Yellowstone Valley Woman

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BILLINGS’ MOST READ MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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CANCER CAN’T KEEP BRITTANY CURL DOWN

10 NICOLE GRIFFITH 50 CONTEMPORARY MASTERPIECE 84

SPECIAL SECTION FOR THE LOVE OF ANIMALS

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YVW MAGAZINE

Letter

FROM THE

NOT TOO LONG AGO, a friend of mine reached out with a phone call and started simply by saying, “How are you doing?” I remember letting out a deep breath and saying, “Well, pretty good.”

She paused and asked, “No, really, how are you doing?”

I guess she could hear the sigh and knew “good” wasn’t necessarily the truth.

“I am counting my blessings,” I said with all truthfulness.

“I know that while this pandemic is wearing on all of our patience, I am not letting fear rule. I hug my family and, honestly, I know we have never been stronger.”

She got the message that while COVID-19 was taking a lot from us as a community, and making us grow incredibly weary, there are a few things COVID could never touch.

The other day I was scrolling through social media and fell on a post that was raw with emotion from a dear lady whom I respect deeply. She shared how COVID was widespread in her mom’s memory care facility. Hospice began caring for the residents.

“This place looks like a MASH unit, and the reality is, that after not letting family members in, the caregivers are beyond exhausted,” my friend said. “I suspect many of the residents, who have been isolated from their families for almost a year – all with the goal of keeping them safe – will now die. It’s beyond tragic.”

I’d personally heard from a doctor in town who does geriatric care that many of those deaths are not necessarily due to COVID but “failure to thrive.” Some of our elderly are simply giving up.

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Editor

Not long after the original post, my friend shared again on social media, this time putting out a call for items she could use to create care packages for people at her mom’s care facility. She hoped for cards with encouraging words, Christmas decorations, gift bags, basically anything that might bring a smile to someone who is feeling the desperation of being isolated. Within days, goodies started coming in — handmade cards from school kids, gift cards, handknit items, socks, candy and more. One school alone put together more than 300 gift bags. She replied in a post, “I am blown away by your kindness and generosity!”

There were enough donations to bless the residents at several skilled care facilities.

The photos of the overflowing bags and colorful cards underscored what I’ve felt all along. The human spirit is strong. I could share dozens of stories just like the one above, but I am sure you’ve seen these kinds of things with your own eyes and felt them in your own hearts. So, if you’re at the stage in this pandemic where you feel a little worn out, a little down, a little weary, I hope you take a deep breath and look around you. COVID can do a lot of devastating things but it can never steal our love and care for one another.

As we rip the last page from the 2020 calendar, know that I’m hoping for beautiful things for both you and yours in 2021.

Julie

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 2021 On the Cover 38 LIVING WITH A DREAM

Cancer can’t keep Brittany Curl Down

For the Love of Animals 12 THE HEALING POWER OF HORSES

Abigail Hornik & Chinook Horses are in the arena of changing lives

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A PERFECT PAIR

Deede Baker changes lives pairing service dogs with veterans in need

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MOM ON A MISSION

Shelter volunteer uses walks, social media to find dogs a home

MEET THE SENIOR SQUAD

Poochz B & B gives TLC to rescued elderly dogs

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FLY WITH ME

Ellie Hansen learns that the energy of love never dies

Features 34 THE SPICE OF LIFE

50th birthday sparks an inspirational cookbook & cooking show

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LET IT GLIDE

Synthetic rink becomes haven for skating year round

PASSION AND PERSISTENCE PAY OFF

Nicole Griffith banks on “healthy” and “fast”

EATING FOR IMMUNITY

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Why what we eat can help how our body fights colds & viruses

A CONVERSATION ON THE BILLINGS ECONOMY AND COVID-19

Q and A with the Billings Chamber’s John Brewer

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HATCHING A FINANCIAL PLAN

Coach Maggie Winters helps others build a bigger nest egg

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REIMAGINING HEALTHCARE WITH THE PATIENT IN MIND

Flex Family Health Care operates on a monthly membership

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YVW Home 84 A CONTEMPORARY MASTERPIECE 100 KNICKETY-KNOCK

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RISING WITH SWEETNESS

Three women who bake joy into daily living

A Family Embraces Inter-generational Living YVW MAGAZINE

IN EVERY ISSUE 30

KAREN GROSZ: Sharing their Story

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FASHION: What's Trending

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TASTE OF THE VALLEY: The Jubilee of the Cherry

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SENTIMENTAL & CRAFTY JOURNEY: Giving Old Items New Life

A NEW YEAR

PUBLISHER & EDITOR JULIE KOERBER julie@yellowstonevalleywoman.com

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YVW MAGAZINE

FOR THE

ANIMALS

OF

THE WOMEN (AND MEN) WHOSE LIVES REVOLVE AROUND THEIR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS DID YOU KNOW

that simply petting a dog can lower your blood pressure? When we interact with animals, researchers say, oxytocin, the love hormone, is released through our bodies, helping our system to heal and create new cells. It is clear animals have healing powers in our lives. We found a few women (and men) who know firsthand how animals can enrich our days. That’s why their lives center around these furry types.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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THE

orses H

HEALING POWER OF ABIGAIL HORNIK & CHINOOK HORSES ARE IN THE ARENA OF CHANGING LIVES written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

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YVW MAGAZINE

IT’S A BRISK WINTER DAY and the sun is starting to set, casting a golden glow over the outdoor arena at White Aspen Ranch. You can see the breath of the ponies as they snort and make their way over to the gate. Abigail Hornik of Chinook Horses is on her afternoon circle, checking on her “herd.”

“This is Boy,” she says pointing to a miniature donkey who, despite his spunky presence, Abigail says is around 40 years old.

If you glance at the animal, you’d swear he was smiling. “He’s one of our amazing therapy animals. He and Mojo always know exactly what THERE’S A the kids need.”

Boy, Little Debbie, Mavis, Buster, Jenny and Mojo are just a few of the animals that run at the center of Chinook Horses, a non-profit with the strong belief that horses have the power to heal through equinefacilitated therapy.

It’s the memory she reaches for when talking about why she left her high-powered New York City life, packed up her vehicle with all her belongings and made the move to Montana close to 20 years ago. Abigail had been working for a web browser company during the pre-Google days. The management and sales job brought high stress, and 80-hour work weeks with little room for rest.

PROFOUND COMMUNICATION THAT CAN TAKE PLACE BETWEEN A HUMAN AND AN ANIMAL, IN THIS CASE HORSES. — Abigail Hornik

“I think horses are innately empathic,” Abigail says. Not only is she the nonprofit’s executive director, she’s the equine specialist helping to guide the programming behind this unique therapy. As she continues her walk, she points out Mojo, the large chestnutcolored gelding who was named after Abigail’s father.

“I bought him the year that my father died,” she says. And every time she would work to exercise the horse after her father’s death, “Mojo literally would wrap his neck around me and hug me. It was the only time I could cry and mourn my father. It was the only place where I felt safe to do that.”

“In 2001, the industry started to implode,” she says. “It was heartbreaking for me because I poured my heart and soul into the company.”

Somewhere around that time, Abigail remembers sitting in the doctor’s office and picking up Town and Country magazine. She locked in on a short article about a man in Browning, Montana, who was breeding Spanish mustangs, known as the original buffalo runners.

“When I read about this guy, I bought a plane ticket to Great Falls, rented a car, and drove to Browning,” Abigail says. “The ranch was right at the foothills of Glacier National Park and it was just beautiful.

To sleep in a tepee and hear the horses run around at night, it was absolutely amazing.” The man ran a program designed to let young men and boys on the reservation take care of the horses as a way to distract them from drugs and alcohol.

After taking a short leave of absence to clear her head and check out the program, Abigail ended up flying back to New York the night of Sept. 10, 2001.

