I’m busier than I ever was,” she says during one of the rare moments she pauses long enough to answer questions. “You’d be surprised how much you can get done between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m.” Katy and her late husband Bill theoretically “retired” more than 30 years ago. That’s when they left their day jobs — she taught adaptive physical education to special-needs students while he SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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served as a policeman — and built their dream home in Tahoe, California. Within a few years, however, they tired of the ski town and began searching for a new place to sink roots. When, by chance, they took the back road into Fishtail, they were instantly smitten. “We saw a for-sale sign on a house and Bill said, ‘Stop the car!’” she remembers. In short order, they signed papers on the house. Within their first years in Fishtail they helped build the community park and launch Fishtail Family Fun Day, the community’s annual fundraiser. Then, when the general store teetered on survival, the Martins made the leap.
MY PHILOSOPHY IS, GOD ALWAYS BRINGS ME WHO I NEED OR WHO NEEDS US. — Katy Martin
“We really loved the store and we didn’t want it to go away,” Katy says. “So we bought it.” Like Katy, the store had been and remains a mainstay of Fishtail. It’s an old-timey place with a twist of today. From locally made jams to bibs for miners to flavored kombucha, the Fishtail General Store stands true to its motto: “A little bit of everything since 1900.” Its clientele ranges from local kids licking ice cream cones on the front bench to world-renowned musicians buying snacks on their way to perform at Tippet Rise. It was there, at the general store, that the Martins cut their teeth on the ins and outs of owning a retail business. They learned about pricing and about hiring staff. “My philosophy is, God always brings me who I need or who needs us,” Katy says. They also learned that their success depended on one key metric: providing what the customer wants. In fact, it was an off-hand remark by a customer that planted the seed for what has become Fishtail Food Distribution. The deli at the general store had already garnered a strong following for 22
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its sandwiches, baked treats and Wilcoxon’s ice cream when a miner suggested that the store open earlier to sell breakfast burritos to hungry shift workers. The comment served as the spark that ignited sales of their breakfast items, which eventually grew into the stand-alone business that supplies City Brew. So how did a small-time Fishtail enterprise connect with the Billings-based coffee business? Kim Redding, a longtime friend of Katy’s, was working for City Brew in 2011 when the owner started brainstorming new menu items. Kim, who still works for City Brew, immediately thought of Katy. “I knew she did all these wonderful products,” Kim says, “and I knew she would be a perfect fit. I also knew that ‘no’ is not in her vocabulary.” Kim also knew that, given an opportunity, Katy would grab it and take off. “She would do the research, reach out to the people she needed to help her and move forward,” Kim says. “And she just goes and goes.” But, as the Martins’ businesses flourished, their lives took a turn. A series of strokes struck Bill, leaving him debilitated. Together, the couple rose to the challenge. “We had many talks about what I would do,” Katy recalls. “And he’d say, ‘We’ll do what we can.’” Katy credits Bill with being the “brains of the outfit” and an inspiration for how to live each day. Katy took those lessons to heart. “It was a joy,” she says of her role as caregiver. “It was just a gift I
gave to him and he gave to me.” Bill passed away in the summer of 2018. A year later, Katy knew it was time to move forward. “We had this property and we needed to grow,” she says. Relying almost exclusively on local contractors, she broke ground for the new 2,400-square-foot facility that would serve as headquarters for Fishtail Food Distribution. She chuckles when asked about the name. “We just wanted to make it simple. I’m pretty simple. Just say what it is.” She planned and re-planned the building, making ample room for storage, freezer space and a vast commercial kitchen. During the months that the pandemic shuttered many businesses, she and her builders made good use of the pause. “For us, those three weeks were a godsend,” she says. “It gave us an opportunity to finish the building.” The new facility has only been operational since June, but already SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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IN LATE JULY, barely a few weeks after the new building had opened, Absarokee resident Lynda Heimer witnessed Katy’s devotion to her community. Lynda’s PEO group – an international philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women — would be the beneficiaries. They were baking up “hand pies” to sell at Absarokee Days. The money raised would provide educational scholarships for young women. “She’s donating time and her space,” Lynda says. “And she’s letting us have the products we need at cost. She is amazing.”
7 TIPS KATY’S FOR
Success
EES RIGHT 1. TREAT YOUR EMPLOY GHT. AND THEY’LL TREAT YOU RI OMERS, GET 2. LISTEN TO YOUR CUST THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
WHAT YOU’RE 3. YOU’VE GOT TO LOVE DOING. THE TIME. 4. YOU’VE GOT TO PUT IN ERY DAY 5. LEARN SOMETHING EV . THEN TAKE IT OR LET IT GO MILK. 6. DON’T CRY OVER SPILT 7. DON’T BE AFRAID.
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Katy is thinking ahead. She’s got visions of expanding her catering business, as well as finding more outlets interested in products she and her staff can prepare. At the same time, she’s eager to share her success — and her commercial kitchen — with her community. “We’re going to do as much for everybody as we can out of this building and still be profitable,” she says. “And that’s key.” As the red blur of Katy dashes around within her self-imposed triangle in Fishtail, her pace is not slackening. The former PE instructor still lifts weights and works out three times a week. She insists she feels like she’s about 40 years old as she brainstorms new prospects. No doubt, she’ll march into her future with the same approach she’s used in the past. “The challenges have been easy,” she says of her businesses. “You just put your feet down and figure it out.” ✻
LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA, writer A long-time resident of the Columbus area, Linda Halstead-Acharya enjoys spending time and learning from her rural neighbors. She has a degree in wildlife biology but for the past 25 years has pursued a career sharing other people's stories in print. She loves riding, writing and traveling.
SNIPPETS TIME of
NEW COMPANY CREATES VIDEOS FOR FAMILIES TO CHERISH written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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Interview Videography • FOR KEEPSAKE ALBUMS•
WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS,
Nola Howell lost both her mother and father. Like most people, she has numerous photo albums brimming with pictures to help her remember them. While those images spark beautiful memories, Nola has found even more comfort in the sound of their voices. She has four saved voicemail messages: a happy birthday greeting from her mother, and three messages from her father. They are on her phone, tucked away in her purse or pocket wherever she goes. Nola and her husband Jeff are hoping to bring the same kind of comfort and joy to others through their newly founded company called Lifetime Memories. Through interviews and video, they create a 20- to 30-minute recording, fashioning a beautiful keepsake for loved ones.
WE’RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE A FEATURELENGTH MOVIE, WE’RE JUST TRYING TO CAPTURE A SNIPPET OF TIME. — Jeff Howell
“It’s something that inevitably happens at dinner parties, holidays or family reunions,” Jeff says. “You get to talking about the good old days and one memory leads to another. We thought, why not capture that for your family?” With 40 years of work in radio, Jeff knows his way around a recording studio. He also has a knack for putting people at ease. Each interview is personalized to meet the person’s interests, and every session starts when Jeff and Nola give their clients a list of questions and topics to consider. They’re all open-ended, leading questions to get the conversation started, and behind the camera, Jeff offers encouragement, saying, “Tell us more.” The goal is to draw on those memories not often shared.
Our mission is to provide you with the opportunity to
SHARE YOUR LIFE STORY
for your family and friends to cherish forever!
Your Life History
• Re-live the memories in your life with video. • Share your stories and experiences through modern media. • We will conduct personalized interview(s) in your home environment; add music and pictures that will relate your stories for others to enjoy for today and beyond.
Plan Ahead For Your Family And Holiday Gatherings!! CALL NOW TO SET UP YOUR APPOINTMENT!
Jeff Howell (406) 690-0635 jeffhowellvo@gmail.com Nola Howell (406) 861-7127 g.nolav@gmail.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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FRED MAGERS, 82, sat down to record his Lifetime Memories project with Jeff and Nola Howell earlier this summer. He’s a father of nine children and has many grandchildren. He wanted to record a bit of his history for them. “My kids know most of my history, but the grandkids don’t,” he says. Magers says Jeff and Nola put him at ease, and the recording process was as easy as a conversation with friends.
“You don’t often talk about your history with your family,” Nola says. “You assume they’ve heard your stories.” When it comes time to record, Nola and Jeff bring all of their equipment to their client’s home and stay for about two to three hours. When Jeff wraps up, the real work begins. He pores over the tape and lays out a storyboard. Then, Jeff and his son, Erik, begin editing video. When all is said and done, music is added, along with some of the family’s favorite photos. With the final video, the family is given full rights, meaning they can duplicate and share as much as they’d like. “We’re not trying to make a feature-length movie,” Jeff says. “We’re just trying to capture a snippet of time.”
Connie and Dave Hunter recently had a Lifetime Memories video recorded as a Christmas present for their daughters and their families. One lives in Minnesota and the other lives in North Carolina. “We were thinking about our grandkids and since they live so far away, maybe they wouldn’t have a chance to hear all our stories,” Connie says. In the video they talked about their early years together, Dave’s active duty service in the Navy, and their trip to Europe before the girls were born. They also shared their desires for their family to follow them in the Christian faith.
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“Jeff made it really comfortable because he was sitting there with the camera and it was just like we were having a conversation with him,” Dave says. “As we talked, he encouraged us to go deeper.” Like the Hunters, Nan and Paul Ostrander had their grandchildren in mind when they sat down with Jeff to film their Lifetime Memories video. In the busy-ness of life, Nan and Paul don’t often have the chance to share their history and memories with their grandchildren. They hope the video sparks conversation.
By the time it was over, Nan had shared her experiences living 10 years of her childhood in a children’s home and Paul shared many stories from his childhood too. They also tapped into their memories of their early years together. “I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to sit and talk to my grandkids about a lot of this stuff,” Nan says. “To see the two of them being goofy on the couch while I set up was fun,” Jeff says. The Ostranders didn’t know Jeff’s camera was rolling at the time, which made for a fun addition to the video that captures their sense of humor. Jeff and Nola started Lifetime Memories last year, but when Jeff was laid off at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were able to focus more on expanding the business. Nola is retired from nursing after 31 years in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and later five years in home care. Over the years, patients and their families would open up to her and share their stories. Nola was always grateful to hear and be trusted with them. “I like being able to interact with people again and hear their stories,” she says. For now, they are marketing their service to Billings families, but Nola and Jeff are hoping to record videos with families across the state. While many families are inclined to wait until end-of-life to do a recording Jeff and Nola encourage everyone not to wait. “It’s for right now,” Jeff said. “It’s for the living.” ✻
• LIFETIME •
Memories
captures memories on video for families to cherish for generations to come. Each video costs between $600 and $800. For more information, visit www.lifetimememoriesofyou.com.
Thank You FO R S U P P O RTI NG TH E
Rita, Jake & Kyle Beck Fund Established to honor three compassionate, caring and loving individuals... Rita and her two sons, who were lost too soon. www.mtcf.org/Beck-Fund
534-1439
D WNE LLY O LOCA ATED OPER AND
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PLANTING PLANTING A A
Promise
LYNN MULLOWNEY CABRERA LONGS FOR A DAY WITHOUT ALZHEIMER’S written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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IN AN ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
Promise Garden, bright and bold pinwheel flowers spin in the breeze. They might look like simple splashes of blue, purple, yellow and orange. But each one staked in the ground represents how the person who planted it has been touched by the degenerative brain disease. Purple means the disease took someone you loved. Blue means you’ve been diagnosed with one of the dozens of types of dementia. Yellow signifies you are a caregiver of someone afflicted. And orange symbolizes a longing for the day when this mind-robbing disease no longer exists. Fifteen years ago, when Lynn Mullowney Cabrera took a job as the communications director at the Orange County Alzheimer’s Association to be closer to the love of her life, Nardo, she would have grabbed an orange pinwheel flower. Today, her Promise Garden holds not only an orange flower but two purple and two yellow ones as well. “I think everyone is touched by this,” she says. As a woman who has always worked in the nonprofit sector, Lynn was taught to roll up her sleeves and help her community whenever and wherever there was a need. When she saw a listing for a job with the Alzheimer’s Association back in 2005, the work intrigued her.
“I said to my mom, ‘What do you think?’ She said, ‘Oh Lynnie, Make-A-Wish is nice, but Alzheimer’s is important.’” Lynn adds, “Within two weeks, I learned the Alzheimer’s Association had this position.” It was for the executive director of the Montana Chapter – based in Billings, serving the entire state with Alzheimer’s awareness, support, prevention and advocacy programs. She landed the job. But with Nardo still working in California, for two years she traveled back and forth before the two eventually settled back down in Billings. That was five years ago. At around the same time, her husband Nardo was silently noticing changes in his own body. He had difficulty tracking conversations at work and would lose words mid-sentence. Walking down the stairs, he struggled with his balance.
EVERYTHING ELSE DOESN’T STOP WHEN A DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER’S OR DEMENTIA STARTS. HOW DO YOU ADJUST? FROM EVERY SITUATION, WE ENCOUNTER A LESSON. — Lynn Mullowney Cabrera
“Every day, I pray the Prayer of Jabez, asking God to essentially enlarge my territory, show me the work He needs me to do, give me the tools to do it and help me not to cause harm,” she says. When she spotted the listing and applied, she says, “They told me, ‘You know, we are one step away from filling this position.’” They claimed they had removed the listing from all the job boards when Lynn touched base. “I said, ‘OK, maybe we should talk.” She was offered the job, and within a short time she moved from the communications job into the role of vice president of development. “Talk about enlarging my territory even further!” she says. While she loved the work and saw what a well-funded nonprofit in a large community could do, her Billings roots kept calling her home. Her family is here. She loved the small-town feel, even in Montana’s largest city.
“He worried and wondered about it for three years,” Lynn says. “He said, ‘I hear you talking all the time about the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s. I think that’s me.’ I said, ‘Really? Okay.’” Lynn was keenly aware that those living with early dementia do recognize the symptoms a lot earlier than they let on. After admitting they suffer symptoms, diagnosis is often the next big struggle.
“We went in and the primary care physician said, ‘Oh, you’re just stressed.’” It made sense. At the time, Nardo was working in management at an aerospace engineering company, sometimes juggling overseas assignments. Lynn adds, “Next year, we brought it up again and the doctor said, ‘Oh, you’re just tired. You need to get more rest.’” Finally, three years and seven doctors later, a diagnosis came. After a battery of tests, the news was delivered over the phone. Nardo suffered from mild cognitive impairment. “They said, ‘It says here that you should do online brain training and come back and see us in two years,’” Lynn says. “I said, ‘Wait. I’m sorry. Come back and see you in two years? If this was a curious skin lesion, you’d say, get in here. Let’s do something about this, right?’ I wish I could say that our situation was unique.”
“You go places and people are friendly,” Lynn says. “They make eye contact. They love to smile. I missed that.”
They landed yet another referral for a neurologist, a dementia specialist, who evaluated Nardo’s medical file and quickly ordered up a PET scan, to look at the activity in his brain.
She started daydreaming and searching want ads, spotting an executive director role at Make-A-Wish in Montana.