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“I saw the towers go down from my apartment window when I woke up the next day,” she says. “I had nothing in my apartment, I had no water, no electricity and no groceries. Nothing.”

a human and an animal, in this case horses,” Abigail says. “It’s communication in the absence of words – the horse can take it and not react to it with the judgment that you or I might.”

Within a year, she realized she also had nothing to lose. In 2002, she made her way back to Montana, where she eventually met her husband and started to set her sights on the western way of life.

By 2015, Abigail was working with a therapist willing to share in equine therapy. “I quickly learned that the people who needed it most couldn’t afford it, so we became a not-for-profit in 2016,” she says.

“I thought, this is what I am going In addition to taking referrals from to do to heal,” Abigail says. “When Child Protective Services, Chinook I was making that decision about Horses works with nonprofits such a dramatic career shift, it was that help provide for children who HORSES ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE either going back to grad school for have dealt with significant trauma.

TO BODY LANGUAGE, ENERGY art history or doing this. I went for “Physical abuse, neglect, emotional AND EMOTIONAL STATE. THEY an interview for NYU’s grad school. abuse, living with a parent who has Their art history program is in Doris an addiction —that’s probably most RESPOND TO EVEN THE SLIGHTEST Duke’s (billionaire and heiress) of what we see,” Abigail says, adding CHANGE IN OUR ATTITUDE. former mansion across from the that the bulk of her work is funded by — Abigail Hornik Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Medicaid. The nonprofit raises money Avenue. It’s beautiful. I walked out to help fill in the funding gaps. and I thought, ‘Do I want to be here “We do work with families in family every day, or do I want to be in a barn court for reunification,” Abigail says. with horses and kids?’ My heart immediately went to the kids “We can learn a lot about a parent and their skills seeing them and horses.” in the arena with their child and a herd of horses. There’s a big By 2012, after dabbling in gallery management (she still manages difference between a parent who will step between a horse and a the Stapleton Gallery in downtown Billings) and running a child to protect the child and a parent who will put a child in front successful western homeware company, Abigail started to shift of them to protect themselves from the horse. We can learn a lot her focus. She took two years to get certified in not one but two in that therapy session.” different forms of equine-assisted therapy and discovered that at Each session, a child is assigned to a “herd” with two to four times, there are more teachable moments in a horse arena than horses. Abigail partners with not only therapists but professionals in a therapist’s office. trained to understand a mind that isn’t wired neurotypically.

“There’s a profound communication that can take place between Those with autism or those who have witnessed trauma process 14

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things differently, and each 45-minute session is tailored to that child’s therapeutic goals. Abigail has seen more than a few breakthroughs standing in the dirt in the middle of an arena.

“We had a little boy who was 8 years old,” she says. “He had such severe anxiety and he couldn’t go to school. He came, but he wouldn’t get out of the car. He could see the session from his car window.”

The second week, he left his car and stood by the fence outside the arena where Mojo walked over to greet him. “The third week, Mojo stuck his head out again. I asked him if he wanted to come in and meet this horse and he said ‘yes.’ By the end of the summer, he was the leader of the group. He came back in the fall for another round and he turned to his occupational therapist and said, ‘I just need to let you know that I am really unhappy that Mojo isn’t in my herd.’ What’s significant about that is not only did he speak but he asserted what he needed.” Abigail calls it just one of many miracles. “For a kid with such severe social anxiety that he couldn’t speak and get out of his car to 12 weeks later being able to articulate what he needed is just mind-blowing.”

child’s sense of worth,” Abigail says. “I have had therapists tell me, ‘Wow, I can’t believe how quickly we just worked through that. That would have taken years in the office.’ And it just plays out right there.”

While Chinook Horses started with a therapeutic approach, recently Abigail added a leadership course called “The Leader in Me,” based on Sean Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Happy Kids.” It’s helping children at a young age to learn critical problemsolving skills and how to collaborate and work as a team.

“For the most part, the population we serve is children because that is my passion,” she says. This year she’s served roughly 60 children but has the capacity to serve so many more.

Eventually, Abigail wants to be able to pass the executive director and fundraising torch to someone “born to do this work,” so she can focus on creating programs that directly impact children. She doesn’t want to be tied to a desk in an office. But for now, she wears all the nonprofit leadership hats, making her rounds, filling her days with loving on horses and helping children heal.

If you watch a session, you see almost immediately that it’s different. The horses are unhaltered and let loose in the middle of the arena. It may sound unsafe, but that’s when the magic happens, Abigail says.

“It sounds hokey,” she says. “I don’t get paid monetarily, but I get paid in spades by the way I get to spend my day. I don’t know anyone who has a better job than I do.”

“Horses are highly sensitive to body language, energy and emotional state. They respond to even the slightest change in our attitude,” Abigail says. So, if a child throws a tantrum, “The horse just moves away. That’s what the does to calm himself.” And, as a result, it creates a teachable moment and shows the child how his or her behavior affects others.

chinookhorses.org ✻

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHINOOK HORSES,

visit

“Right away, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel with the effects of our work. In a very short period of time, I saw shifts in the JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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t c e f r e P PAIR

A

DEEDE BAKER CHANGES LIVES PAIRING SERVICE DOGS WITH VETERANS IN NEED

written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

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YVW MAGAZINE

U.S. MARINE CORPS VETERAN

Austin Combs, 23, is direct and matter-of-fact when he describes his military service.

“I was deployed to Iraq and I blew up. That’s the simplest way to say it,” he says, looking down at the leather leash looped around his hands. At the other end of that lead is Chief, a German Shepherd pup, tongue out, smiling and waiting for Austin’s next move.

“Life just got real dark after that,” Austin adds, reaching for the dog’s soft ear. Chief leans in for a scratch.

The explosion, and life events that followed, left Austin with debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That darkness was a way of life until his therapist suggested Dog Tag Buddies, a Billings-based nonprofit that pairs veterans with service dogs.

Austin and Chief have been a team since Aug. 24.

Austin remembers the date because that was the day the darkness started to lift.

“This guy gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning,” he says. “I can honestly say he saved my life.”

Austin and Chief are learning basic obedience at the Dog Tag Buddies training center, a warehouse space east of Billings on the way out of town. Flags for every branch of the military as well as POWMIA and the American flag are draped across the walls. The expansive room looks like a gym for dogs.

“This is a dream I never knew I had,” says DeeDe Baker, founder of Dog Tag Buddies.

DeeDe started Dog Tag Buddies in 2015 to help veterans and shelter dogs. These days, she’s saving both.

DeeDe has firsthand knowledge of how dogs can help heal the unseen wounds left behind after combat. Her husband lives with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury after an IED, or improvised explosive device, went off under an armored vehicle he was riding in, in Iraq. Although everyone “walked away” from the explosion, it still had its effects.

That was more than 15 years ago.

“They talk about people changing,” DeeDe says. “He definitely changed.”

As the couple struggled to adapt to their new normal, DeeDe noticed that their dogs brought her husband comfort. At times, it was the only thing that helped. It got her thinking about other veterans living with PTSD JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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of PTSD or a traumatic brain injury and qualify for disability. What follows is a face-to face interview process and a waiting period as DeeDe and her team of trainers search for the perfect dog. Once they find a suitable dog, a meeting between the dog and the veteran is set up.

“We can tell if it’s a match in about the first 30 seconds,” DeeDe says, adding that she always holds her breath until she sees that “spark” where both dog and veteran connect.

Then, the veteran and his or her dog go through training together. While some veterans benefit from a companion dog, others benefit from a service dog.

Service dogs are specially trained to support someone with a disability and assist them in the activities of daily living. Dog Tag Buddies provides training for both companion dogs and service dogs.

THE DOG TAG BUDDIES TEAM: KATI GROVE, BONNIE LUSBY, ABIGAIL HARPER AND DEEDE BAKER

and wondering if dogs could help them. too. There were no programs in Montana that connected veterans with service dogs, yet Montana has among the highest rates of military service per capita in the United States.