Based on some dark spots (lack of cell activity) in some portions of his brain, the doctor determined Nardo had young
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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onset dementia, more specifically Frontotemporal Dementia, a degenerative condition that attacks the frontal and temporal lobes. Nardo’s memory is excellent. In some people, the disease tends to attack personality and behavior. In others, it sparks difficulties with language. At the time, Nardo was 53 years old. Doctors said his lifespan would probably max out in five to eight years. “When I was first diagnosed, I thought, what am I going to do now?” Nardo says. His wife looks at the early diagnosis as a blessing. “You just approach life differently when you know more,” Lynn says. “We have an eyes-wide-open approach.” At that moment, Lynn earned her first yellow Promise Garden flower. As she looks back on the journey, she remembers one doctor trying to put Nardo on the Alzheimer’s drug Aricept to help with cognitive clarity. Another thought he needed an antidepressant. Both, Lynn says, would have made his condition irrevocably worse due to his type of dementia. “Just getting to an accurate diagnosis helped make sure that whatever they did for interventions were going to be neutral or better but certainly not harmful,” Lynn says. The fact that she took a job 15 years ago that has paved the way for her to be able to help those she loves is something not lost on her. “Life is fully loaded, right? Everything else doesn’t stop when a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia starts. How do you adjust?” Lynn says. “From every situation, we encounter a lesson.” The lessons continued time and again in 2019. “It was April a year ago, we went up to see my dad at his cabin in Absarokee,” Lynn says. She had spoken to him on the phone before she jumped in the car. All was good. “Between the time we left and the time we got there, he had fallen and cracked his head on the stone floor.” Observing her dad’s behavior, Lynn knew right away this was more than just a slip and fall. “I do this work,” Lynn says. “I didn’t want to see it because I think 32
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then that means, ‘What do we do?’” At 80, her dad, Mike Mullowney, was diagnosed with vascular dementia. “He had high blood pressure. He probably wasn’t that healthy of an eater,” Lynn says. “All of a sudden, this man who was on no meds was on seven different things.” She adds, “As a family, we weren’t able to provide the 24/7 care Dad needed.” The family agreed to move him into an assisted living community. “We were looking into the future and thinking, how do we pay out of pocket for this month after month?” Lynn says. “We deplete all of his assets and then we deplete all of our own? It gave me a keen insight into what families struggle with.” Last Christmas Eve, her dad suffered another stroke. He died six days later. With his death, Lynn earned a purple Promise Garden flower. During the difficult months helping coordinate her father’s care, Lynn reflects on how torn she felt trying to be there for her parents, for her husband and for all the families she served through her work. “I called the Alzheimer’s Association Helpline. I parked my car in a culde-sac a block from my house and I called,” she says, noting the line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week by master’sprepared social workers. “I just needed to talk,” she says. “As Alzheimer’s and dementia unfolds, it does so in pretty insidious ways — in ways that you can choose to ignore so you can avoid figuring out what the implications of that are,” Lynn says. She pauses before saying, “You probably know my mom has been diagnosed?” Lavina Guertin, Lynn’s mom, is what many would call an Energizer Bunny of a woman. On the day we met up with the 81-year-old, she raced her daughter to her car to grab a bag with her latest knitting project inside. She knits prayer shawls, each stitch woven with prayers for those who might need a spiritual pick-me-up. Proving no two cases of dementia are alike, Lavina shares
ALZHEIMER'S is the
6TH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE U.S.
that hers came to light after a series of emergency surgeries. In 2018, she was cleaning her shower. When she touched a piece of the metal frame to clean it, she felt a burning sensation. Her finger became so swollen, she says, it doubled in size. Doctors determined she had an aggressive Strep C infection. “She was rushed into emergency surgery and over a period of eight days, she had four complete surgeries on it where they put her under,” Lynn says. “It just changed my whole world,” Lavina says. “The hardest thing for me is memory. Someone will tell me something and, a few seconds later, it’s gone.” She also says as the day turns to evening, her patience dwindles. “I can’t do anything that requires concentration in the late afternoon or evening,” she says. She has difficulty finding the right words. She’s locked her keys in her car. She’s walked to church, only to realize there’s not a service that day. “My guess is that she had the Alzheimer’s pathology in her brain but it might only have been noticeable to the informed eye. It wasn’t really affecting her life,” Lynn says. She believes the trauma of the anesthesia and the infection proved to be the tipping point in her mother. “She’s very good about calling and checking on me,” Lavina says as she looks to her daughter with a smile. Another yellow Promise Garden flower for Lynn. Along the way, there was one additional flower added, a purple one. Shortly after Lynn took the job in Orange County, she and Nardo realized his father, Dr. Hermino Cabrera, was living with vascular dementia. The highly repected provider died in 2015. With every passing day, Lynn pays attention to the latest research. She’s closely watching news about the drug Aducanumab, now before the FDA. It’s showing promise when it comes to slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s.
“It’s going to absolutely force the conversation about early detection because you don’t give a disease-modifying drug to someone who is well into the disease,” Lynn says. The 2020 Alzheimer’s Association Facts and Figures report shows that many who suffer symptoms are waiting for their doctors to bring up the topic. Doctors are waiting for their patients to broach the subject. Women are the hardest hit. “Of every three people with Alzheimer’s, two of them will be women,” Lynn says. So, she says, the fight for research and awareness continues. Today, Lynn spends her days working at home because of the pandemic. The work hasn’t slowed down. If anything, Lynn’s noticed an uptick in need. “Every month, we are able to offer more than 30 educational programs because it is now all virtual,” she says, explaining that the Montana Chapter has partnered with other chapters in the region from here all the way down to New Mexico to share in program delivery. As she works, pushing to make a difference, she sees firsthand how her husband is seizing every possible minute of life. “There are days when he is up and out of the house and going and doing. He might go up to the Rod and Gun Club and shoot arrows for a few hours. He might take our puppy for a swim. Then, there are some days when he needs to take two or three naps, but what he doesn’t need right now is to get up and go to SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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LYNN SPEAKS AT THE 2019 CREATING HOPE GALA
THE CREATING HOPE GALA COMMITTEE: L TO R, BACK ROW: PENNI PEARSALL, MARY BETH KROGH, SUE LUCAS, DONNA CLARK SMITH. FRONT ROW: BRENDA REICHENBACH, LEE GIBB, LINDA CHRISTENSEN YOUNG
a job and have the stress of that,” Lynn says. Not long after his diagnosis, Nardo retired and was able to take short- and then long-term disability. For a guy who was hellbent on working until he was 65, he now sees the beauty of taking life one day at a time. Dialing in his diabetes helped. Working on his golf game didn’t hurt either. “If it doesn’t bring me joy, I don’t do it!” he says with a chuckle. “I just worry about the now.” He’s come to accept what lies ahead. “It’s not a big deal to me anymore,” Nardo says. “My friends cover for me. If I try to say I got par on a hole, they will say, no, you double bogeyed that. Sometimes I do it on purpose and they will tell me, ‘You’re wrong Cabrera.’” He turns a little more serious and adds, “Lynn and I always say that God has a plan for us. I am more a believer of that now than ever before. He is not going to disappoint us.” He feels blessed to have by his side the woman who was once his high school best friend and is now his soul mate. “What’s not to love about her?” he says with an ever-present sparkle in his eye. “Oh, stop it!” Lynn says waving her hand. And then Nardo finishes, “There’s not one person I know on this earth that has anything bad to say about her. They think I married outside my league, which I did.” Now, eight years since the early signs of his symptoms, Lynn knows early detection was a tremendous gift. “That’s the beauty of it,” she says. “I think most people get diagnosed well into the disease process. So, it would have been five to eight years if we started in the middle. If you start closer to the beginning, maybe it’s 10 to 12?” She recognizes they’ve been given a window of opportunity to make critical decisions. 34
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A couple of years ago, the Alzheimer’s Association added another flower to its Promise Garden. It’s one Lynn can’t wait to see planted. The white flower symbolizes an Alzheimer’s or dementia survivor. “The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the only one without a survivor lap. The cancer walk, part of the joy is the survivor lap that they take with applause,” Lynn says. “We don’t have that yet, but we will, and we are confident that the person is already alive today. One day we will have a white flower and then dozens and then hundreds and then thousands.” Lynn is hopeful because the talk and awareness surrounding dementia is getting louder. Recently, the National Institutes of Health increased its annual budget for dementia research to $2 billion. “That’s what scientists feel they need —every year — so that they can really begin to put the foot to the gas on this thing,” she says. In the meantime, she holds on to her yellow, purple and orange Promise Garden flowers, feeling blessed to do the work that never seems to lessen in intensity. “When you are living it at home and at work and on every front, it really doesn’t matter how much you are able to do for folks,” she says. “It’s never enough.” Her fight is not just for every family affected in the state of Montana that she serves. It’s for her mom. For the memory of her father and father-in-law. And, for her beloved Nardo, who loves to walk each day by her side. “He’s my rock,” Lynn says as she looks across the room at her husband. “We are really trying to not delay joy.” ✻
Alzheimer’s isn’t waiting. Neither are you. This year, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is everywhere: from downtowns to small towns and every sidewalk in between. Because the world may look a little different right now, but one thing hasn’t changed: our commitment to the fight against Alzheimer’s and all dementia. Your health and safety are our top priorities, so we aren’t having a large in-person gathering this year — instead, we invite you to walk in small teams of friends and family while others in your community do the same. This year’s event includes everything you love about Walk, plus fun new surprises:
THIS YEAR’S
WALK
• Explore Walk Mainstage, a virtual experience where you can visit sponsor booths; connect with others; learn about Association resources; and watch the Opening and Promise Garden Ceremony.
IS EVERYWHERE.
• Walk in your neighborhood, on any sidewalk, track or trail. Download the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to check your progress and hear inspiring messages as you walk. • Visit the view-only planted Promise Garden to see your community’s reasons to end Alzheimer’s. Take your first step at alz.org/walk.
BILLINGS | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
I TRIED MAKING MY FAMOUS CHICKEN RECIPE, BUT CONFUSED THE STEPS.
KNOW WHERE ALZHEIMER’S AND ALL DEMENTIA HIDE. Difficulty planning and completing familiar tasks are warning signs of Alzheimer’s. Learn more at alz.org/10signs SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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Hope ‹ Cure for a
LITTLE THINGS TO ADVANCE THE EFFORT
➧
➧
WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S
While walkers might not be able to gather for a large in-person event, that doesn’t mean the commitment to end Alzheimer’s has wavered. This year, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s can take place on every sidewalk, street, track or trail. Opening ceremonies in Billings will be held virtually on Sept. 27. Afterward, grab your family or small team to walk for a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. Each year, the walk provides for roughly threefourths of the operating budget for the Montana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. To register your team, visit bit. ly/blgswalk or call (406) 252-3053.
➧
FLOWER SHOWER
Instead of placing a flower in a Promise Garden, this year the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging Flower Showers. Window clings in the various symbolic colors will be available for a donation. Shower a neighbor, a friend, a loved one or yourself. The hope is for thousands of flowers to be planted in windows and communities statewide. This year, the chapter is hosting a driveby Promise Garden the day of the walk. To see the garden, drive by Dehler Park at Ninth Avenue North and North 27th Street in Billings from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Last year, the Montana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association hosted its inaugural Creating Hope Gala. The event, which featured a silent and live auction along with dueling pianos for entertainment, was such a success — clearing $100,000 in funds raised — that they’re planning to host the gala again April 24, 2021. To keep tabs on the chapter’s events, sign up for their newsletter at alz.org/ montana.
10 WAYS TO LOVE YOUR BRAIN
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hit the books
butt out
fuel up right
buddy up
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take care of your heart
break a sweat
stump yourself
catch some protect take care of your zzzz's your head mental health
Feeding Your Brain EATING TO KEEP COGNITIVE DECLINE AT BAY written by KARLI BIES, REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
IF YOU KNEW that the sweet potato you enjoyed every now and then during dinner benefited your brain health with every bite, would you make a note to eat more of them?
properties found to support memory and to reduce mental strain.
The truth is, many of us think about how the food we eat affects our overall health and the energy these foods provide, but rarely do we think about what impact they have on our brains.
3. KALE (or other leafy greens):
If you are worried about keeping diseases such as Alzheimer’s at bay, emerging research shows there are a few diets that have been found effective in slowing the progression of degenerative brain diseases.
its anti-inflammatory properties and appears to boost your mood since the antioxidant beta-carotene helps slow free radical damage to brain cells.
The answer might be as simple as whole grains, lean meats, fish, nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies and a little bit of dairy. The Mediterranean and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) have both been connected to lowering blood pressure, reducing cardiovascular disease along with Type 2 Diabetes — all of which are risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. The diets call for less red meat, less dairy and less salt, all most often consumed in the average American diet. In the last few years, the MIND diet, which is a hybrid of both the Mediterranean and DASH diets (stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), has taken center stage. Research shows that not only is this diet good for overall health, the antioxidant-rich diet reduces cell damage to the brain. The MIND diet focuses on 10 foods called “brain health powerhouses.” Let’s take a look.
1. DARK CHOCOLATE:
Research shows eating high flavanol cocoa improves blood flow to the brain and has shown to improve cognitive function in elderly people with mental impairment.
NUTRITION 38
2. TUMERIC: This spice has powerful anti-inflammatory
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Greens are packed with nutrients like folate, vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids, all which have been shown to slow brain aging.
4. SWEET POTATOES: This root vegetable is known for
5. BERRIES:
According to the Mayo Clinic, in a 20-year study of more than 16,000 older adults, those who ate healthy doses of flavonoid-rich blueberries and strawberries had the slowest rates of cognitive decline.
6. WALNUTS: This tasty snack is packed with vitamin E, known for its brain-protecting properties.
7. GARBONZO BEANS:
These little legumes are rich in magnesium, fiber and protein, all great for brain health. Magnesium relaxes your blood vessels, allowing more blood (and oxygen) to travel to your brain.
8. FISH: Research shows adults over the age of 65 who consumed fish weekly scored better on memory tests than those who didn’t. The Omega-3 fatty acids aid in blood flow to the brain.
9. RED WINE: A glass with dinner might lower the risk of cognitive decline. Studies show red wine helps with blood flow and, according to the Mayo Clinic, light to moderate enjoyment may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s by two to three years.
10. GREEN TEA:
Studies show the mix of caffeine and L-theanine present in green tea bring a boost in both mood and cognitive performance.
Striving For The Mind One of the best parts of the research surrounding these ways of eating is that they are flexible. You don’t have to follow the exact recommendations to benefit with better brain health. On an average week, strive for: • 6 servings of leafy greens • 1 non-leafy green, daily • 2 or more servings of berries • 1 serving of fish • A handful of nuts for a snack, five times a week • 4 or less red meat meals So, what can you implement into your life this month to help support your brain health? Could you swap red meat for fish 1-2 times a week? Go ahead and have that glass of wine with some berries and dark chocolate! ✻
EATING CERTAIN FOODS (AND AVOIDING OTHERS) HAS BEEN SHOWN TO
Slow Brain Aging
BY 7.5 YEARS AND LESSEN THE CHANCES OF DEVELOPING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. – MAYO CLINIC
KARLI BIES, writer Karli is a registered dietitian whose passion is not only food and nutrition but working with clients on their overall health. She loves helping make changes that are sustainable and helping to create healthy relationships with all foods.
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STRENGTH, CONFIDENCE and2
HAPPY HORMONES THE BATTLE MARANDA RATCLIFF WAGED TO EARN ALL THREE written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN and PARKER HOPKINS
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FOR AS LONG AS MARANDA RATCLIFF
can remember, she’s been at war with her hormones. When she entered womanhood, the transition wasn’t easy. Her cycle was rough, cystic acne came into the picture and she fell victim to anxiety, depression and hormonal weight gain. After several trips to various doctors, all were unified in their suggestion — begin taking birth control. “I was on birth control from the time I was 11, until I was 23. So, about half my life,” Maranda says.
“I gained 25 pounds in college, even though I was exercising all the time and eating well,” Maranda says. “There’s no reason why I should have gained that weight.” She suspected her birth control pills and, out of frustration, quit them cold. “The first three months, I felt phenomenal,” she says. “All of a sudden, my acne came back full force. I had cystic acne all over. Nothing I did could get rid of it. I lost my cycle completely and didn’t have it for six months.” She adds, “It was one of the darkest times in my life.” During this dark period, Maranda decided to leave the Naval Academy after a physical showed she suffered from a spinal defect disqualifying her from her dream of becoming a pilot. After a few years at Montana Tech and one semester short of an engineering degree, she left school to start the women’s adventure retreat company called Rocky Mountain Women Outdoors.
Now at 25, she shakes her head at the thought. “Based on what I know now — 11-, 12- and 13-year-old girls — it takes time for their cycles to regulate on their own,” she says. “Doctors are putting these girls on birth control before their bodies can figure out what they are doing. When you are adding in extra hormones, what do you expect?”
Still, life wasn’t clicking.
While the pill appeared to regulate her cycle and helped keep hormonal acne at bay, anytime Maranda ramped up her exercise, a hormonal shift occurred, landing her back into the eye of a hormonal storm. “When I started lifting, my acne would get worse. Every time I would eat better or less or diet per se, a lot of my hormonal symptoms would arise, which seems very counter-intuitive because you figure if you are eating healthier, you’d start to improve.”
“I was so conscious of the way I looked because of the acne and not being able to control my body, I cancelled five or six retreats because I couldn’t physically show up and feel confident and able to lead a group of women,” Maranda says. “That was last summer.”
Maranda
The cycle continued well into her college years. It was problematic for this girl who loved to power lift.
“I wasn’t sleeping a lot because I was studying all night. I was in a high stress environment — all while powerlifting for, basically, a D-1 school. That was when I was in the Naval Academy, a dream that I had from the time I was in seventh grade.” When her hormones flared, her confidence plummeted. She suffered from major bouts of anxiety and depression. It would be this way for another five years.
The woman who loved to inspire others and make them think big about life was unable to follow her own advice.
“It was really hard,” she says. “I felt like if I didn’t figure this out, I wasn’t going to have a business. I wasn’t going to have any friends. If I can’t show my face, if I can’t show up for my life, what’s the point? I was determined to figure it out.” She made an appointment with an endocrinologist. “He ran literally every test imaginable,” Maranda says, “and all of my hormones came back normal. He said, ‘All of your numbers are within the normal to good range. Nothing is wrong.’” Maranda started to power lift again and set her sights on fitness competitions. She hired a personal trainer and decided to go SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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I WANT TO HELP OTHER WOMEN BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE IN SUCH A DARK PLACE. I DON’T WANT THEM TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS ALONE. — Maranda Ratcliff
dairy, gluten and soy free for a couple of months, eating a paleo diet rich in lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. She started, with her trainer’s help, to put the pieces together. “When you’re lifting heavy weights and training really hard, not giving your body enough time to rest, cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone) and inflammation can be a lot higher,” Maranda says. “My trainer looked at my lab work and noticed that when I’m in a dieting phase, my progesterone drops significantly.” Maranda was finally able to connect the dots. “Because my progesterone was dropping, I was losing my cycle and because my estrogen was increasing, I was experiencing acne and hair loss.” Thinking about all she endured over more than 12 years, she says, “My personal trainer of all people was able to help me understand what was happening to my body.” She started to focus on her digestive health, knowing that when you have digestive issues, metabolized estrogens can sit in your digestive tract and eventually be reabsorbed, aggravating hormonal imbalance. She takes a probiotic and digestive enzyme, drinks enough water and takes the supplement Ashwagandha for its anti-inflammatory, anti-stress and sleep-inducing properties. She’s also created a non-toxic home, using natural cleaning and personal care products to reduce her exposure to the chemicals and ingredients that can impact her hormonal health. “I’m navigating this season now to figure out how I can get to a place where I am lean and comfortable and confident in my skin,” Maranda says. Starting to hit her stride, Maranda says she is hitting some personal weightlifting bests. She can squat 315 pounds. Her 42
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deadlift is close to 400 pounds and despite her 5-foot-6-inch frame, she benches more than 200 pounds. She picked up a modeling contract with a local agency and hopes to pursue her dream of being a fitness model. And, this fall, she and her boyfriend, Travis, plan to film a hunting show allowing viewers to follow them along on their backcountry hunting expeditions. Her mind is always engaged, looking for new opportunities. She laughs when she says, “It just never stops.” She’s become a fitness influencer with close to 13,000 followers on social media. She also launched an online personal training and nutrition program that aims to create a game plan for women wanting to achieve better physical and hormonal health. She averages 30 one-on-one clients a month. “I take a different approach with every woman I work with,” Maranda says. She talks about digestion, symptoms they might be experiencing or medications they might be taking. In time, she dreams of hosting what she calls “Confidence Camp” — a retreat for high school female athletes designed to teach them how to lift and eat for performance and, as Maranda says, “help them step into their confidence.” She’s hoping to use what she’s endured to lift up and inspire other women. “It’s just been a journey,” she says. “I want to help other women because I know what it is like to be in such a dark place. I don’t want them to have to go through this alone.” ✻
HORMONAL HEALTH and2DIGESTION DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CONNECTION?
DR. KAILA SELLARS is a naturopathic physician with the Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic who specializes in hormonal health. She analyzes symptoms and knows by experience that there is a strong connection between a woman’s hormonal balance and her digestive health. It’s a topic that she wishes more women would explore. “There’s a huge connection between gut health and clearing out hormones,” Sellars says. While some doctors prescribe birth control to keep symptoms under control and regulate a menstrual cycle, Sellars says, “To truly regulate a cycle, you can’t really do that with birth control because it is shutting down ovulation and just impacting the uterus directly.” When she counsels young women, she says, “The first couple of years can be irregular with is perfectly normal. I like to support digestive health and make sure they have enough healthy fatty acids.” While checking hormone levels can be an important indicator of imbalance, Sellars says, “It’s really important to know where you are in your cycle when you do the test and interpret it based on that.” She adds, “It may appear normal because the range is so
wide, it varies so much. But, going off how the patient feels gives you the best clinical decision making.” Sellars says when it comes to imbalance, she will also look at adrenal function because that can directly impact a woman’s progesterone levels. She looks at cholesterol function and says, “low cholesterol will make less hormones all the way around.” And she makes sure that women are using the bathroom daily. “The liver needs to clear things out and you have to support elimination,” Sellars says. If a woman doesn’t, she says, “You can actually reabsorb some of the estrogen metabolites from the gut which can lead to an overload of estrogen that way.” That’s why Sellars makes sure her patients know about probiotics, making sure they switch up the type of probiotic regularly to promote what she calls a “diverse gut flora.” She encourages digestive bitters to help stimulate the body’s own digestive enzymes and better prep the stomach for digestion. And when it comes to fiber, she suggests that her patients get a healthy dose of it. “Fiber is really huge and that is how you promote more diversity in the gut,” Sellars says, “making sure we eat enough fiber which I will tell you, most Americans don’t.” ✻
Say goodbye to brown spots Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is an excellent treatment to address the appearance of brown spots. IPL can also help address • Sun damage • Vascular lesions • Rosacea • Age spots We want you to feel confident in your skin! Each IPL treatment is customized specifically to your skin's needs and is performed by a registered nurse. Receive special pricing on IPL during September and October when you mention this ad. To learn more information or schedule an appointment, please call (406) 657-4653 or visit billingsclinic.com/facialplastics SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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UNRESERVED
ENGLISH TEACHER USES ART TO BRIDGE DIVERSITY AMONG STUDENTS written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN and M’KENZIE BROWN
A SIMPLE CIRCLE
on a white background. Four spaces for photos. At first glance, this template doesn’t look like a canvas designed to bring social awareness. But one former high school teacher says it’s transforming the lives of youth across Montana. Once an English teacher at Hardin High School, Dani Phillips spent the last several years teaching primarily Native American students. Over the years, she’d searched for a project that would engage students and get them talking about race, ethnicity, social justice and other universal issues facing teens today. She never found one. So, with the help of her students, she developed one known as Unreserved. The name is an undoing of the word reservation, which holds a double meaning — reservation, to hold back, and reservation, the place. In both cases, Unreserved is fitting. “This is 100 percent student centered,” Dani says. Usually held in a day-long workshop, Unreserved asks students to delve into four themes and how they relate to their lives: heritage, hurdle, happiness and hope. As students share experiences with their small group, they add photos they brought with them to add to their circular outline. An adult who serves as a facilitator sits in and creates their own personal work of art, helping the kids to dig deep and explore the themes fully. “We tell them that this is the day for you to be safe to do that,” Dani says. The active and artful lesson starts with heritage because, for most students, it’s the easiest topic to share. It can be anything in their past that has shaped who they are. The students tackle “Hurdle” next and focus on 44
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those things that keep them from reaching their potential. They look at “Happiness,” and the things that bring them joy, and then the program ends on “Hope,” when students really look to their future and their goals. “Just having your story heard is empowering,” Dani says. And, using art to bring your history to life, Dani says, taps into each student’s creative side. “There’s something about making things together that bonds us together,” she adds. When the day-long exercise wraps, students who don’t mind have their work of art shared in the halls of their high school or within a community exhibit. Even though the work is incredibly personal, Dani says most students are willing to share. “What this does is create a community scrapbook,” Dani says. Last year, Dani put together an Unreserved event for 75 students in Lewistown. It was the largest group she’d ever hosted. Students from Browning, Hardin and Lewistown sat at tables together, sparking small group discussions. After listening to a few guest speakers, the day wrapped with a student-led round dance and drum circle. During the day, students discovered that despite their differences, they had more in common than they thought. “This is so simple that I can hardly believe we haven’t been doing anything like this before,” says Meggan Cirrincione, a high school
English teacher from Lewistown. “The only time these students would have ever met would have been through sports – with competition coming before connection,” Meggan says, adding that her students all say it was an eye-opening experience. “It takes a lot of courage for kids to open up like that,” she says. Unreserved hits the mark on many educational levels. It teaches interpersonal communication skills and creativity and introduces important themes such as diversity, race, equity and social justice. Throughout the activity, students are making deep connections with each other just by being open and vulnerable. “For me, the biggest piece is student engagement,” Dani says. “You’re not going to see kids checked out while doing this.” Cheyenne Whiteman, a Hardin High School student from Crow Agency, participated in Unreserved when it was held in SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
45
Lewistown. While she’s usually shy, she says opening up during the project was not as difficult as she expected. “When other people share really intense stuff with you, it helps you open up to share the deeper parts of yourself,” Cheyenne says. “When you make that deep connection with someone, it opens your eyes and you realize that you have a lot of things in common.” Unreserved started as a project in Dani’s English classes at Hardin High, where Cheyenne was one of her students. While Dani was looking for a project that could get kids to open up about their personal experiences, this program exceeded even her expectations. So much so that this spring, Dani left teaching to facilitate Unreserved full time. She’s working to make this project available for all Montana students, especially those living on or near an Indian reservation. “It was completely an intuitive decision,” Dani says. “Every part of me believes I need to do this, and I need to do IT WAS COMPLETELY AN it now. This is the next INTUITIVE DECISION. EVERY step in my life.”
PART OF ME BELIEVES I NEED TO DO THIS, AND I NEED TO DO IT NOW. THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN MY LIFE.
She’s in the process of establishing Unreserved as a nonprofit and has found sponsors to — Dani Phillips help cover the cost of — Dani Phillips delivering the program. This fall, Unreserved will be the subject of a qualitative study, and Dani is working with a team of educators to build wrap-around curriculum that can be used if teachers want to take Unreserved back to their classroom for extended instruction. She has the support of dozens of teachers across the state, including two former Montana teachers of the year. Beyond the classroom, Dani believes that Unreserved could also be a useful exercise for teams, corporations and other organizations that want to take their social awareness and interpersonal communication to the next level. “I don’t see any group that won’t benefit from this,” Dani says. Unreserved is a tool for exploring diversity, bringing diverse groups together and bridging social differences. While Montana may seem to lack diversity, Dani would argue that it has plenty if you stop and look around. “We have such amazing diversity in this state,” Dani says, “and we totally overlook it.” ✻
FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Unreserved program, visit www.urart.org 46
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FINANCIAL FOCUS 529 Plans: Save Now, Pay Off Debts Later by Morgan A Reif, AAMS®, Financial Advisor If you have children or grandchildren, you may already have invested in, or at least considered, a 529 plan. It’s one of the most popular collegesavings vehicles. But, did you know that a 529 plan can now be used not only to save for college, but to pay off college loans as well?
money to help pay off some of the other siblings’ student debts. Or if a student graduates early from college or receives more scholarships than expected, you could end up with some leftover 529 plan funds, which could then be used to repay student loans.
When you invest in a 529 savings plan, your money is professionally managed with a variety of investment options from which to choose. Your earnings grow taxdeferred and withdrawals are free from federal taxes, provided the money is used for qualified higher education expenses. In some states, withdrawals are also exempt from state taxes. Keep in mind, 529 plan withdrawals not used for qualified expenses may be subject to federal and state income taxes and a 10% IRS penalty on the earnings.
If you are thinking about using 529 plan funds to help pay back student loans, you’ll need to keep a couple of things in mind. First, you can’t “double dip” with federal education tax benefits. If you pay student loan interest with tax-free 529 plan earnings, you can’t also take the student loan interest deduction. And second, some states limit use of 529 plans to tuition, fees, textbooks and supplies. In other words, these
Until now, you could only use a 529 plan to help pay for college or trade school. You can also use it for K-12 expenses, but not all states offer tax breaks for K-12 savers. Now however, under recently passed legislation, you can potentially use up to $10,000 from a 529 account to repay federal and most private student loans taken out by your beneficiary. This $10,000 is a lifetime limit, applicable to each beneficiary, so if you have 529 plans for three children/grandchildren, you’ve got $30,000 to pay for school or to pay back student loans. The new law also allows 529 funds to be used to pay for certain apprenticeships, which typically combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction, often at a community college.
A 529 plan has always been a good way to help get your children or grandchildren to college and now it can help them pay off some debts when they leave.
Living in the Now, Preparing for the Future Learn how you can redefine your savings approach toward education and retirement. To learn more, call my office today. Morgan MorganAAReif, Reif,AAMS® AAMS® Financial Advisor Financial Advisor Morgan A Reif, AAMS® edwardjones.com EDS-5422E-A
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Of course, you may end up using all your 529 funds just to pay those college bills, which can be quite high. But if you have several children, each with a 529 plan, and one of them attends a less expensive school and doesn’t need the full amount in their plan, you could use the
states may not recognize student loan payments (or apprenticeship costs) as eligible expenses – which means if you’re in one of these states, your 529 plan dollars that go to student loan repayments or apprenticeship costs could be subject to state income taxes and penalties, or possibly repayment of state tax breaks. In any case, you’ll need to consult with your tax advisor before using 529 plan funds for loans or apprenticeships.