The need is real, DeeDe says, citing statistics that rank Montana among the top three states with the highest suicide rates, coupled with high suicide rates for veterans.

Studies show that veterans with service dogs do better than those without them.

“We wanted to figure out a way to be a part of the solution, helping these veterans through their struggles with a dog,” DeeDe says.

— DeeDe Baker

Some veterans come to DeeDe through the Dog Tag Buddies website, but they’re often referred to the program by mental health professionals. To qualify, veterans must have a diagnosis YVW MAGAZINE

DeeDe networks with shelters and rescue organizations across the state. She’s developed an eye for choosing good service dogs. She’s looking for a dog that’s in tune to people, not aloof or nervous, eager to please and with a neutral personality. The dogs stay with DeeDe and the training staff for 30 to 60 days to determine if their temperament is right for service.

IF VETERANS ARE LIVING A BETTER LIFE THEN THEIR FAMILIES ARE LIVING A BETTER LIFE.

Since Dog Tag Buddies was founded five years ago, the organization has helped hundreds of veterans and has expanded to include trainers and facilities in Helena, Great Falls, Kalispell, Polson and Missoula. DeeDe’s goal is to have a Dog Tag Buddies trainer within a two-hour drive of every town in Montana.

Dog Tag Buddies trainers have a combined 100-plus years of experience and two are veterans who intimately understand the military experience.

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“Service dogs need to be able to perform anywhere, anytime and under any kind of distraction,” DeeDe says.

“It takes a lot of commitment to train a service dog.”

“I’m looking for a dog that really wants to connect with somebody,” she says.

The real transformation happens when the veterans and their dogs start training together.

“Here they’re going to connect with other veterans, and they are bonding over training a dog and they understand the day-to-day struggles and challenges they all face,” DeeDe says.

Often veterans who come to Dog Tag Buddies are isolated because of PTSD. A service dog allows them to reconnect with family, develop trusting relationships and get out into the world. They’re able to do things with a dog that would’ve been impossible before, and in many cases, service dogs improve the experience of an entire family.

Safe

“If veterans are living a better life then their families are living a better life,” DeeDe says.

STAY

U.S. Air Force veteran Martina Gunter and her dog Willie went through service dog training with Dog Tag Buddies and the experience has been life-changing.

“As soon as I started training Willie it became apparent that there was nothing more that this dog wanted to do than to take care of his person,” Martina says.

WE DELIVER!

The training took about a year, and now Willie goes almost everywhere with Martina. She makes frequent trips to the West Coast, and having Willie with her alleviates all her anxiety about traveling alone. While it’s not possible for everyone, Martina says she was able to discontinue her counseling sessions because of the security Willie provides.

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“He’s my sidekick,” she says. “He’s always there with me no matter where I go.”

Even now, five years after the start of Dog Tag Buddies, Deedee says, “I get more from them than I give.” ✻

DOG TAG BUDDIES

is supported entirely by donations and grants. To learn more about the services or to donate, visit dogtagbuddies.org. If you or someone you know is a veteran living with PTSD and could benefit from a service dog, the application can be found on their website as well.

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It’s stories like Austin’s and Martina’s that feed DeeDe’s passion, and seeing veterans empowered through a service dog is something she never tires of seeing. Dog Tag Buddies is her life’s work, and a job she treasures.

D WNE LLY O A C O L ATED OPER AND

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‘MOM’ on a MISSION SHELTER VOLUNTEER USES WALKS, SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND DOGS A HOME written by ED KEMMICK photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

ON A SUNNY SUNDAY AFTERNOON

in November, Marie Campbell sits at Mystic Park in Billings with Rugar, a 5-year-old pit bull mix. “The poster child for ‘not aware of his size,’” as Marie describes him. Rugar is affectionate and active, and Marie tears up repeatedly as she talks about him.

vicinity of the shelter on weeknights — she works in admissions at MSU Billings until 5 p.m., and the shelter closes at 6 — but on weekends she’ll take dogs out for up to four hours, helping them socialize and deliberately bringing them into contact with potential adopters.

But Rugar isn’t her pet. Neither are the other 100-plus dogs she’s helped find new homes for since moving to Billings around Christmas 2019. As soon as she arrived in town, she began volunteering at Help for Homeless Pets, an animal SOME PEOPLE HAVE shelter located off Sugar WALKED DOGS, Avenue near Interstate 90.

Sometimes she goes to Mystic Park, just upstream of the city water plant on Belknap Avenue, where her dogs, outfitted with a bright-yellow harness bearing the words, “Adopt me,” can get used to people, bicycles and other dogs.

She also takes the dogs to almost any business that allows them — coffeeshops, Home Depot, Tractor Supply — and is only too willing to answer questions from anyone who notices the “Adopt me” harness.

Angie Cook, the director of Help for Homeless Pets, which was founded in 1998, says the shelter probably has eight steady volunteers, none of them doing what Marie does.

BUT NOT TO HER CAPACITY. SHE’S VERY DEDICATED. WE’RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER. WE ALL JUST LOVE HER. — Angie Cook

But above all, she posts photographs, videos and heartfelt descriptions of each dog on Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook, the latter being the portal for almost every adoption that happens because of social media. Her handle on all three platforms is

“Some people have walked dogs,” Angie says, “but not to her capacity. She’s very dedicated. We’re very fortunate to have her. We all just love her.”

Marie moved here from Yuma, Arizona, where she’d volunteered for three years at a shelter that had a big facility and its own dog park. She enjoyed taking animals out into the park, but she was overjoyed to discover that Help for Homeless Pets — where she volunteered as soon as she arrived in Billings — would allow her to walk dogs outside the shelter.

Shelter Mom. “I moved here with 150 followers,” Marie says, referring to Facebook. Now she has more than 2,000. She also shares her posts to various group pages, and two local businesses, Montana Sungrown and Rae Rae’s Bakery, share her posts every week.

“I wanted to walk the dogs again, but I didn’t know they were going to let me take the dogs outside,” she says. “So that’s definitely an incredible bonus.”

“And when I get really attached to a dog and they’re there for several months, I get hopeless and I feel helpless, so sometimes I pay for a Facebook ad just to get more exposure,” Marie says.

It has been a bonus for the shelter, too. Marie walks dogs in the

Every dog she’s taken for walks was eventually adopted, according JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

21

IN ADDITION TO HER EFFORTS TO FIND NEW HOMES FOR SHELTER DOGS, MARIE STARTED AN AMAZON WISH LIST TO ROUND UP SUPPLIES FOR THE SHELTER. THEY ARE MOST

IN NEED OF HIGH-QUALITY DOG TREATS AND DURABLE TOYS IN GOOD CONDITION.

to Angie. At first, when she was asked, Marie wasn’t at all sure how many dogs that added up to.

“I don’t know,” she says. “One hundred? No, that’s too many.

Fifty? I don’t know.”

A day later, she scrolled through her Facebook page for the past 11 months and came up with an accurate number: she had walked 116 dogs, “Some of them just a few times, but the majority of them many, many, many times.” Marie has also done volunteer transports for Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana.

During an interview with YVW at Mystic Park, Marie had to fight back tears three or four times, and she acknowledges that she does get terribly attached to the animals, usually right away. And yet she doesn’t have a dog herself, just three cats. Why? “My wife is terrified of dogs,” she says.

Her wife, Joycelyn Campbell, is a sergeant stationed in Billings with a Marine Corps reservist unit, helping prepare troops for deployments. Angie says Joycelyn occasionally volunteers at Help for Homeless Pets, too, though she only takes care of cats.

Marie is a native of the Czech Republic who first came to the United States in 2009 as an exchange student at the University of Tennessee, where she met Joycelyn. Marie became a U.S. citizen this summer when she and Joycelyn drove to Helena for the naturalization ceremony.

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YVW MAGAZINE

It will come as no surprise to her social media fans to learn that on the way home from Helena, Marie detoured to Deer Lodge to pick up a chihuahua, Rita, whose owner had been in a car crash and was taken to a hospital in Billings. Marie transported the dog to Help for Homeless Pets.

After Rita’s owner began to recover, he really wanted to see his dog. Marie called and asked him when it would be a good time for a visit. “He started crying,” Marie says. “He said, ‘Can you bring her right now?’”

That’s just the way Marie is. Angie says, “We try not to ask her a lot of things, but if we’re in bind, she’s right there.”

In addition to her efforts to find new homes for shelter dogs, Marie started an Amazon Wish List to round up supplies for the shelter. They are most in need of high-quality dog treats and durable toys in good condition.

“I just can’t stress enough how blessed we are to have her help,” Angie says. “She’s just a wonderful, wonderful lady.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HELP FOR HOMELESS PETS, and to see how you can help, visit helpforhomelesspets. org. ✻

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Rusty 24

YVW MAGAZINE

Tonky

Tillie

Meet the

SENIOR SQUAD POOCHZ B & B GIVES TLC TO RESCUED ELDERLY DOGS written by JULIE KOERBER photography by MIRANDA MURDOCK

KEEPING UP WITH Marge and Bill Hall might take a couple extra cups of coffee.

“Hi, baby Aspen! Isn’t she adorable?” Marge says as she walks by the 15-week-old Australian Shepherd puppy who’s jumping up and down hoping to be petted.

“Oh, yeah, you’re going to meet everybody,” she says as we slip through the double gate system to the heart of the operation at Poochz B & B. This 2-1/2 acres of doggy heaven sits just off 48th Street West in Billings and is designed to give all the love and care possible to a group of elderly dogs affectionately called the “Senior Squad.”

“We’ve always had a heart for senior dogs,” Marge says. From Ki, a 130-pound St. Bernard mix who thinks he’s a Chihuahua, to Fletcher, who is a Chihuahua, there are fourteen dogs in all being cared for by Marge and Bill Hall along with Marge’s mom, Sandi Bell.

“We’ve been blessed to find some really great dogs to save,” Bill says. “The little chihuahua, Tonky, he was one day away from being euthanized.”

And that’s why Marge, Bill and Sandi started Poochz B & B, the first senior dog home in Billings, to help these dogs live out their final days with love and comfort.

“These dogs just love it out here,” Bill says.

Walking around the family’s 3,800-square-foot home, you’ll see pretty much every corner is dedicated to the four-legged types.

Dog beds abound, food and water bowls cover an entire wall, medications and treats are lined up and organized for each pooch and, on this day, Sandi is busy in the kitchen with the smells of meatloaf filling the air.

“She makes chicken and meatloaf as toppings for their kibble,” Marge says as Sandi nods and smiles.

Three years ago, life looked a lot different for this trio. All three helped run Western Health Screening. Marge and Bill traveled all over a multi-state region to perform corporate health screenings and community health fairs. As the couple started to reach their 30-year milestone in healthcare, they felt a career change calling.

They just had no idea how serendipitous their timing was. Bill explains that if they hadn’t dissolved their company, it would probably have gone under because of COVID-19. Marge, Bill and Sandi were then able to dream big about their “bed and breakfast for senior dogs.”

“We all pitched our money in together,” Marge says. “Mom sold her house. We sold our house. It all just fell together. The Lord just had his grace on us and made it work. We couldn’t have found a better place.” Bill adds, “We call this our doggie Disneyland.”

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I THINK THEY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF SERVICING THIS ELDERLY GROUP OF PETS THAT ARE IN DIRE NEED OF CARE AND TLC. — Dr. Rob Bruner, Big Sky Pet Center

While Poochz B & B is Marge’s main focus, Bill started a second business called Perky Pawz, the for-profit side of the operation which offers a doggie daycare, boarding and even a pick up and play service where Bill takes his oversized van to personally pick up all his four-legged clients to play for the afternoon.

“He’s got the fun bus,” Marge says. And when the van is full of dogs, Bill says, “I get more looks in this than any sports car I’ve owned.”

Marge and Bill’s hope is that Perky Pawz will help contribute to the nonprofit side of their operation.

“We basically have a huge, enclosed dog park. This is where Billy plays with all the dogs. This is our little agility area,” Marge says.

In time, the space will include outdoor kennel space, a doggy swimming pool and a dog washing stall for clients to use.

“And — this is the bigger piece of this — but once COVID is over, we’d love to have seniors come out and be with the senior dogs,” Marge says.

On this day, the senior dogs rule the roost and right on cue, Bo, a 10-year-old Maltese mix, starts rolling around in a pile of nearby leaves. He looks like a white puff ball with his long ears flapping in the air. Marge laughs and says, “He was going to be euthanized simply because he was old. He’s got spunk. He’s got old man warts. He can sometimes be a little crabby, but can’t we all? He’s just comical as all get out.” She adds, “These dogs’ journeys are all so different.”

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Alli is one of Poochz’s newest residents. He’s a 14-year-old Boxer mix who had a loving owner. After moving to Billings, she found it hard to find a rental property that would also take a large dog. At first, Alli was supposed to be at Poochz’s temporarily, but Marge says, “After she saw how well Alli did here and how happy she was with the pack, she came out 10 days later and said, ‘I am going to surrender her to you. I can’t give her this.’ That meant the world to us.”

Other dogs arrived here because their owners had to move into skilled nursing care. One dog’s owner was incarcerated. One was surrendered to a veterinary clinic and it wasn’t long before Dr. Rob Bruner of Big Sky Pet Center gave Marge and Bill a call. He’d known the couple for more than a decade as their personal pets’ vet.

“They are wonderful kindhearted people,” Bruner says. “There are a lot of these older pets that need that specialized care and their owners are unable to keep up with their health demands. I know we had one animal surrendered due to severe illness with the dog’s owner.” He says Poochz is truly filling a need. “I think they do an outstanding job of servicing this elderly group of pets that are in dire need of care and TLC.” Sandi, who handles the financial side of Poochz, can attest to the cost of caring for elderly dogs. The medical bills can be high and so can the cost of all the medications. She says Poochz spends roughly $2,800 a month to care for a little more than a dozen senior dogs. But Sandi, Marge and Bill all agree that it is worth every penny.

“Their last days are going to be awesome,” Bill says. “The ones that we have seen go over the rainbow bridge, we don’t know what their life was like before. It could have been stellar but when they were here, they were treated like royalty.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT POOCHZ B & B and how you can help either donate or volunteer, visit poochzbnb.org ✻

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27

y e l F M TO

ELLIE HANSEN LEARNS THAT THE ENERGY OF LOVE NEVER DIES written by KAREN KINSER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

WHEN ELLIE HANSEN’S

13-year-old rat terrier, Tyee, died in 2018, she was bereft.

The connection she’d had with this tiny and fiercely loyal pup was that of a soul mate, and at times the grief felt overwhelming.

In the midst of it all, however, she’d have what she calls “connections” with him. They mostly came in dreams for Ellie. For her husband, it was more like a feeling. During a ski trip, it felt as though Tyee was running along with him in boundless joy.

“I couldn’t make this stuff up,” Ellie says, and she began a diary to remember each detail. From it, emerged a beautiful book, “Fly to Me.” “Fly to Me” is a book for anyone who has ever loved an animal. It’s a tender and intricate weaving of a story of life, death and the graduation of a pet’s soul told in an uplifting way with lifeaffirming quotes, photos and illustrations.

“Animals bring out the best parts of ourselves,” says Ellie in the book. “Our pets reflect our hearts, our souls, and all that is pure.”

When it was time for Tyee to go, Ellie was with him. “Being in the presence of a loved one, taking their final breath is a sacred space that few words can accurately describe,” she says.