Financial Advisor Member SIPC 148017th 17th StW W Member SIPC 1480 St edwardjones.com Billings, MT 59102-2908 Billings, MT 1480 17th St W59102-2908Member SIPC 406-702-1304 406-702-1304 Billings, MT 59102-2908 406-702-1304
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AMANDA TRACY & ALI MITCHELL 48
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Fledgling Developers LEADING OFF WITH A PROJECT TO BENEFIT DOWNTOWN written by ED KEMMICK photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
A LITTLE MORE than year after forming a real estate investment and development company, Ali Mitchell and Amanda Tracy are eager to complete their first project. But they seem just as excited that their project is also likely to give a big boost to downtown Billings. “We’re passionate about the downtown,” Ali says. “It’s something we think has so much heart and potential to grow and to be really a beacon in Billings.” “It’s nice to be doing something that makes a difference and changes our community for the better,” Amanda adds. Their lead-off project involved the purchase and redevelopment of the old Lou Taubert building in the heart of downtown, at the corner of North Broadway and Second Avenue North under the shadow of Skypoint. Ali and Amanda had just found a tenant for the building as this issue of YVW was going to press, but they were unable to share the details.
Kentucky and Ohio — but they really reconnected after Ali moved back to Billings six years ago. Then, about 14 months ago, not long after Ali had her third child and Amanda her fourth, Ali pitched the idea of going to work together.
WE’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN. IT’S SOMETHING WE THINK HAS SO MUCH HEART AND POTENTIAL TO GROW AND TO BE REALLY A BEACON IN BILLINGS. — Ali Mitchell
The two women knew each other at Skyview High School, where Amanda, 36, was a year ahead of Ali, 35. They stayed in touch over the years — which included a 10-year stint in Salt Lake City for Ali, and for Amanda, stints in Utah,
“I think we were at a similar place in life where we were looking for something more, and both feeling a little unsettled and wanting a new opportunity,” Amanda says. They also wanted jobs that would give them flexibility so they “wouldn’t miss out on all the important things in our kids’ lives,” Ali says. That’s when they formed the Mitchell and Tracy Partnership, which also includes Ali’s husband, David Mitchell, and Amanda’s husband, Kyle Tracy. The new career was less of a leap for Ali, who had had a real estate license in Utah and had been planning to go into commercial real estate when she moved back to Billings.
But she knew that she and Amanda could both learn what they needed to learn. The important thing was partnering with someone she could trust implicitly, who would be honest, someone who, she says, “would want the best for you as you want for them.”
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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING MY FAMILY HAS DONE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. IT'S SOMETHING I FEW UP WITH AND ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN, BUT NEVER REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY. — Ali Mitchell
Another factor was that their parents had known one another for many years and were themselves entrepreneurial and driven. Ali and Amanda even shared the same maiden name, though they’re not related. Ali’s parents, Max and Janine Griffin, have several properties and developments around Billings, while Amanda’s parents, Spencer and Jeannie Griffin, owned Auto Auction of Montana. “Commercial real estate is actually something my family has done for a really long time,” Ali says. “It’s something I grew up with and always had an interest in, but never really the opportunity.” “Kind of like Ali, I was raised by very ambitious, driven parents,” says Amanda, who earned a degree in human services. “They have done really well teaching and pushing me.” David Mitchell went straight into commercial real estate when 50
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he and Ali moved back to Billings, while Ali accepted her mother’s invitation to co-own a business, Central Wellness. David, who is with Coldwell Banker, acts as the broker for the Mitchell and Tracy Partnership, and Kyle, an oral surgeon, offers his advice and some financial backing. They focused the search for their first project on the downtown, where they wanted to make an impact. The building that once housed Lou Taubert Ranch Outfitters had been vacant for about 18 months when they came across it. “We were looking around at other investment opportunities, but nothing really started until we found the first project,” Ali said. They had the building under contract for 10 months and finally closed on it in May, a couple of months later than planned because of the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic also dealt a death blow to plans by the owners of Stacked, a restaurant down the block on the other side of North Broadway, to take over and expand their business in the Taubert building. It was already apparent that the timing wasn’t quite for the expansion anyway, Ali says.
I WAS RAISED BY VERY AMBITIOUS, DRIVEN PARENTS, THEY HAVE DONE REALLY WELL TEACHING AND PUSHING ME. — Amanda Tracy
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As soon as they closed, the partners started renovating the building, starting with the exterior, which will involve removing the old stucco and adding much larger windows. The interior space has been undergoing some general renovation, to accommodate any potential buyers, whether they are interested in office space, retail or a bar-restaurant. The advent of the pandemic was chilling for the new partners, too, Ali says, “but we were all confident that it was the right location, we got for the right price, and if we did what we were supposed to do, it would work out.” They felt that an important building in the center of downtown just had to be attractive enough for someone to want to move in. “If it had been anywhere else, we probably would have been more worried,” Amanda says. The total project cost, including the purchase price and the renovations, will come to about $1.9 million, the partners say. They are using some personal financing and a business loan from Opportunity Bank, which stepped in after the first bank they were using dropped out because of the pandemic.
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They have been learning from their parents, from books and from experience. As Amanda says, “Until you get your feet wet, you don’t know what you don’t know.”
UNTIL YOU GET YOUR FEET WET, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW. — Amanda Tracy
“Opportunity Bank came in and saved us at the last minute,” Ali says. Amanda adds: “And they have been phenomenal.” They also received a $196,000 grant from the Downtown Urban Renewal District’s tax increment financing fund, money that will be spent on things like energy-efficient windows and a fire-suppression system. They are working on the project with Jones Construction and HGFA Architects.
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Amanda and Ali have been getting a crash course in development, learning construction terminology, contracts, leasing, negotiations and number-crunching. “We do a lot of math,” Ali says with a laugh, “more than I probably thought I would do in my life.”
They’ve also been learning from their colleagues in the development industry — overwhelmingly male colleagues, to whom they’re determined to show that they’ve got what it takes. “Any meeting we go to,” Ali says, “anything we do, it’s us and a bunch of men.” They have let everyone know that they’re willing and eager to learn. Both of them are easygoing, and they say working together has only strengthened their relationship. They look forward to bigger things.
“Our goal is to get this one wrapped up by the end of the year and then define our next project,” Ali says. ✻
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sneakers
written by VICKI-LYNN TERPSTRA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
THE ONLY SHOE THAT MATTERS IN 2020
IF YOU LOVE COMFY, casual fashion, you’re in luck. The crisp white sneaker is taking center stage right now. With many of us working from home or keeping it a little more relaxed in the off hours, we are even more grateful for our favorite pair of comfy sneakers. You may be surprised at the fashions that pair perfectly with the clean, classic look of a white kick. We don’t have to suffer the pinches and pains of strappy sandals or roll an ankle over wedges when crisp white sneakers are more trendy right
FASHION 54
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now. Be daring. Pair them with more than just your typical yoga pants or favorite denim. We’ve got a handful of looks that we’re sure you’ll find inspiring for every pair of sassy sneakers you own. ✻
VICKI-LYNN TERPSTRA, writer With nearly a decade long career in retail, VickiLynn has cultivated a true passion for fashion. Even though her day job involves event planning and social media for the largest insurance agency in the Northwest, she uses her style and industry knowhow to help keep women in the Yellowstone Valley looking their best.
FLIRTY SKIRTS & SNEAKERS Whether the skirt is long or short, a white sneaker is the perfect partner for date night, strolling a farmers’ market or for a Saturday afternoon brunch on the patio. The mix of texture with structured denim and a silky skirt make for a comfortable, interesting outfit while on the move. The bold leopard pattern on the skirt gives this easy look a youthful attitude.
Get the Look: Keds Triple Kick,
$54. OAT oversized boxy denim shirt, $69. DEX leopard skirt, $69.99. Samkas bracelets, $75 - $100. Samkas necklace, $165. All can be found at Neecee’s.
Editor’s Note:
Special thanks to Cindy Thelen for modeling our sneaker fashions. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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BUSY BOSS LADY Running hard all day at the office gets exhausting. Put a little pep in your step and find out how much more productive you can be in a fastpaced sneaker. Pair a stylish blazer and non-distressed denim for the perfect bit of fashion appeal. You may even get adventurous and pair your well-cared for white tennies with a flirty, above the knee dress.
Get the Look: Sanctuary
Clothing Blazer, $182. POL ivory tee, $39. Liverpool denim, $89. Matisse white sneaker, $129. Lula ‘n’ lee bracelet, $24. Beaded necklaces, $82 & $59. All can be found at Cricket Clothing.
MAKE IT MONOCHROMATIC If you’re still stuck on the “no white after Labor Day” fashion rule, kindly ignore it. White was once considered the color of vacation. Thank goodness that rule has been thrown out the window. Not sure if you want to sport an all-white look? Simply pick a color you love and style it from head to toe, matching your kicks, of course.
Get the Look:
Pinch Diamond Knit Sweater, $68. Levi’s 724 High Rise Straight Crop, $98. Vintage Havana Gadol Sneaker, $105. Bracha Milan hoop earrings $35. All can be found at Something Chic. 56
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REACH FOR YOUR INNER ROCKSTAR Channel your inner David Bowie with this eccentric look. With music icons as the inspiration, this outfit is just the right amount of “extra.” Layering an unexpected sheer trench over a classic cut jean and band tee, you are bound to catch all kinds of gazes. Don’t be a wallflower. Be a little edgy. That doesn’t mean you have to rock killer stilettos to take this outfit over the top. This sneaker trend proves it.
Get the Look: Buffalo “Kellie” denim in Ideal Blue, $89. IC by Connie K Sheer Trench, $198. Lucky Brand Bowie tee, $39.50. Necklace, $22.80. Steve Madden “Braden” sneaker, $43.19. All can be found at Dillard’s.
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a r B WHAT WHAT II LEARNED LEARNED F R O M MY
written by KAREN GROSZ
IF THERE IS anything that epitomizes, encapsulates, or even
begins to explain the act of aging for women, it is bra shopping. Think about it. That first bra was a rite of passage, a bit scary, a bit exhilarating, and if yours was like the three-pack of training bras I received, had jokes written on them. Yes, jokes. I tell myself now that we were just entering the heyday of custom printing. T-shirts with logos and funny sayings were just becoming a thing, so it was inevitable that training bras carry out the fervor for embellishment. My underwear, at that very special time, were labeled for the day of the week and had a little joke that went along with that tribute. So clever. So problematic on sleepovers, especially, if like me, packing the undies for the right day was a skill that escaped me. Yes, I was, ahem, the butt of many jokes in my stylish, yet misdated, under garb.
As I aged, bras became utilitarian; nursing, running, wider straps, fewer bows and frills. It was, after all, just a bra, and I am nothing but practical about these things. As a point of clarity, bras may be the only thing I am practical about, as I do love to be the Goddess of Excess and overdoing things, just not bras. They have a job to do, and there is no point fussing around about it. At least that’s what I thought until I met my wonderful friend Laura, a Southern belle who once described us as diametrically opposed. I am big, she is small. I will pee behind a tree, she would never. I am very Northern, she is very Southern, to the point of “taking to her bed” when the occasion arises. I tried that. Once. There was nothing ladylike about it, probably because the toast crumbs in my bra irritated me to no end.
A good bra does things for you that even chocolate can’t.
Laura and I had the privilege of working on the same team, traveling the country training business leaders, talking about life and our hopes for those we served. One day, while watching a stream of women walk by us at a conference, Laura said, “At least 70 percent of women wear the wrong size bra.”
Moving from that was real bras with front — Karen Grosz closures, complicated back hooks, twisting to adjust them, and the pain of boys who loved to snap straps. Were you like me, both shocked and flattered the first time that I, to be honest, had never given this a thought, and again, to be happened? I mean, that snap meant I had actually been noticed totally frank, was generally confused by the whole size thing. A, by … wait for it … a boy. Wowzah. It also meant I had to decide, B, DDD, 32, 46 — it was a bit like algebra, and I don’t like algebra. with a moment’s notice and a flash of pain, if I was going to let it She then went on to tell me what a difference it would make for happen again. women’s looks and confidence if this weren’t a fact, and if, like It did not, because I slugged him. (I am old; that was how we dealt her, they felt particularly pulled together when their bra and with ruffians in the seventh grade, way back then.) panties actually matched.
KAREN GROSZ 60
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mily in ntana’s , 14tha.org
Chase ember Finals ntana. morial during
Now come on. Who has time to worry about that stuff? Apparently confident women.
1. SIT QUIETLY WITH YOURSELF FOR AS LONG AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. I don’t mean for two minutes, or during
So, I had a real fitting. As a result, I bought more bras than I ever had at one time, and my life changed for the better. My skin cleared up, I got the promotion, and won the lottery. OK, that’s not really true, but I did get dressed each day with a bit more enthusiasm, and for those of you that know me on social media, enthusiasm is part of my schtick, and that was enhanced by my new coordinated undies confidence.
a pedicure. Escape to silence and listen to you. Stay there for a day, a week, or, as I was privileged to do, several months. Just listen to you and honor what you hear. The woman you want to be is seldom heard over the cacophony of life, and she deserves her say.
A good bra does things for you that even chocolate can’t.
wonderous your life is going to be. Even when life is full of trials and strife, the yeses will buoy you. Conversely, the more you say no, the more often you can say yes. If it does not fill you, feed you, drive you towards your best, say no. No is the greatest gift you can give yourself.
2. SAY YES WHENEVER YOU CAN, AND NO WHEN YOU SHOULD. The more you say yes, the bigger and more
Beauty & the Bea st
Billings Studio Theatre presents “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Junior,” January 10th-13th. Brainy and beautiful Belle yearns to escape I am telling you all of this because I went bra shopping yesterday, her narrow and restricted life including her brute of a suitor, Gaston. at TLC Lingerie. There is something about having someone bring Belle gets adventurous and as a result becomes a captive in the Beast’s me just the right bra, in just the right color, along with a couple enchanted castle! Dancing flatware, menacing wolves and singing thatfurniture are not at all right, that just feels decadent. It makes me think fill the stage with thrills during this beloved fairy tale about thatvery everything is going to be OK, even asanother we communicated different people finding strength in one as they learn how through our masks, and that, for a few days anyway, I will have to love.b i l l i n g s s tu d i o t h e a t r e .c o m
the thrill of wearing something new and wonderful.
FRinge FestivaL While I stood there though, I had to face facts. My bras are required to do different things now my January breasts 18th-19th are oftenand Venture Theatre presents its Fringe that Festival, 25th-26th.The features four shows featuring closer to my arm festival pits when I wake up,nights than of I imagined possiblelocal and regional performing artists of all types including dance, standup back when my bras displayed childhood jokes. comedy, theater improv, one act plays, musicals, performance art,
I am also telling you this because aging, spoken word/poetry, and puppetry.v e n tand u r e tthe h e achanging t r e .o rg of our bra requirements, is one of the most amazing gifts. As we age, and souL s tReet d anCe change, we grow into ourselves, into choices. decide This high energy show comes to theour Alberta BairWe Theater onwhat January we 19th will eat, where we will go, whom we will gift our time to, and presents a new era in dance, while pushing thehow artistic we boundaries will presentofourselves to the world, what we will of keep to of street dance. Soul Streetand concerts consist a mix ourselves. movement that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The music is combined with an electric mix ranging from hip-hop to classical.