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One of the most meaningful connections she had with Tyee happened on the day she planned to pick up his ashes. She first stopped to ride her horse, Melody, and while riding, a hawk circled above, flew down and looked directly at Ellie, before rising and flying away. Ellie says this was so meaningful because as Tyee’s soul transitioned, she held a pheasant feather over him and asked that he be cremated with it. The feather was symbolic of Tyee’s ability, now, to “fly free.” Ellie felt the experience with the hawk was her dog’s way of saying he was indeed flying strong, happy and free.

Instead of just holding onto these memories in a personal diary, Ellie felt she needed to share them.

“When I have an idea that comes from my heart,” says Ellie, “I can’t not do it.” Following her heart had already brought her to Montana from New Jersey. It also encouraged her to start both Lovable Pets stores, which provide everything from dog grooming to specialty treats, natural foods and self-wash dog stations.

Seeing pet owners at work every day, she felt empowered to help others caught in grief.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE ANIMALS, BUT IS A GENERAL RESPECT FOR ALL LIFE. WHEN WE TREAT ANIMALS BETTER, WE TREAT EACH OTHER BETTER. — Ellie Hansen

Zoo Lights

Beauty & the Bea st

Take time out of the holiday shopping frenzy, pack up the family in the car and enjoy a magical holiday light display during ZooMontana’s “WeLights.The relate to stories. offDecember facts and figures, but you Zoo displayYou willcan be rattle open in - the 7th-8th, 14thneed an emotional connection,” Ellie says.

“Stories connect us.”

15th, and 20th-24th from 5pm to 9pm each night. zo o m o n t a na . org

Billings Studio Theatre presents “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Junior,” January 10th-13th. Brainy and beautiful Belle yearns to escape her narrow and restricted life including her brute of a suitor, Gaston.

Belle gets adventurous and as a result becomes a captive in the Beast’s enchanted castle! Dancing flatware, menacing wolves and singing furniture fill the stage with thrills during this beloved fairy tale about very different people finding strength in one another as they learn how to love.b i l l i n g sst u d i ot h ea t re. com

Ellie believes that just because a body dies, it doesn’t mean Chaenergy se hawks Rodeo the energy has. “The of love remains,” she says. “The power of love between an animal and a person – or a person Touted as one of the best rough stock rodeos in America, the Chase Hawks Rodeo—takes place the Rimrock Auto Arena on December and person that’s stillin there.”

22nd.Top cowboys and stock come straight from the National Finals Ellie learned many from herhere littleindog, including Rodeo in Las so Vegas tolessons compete right Billings, Montana. kindness, humor and the choice to bring love into every moment.

And best of all, it’s for a great cause. The Chase Hawks Memorial Association works to bring comfort and assistance to families during “He changed me,” she says.e“It don’t sucked into the emotions times of tragedy and crisis.m r a p a rget k .cso om

that life here on earth is the best there is.” He also taught her to be “in the moment” – to notice how sunlight hits certain trees, to listen to birdsong, and to be aware of the day’s beauty.

Calling herself a spiritual person, Ellie thinks that naming “heaven” as a place makes it feel far away. That’s why the book shares how you can heal from the death of a pet by being open, developing awareness and having self-compassion. She believes that heaven is all around us, and our loved ones can communicate with us when they’re close by.

After penning “Fly to Me,” Ellie didn’t stop writing. While working on the book, she joined a Facebook group for authors writing about dogs. When a publishing company requested book proposals through the group, Ellie submitted one and was offered a book contract in the process. She’s now writing the book “Not Forgotten: Saving Laboratory Research Dogs.” The book shares To h a ve yo u r e v e n t s l i s t e d h e r e , e m a i l stories of those all over the world who have adopted laboratory j e s s i c a @ b i l l i n g s 3 6 5 .c o m dogs.

FRinge FestivaL Venture Theatre presents its Fringe Festival, January 18th-19th and 25th-26th.The festival features four nights of shows featuring local and regional performing artists of all types including dance, standup literary awards and the book is also supported by the Association comedy, theater improv, one act plays, musicals, performance art, for Pet Loss and Bereavement. The acknowledgements just help spoken word/poetry, and puppetry.vent u ret hea t r e . or g

elevate a book dedicated to the “extraordinary lessons of life and death from a littlesouL dog.” stReet danCe

This high energy show comes to the Alberta Bair Theater on January 19th andknow presents era inbetween dance, while artistic “Please thata new the love you pushing and yourtheanimals boundaries of street dance. concerts of a mix or of continues eternally, and is Soul neverStreet further away consist than a thought, movement thatheart,” will keep at “It’s the edge of endless your seat.

The music is a tug at your Ellieyou says. like an strand of light combined with an electric mix ranging from hip-hop to classical. that can never be broken.”

It’s a show that will make you laugh and keep audiences of all ages entertained.

“Fly to Me” can be purchased at both Lovable Pets stores and

Barjon’s Books in Billings or online at Amazon. ✻

a ConCeRt Fo R the whoL e FamiLy Billings Symphony presents its Family Concert on January 26th at the Alberta Bair Theater. Four time Grammy nominees, “Trout Fishing KAREN KINSER, writer in America,” will perform along with the Billings Symphony. Trout enjoys retirement her husband, Michael, in Fishing in America is a Karen musical duo which with performs folk rock and Joliet. She revels in travel, hiking, gardening, growing children’s music. b i l l i n g grapes, ssy mpwinemaking, hon y. c omliterary landmarks and seeking restaurants mentioned in novels - just to see if they exist - as she continues her quest for the perfect margarita.

“Most people don’t know dogs are used for research, and they don’t understand the ethical implications,” she says. “In this country alone, over 60,000 dogs are used forcooked research.meals They’re Fresh born and bred in a lab, and never see the light of day. The lives • Daily homemade they lead in the lab are pretty horrible.”

the Sp s ’ t ot t Hi

baked goods Ellie is excited to think that a project meant to honor her beloved • Daily specials Tyee could help spark change in the process.

• Home of the $250 Breakfast “It’s not just about the animals, but is a general respect for all

CAFE soup&salad

life,” she says. “When we treat animals better, we treat each other open mon-Fri better.”

6am to 2pm lunch buffet

located in Billings livestock 2443 n. Frontage rdof Since being put in print, “Fly to Me” has captured a handful YELLOWSTONEVALLEYWOMAN.COM |

DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

63 29

g n i r Sha r i e h t Story YV W CO LUMIST

written by KAREN GROSZ

• • • • • • • •

IN EVERY ISSUE 30

YVW MAGAZINE

OF T T H E L IV E S G IN R O N HO

LOV E H O S E YO U

• • • • • • • •

WE ALL HAVE SOMEONE in our family who has a story to tell. Someone who has gone above and beyond, overcome, or simply made the world a better place by being in it.

Someone we admire, want to honor, or desire for the world to know more fully. We’ve said to them, “You should write a book,” or “Someone should tell your story.” And it is true.

Their story needs told.

But, how do you do it? Hire a biographer? Record every word they say, and have it transcribed? Or, and this is an option worth exploring, lock them in a room and don’t let them out until the story is finished? Or, and this is what I hope you will choose, is it best to tell their story yourself?

to truly say, at the end of the task, “I am an author.”

With that choice made, it’s time to tell the story, and I am going to suggest you begin with the end in mind. How? By deciding how you want the reader to feel when they close the book. Shock? Pride? Entertained? I often write my last sentence, and then I go back to the beginning, keeping my end goal in mind as I write.

You have two steps done, and now the fun begins. What stories will you tell? How much detail will you share? I often browse my bookshelves and pick up a book that feels just right and use that as a guide to get me started. Then, I list the stories I want to tell, the stories that have the greatest impact, or capture the individual at their very finest. Seldom, however, do those stories easily come to mind, so I’ve developed a set of prompts that can be used as a jumping-off point, and have used it with thousands of people who, like you, want to tell a story but don’t know where to begin.

Now, before you turn the page, I promise you it is not that hard to tell the story. And, I promise you, your words, on printed page, will be the ultimate act of love, an act that will never be forgotten. I always say, she who writes it down will always be right, which is handy for those remember when arguments with details that don’t match up.