Being is will evermake changing, and,and for keep thoseaudiences of you younger It’s aa woman show that you laugh of all ages than me, I want you to know the best is truly yet to come, entertained. everything is sweeter in your 50s, and I look towards my 60s with total awe. Who we get to be, what we get to do, is a series of a ConCe Rt FoR the w hoLe FamiLy practical choices mixed with some of life’s unexpected disasters. Symphony presents its Family Concert on January 26th at the ButBillings it is OUR life, and it is our greatest privilege to embrace aging.
Alberta Bair Theater. Four time Grammy nominees, “Trout Fishing in are America,” will perform alongtowith the Billings Symphony. Trout Here three things I have done become me, an aging woman Fishing in America is a musical duo which performs folk rock I love on the best days, and tolerate on the others. They are littleand children’s music. b i l l i n g s s y m p h o n y.c o m
3. NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, OR THE CONDITION OF YOUR GIRLS, BUY THE PRETTIEST, MOST EXPENSIVE BRA YOU CAN FIND. It might not change your life, but it sure will be fun to wear. I have never written about anything like bras before, and it scares me just a little to put these words out into the world. I was raised to keep the straps under my shirt, to never kiss and tell, to be modest and humble when winning the battle. But, as I tell the people I am coaching to get their Nexts, there is no growth in doing the same thing over and over, and there is more fun in change than boredom, so here you are, an article on bras. I hope it did for you what it did for me, made me think about how fun it is to be a woman. Go on, have fun, you deserve it. So do your girls. ✻
KAREN GROSZ, writer Growing up in the shadow of Mt. Rushmore gave Karen an appreciation of high ideals. Living in Alaska for 25 years gave her a frontier spirit. Life in Montana finds her building community. A selfdescribed "multipotentialite," she loves coaching others with her business, Canvas Creek Team Building.
pieces of advice I wish someone would have given me.
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<A Piece of>
Paradise OUR TRIP TO PINE CREEK LODGE written and photography by LAURA BAILEY
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IF YOU’VE HAD IT,
COVID fever that is, you know the symptoms – a reckless desire for normalcy marked by feelings of discontent, longing and restlessness, often accompanied by acute wanderlust. Stricken with a serious case, we set out, Mr. Wonderful and I, with Little One and the two dogs in tow, looking for a cure. Our destination, Pine Creek Lodge, was just the cure we needed. Located about 10 miles south of Livingston just off US Hwy. 89, Pine Creek Lodge is a live music venue and restaurant with shipping containers cleverly converted into overnight accommodations. It’s one of those enchanting “only in Montana” places that has so much personality it’s a little hard to describe. Perhaps Jenny Arr, co-owner, describes it best, albeit in a somewhat understated way, when she says, “It’s a little gem, a little off the beaten path in Paradise Valley where just about anybody can drop in for a beer, a meal and maybe a great show under the stars.” Pine Creek Lodge is named, quite obviously, for Pine Creek which runs behind the stage and through the outdoor dining space. We were lucky to be able to reserve a cabin on short notice, and even better,
there was a free show that night. We piled out of our SUV, and while Wonderful and I unloaded our things, Little and the dogs explored the grounds, splashing into the creek first, then rockhopping around the massive fire pit. We retreated to the deck outside our container-turned-cabin with a couple of beers and watched as the outpost came to life. The six cabins may look alike, but each is uniquely decorated with a kitschy collection of one-of-a-kind thrift store finds. Designed mostly by Jenny, with help from a friend who is an interior designer, the esthetic is eclectic and fun without looking messy or thrown together. All the necessities were there including a comfortable bed, a mini fridge, table and chairs and a twin-sized window seat for Little. We’d never heard of the Portland-based folk duo on the schedule for that night’s show, but as it turned out, they’re the kind of mellow singer-songwriter sound we like. Dead Lee’s Brian Koch, current and founding member of Blitzen Trapper, and his partner Kara Harris rolled in behind us, followed by Ian Thomas, a local singer songwriter who also performs with his “Band of Drifters,” a local favorite
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IT’S A LITTLE GEM, A LITTLE OFF THE BEATEN PATH IN PARADISE VALLEY WHERE JUST ABOUT ANYBODY CAN DROP IN FOR A BEER, A MEAL AND MAYBE A GREAT SHOW UNDER THE STARS. — Jenny Arr
at Pine Creek. They leisurely began setting up their equipment under the timber-framed stage. Jenny’s partner, Chip Hurt, does all the booking for the artists, and he’s managed to attract some well-known bands, including Young Dubliners, Lucero and the Old 97s. Band members who play on Pine Creek’s stage leave their mark on the ceiling, and the towering pine trees hold signs listing the various acts that have played at Pine Creek. Thanks to Chip, Pine Creek’s calendar includes shows, both free and ticketed, most Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights all summer long. On Sundays, local singer-songwriters play on the beer garden patio during brunch. Chip and Jenny are passionate live-music fans, and when they bought Pine Creek Lodge in 2016, they had visions of a music venue in mind. What they have created is a retreat for music lovers, both those who play and those who partake. It’s an intimate space, and while we were told it could hold 1,000, it was hard to imagine that kind of crowd gathered among the trees and rough-hewn benches and picnic tables.
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On the night we were there the crowd was a perfect mix of music lovers from Livingston and Bozeman, a few tourists from a nearby guest ranch, travelers from area campgrounds, and a collection of visitors like us staying at in the cabins and tent sites. Koch and Harris were masterful musicians. She started on the acoustic guitar and he on the electric guitar, and they traded instruments throughout the set. Some of their original songs were beautifully eerie as they wafted among the pines. “Man, do you ever get tired of these views?” Koch asked the
crowd, pointing with his guitar pick in hand toward an opening through the shaded pines, framing a glimpse of the Absaroka Mountains and the rolling foothills. Pine Creek Lodge is decidedly dog friendly – so long as they stay on a leash — and there were plenty of them there that night, from a collection of little shih-tzus at a table of women celebrating a birthday, to our mastiff mix and everything between. Jenny and Chip’s old lab Gary is always there, though he sleeps through most shows.
Pine Creek Lodge’s restaurant is open nightly for dinner, and its fun roadside-café-inspired menu makes it a destination in itself, with lightly fried Wisconsin cheese curds for starters, as well as an authentic Chicago dog and BLT and steak sandwiches. For those with a heartier appetite they also serve a ribeye steak, and for variety, the menu holds such surprises as a trout filet and tikka masala. Dining is scattered throughout various rooms, each with its own rustic personality. The restaurant’s menu is available only for diners inside, but
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concertgoers aren’t left out. They can grab a bite at the window at the back door of the kitchen. That night’s offerings included a generous coconut curry or BBQ pork sandwiches. House-made chips were an awesome addition, with just enough salt to make a second (or third) beer a welcome necessity. They offered a good selection of regional brews on tap, including a Pine Creek Pale Ale brewed by Neptune’s Brewery in Livingston. Many more varieties could be found in cans and wine was available as well. Little spotted a row of six colorful rubber duckies perched on the edge of the bar, and before she could ask, bartender Megan Hennekens said. “Sure. You can play in the creek.” Little started with one, dropping it in upstream and running down the bank to catch it before it floated under the footbridge. Before long she was racing two ducks, then three, then four. Everyone at the tables along the creek cheered for their favorite duck, making bets on which one would win. Little covered miles of creek bank, running up and down, with the energy only a 5-year-old could muster. As the night went on, we posted Little up in the cabin with her favorite Netflix selections and caught the end of the show from our deck. After the show, impromptu jam sessions broke out and carried on late into the night. Despite the late (for us) night, we woke with the sun and brewed coffee on our backpacking stove on the deck. Looking out over the still, quiet grove of pines made the night before feel like a dream. Before anyone else stirred, Wonderful ran to Wildflour Bakery in Emigrant, just a few miles south on US Hwy. 89. He arrived just as they were pulling caramel rolls out of the oven and brought them back to tide us over until brunch. Brunch at Pine Creek Lodge is every bit as delicious as dinner. In
fact, the menus overlap a little with some popular items, including the PCL Burger and SXSW Sandwich, appearing on both. Brunch is served outside during the summer, and on Sundays there’s always music on the small beer garden deck. Our trip included a performance by Bozeman singer songwriter Amanda Stewart. Megan was behind the bar again, with fresh racing ducks, serving up sake bloody Marys, red beers and mimosas. Little got the races started as a couple from Michigan sat down with their 13-year-old golden retriever, Bella. The old girl lay down in the creek, lapping at the water. She perked up when the ducks floated by, but with the wisdom and generosity of an old dog, she let them be. Bella’s owners come to Pine Creek Lodge every time they travel through. The server, with a soft spot for old dogs, came over to ruffle Bella’s graying ears and share her own old-dog stories. The one who stole her heart was a black lab, who up until last year would come to work with her. When brunch was over, there was no hurry to leave, but having taken in as much music, beer and good food as we had, we were running out of reasons to stay. Megan let Little choose a duck to take home, and as we piled into the car to go, Bella stood and barked a farewell. ✻ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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7 n e t a e h t B a P OFF THE
WEDDING PLANNERS BRING ADVENTURE TO SAYING, “I DO.” written by ED KEMMICK photography by NEAL HINES
CHARLOTTE AND JORDAN KERN, WORKING WITH OFF THE BEATEN PATH WEDDING, SETTLED ON A SMALL CEREMONY IN A MOUNTAIN MEADOW OUTSIDE OF LUTHER.
IN THE SUMMER OF 2017,
when they were already thinking of starting an adventure-wedding business, Alicia and Neal Hines spent a month together on the Stillwater River. It was Neal’s second season of whitewater raft guiding on the river, and Alicia took a month’s leave of absence from her job at Northern Plains Resource Council to work with him. It was an eye-opening experience. “We just found that we were having a lot of fun giving couples and families experiences, and that people really seemed to enjoy us,” Alicia says. “So that was kind of the confirmation we needed that we could do this, that we’d be good at guiding people through marriages as well.” That same summer, Alicia’s brother came out to Montana and they hiked the Beaten Path, a popular 26-mile trail in the 68
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Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. “So that was the inspiration for our business name,” Alicia says — Off the Beaten Path Wedding. Alicia left her job and they launched the business in the fall of 2017. They’ve done more than three dozen weddings since then — as well as engagement and pregnancy-reveal photoshoots — working with couples who want something beyond a traditional wedding. When they started the business, Neal and Alicia (then Alicia Pettys) knew they were going to get married. “And looking around,” Alicia says, “we didn’t see a wedding culture that reflected us, and we knew there were others like us. There are so many beautiful places in Montana that you don’t have to go with a standard venue. We wanted to give people a chance to explore all those places.”
7
They help their clients find the perfect spot for their wedding, then take care of all the details of the event, including photos by Neal, a professional photographer. Their clients have been married on the shores of alpine lakes, in national forests, on remote ranches and all over the Beartooth Mountains. They have done weddings of all sizes, though often the wedding ceremony is attended by a smaller group, with a larger reception at a nearby lodge or Airbnb. They also do what they call micro weddings, with fewer than 30 people, as well as “elopements,” with just the bride and groom. The coronavirus pandemic, Neal says, has been “a blessing in disguise,” nudging more of their clients into very small weddings or elopements, which Alicia and Neal had always hope to specialize in. “It’s definitely caused some disruptions,” Alicia says of the
Alicia an d Neal H ines pandemic, “but really, it’s pushed us farther into our niche of elopements, and we’re really enjoying it.” Alicia says she likes elopements because it’s so special for the bride and groom, who don’t really get to spend a lot of time together on a traditional wedding day. “This is something just about them,” she says. Which isn’t to say they don’t enjoy larger events, too. They’re both looking forward to next summer, when they will organize a fourday “festival” wedding at a Boy Scout camp on Seeley Lake that SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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CHARLOTTE KERN WALKS WITH HER FLOWER-BEDECKED HORSE AFTER HER WEDDING IN THE CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST.
will include kayaking, meditation and other activities for a large number of guests. “People get to have this whole vacation and top it off with a wedding,” Alicia says. That was the path Alicia and Neal chose when they got married this July, in the mountains of the South Fork of the Shoshone River near Cody, Wyoming. Their families were able to go rafting, fishing, horseback-riding and stargazing, and they all stayed together at cabins on a ranch. Alicia and Neal also pride themselves on making an effort to get to know their clients, spending time over meals or beers to find out what they really want, and then perhaps driving for hours with them to find the perfect location. Eventually, Alicia started officiating at weddings, too, so that couples wanting an elopement could go anywhere they want.
— Alicia Hines
“That’s my favorite, giving couples a unique experience,” Neal YVW MAGAZINE
Charlotte Kern, of Billings, will testify about the unique experience Off the Beaten Path provides. Shortly after the business started, she and her then-fiancé, Jordan Kern, won an Instagram contest for a free engagement photo session from Neal and Alicia. The winter shoot took place near East Rosebud Lake, Charlotte says, in the middle of “a huge blizzard.”
WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE OFFICIANTS BEING ABLE TO ACCESS IT. WE CAN MARRY PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIKE.
Also, Alicia says, “We don’t have to worry about the officiants being able to access it. We can marry people in the middle of a hike.”
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says. “We’re not — I call it cattle herding. We don’t do that. We’re not running people through every day or telling them they have to wrap up by a given time.”
Charlotte figured it was a bust as far as photos were concerned, but no. Neal not only salvaged the shoot, he made magic out of it. “As soon as we got those engagement photos,” Charlotte says, “me and my husband sat down and said, ‘We have to use these guys for our wedding.’” And so they did, even though most everybody in both families was pushing for a
traditional wedding. “We are super-minimalist people, super-laid back,” Charlotte says. “We didn’t want a huge, big wedding. It was cool to know they specialized in that. Honestly, I don’t know if we would have done it if not for them.”
FOR THEIR PREGNANCY-REVEAL PHOTO, ANGLERS JORDAN AND CHARLOTTE KERN PULLED A BABY’S ONESIE OUT OF A FAST-FLOWING CREEK.
With Alicia and Neal’s help, Charlotte and Jordan settled on a site in the Custer National Forest near Luther. Charlotte had spent a lot of time in the area as a child, mostly riding horses, and she and Jordan went on their first hunting trip together near there. The wedding was in a mountain meadow, and Charlotte’s horse, adorned with flowers, was on hand. After the ceremony, guests headed off to a reception at Rock Creek Lodge while Alicia and Neal drove around in a truck with Charlotte and Jordan, finding spots for more wedding photographs.
people like that.” The Kern wedding remains one of the most memorable for Alicia. She also mentions a winter wedding at Ousel Falls near Big Sky. The wedding party walked more than a mile down a canyon to the frozen falls, where the ceremony took place. “The bride wore a normal wedding dress with her beautiful poufy tulle,” Alicia says, “but she had snow pants on underneath, with snow boots.” Neal adds, “because we went sledding afterward.”
“We still talk about them to this day,” Charlotte says. “Our wedding kind of went down in history in our family. It was the coolest day of our lives, and a lot of people would agree with that.”
“I guess we’re kind of selfish,” Neal says, because they don’t want to be stuck in town all week doing “those big three-tier-weddingcake weddings all the time.”
The wedding was in October of 2018. This past June, Charlotte and Jordan called on Alicia and Neal again, this time to shoot photos for their Facebook announcement for another major life moment. Baby Kern was due in December. Neal’s idea was to have the couple — clad in waders with a fly rod in hand, pulling a baby’s onesie out of a rushing creek.
After three years in business, word of mouth has slowly increased, letting more people know about Off the Beaten Path’s unique approach to weddings.
“We’ve gotten more compliments on our reveal, how unique and cool it was,” Charlotte says. She and Jordan continue to stay in touch with Alicia and Neal. “They’re such cool people,” Charlotte says. “When you do see them, they take you in like family, and it super-special to know
“The more we put that out there, the more we find there are a ton of people who want that,” Alicia says. ✻
FOR MORE INFORMATION on Alicia and Neal’s wedding company, visit www.offthebeatenpathwedding.com.
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ThAnK You! Everyone is feeling the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Billings Food Bank is no different. The demand for our services has DOUBLED and will greatly change next year’s service numbers. Due to the generous support of our community, however, we are able to function with no lapse in service. Of course how we do business looks different. Our staff and volunteers have adapted to the guidelines required by the CDC. Because we adhere to these guidelines, we are able to continue with food delivery and fulfill our mission. We take this opportunity to thank our staff and volunteers for their diligence in providing safe assistance to our growing list of people needing help. We thank those we serve for their patience and understanding as we adapt to our new routine. We also thank the outpouring of food donations and financial assistance we have received from those who understand these trying times simply require that we all do more. On behalf of those we serve, we genuinely thank you!
WHO WE SERVE
28% 0-17
47% 18-60
23% 61+
Volunteers and Staff!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Does your employer match charitable contributions? Please ask and help us double the value of your gift!
Shopping List: Peanut Butter Canned Meats Mac N Cheese Canned & Fresh Vegetables & Fruit Soups /Ramens One – Can Meals (Stew. Chili,etc) Tomato Products Pastas (all) Cereal Baking Mixes (all) Meat Helpers (Hamburger, tuna, etc) Zip Lock Bags (sandwich, quart, gallon) Personal Hygiene Items
You can go to www.BillingsFoodBank.com to make a secure donation online!
ANYTHING HELPS!
During September, October and November, TOWN PUMP will match your donation. ❏ I would like to make a tax deductible donation to the Billings Food Bank. ❏ I would like to information about giving through the endowment fund. My Name:____________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________ City _________________ State______________ Zip_________ E-Mail Address: ________________________________________ Mail to: Billings Food Bank • P.O. Box 1158 • Billings MT 59103-1158
2112 4th Avenue N • Billings • (406) 259-2856
Volunteers prepare sandwiches Volunteers prepare sandwiches various organizations. for for various organizations.
Fortin Culinary Center trainingprogram program Fortin Culinary Center training holiday food preparation. andand holiday food preparation.
VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteers Volunteerssort sortdonations. donations.
Boxes prepared forfor recipients. Boxes preparedand andstaged staged recipients.
Warehouse persons/ Truck Drivers (NonCDL) CDL) Warehouse persons/ Truck Drivers (Non Distributors (especially with ourFarm FarmtotoTrunk Trunkevents) events) FoodFood Distributors (especially with our Helpers (preserving, makingmeals, meals,etc.) etc.) FoodFood PrepPrep Helpers (preserving, making Delivery Drivers Monthly MealDelivery Delivery Delivery Drivers for for ourour Monthly Meal
KNOWSOMEONE SOMEONE KNOW INNEED? NEED? IN
Please, if you know someone who needsa alittle littleextra extrahelp, help, Please, if you know someone who needs them help! Havethem themcall call sendsend them our our way.way. WeWe cancan help! Have 259-2856. 259-2856.
Food forfor those in need FoodBoxes Boxes those in need
Food forfor Seniors FoodBoxes Boxes Seniors
Food through Voucher System FoodBoxes Boxes through Voucher System Meals, lunches, backpacks Meals,sack sack lunches, backpacks given thethe Fortin Culinary giventhrough through Fortin Culinary Center inin addition to food boxes Center addition to food boxes Holiday Food Services Holiday Food Services
Meals to Tumbleweed, Mealsprovided provided to Tumbleweed, St.St.Vincent dePaul, andand delivered Vincent dePaul, delivered during special events during special events
www.BillingsFoodBank.com www.BillingsFoodBank.com
Relaxing2 Reuniting2 and
TASTY TROUT FROM THE BIG HORN RIVER written and photography by STELLA FONG
THE
BIG
HORN
River lured me to Big Sky Country. My husband and I fly fished this tributary of the Yellowstone River many times before we moved here over 20 years ago. Named after the big horn sheep, this river holds a special place in my soul. Over the past decade, I have enjoyed introducing girl friends to the rhythms of fishing on this waterway. I called upon Beau McFadyean of Montana Adventures and Angling for his guidance. His father, Jim “Bow Legs,” was a legendary guide in Montana. The man who overflowed with fish tales passed away in 2015, leaving his son to carry on his legacy. Whereas Jim filled the air with stories, Beau provides calm and confidence to his clients. Over the years, he has gotten many of my female friends hooked on whipping up the waters. This year, I took Lori Forseth and Val Jeffries along with me on the river.
Val and L ori
“Women are a treat to take fishing because they bring a low-stress atmosphere to the boat and are very receptive to being coached,” Beau says. “They tend to use finesse over power, which is the right recipe for a great fly caster.”
I gathered with Lori and Val in front of the Big Horn River Fly and Tackle Shop to be greeted by Gail Bowler and Pester, the orange tabby cat. The shop in the log cabin building appears small, but once inside, the bounty of fishing gear in the back nudged me to update my gear. Here, not only could you fill your fly box with new feathered enticements, but a shuttle can be arranged to meet you downriver. Before we hit the water, McFadyean gave us a refresher casting lesson. “Learning to use the fly rod properly takes time,” he says. “Try not
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2 pan fried trout
with lime & fresh herbs to go for distance. Instead, try to understand the flex of the rod and how that flex transfers its energy to and through the fly line. Do this by turning and watching your back cast fold out in the air behind you, and then watch the energy transition as you bring the rod back forward.” “I enjoy fly fishing because the process is beautiful to watch and experience when it is successfully executed,” Grace says. “Grace and flow. The bonus is catching a fish!” Lori, who has been on the river with me over many years shared of fly fishing, says, “I enjoy it because I love being outdoors and on the river. It is so relaxing going with a guide, no frustration. They know the best places to catch fish. They are patient and so helpful.” Many brown and rainbow trout were caught on this hot day. We found the rhythm of relaxation and that of reuniting with each other and the river. ✻
STELLA FONG, writer
Stella divides her time between Billings and Seattle and is the author of two Billingscentric books, Historic Restaurants of Billings and Billings Food. Her writings have appeared in Big Sky Journal, Western Art and Architecture, the Washington Post as well as online at lastbestplates.com.
SERVES 2 TO 4 1-½ pounds fresh whole trout, cleaned, guts and scales removed 1/3 c. all-purpose flour ½ t. salt ½ t. fresh ground pepper Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste 2 small limes, sliced Large handful of fresh herbs – dill, thyme and chive, for stuffing and garnishing 2 T. butter 2 T. extra virgin olive oil DIRECTIONS ❯❯ Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse trout and pat dry. Season the inside of the trout to taste. Combine flour, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper on a plate. Insert 4 to 5 slices of lime inside the fish. Stuff with herbs. ❯❯ Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon of olive in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the trout and the rest of the lime slices. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. If the lime slices begin to burn, place them on top of the fish. Turn fish and cook until a golden crust forms, about 5 minutes. ❯❯ Slide skillet into the oven and cook for another five to eight minutes until fish is moist and flaky. Garnish with browned limes and rest of herbs. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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steamed whole trout with ginger & garlic
Cooking freshly caught river trout is special. When I was backpacking I would bring folded up aluminum foil, ginger root and some garlic cloves along with a small bottle of sesame oil and some salt. I would coat the foil with some oil, put the fish in the clean foil and then sprinkle on some chopped ginger and garlic. The wrapped fish would go directly into the coals of the fire. After opening the package, I would sprinkle on a little salt. Nothing tasted more delicious!
SERVES 2 TO 4 1-1/2 pounds fresh whole trout cleaned, guts and scales removed Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste 3 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/3 c. 1-inch long julienned ginger 1/3 c. sliced garlic 1 large shallot or ½ yellow onion 1 T. sesame oil FOR SAUCE 2 t. sesame oil 3 T. balsamic vinegar ¼ c. soy sauce ¼ to ½ t. chili flakes 4 stalks green onions, sliced diagonally
❯❯ Wrap foil tightly around the fish leaving about 1-inch above the fish and to the sides. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat of fish is flaky. ❯❯ Just before fish is done, heat sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add chili flakes and cook for about 30 seconds. Add vinegar and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. ❯❯ When fish is done, sprinkle green onions on top and then drizzle about half of the sauce over the fish. Serve immediately with the remaining sauce.
DIRECTIONS ❯❯ Preheat oven to 425°F. Tear off enough aluminum foil to wrap the fish loosely, leaving enough room above and around the fish for steaming when it is cooking. Set aside. ❯❯ With a sharp knife, make diagonal cuts into the fish just to the bones about 2 inches apart starting at the stomach area down to the tail. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Press pieces of butter into the cuts and spread about 1 tablespoon butter into the stomach area. With remaining butter, spread onto the bottom of the foil to just beyond the footprint of the fish. ❯❯ Sprinkle half the onion on top of the butter followed with half the ginger and garlic. Place fish on top of mixture. Stuff some ginger and garlic into the stomach of the fish. Sprinkle remaining onion, ginger and garlic on top of the fish. Drizzle with sesame oil.
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Editor’s Note: The
recipes included are featured in Stella’s new book, Flavors Under the Big Sky: Recipes and Stories from Yellowstone Public Radio.
WHEN QUALITY MATTERS... ORGANIC & NATURAL
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At Albertsons we go above and beyond to provide quality products and services you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find anywhere else in Billings. We have organic and natural fruits and vegetables, quality meat and seafood, and we even have a full-service pharmacy and Starbucks. So come see us today, and get the quality you deserve.
6 locations to serve you better!
POP Goes the
All American Snack PUT A TWIST ON THE FLAVOR
TA ST E OF T HE VAL LEY
written by KAY ERICKSON photography by LOVELY HITCHCOCK
€€€€€ POPCORN. It’s the all-American snack. Other foods may lay claim to the title, but what’s more American than corn, which originated in the Americas? We sing about it in the seventh-inning stretch of baseball games with “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack…” And, it’s a staple in nearly every movie theater experience. Did you know that theaters added popcorn to their concession stands during the Great Depression? It never left. With the shelter-in-place order during the coronavirus pandemic, theater owners in small Montana towns like Circle and Glasgow sold movie popcorn one to two nights a week as a way to bring in some much needed cash and to provide some work for their employees. It proved to be extremely popular, with people in cars lining up for blocks to help out a local business and indulge their longing for the buttery snack. Popcorn sales are also a big fundraiser for the Boy Scouts. We make popcorn balls at Halloween and string popcorn at Christmas. The Popcorn Board’s website, popcorn.org, says popcorn is a whole grain, made up of three components: the germ, the endosperm and the pericarp, or hull. Of the four most common types of corn — sweet, dent, flint and popcorn — only popcorn pops. Each kernel of popcorn contains a small drop of water. As the kernel heats up, the water expands and eventually explodes, releasing steam. And voila, popcorn. Many of us satisfy our popcorn craving with microwave popcorn, which the Popcorn Board says has been with us
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since the 1980s, but there’s another level of “popcorniness ” when you pop it on the stovetop. Popcorn Balls, Popcorn Cake and Easy, Elegant Holiday Popcorn are all just a little bit better with stovetop popped corn. Let’s get popping! ✻
[ popcorn ] Conversion Chart
✓ 1 oz (2 T.) kernels = 1 quart or 4 c. popped ✓ 2 oz (1/4 c.) kernels = 2 quarts or 8 c. popped ✓ 4 oz (1/2 c.) kernels = 4 quarts or 16 c. popped
KAY ERICKSON, writer Kay has spent her professional career in public relations and broadcast news, currently at Yellowstone Public Radio. Her journalism degree is from Northern Illinois University. Her passions include her family, sports and food. Her mom and an aunt taught her the finer points of cooking and instilled a love of good food and family mealtime.
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stovetop popcorn
€€€€€€ 1 t. kosher salt 3 T. canola oil
1/3 c. popcorn kernels DIRECTIONS Coat a large pot with the oil and place 2 or 3 kernels and cover. Place over medium-high heat. When you hear the kernels pop, add the remaining kernels to the pot, replace the lid and shake periodically over the heat until all the corn is popped. LISTEN. When the popping slows, listen until you can count two seconds between pops. Turn off the heat, remove the pan from the stovetop and transfer to a large bowl. Toss in salt, butter or other favorite topping and mix well.
easy, elegant holiday popcorn A recipe from Popcorn.org
€€€€€€ 8 c. popped popcorn
½ c. milk chocolate chips ½ c. white chocolate chips Candy sprinkles DIRECTIONS Spread the popped popcorn in a thin layer on a serving platter. Melt the milk chocolate chips in the microwave, drizzle over the popcorn. Melt the white chocolate ships in the microwave. Drizzle over the popcorn. Immediately sprinkle the desired amount of sprinkles over the warm chocolate-coated popcorn. Allow the drizzle to set up until firm. Once set, serve.
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€
popcorn cake
€€€€€€ 1 stick unsalted butter 2 10-oz bags miniature marshmallows 16 c. popped popcorn (2/3 c. unpopped kernels) 1 10-oz jar dry roasted peanuts 1 large bag (16 oz) M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces 2 t. vanilla Pinch of kosher salt DIRECTIONS Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large saucepan and stir until melted into a thick syrup. Add the pinch of salt and 2 tsp vanilla. Combine the popped popcorn, peanuts, and M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces in a large bowl. Pour the melted butter and marshmallow mixture over the ingredients in the bowl and mix well. Press into an angel food cake pan that is well buttered or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cool, unmold and serve.
non-syrup popcorn balls
€€€€€€€ 2 T. unsalted butter plus more for shaping (or nonstick cooking spray for shaping) 10-oz bag miniature marshmallows 16 c. popped popcorn (2/3 c. unpopped kernels) DIRECTIONS Put the popped popcorn in a large bowl. In a large saucepan, melt the 2 T. butter over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until melted, about five to six minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the popped popcorn and fold gently until combined. Working quickly, lightly coat your hands with butter or nonstick cooking spray and gently shape the popcorn mixture into balls. I typically get about 16 balls with this recipe. Place them on a parchment-lined (the new, nonstick aluminum foil also works) baking sheet and let cool about 10 minutes. These can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for about four days.