I OFTEN WRITE MY

LAST SENTENCE, AND THEN I GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING, KEEPING MY END GOAL IN MIND AS I WRITE.

It is, as it is in many things, the beginning that seems the hardest.

And it is, as it always is, easier once you start than while you are thinking about starting. If you don’t feel qualified, you should know this, a confession you already know if you have read my books — I am not an English major.

I often say I am bilingual, speaking good English and bad English. So, if I can put pen to paper and write words you are still, by the way, reading, you can tell your loved one’s story.

BEGIN BY MAKING THIS SIMPLE CHOICE: Will it be a photo-centric story, printed by a service like Costco or Shutterfly, with few words but intense meaning?

This book could be suitable for a coffee table, or child’s bookshelf. The point is this — that it is their story, told by you.

Or, will it be words, actual chapters with a flow from beginning to end? These books are easily printed through vanity publishers, or my favorite on-demand service, KDP/ Amazon. These books allow you to tell more of the story, and

Trace your hands, or if you can, your subject’s hands, if they will be involved in the project.

On the pinkie finger of the left hand, write the name of the youngest person your subject would like to inspire with their story.

The ring finger is for their love story. It may be painful, it may be 70 years of wedded bliss, but this story will undoubtedly be one of their greatest. If you are writing about a child, tell about something they love to do, or your love for them.

The middle finger is for the biggest obstacle they have overcome, or greatest accomplishment.

The index finger is for a story you (they) want to point out.

An opinion or a learning moment worth sharing.

The thumb is a perfect prompt for telling about a hobby, or the work they do in the world.

Moving to the right hand, this thumb can be all about their travels or a life-changing trip that they took.

This index finger is for telling a time when they were

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

31

number one, perhaps a huge accomplishment. This could also be for the team they love to cheer for above all others. (Think Cats or Griz, that loyalty is a story!)

This middle finger is a great time to tell about someone they admire, someone that showed them the way through life, or, if you are writing this story because your person is fighting a battle right now, tell that story, the story they’re in the middle of living.

2. Read it aloud, making necessary changes, then ask a friend to read it.

3. Have an editor, a real one, check it for grammar errors, and flow.

4. Publish the book. I know it is scary, but I promise you, the people who will read this book will be glad that you did.

The pinkie finger is a story about something small most people do not know about your subject, or a habit that is endearing.

As you think about this project, the person you are writing about, I want you to know that you can do it. It does not have to be overwhelming. It does not have to be perfect. All you need to do is begin. But, before you do, I am going to ask you this: Should the story you write be your story? Is that the story that needs told?

These stories don’t have to be told in order, and most will give you ideas for other stories. Each prompt can be changed to suit the story you want to tell. The point is, if you told these 10 stories, the world would be a richer place for knowing them about your special someone.

As women, we have lived a lot of life, and have impacted others, but sometimes in an attempt to be humble we forget that we have wisdom to share with others, and I want you to know that your story is probably the most important story you will ever tell.

If you chose the photo book, find a picture for each story, pop them in the online template, and hit print. You will be glad you did!

Go ahead, start writing the book. I can’t wait to read your words. ✻

The ring finger of this hand is about faith, the values and people who surrounded your person, and helped them to know it is all going to be all right.

IF YOU ARE WRITING A BOOK, A REAL BOOK, AND YOU WANT OTHERS TO READ IT, I HAVE SOME ADVICE. 1. Set is aside for two weeks, after your initial writing.

Let it chill and when you go back to it, you will know the parts you love and hate.

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.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? Join the Book Writer's Club!

IS THERE A STORY, maybe yours, or a loved one's you feel you need to get on paper? Have you asked yourself, 'If I don't tell these stories, who will?' The Book Writer's Club was designed with YOU in mind! Karen Grosz and YVW have joined forces to empower you to take that step with an online class produced in a way that takes you step-by-step through the process of writing a book. From writing prompts and editing tips to keys to self-publishing and advice from

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established writers, this club is formatted to help you succeed. Take the classes when it fits in to your schedule and then join us for a trio of Zoom meetings on the 7th of each month starting in March. The meetings will help you network with fellow writers, tackle any stumbling blocks and celebrate success! Visit yellowstonevalleywoman.com/ writers-club to learn more and find out how to enroll. Space is limited.

Life Story

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SHARE YOUR STORIES & 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.

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e c i Sp LIFE

the

of

50TH BIRTHDAY SPARKS AN INSPIRATIONAL COOKBOOK & COOKING SHOW written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

JILL FERRIS

had never made Grandma Shirley’s German Cabbage Rolls before but on this day, the stove was sizzling, delivering delicious smells of ground beef, onion and spices as her good friend, Megan Martin, shared each step of her grandma’s cherished dish.

about somebody when they pass away,” Jill says about her cookbook, “Cheers to 50 Years, Women That Inspire Me & The Recipes They Inspire.” “Why wait until they pass away? Why don’t we tell people what we love about them, how they make us feel and what they mean to us while they are here?”

“When grandma makes these, she makes enough to feed an army,” Megan says as she helps Jill chop the cabbage and roll out the dough.

About a year before her milestone birthday, Jill crafted the idea during one of the long car rides to the family cabin in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. As her husband drove, she went on a marathon writing session.

Up close, it looks like a pair of old friends sharing time and making “It was really, honestly cathartic,” Jill says. “Every birthday that memories in the kitchen. ends in an 0, it’s slightly From a distance, however, you daunting. You feel the same see the soft lights, the boom but at the same time you microphones and the pair WHY WAIT UNTIL THEY PASS AWAY? WHY should take a moment to of cameras catching every DON’T WE TELL PEOPLE WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT reflect.” bit of the action. The crew, THEM, HOW THEY MAKE US FEEL AND WHAT which made the trek from Los She enlisted her husband, Angeles, was in town filming THEY MEAN TO US WHILE THEY ARE HERE? Chad, to help her test all 56 — Jill Ferris the pilot for “Jill’s Inspiration recipes, and take the photos.

Kitchen,” a cooking show with a Food is a common theme in twist. During the show, Jill and their relationship. Together, one of her treasured friends they own the 307 Bar & Grill share a recipe. Jill then talks in Columbus. about why that friend is an inspiration as the two cook together.

“It’s such an honor,” Megan says as the two were between filming sessions.

To Jill, food is her “love language.” Before she turned 50 last April, she decided that instead of having a midlife crisis, she’d use her culinary skills to honor the women who’ve touched her heart and life.

“My thought was to make it like a tribute that you would write

“He had to learn how to photograph the food and try all the recipes and then, 15 pounds later, he said, ‘Are we close to the end of the cookbook yet?’” Jill says with a laugh.

By the end, she had a wide variety of flavors — everything from Steak with a Balsamic Blue Cheese Reduction to a Cadillac Margarita — each one dedicated to a special person in Jill’s life.

When she self-published the book, the idea was to host a party with each one of the women present to raise a glass not only to the milestone, but to the women in the cookbook as well.

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Jill & Megan unique with the inspirational women behind it. It’s so much more than a cooking show.” In November, the crew Karla contracted filmed 13 episodes with the goal of wrapping production by the end of 2020. Once finished, Karla says, “I am going to pitch it to a lady in Nashville who then pitches to the national networks.”

They should know by mid-January whether Jill’s “Inspiration Kitchen” is being picked up for a national audience. At that point, production will ramp up again to film another 13 shows.

“Part of me thought, is there going to be a market for a 50-year-old woman to start her own show talking about other women? Can I pull it off?” Jill says.

“Then COVID hit, and the book sat in my garage waiting to be shared with these beautiful women,” Jill says.

As she waited, she sought feedback. One of the friends she shared the book with, Karla Johnson, is also the owner of Creative World Talent, a talent agency based in Columbus.