NOTE Are these popcorn balls just too plain? How about adding 1 cup of candy corn, ½ cup of mini chocolate chips, toffee pieces or chopped, toasted almonds? Add the extra ingredients to the bowl of popped popcorn before adding the melted butter marshmallow mixture. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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No Country Like This THE LIFE AND WORK OF POET GWENDOLEN HASTE
written by VIRGINIA BRYAN photography courtesy WESTERN HERITAGE CENTER
Editor’s Note:
Over the past century-plus, many women in the Yellowstone Valley have broken tradition, refusing to let society dictate their path in life. They’ve been comics, political activists, rough-and-tumble history makers and community champions. Earlier this year, under the leadership of Community Historian Lauren Hunley, the Western Heritage Center began honoring 10 of these women with its exhibit “Saints & Sinners: Women Breaking Tradition.” The exhibit runs through 2020. Look for one of these noteworthy women in each issue through 2020. “No country that our lifetime wanderings had taken us to was like this.” These words framed Gwendolen Haste’s introduction to the breathtaking landscapes, open spaces and homesteading hardships of eastern Montana in 1915. Her first impressions, both anticipatory and foreboding, became the foundation for poetry that would propel her onto the national stage. Richard A. Haste, Gwendolen’s father, relocated to Billings to continue as editor of Campbell’s Scientific Farmer. Gwendolen came as his assistant editor and circulation manager. P.B. Moss, a prominent Billings businessman, had recently purchased the periodical and he wanted it published from Billings, not Nebraska. Moss saw the Scientific Farmer as a means to promote the Yellowstone Valley and Mossmain, his utopian planned community between Billings and Laurel.
Richard talked crops with the men and Gwendolen chatted with the women about their lives. Gwendolen may have understood homesteaders’ lives, but she wouldn’t have lasted long as one. Her gregarious social nature would have wilted during long periods of isolation. She liked her vivacious friends, male admirers and busy social life in Billings, which she described as an “attractive little city.” Her preferred, self-described “clothes horse” attire of fine hats, tea dresses and elegant shoes was clearly unsuited for weeding a summer prairie garden in the hot sun or trudging through snow drifts in the long, cold winter. A Great Falls Tribune story of Aug. 8, 1916, reported that Gwendolen was elected secretary of the newly formed Billings chapter of the Congressional Union (CU), a national organization advocating for a suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The same story notes that Hazel Hunkins was elected Billings’ CU chairman. Not too much later, Hazel, a noted Montana suffragist, was arrested and jailed for peacefully demonstrating outside the White House in support of national women’s suffrage. In 1917, Gwendolen left Montana to work at a testing lab in a New Jersey munitions factory. Most likely, she answered the call to aid in the World War I effort. Maybe her New Jersey stint offered a needed perspective on the lives of the Yellowstone Valley women she knew who lived in tarpaper shacks and sod houses. Gwendolen was back in Billings within a year.
Homesteaders poured into Montana between 1910 and 1920 when, according to the U.S. Bureau of Census records, our state’s population rose from 376,053 to 548,889. Folks were lured, in part, by railroad advertising that promised dark, rich soil and temperate growing conditions. For the Hastes and others, Montana was a land of opportunity.
The romance of Montana’s last homesteading period unraveled within two years of the Haste family’s arrival. Farms and businesses failed as grasshoppers devoured crops and once fertile soil cracked from lack of moisture. Dust storms darkened the skies and Montana’s harsh climate made itself known. Amid these difficulties, Gwendolen found the themes for her best work: hardship, isolation and loneliness.
“Gwenna,” as she was known to family and friends, was 25 years old and a 1912 graduate of the University of Chicago when she and her parents settled into a home on North 32nd Street. Father and daughter walked to their office in the Masonic Temple building downtown. Often, they ventured out to nearby homesteads where
A national publication, The Nation, sponsored a poetry competition in 1921. Gwendolen submitted her poem, “The Ranch in the Coulee.” Still in print, The Nation describes itself as the “oldest continuously published weekly ... in the United States, covering progressive political and cultural news, opinion and
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analysis.” Gwendolen’s poem took first place and $50 in prize money. The poem brought Gwendolen scores of letters from women across the country who recognized the protagonist’s struggle and the power of Gwendolen’s poetic voice. In a few lines, she captured the tragic existence of a despondent Montana woman, confined on an endless prairie beside a seldom travelled road, and articulated how loneliness and boredom can lead a despairing woman to madness. Gwendolen defied expectations for women writers of her day. Her work dealt with the challenges and dissatisfaction women faced while they struggled to find purpose and meaning. In contrast, the prevailing common wisdom held that women were best suited for bearing and raising children. Art and literature were inappropriate female pursuits and frank discussion of women’s lives and work was taboo. Richard Haste left Billings in 1923 to work for Montana’s U.S. Sen. Burton K. Wheeler in Washington, D.C. Gwendolen went to New York City armed with her publishing credentials and business writing acumen. She quickly secured a consumer affairs position with General Foods. She married in 1936, but her husband died in a pedestrian accident two years later. She retired from General Foods in 1954. Gwendolen continued to write, and she maintained strong connections with Montana’s literary community. Her first book, “Young Land,” was published by Coward-McCann, in 1930. Her poems appeared in Scribner’s Magazine and The Frontier, edited by two Montanans, H.G. Merriam and Grace Stone Coates, and elsewhere. She joined the Westerners, a group of East Coast writers, artists, publishers and others interested in the American West. Lasting friendships with Melville Moss and Grace Stone Coates brought her back to Montana in the midcentury. Ashahta Press published “The Selected Poems of Gwendolen Haste” in 1976. The book’s co-editor, Orvis Burmaster, lamented that Gwendolen’s later work “never came close to the power of the Montana poems.” Gwendolen died in New York City in 1979. Of her Montana legacy, Burmaster wrote: “She spent very few years of a very long life in this state, but those few years provided her with experiences that prompted the finest verse she ever produced and helped create a poetic historical record of an important period in the development of Montana.” ✻
Author’s note: “Gwendolen Haste: Giving Voice to the Homesteaders” by Sue Hart, Montana Magazine of Western History, Vol. 57, pp. 3 - 13 (Spring 2007) was a key source for this story.
VIRGINIA BRYAN, writer Virginia Bryan is a freelance writer and Director of ArtWalk Downtown Billings. She has written extensively about our region's artists,culture, history and women.
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the
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FIVE THINGS RIPE & READY FOR FALL ENTERTAINMENT written by CALLIE KECK, WWW.BILLINGS365.COM
THE DREAM TEAM OF RODEO. THE PBR — one
of the fastest-growing sports events in America — is headed the First Interstate Arena in Billings on the weekend of Sept. 11. Get ready for fast-paced, dirtflying action with the best bull riders in the business vying for big cash prizes and a chance to rise in the rodeo standings.
3
RUN TO THE FINISH!
Get an endorphin boost and join your fellow runners with the 40th Annual Montana Marathon. The Billings Family YMCA is hosting the event on Sept. 20 and this year will offer only the marathon and half-marathon events. Due to COVID-19, the 10K will be going virtual.
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2
COUNTRY COMES TO TOWN. Get ready to grab that red Solo cup and join singer, songwriter and musician Toby Keith in concert Sept. 17 at the First Interstate Arena.
RESCUED & RECLAIMED.
If you love antique and salvage finds, this show on Oct. 2 and 3 is just for you! Rescued & Reclaimed at Oscar's Park welcomes dealers from all over Montana and Wyoming sharing their finest repurposed, rusty, shabby chic, primitive, vintage and antique items.
5
OCTOBER
ANARCHY!
The Moss Mansion is turning its schedule upside down to bring you a Halloween season worthy of 2020. Join them every Thursday through Sunday in October for special and spooky activities.
Be sure to check billings365.com for the full event calendar along with possible changes to events due to COVID-19. While you’re there, sign up for their weekly e-newsletter to stay in touch with all that’s happening in town. ✻
Camelita Dominguez
Heidi Duncan
Sarah Calhoun
Julie Seedhouse
The Art of
Women’s Work ONLINE EVENT SPARKS CONVERSATION AND INTEREST written by JANE URBASKA, YELLOWSTONE ART MUSEUM
WHEN WE COME UP
with new ideas or solutions to a problem, we’re thinking creatively, but rarely do we think of ourselves as artists. Fashioning a homemade costume for our child’s first Halloween, finding a different way to tackle the pesky weeds in the garden, analyzing data from a different point of view or imagining how we’ll come out of the pandemic with a positive new normal — all require innovative and resourceful thinking.
Sarah’s dream, vision, creativity and collaborative spirit shaped and built the Red Ants Pants Co. that makes durable and comfortable work pants for working women. Along the way, she also founded the Red Ants Pants Festival, a live outdoor music festival that has brought those from her community of White Sulphur Springs and beyond together to enjoy the sounds under the big Montana sky.
To help us think about art in our world and in our work from new perspectives, the Yellowstone Art Museum will host a Facebook livestream event called, “Gallery Conversations” on Oct. 1 from 6 to 7 p.m. with four dynamic women in leadership positions. All will talk about “The Art of …” and give us a glimpse of the creative ways they have an artistic vision within their work. They’ll share how their visions began and how they continue to reap the rewards every day.
Along with Sarah, guests can listen to the stories of Carmelita Dominguez, who will chat about “The Art of Community Activism from a Mother’s perspective.” Dr. Heidi Duncan will share her insights on “The Art and Science of Medicine.” And, Julie Seedhouse a Realtor and founder of 100 Strong Billings, will chat about “The Art of Founding a Philanthropy.” Those who log on will be able to engage in the conversation and ask questions as well.
Sarah Calhoun, one of the four women leading the conversation, will offer her insights about “The Art of Rural Entrepreneurship.”
Gallery Conversations complements the Yellowstone Art Museum’s theme this year, “Women’s Work,” which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. ✻
“There’s so much potential for entrepreneurship in small towns and rural areas,” Sarah says. “The quality of living is high and the cost of living is low. Small towns often have an eager, hardworking workforce, historic Main Street buildings that can house brick and mortar storefronts and even high-speed internet. The Big Sky allows us to dream even bigger!”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please like the Yellowstone Art Museum on Facebook, visit www.artmuseum.org or call the YAM at (406) 256-6804 to register.
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ome HUALL SEASONS A
written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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THREE YEARS AGO, while living in Atlanta, Georgia, Joey Kiernan and Linda Loff decided they’d build a home in Billings. Their plan was to eventually retire in their home state, and they knew exactly what they wanted. “We sat down and imagined this house,” says Joey, a retired art teacher. “We drew a hundred drafts and then met with Tammy and Jeff Hill of Hill Builders that first year.” The initial meeting went smoothly. Joey and Linda traveled to Billings only twice afterward before moving into their new home this past year. The majority of the project was done “long distance.” Even the property was secured while they were down South. Tammy had scoured the city before discovering the ideal parcel of real estate in the Heights. All agree it was challenging at times, but this one-level modern architectural design expresses the homeowners’ vision to the minutest detail. Nestled in a quiet subdivision, they certainly don’t lack privacy.
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The property is bordered on the north and west by the overflow of Five Mile Creek. Pheasants, geese, deer and other wildlife routinely make an appearance. “It’s designated as a city park,” says Linda, who continues as an educational coach at Woodward Academy High School in Georgia. The park lies just beyond their back garden, facing north. Expansive black-trim windows with transoms overhead allow Joey and Linda to take in the scenery. They enjoy the stellar view from inside, as well as outside while relaxing in the spa or entertaining guests on the large covered porch. “It’s an all-season house,” says Joey. “It’s for the seasons of life whether it’s a young family or a young couple. This style of house is not just for the elderly.” “The architecture is Frank Lloyd Wright style,” says Jeff, referring to the home’s unpretentious design using glass, metal and concrete. “It’s a prairie house with big
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BUILDING HOMES FOR LIFE SINC E 19 8 2
Hill Builders QUALIT Y | INTEGRIT Y | VALUE
406.690.0569 | JEFF AND TAMMY HILL | MTHILLBUILDERS.COM | INFO@MTHILLBUILDERS.COM
overhangs and a lower pitch roof.â&#x20AC;? The white exterior of Hardy plank smooth siding draws a soft pattern while offering a striking contrast to black metal fascia, soffits and gutters. The industrial aesthetic of metal gives the home a modern sleekness. The front of the home appears minimalist, dressed in black and white, accessorized with a punch of fuchsia. Two brightly painted troughs stacked one on the other burst with colorful plants. A black metal panel between the front windows highlights this unique flower pot. A geometric concrete raised flower bed in the lawn also makes a unique statement. 90
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Get Honest, Experienced Help Buying or Selling Your Home.
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HOME LOAN SOLUTIONS “I wanted it substantial,” says Joey. “The proportion is perfect for the lot. It’s a calming structure because of its predictability with different kinds of grasses with tall ones in the center.” The purity of the exterior reflects the personal style found on the interior. “We wanted it simple and open,” Joey says, “with raw cement floors. It’s so organic.” The stillness of neutral white walls enhances the illusion of space in this 2,100-square-foot, two-bedroom home. The open concept layout encourages the
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freedom to float through the large living, dining and kitchen area. “We’re not spring chickens anymore,” Joey says. “We wanted universal design with seamless floor, a large bathroom stall and wide hallways. And, I wanted this home to be handicapped- accessible.”
tiled shower floor in the main bathroom. The laundry area is here, along with a large closet, an infrared sauna and floating quartz vanity with double sink.
The connecting main bedroom has an effortless, airy feel. Light flows through transoms above the bed. A towering door opens to the outdoor spa. Next to the spa sits a small shed housing WE WANTED IT SIMPLE AND a kiln. “I use this for OPEN WITH RAW CEMENT ceramics, painting FLOORS. IT’S SO ORGANIC. and print-making,” — Joey Kiernan explains Joey.
Contracting an illness a decade ago left Joey missing the fingers on one hand and several toes on her feet. She was confined to a wheelchair after coming out of a coma. She recalls why she’s insistent on accessibility. “In Atlanta, we lived in an 1890s home. Because of the thresholds, I’d get stuck in a room until I managed to walk again.” There are no thresholds to worry about now. All floors are seamless, including the
This accomplished artist paints in her art studio, situated off the living area. It’s where an “accumulation of 50 years of art” is neatly stored. “I spend hours in here,” Joey says. Her art table sits next to the window with the outdoor view presenting a canvas for the colorful narrative of her work.
W E
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CONTEMPOR ARY
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YOUR DREAM KITCHEN AWAITS! 2905 Millennium Cir. | 652-5772 | Mon-Fri 9 am -5 pm Sat 9 am -3 pm | KitchensPlusMT.com
IT’S AN ALL-SEASON HOUSE. IT’S FOR THE SEASONS OF LIFE WHETHER IT’S A YOUNG FAMILY OR A YOUNG COUPLE. THIS STYLE OF HOUSE IS NOT JUST FOR THE ELDERLY. — Joey Kiernan
Artful accents grab your attention in every room of the house. In the kitchen, an aqua backsplash that Joey and Linda collaborated on delivers wow factor against the creamy white cabinetry. “I love how dramatic this is,” Joey says. “You add drama with color.” There’s no shortage of surprises in this well-designed kitchen. As Linda opens a door behind the backsplash wall, Tammy introduces a “phenomenal” walk-in pantry. The kitchen warrants rave reviews in all its detail. Linda claims her favorite thing is the “under-cabinet lighting and the square LED recessed lighting over the backsplash” from Rimrock Lighting. “It’s about function in how Linda and Joey operate,” says Sheri Bond, kitchen and bath designer for Kitchens Plus. “We designed the kitchen with that in mind. It’s a nice open space that’s very convenient, with soft white laminate cabinets. They have a horizontal woodgrain feel to them.”