“She said, this is not only good enough to sell in a ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ kind of way, but it might transcend into a TV show,” Jill says. “She told me, ‘This might be the perfect storm. You have women. You have connection. You have cooking, which people are doing more than ever. And, the networks are looking for content.’”

So, with the help of Karla, Jill Ferris became not only an author but a TV host during the same year.

“Cooking shows are popular,” Karla says, “but hers is really 36

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If you had a chance to watch the scenes being filmed, you’d know the answer. As Jill reaches for a pan to take to the stove, she pauses, knowing the videographer needs to move to a new angle to get a closeup shot. As she and Megan talk about the importance of the recipe, Jill serves as a gracious host, giving cooking tips and techniques along the way.

“I can’t tell you how thrilling it was,” Jill says. “It was so much fun!”

Last September, five months after her milestone birthday, Jill found a way to gather the women to share their stories and cookbooks.

“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room,” Megan shares.

From Jill’s mom, to childhood friends, to her beloved hairdresser,

to aunts, to a slew of cousins and faithful friends gathered throughout her life, Jill made space for each one of them.

YOU HAVE WOMEN. YOU HAVE CONNECTION. YOU HAVE COOKING, WHICH PEOPLE ARE DOING MORE THAN EVER. AND, THE NETWORKS ARE LOOKING FOR CONTENT.’ — Karla Johnson, owner of Creative World Talent

“I can’t tell you how gratifying it was to put those words on paper and to take a moment to pause and reflect on each one of those individual people and what I admired about them,” Jill says.

“I think it is so cool when women lift each other up,” Megan says about the gift of being in Jill’s cookbook. “It’s amazing the snowball effect that it has.” ✻

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dream2

LIVING WITH A

CANCER CAN’T KEEP BRITTANY CURL DOWN written by Laura Bailey photography by Daniel Sullivan

BRITTANY CURL grew up running wild in the grassy fields on

the banks of the Stillwater River and wading in the river’s swift current. Her little sister, Casey, was always at her side, running to keep up with her taller, faster sister. Brittany doesn’t remember when she realized that Casey was different. Maybe she always knew but it never mattered.

Casey has Down’s Syndrome, and in those precious, formative years, Brittany developed a foundation of compassion that has guided her throughout her life. Now, at 26, she’s the founder and CEO of Casey’s Dream, a company that provides developmentally disabled individuals with a range of holistic services, including homes for independent living.

Brittany’s passion for her work is as fierce as her love for Casey, and it shows. Casey’s Dream group homes are not typical homes for the developmentally disabled. Each one is a home for only two or three people, and they’re staffed 24 hours a day. Compared to the traditional group home model, which houses sometimes up to eight and even 10 residents, Casey’s Dream homes feel like a real home rather than an institution.

“I want people to know that there’s a better option than the traditional group home setting,” Brittany says.

With a small business loan and some financial support from

her parents, Brittany opened Casey’s Dream in March of 2019.

Since then, she has opened 11 group homes, and there is a strong demand for more. However, just when Casey’s Dream as was poised for major expansion, Brittany’s plans were sidelined.

It was a year ago in February when the brain cancer diagnosis came. Life hasn’t been the same since.

For a couple months before her diagnosis, Brittany had been experiencing numbness in her face. She visited four different doctors who all agreed a pinched nerve was to blame. But Brittany, who was usually cheery and optimistic, couldn’t stop thinking of the worst-case scenario – brain cancer.

“I knew something was off,” she says.

She begged her doctor for more testing, and when she mentioned that brain cancer ran in the family (her uncle died of the disease last summer and maternal grandfather had it as well) the doctor agreed.

“Please, please just put in an order for an MRI,” Brittany recalls saying.

She remembers the day of her MRI because it was Super Bowl Sunday, and she figured that if there was something to worry about they would have kept her at the hospital, so she went home in good spirits. When the doctor called back the next day he said, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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“You’ve got a one-inch mass on your frontal lobe. Come in right away.” Brittany felt like she held her breath the whole drive across town to the hospital.

A single mother, Brittany’s first thoughts were for her son, Khalil, who is 4 years old.

“At that point nothing else mattered. I had to beat it to take care of my son. Casey was my next thought. Taking care of Casey after my parents could no longer care for her was always the plan,” she says. “I told myself, you have to be strong. You have to.”

She was fast-tracked for surgery and ended up under the care of the chief of neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

“The cancer was way worse than they thought,” Brittany says.

Although the surgeon hoped he could remove the tumor without any serious side effects, it wasn’t possible. Brittany lost all use of the left side of her body. When she came to in the recovery room and couldn’t move her hand, she panicked. In one instant, she went from a fit, former standout college basketball player to a woman unable to walk.

“It will come back,” the surgeon promised.

What followed was a whirlwind of therapy and treatments.

Immediately after the surgery she spent some time in intensive rehab at Mayo Clinic, followed by more physical and occupational therapy at home in Billings. Then, she spent three months at a 40

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Later, Bailie traveled with Brittany to Arizona. There, Bailie took care of Khalil while Brittany received her treatments. The time there, away from all life’s distractions, was healing, and helped them both “reset” Bailie says.

BRITTANY WITH HER FRIEND BAILEY

clinic in Arizona where she received additional chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

“Brittany, she’s a hustler and she’s a fighter,” she says. “She can’t be stopped. If there’s something she wants she’ll get it, and she’s not going to take no for an answer.”

Brain cancer is not something to keep someone like Brittany down.

During her recovery she launched a nonprofit called Mommy’s Dream. It’s in its infancy, but the purpose of the organization is to support single mothers like her who are battling cancer.

Throughout it all, Brittany’s lifelong friend, Bailie Cortner, was by her side. Bailey took a leave of absence from her job in San Diego and traveled with Brittany to the Mayo Clinic for surgery, sleeping in the hospital room and helping her with her with daily tasks for almost three weeks. Brittany’s family came out for part of the time with Casey and Khalil. Bailie insisted on at least one silly selfie every day and kept her friend’s spirits up with lots of laughter.

“I had great support, but there are people who don’t have that,” she says.

“I am so thankful I had her,” Brittany says. “I think without her I would have gotten so depressed.”

Brittany is still facing her own battle, with about six months left of chemotherapy. She’s changed her eating habits and is trying to minimize stress in her life, but that’s no easy task for a single mother, entrepreneur and founder of a new nonprofit.

“All I could think was that I didn’t want her to be alone,” Bailie says.

For now, Mommy’s Dream is in the fundraising stages. Brittany hopes that one day the nonprofit will be able to provide single mothers with a wide variety of non-medical services like childcare, travel expenses and temporary housing while they are in cancer treatment.

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“Individual” is the preferred terminology that Brittany uses when she talks about Casey’s Dream residents. It’s a small yet constant reminder that each one is unique.

Casey’s Dream homes are spread throughout the community, and each home is personally decorated by the residents, who sign a “lease” when they move in. To the best of their abilities, residents are expected to help with day-to-day household activities, including cleaning, grocery shopping and meal planning. Staff provide the guidance, routine and structure they need.

“That’s the biggest part of our services. We’re helping them get to a place of independence,” Brittany says. “We’ve had really great success.”

Brittany says in a whisper. “I try not to think too much about that.”

While Brain cancer has dominated Brittany’s life for the past year, she’d rather talk about Casey’s Dream.

The goal of Casey’s Dream is not just to provide much-needed housing for developmentally disabled individuals, but to help all of them reach their potential and gain their highest level of independence.

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She has dozens of success stories she can share, but one young man stands out. When he came to Casey’s Dream he was barely functioning. He was nearly unresponsive to interaction, constantly drooling, and prone to angry outbursts. His family had all but given up on him, Brittany says. After a few weeks at a Casey’s Dream home, his medication was adjusted and today he’s happy, outgoing and gaining independence.