Stainless steel appliances from Kitchens Plus and pop up outlets on quartz countertops deliver clean lines. A quartz top center island adds depth. “Their vision is modern,” adds Sheri, who is Linda’s sister. A lighted coffee bar tops it off.
DESIGN TO INSPIRE
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JOEY AND LINDA created an extra dining space built from the ground up using sacks of cement to form the circumference. It overlooks the back porch and a flower garden rests peacefully among purple posts and organic bark.
Parallel to the island, an eight-foot custom wood sofa table extends the length of a dark gray sectional. The table gives subtle separation to the living area. It also makes a perfect lookout for Mila, the homeowners’ Yorkie. The main living space dances with light from the large windows looking out to the patio and from the pair of windows at the front of the house. “The southern exposure adds to the home’s energy-efficiency,” Jeff notes. “The home offers a lot of light. It has fixed-pane windows and the heat ducts are in the ceiling, not in the floor.” It’s easy to keep this home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. A linear fireplace adds a soothing tone. The relaxed atmosphere provides an inviting space for Joey and Linda to entertain family and friends. It’s truly a home for all seasons. ✻
Thank you Hill Builders for having MacArthur Co. supply the roofing for this beautiful home! Whether building or remodeling no job is too small... our expert staff is here to assist you. 652-3574 | 2950 King Ave W | Billings, MT | rimrocklighting.com 96
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distinctive2 DESIGN ELEMENTS JEFF AND TAMMY HILL’S inspiration comes from listening to their clients. They discover what motivates their clients to build a new home — whether it’s a growing family, emptying nest, or increasing care for aging parents. For most, it’s the fulfillment of a life-long dream. This husband-and-wife team offers a unique dynamic. Jeff has decades of hands-on construction experience and problem-solving skills. Tammy possesses an eye for interior design and an ear for discerning what clients really want their new home to look and feel like. “Our design style is easy to define,” Tammy says. “In our custom projects, it is the style of the client, containing colors, textures and distinctive design elements that make the house their home. In our spec homes, our design style is fresh and current, but not too trendy. We select a floor plan that lives well, has an attractive exterior, and is filled with the latest colors, kitchen design, and finishes. We want a customer to walk in and fall in love!” ✻
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406-655-1200 6956 Commercial Ave Billings, MT josh@pridetruss.com
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DIY CANDLES ADD AMBIANCE & MAKE GREAT GIFTS
NOTHING FEELS MORE LIKE FALL
than family and friends gathered around a beautifully set table with the warm glow of candlelight. Sure, you can buy candles, but why not create them yourself, adding in your favorite scents to set the scene for fall? DIY candles are not only great décor items, they make great gifts as well. Let me show you just how easy it is.
• Soy or beeswax andle making kit that includes wicks, a wick holder, • C wick stickers and a melting pitcher • Paper towels • Essential oils • Fun containers I ordered most of my supplies online, choosing wax over beeswax because of the steep difference in price. Soy and beeswax are relatively clean, meaning they release few chemicals when melted. To begin, I set up two stations — a melting/mixing station and a pouring/cooling station. Both areas need to be covered in paper towel to protect counters and provide for easy cleanup. You will want to keep the stations relatively close to each other. In the mixing/melting station by the stove, have essential oils, the wax, a spoon, spatula, melting pitcher and an old pot filled halfway with water.
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WHAT YOU WILL NEED
LET’S GET STARTED
LOOK WH AT W E FOU ND
written by RACHEL JENNINGS photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
LIGHT UP FALL
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In the pouring/cooling station, have containers, wicks and wick holders ready to go.
Start by prepping your containers. You’ll want to use glass or metal. There are a lot of fun vintage containers out there. Just head to your local thrift store to find one that catches your eye. I always have an ample supply of vintage containers, so all I needed to do was rummage through one of my cupboards. I also wanted to try an organic container to match a fall tablescape, so I chose some oranges and grapefruit. Any citrus will work. These fruits are easy to work with and dry well. They also won’t create any strange smells when they do dry. I think lemons or limes would be great for a spring or summer table – maybe an outdoor candle with a citronella scent? Using fruit as your container isn’t meant for long term use. They might only last an evening or two and should be stored in the fridge when not in use. When choosing my fruit, I looked for one with a relatively flat bottom. You can trim a little at the end to make it flat but sometimes you can choose one that will sit nicely on your table. To get the oranges ready, I cut a quarter inch off the top. I hulled out the pulp and let it dry. You can also hit the inside with a hair dryer for a few minutes. For both the organic and vintage containers, place a wick sticker on the inside bottom center of the container, making sure it is securely attached. Now put the wick holder on the wick and place on the rim of the container. Move to the melting/mixing area. Fill the melting pitcher threequarters of the way full with wax. You can always add more if needed. Place the melting pitcher in the pot of water and turn the stove to medium heat, stirring constantly. The pot of water will act as a double boiler so the wax will heat more slowly at a consistent heat. Once the wax is melted (it won't take long), remove the pitcher from the heat and turn off the stove. Now it’s time to add your essential oils and stir. If you like, this is an optional step. You can always leave your candles unscented. Now, let your candles cool for about two to three minutes before moving to the pouring area. Please be careful, the wax is hot. Pour the melted wax into the containers, keeping the wicks perpendicular. When I poured wax into the orange and grapefruit containers, it smelled so good.
Now let your candles cool overnight. Once cooled, trim the wick to about a quarter inch. I had to further level out the bottom of my oranges and grapefruit to help them to sit level. I found the high spot and cut thin slices, being careful not to cut too deep, in order to help them sit level. I also didn’t want wax to leak out onto my table. Your candles are now ready to use. Just like any candle, don’t leave them unattended and make sure to keep them away from anything flammable. These homemade candles are so easy and fun to create. If you give this DIY a try, make sure to get creative with unusual containers and scents. What a great party favor or holiday gift as well. Just light and enjoy! ✻ RACHEL JENNINGS, writer Rachel is a self described "Junker," who not only loves all things old, but LOVES the challenge of trying to make something new out of each find. While she is a Hair Stylist by day, in her off time you can often find her covered in paint, trying to repurpose something she's found.
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itchen2 K
RECIPE FOR A FAMILY
written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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DR. MATT AND TERESA LARSEN love to hang out in the kitchen with their children – Ryan, Seth, Chase and Kate. Their kids range in age from 7 to 20 and enjoy spending time in the newly remodeled heartbeat of the home. The original kitchen lacked the main ingredients this big family required. It was cramped, for one thing, and was “choppy,” with few windows. A wall separated the kitchen from the sitting room where the kids watched television. An ambitious makeover this past year, however, opened this space up, making it brighter and far more functional. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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“We talked about it for a long time,” Teresa says. “We needed more room,” adds Matt. Both agree that there were two essential things they wanted in the makeover. “We knew we wanted a pizza oven,” says Teresa. “And a soda machine for me,” Matt says. The couple wasted no time calling Jeremy Freyenhagen of Freyenhagen Construction. “We were impressed with our master suite remodel that he did several years ago, so it led us to have Freyenhagen do the kitchen, too,” Matt says.
THESE DOORS ARE OPEN EVERY MORNING. THE WHOLE FAMILY IS HERE. IT’S OUR GATHERING PLACE AND WE ENJOY THE INDOOR/ OUTDOOR LIVING. — Matt Larsen
Jeremy immediately sized up the situation. “The first thing that came to mind was that the kitchen needed to be larger and that we could accomplish that by expanding the footprint under the existing roof overhangs that were currently 104
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covering the decks,” Jeremy says. The entire space was gutted, saving only the original fireplace. Knocking out the wall separating the kitchen from the sitting room enlarged the space considerably. The old L-shape kitchen morphed into a large rectangular space as the two outer walls were extended. The kitchen practically doubled in space to 665 square feet.
“The second story is above the middle of the kitchen,” Jeremy says. “We literally suspended it in air. You see no post in the kitchen.” This was accomplished using beams and an additional support structure in the basement.
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“There was no direct access to the backyard either,” Jeremy says. By installing a sturdy beam overhead, the construction team replaced the south wall with a 20-foot all-glass Pella door. The “nesting” (sliding) doors present a grand opening to the back deck. “Indoor/outdoor living was our goal with this wall of windows,” says Angie Freyenhagen, client and community relations director. The beauty of the surrounding woods is no longer hidden from view. Nor is the pool area. “These doors are open every morning,” Matt says. “The whole family is here. It’s our gathering place and we enjoy the indoor/ outdoor living.”
“We covered the outdoor deck with two pergolas,” says Jeremy. The rough-sawn Douglas fir structures enhance the total living area and are stationed off the master suite and off the kitchen. “It’s quiet here,” Teresa says. “We sit and watch the kids in the pool. We also watch families on the bike path.” The Larsens’ twostory home borders the city bike path that runs parallel with Alkali Creek Road. “We have no issues with keeping it cool inside with the doors open,” Matt says. “Not even with the pizza oven on,” Teresa adds. “We wanted it to look more like an old-time pizza oven from Italy.”
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We are proud to be on the Freyenhagen construction team. RESIDENTIAL
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The wood/gas pizza oven takes center stage. “It’s become a focal point for socializing,” Matt says. “We have guests over and use the wood fire. We love to hear the crackle of the wood. It’s fun for our kids as it’s a ‘hands-on’ thing. Seth and Ryan flip the pizzas now! I’m the eater.” “The oven has a fire brick core with rock built around the dome,” Jeremy says. The floor-to-ceiling stone covers three sides of the oven. “We first pulled the stone from the existing fireplace across the room to tie in with the kitchen,” Angie explains. The rock continues and serves as a backsplash. The stone intensifies the ambience of this culinary haven featuring Thermador Proline stainless steel appliances from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery. A 48-inch stove with griddle sits close to the column refrigeration (double fridge with side freezer).
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The sink was relocated to a new quartz-topped center island when the walls were moved out. The light-colored quartz shows distinct contrast to the denim blue color of custom Design-Craft cabinets on the island’s base. Light-colored upper and lower cabinets with under-cabinet lighting frame the kitchen’s perimeter. Glass and crystal pendants from Rimrock Lighting hang above the island, adding a pop of elegance. An attached reclaimed hickory counter runs the length of the isle where the family dines. Close by, you’ll find Matt’s soda machine and an under-counter icemaker with cabinet panel front. It’s the perfect soda set up.
倀攀爀昀攀挀琀氀礀
䈀攀愀甀琀椀昀甀氀
倀攀氀氀愀 圀椀渀搀漀眀 ☀ 䐀漀漀爀猀 ∠ 㐀 㘀⸀㘀㔀㘀⸀㔀㘀 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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create an inspiring home office
A custom built-in pantry looks impressive cloaked in the deep blue color. The storagegalore pantry tops off this end of the kitchen beautifully. A hallway between the pantry and the soda machine leads to a powder room on one side. Across from it is the refurbished mudroom decked out with individual lockers for the kids and a swanky tiled dog wash. Every detail incorporated into this remodel increases the beauty and functionality of the home. Angie’s quick to emphasize this by drawing attention to the built-in desk area with a barn door. “It’s a nice hidden office when the barn door slides over,” she says. This is actually where the old pantry used to be. It’s a chic space with a sense of purpose now.
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Porcelain tile with a modern concrete look flows through the kitchen into the formal dining area, the front entry, and into the foyer of the master suite. When the transformation of the main suite occurred, the vision entailed rearranging
the layout to make it conducive to updated living. “The old bedroom area is now the walk-in closet,” Jeremy says. A stackable washer/dryer is ever so handy.
OUTDATED KITCHEN?
Teresa and Matt love their new custom shower, free-standing soaker tub and the abundance of storage provided with Medallion Gold cabinetry finished in a walnut stain. They welcome the pièce de résistance glowing with inviting warmth – a double-sided fireplace. The see-through rock-encased fireplace complements the ensuite’s spa-like atmosphere. The bedroom with angled tray ceiling offers enchantment, as well.
before
Glass doors lead out to the private pergolacovered deck where the couple relax and watch the kids swim. The dramatic transformation of the main bedroom suite that prompted the more recent kitchen remodel rewards the family with many years of comfort and easy living.
NOT ANYMORE!
Today this two-story home tucked in among the trees along Alkali Creek is the perfect recipe for the Larsen family. ✻
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complete2
DELIVERING THE
PACKAGE
FREYENHAGEN CONSTRUCTION
focuses on quality home remodels and renovations. Design-build contractor Jeremy Freyenhagen founded the company that’s been serving the Billings area for more than two decades. “I’m really motivated to make each project unique to the homeowner’s desire and needs,” Jeremy says. “Every project is different and it’s my job to take on the challenge of delivering the complete package. Some folks have a tight deadline. Some have a very functional need. And some want us to complete a life-long ‘dream home.’ In the end, I won’t be satisfied unless our team has met or exceeded all of the homeowner’s expectations.” “It’s exciting turning dreams into reality,” Angie says. “My design inspiration comes from our clients as we create together that dream kitchen or one-of-a-kind living space. The key is making use of different textures, colors, patterns and materials so that all of these elements work together. My goal in any of our remodels is to have balance and seamless design with the existing home without too many different finishes.” ✻
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new listing
2800 GREGORY DR S
3225 ALPINE DR
5220 PRYOR MOUNTAIN VIEW DR
5420 MERLOT LN new listing
Under Contract
1480 S CANAL CIR, HUNTLEY
3038 CENTRAL AVE
new listing
new listing
new listing
sold
Under Contract
Under Contract
3953 BARRY DR
3733 HARPER DR
3452 ARLENE CIR
4727 AUDUBON WAY
114 ORCHARD LN
Under Contract
3109 GOLDEN ACRES
Under Contract
1936 HWY 10, COLUMBUS new listing
sold
5930 CANYONWOODS DR
sold
4251 IRON HORSE TRAIL
sold
sold
3127 SNOWCREST DR
1715 GOLDEN BLVD
sold
3918 N TANAGER LN
Robin was instrumental in helping us find our new home. We looked at dozens of homes before one Robin suggested caught our eyes and our hearts.
Without Robin’s assistance, we might still be looking. Tom and Robin then helped us sell our existing homes and made the process seem easy. Their
communication was always detailed and timely, anticipating our needs and questions. We feel blessed in our lives and Tom, Robin and Team Hanel are among those blessings.
— Jeff & Jomarie
TOM HANEL ROBIN HANEL 406-860-6181 406-690-4448 Robin@RobinHanel.com Tom@TomHanel.com www.berkshirehathawayhs.com
DENIM
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Let the Freyenhagen Team turn your home dreams into a reality. “From the first meeting to the final touchup, we will be there every step of the way to guide you through your home remodel with expertise and care.”
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