Brittany believes that the individuals served by Casey’s Dream benefit from a sense of community. That’s why residents come three times a week to the Casey’s Dream office for workout classes. They’re all involved in Special Olympics and every Wednesday is community night, where the residents get together to participate in various activities.

Creativity and enterprise are also important values, Brittany says, and individuals are encouraged to pursue opportunities for work and hobbies. One young woman has a small business making bath bombs.

Diane Graber’s son Joshua has autism and lives in a Casey’s Dream home. She says Brittany saved their family. Joshua was ready for adulthood but couldn’t be left alone, and he was no longer happy living at home with is parents.

“He needed that next stage in life,” Diane says.

Brittany took care to pair him with roommates who were at his level on the spectrum and staff who he could relate to. He’s included in activities that interest him, and now, Diane says, he’s happy and content.

“She’s doing this for all the right reasons,” Diane says. “She works really hard and she’s constantly trying to do more for these people.”

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In addition to satisfied residents, Brittany

THAT’S THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR SERVICES. WE’RE HELPING THEM GET TO A PLACE OF INDEPENDENCE. WE’VE HAD REALLY GREAT SUCCESS. — Brittany Curl

wants happy employees too, and the non-traditional group home model attracts quality applicants. Many of the 60 employees at Casey’s Dream have been with the company since it started.

“It’s hard work, but the good days outnumber the bad days,” Brittany says.

She should know. All through college, as she was earning her Human Services Nonprofit Administration degree, she worked in traditional group homes. Now, when there’s a staff shortage or someone’s out sick – and there’s been plenty since the pandemic – Brittany doesn’t hesitate. She jumps in to help, day or night. For night shifts, she bundles up Khalil with is blanket and PJs and brings him along.

“He’s used to it. It’s been a part of his life for his whole life,” she says.

Casey’s Dream also provides support for individuals who are not independent enough to thrive in a group-home setting. When dealing with a child with severe disabilities, it’s almost impossible to for a parent to keep a job, Brittany says. Casey’s Dream can provide much-needed respite care or parents can apply to work for Casey’s Dream and be paid for providing in-home services for their child.

“When we set up services, we make sure that the services mold around what the family wants,” Brittany says.

Family involvement is critical, but unfortunately a lot of the individuals served by Casey’s Dream don’t have much family support. Many are essentially homeless. In those cases, Casey’s Dream becomes their family.

Eventually, Casey will come to live in one of Casey’s Dream homes, Brittany says, but she has her own ideas about what she wants for her future and will need some convincing before she will be ready to leave mom and dad.

“She’s a little spitfire.” Brittany says. “She’s like what I want to be all the time.”

Brittany’s goals for Casey’s Dream are too big to be derailed by cancer. She wants to add more group homes, of course, but she also envisions a day center where individuals can come to participate in group activities and learn life skills. She’s also looking to expand to other communities where there is a need.

“I’m just getting started. I have so many individuals I want to help!” she says.

It’s been difficult for Brittany to slow down, but all those plans are on hold.

“Right now, I’m just trying to heal myself first,” she says.

Brittany has never asked her doctors what her prognosis is, and she refuses to Google search the type of cancer she has. She doesn’t want to know if she has months or years left. It doesn’t matter to her. She’s living her life to the fullest, holding her family tight, and has refused to lose sight of her goals.

“I have always believed that things don’t happen to you. They happen for you,” Brittany says. “If you think of it that way you have a whole different perspective.” ✻

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t i et Glide L

SYNTHETIC RINK BECOMES HAVEN FOR SKATING YEAR ROUND written by Laura Bailey photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN 46

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SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN GOUBEAUX’S very first ice skating lesson was long over, but he was nowhere near ready to leave. His cheeks were flushed and his red hair, in a tight buzz cut, was glistening with sweat as he negotiated for one more round of hockey with his mom. Beaming, Shauna obliged, even though she was getting tired too.

“I’ve wanted him to play hockey all his life and he’s wanted nothing to do with it until now,” Shauna says as she unlaced her hockey skates.

Shauna grew up skating in southwestern Ontario, playing hockey at recess and after school every day all winter. It’s something she’s loved her whole life, and now, finally, Aden is there with her, smacking around a foam hockey puck with pool noodles at the Yellowstone Valley Figure Skating Club’s indoor synthetic rink.

Shauna couldn’t be happier.

She tried to introduce him to skating on regular ice, but the surface was so slick, he became scared and wouldn’t move. On the synthetic surface, which isn’t as slippery, he had no trouble, and by the end of his first lesson, he was skating with confidence.

Located in the heart of downtown Billings on the 2800 block of Minnesota Avenue, this year-round rink is a hot spot for kids and adults wanting lessons or hoping to skate on a Saturday when the

rink is open to all.

“This is a great way to supplement the ice that’s already available to us,” says Cathy Goettel, president of the club.

The synthetic ice is made of 20 percent recycled polymer and is much like a giant self-healing cutting board. The large tiles snap together like a jigsaw puzzle and cover almost all the floor in the large downtown storefront. In the back is a skate pro shop that offers rentals and skate sharpening.

“The ice is comparable to natural ice, but it’s not as slippery, so there’s less falling when you’re first learning,” Cathy says. “And it’s a great because you take out any concern about the cold.”

A few years ago, a club member purchased a several panels for use in her garage, and the idea of a synthetic public rink took off from there. For three years, club members set up the small rink once a week for lessons in the gym at Friendship House, a Christian nonprofit which serves families affected by poverty on Billings’ South Side. These days, kids from Friendship House are still learning to skate at the new location through a partnership the nonprofit has with the club.

“We wanted to focus on helping the underserved kids in our community,” Cathy says.

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Five-year-old Rachel Navarro has been taking lessons for two sessions after her mother Wendy Graham saw a flier for the Yellowstone Valley Figure Skating Club at her daughter’s school.

Rachel loves skating, Wendy says.

“At first she was nervous, and now she’s like, ‘Bye Mom,’ and skates away with her friends,” she adds.

“It’s great for exercise, and they’re going to make friends and it’s going to build their confidence,” says Leslie Albright, little Rachel’s skating instructor. “And they catch on so quick.”

Cathy and Leslie love to teach, but they especially like working with kids from Friendship House and offering them an opportunity to learn a sport they might not otherwise have a chance to learn.

“I really love seeing the little ones who are apprehensive and a little scared,” Cathy says. “Just give them five minutes on the ice and you see this little spark of confidence in themselves.”

Cathy’s love for figure skating started when she was just 5 years old. She watched the Olympic figure skating competition on TV and begged her mom to let her learn to skate. Her mother didn’t want to say no, but wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea either, so she picked one of the Chicago winter’s coldest days and took Cathy to an outside rink to give it a try.

“A girl did a split jump right in front of me and that was pretty much it,” Cathy remembers. “My mom had to drag me off the ice.”

Cathy went on to take lessons and skate competitively. She also 48

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performed in ice shows and developed a love for teaching and coaching figure skating, which she still does through the club. She still competes as well, and along with a group of other women from the Billings area, she travels to various events throughout the region.

“Now, skating is just a part of me,” she says.

The Yellowstone Valley Figure Skating Club’s mascot, CHIP the Penguin, is painted on the wall at the club, and his name stands for Courage, Harmony, Independence and Purpose, all values Cathy, Leslie and their fellow club members hope their students gain through skating.

IT’S GREAT FOR EXERCISE, AND THEY’RE GOING TO MAKE FRIENDS AND IT’S GOING TO BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE. —Leslie Albright

For young Aden and Rachel, and many other children like them, they’ve certainly done what they’ve set out to do.

YELLOWSTONE VALLEY FIGURE SKATING CLUB

is located at 2804 Minnesota Ave. and has been open to the public since March. The club, which is open year-round, offers lessons for children and adults as well a public skate session every Saturday. They’re available for private events as well. ✻

DISTRIBUTED BY THE PEPSI-COLA BOTTLING CO. | BILLINGS, MT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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Passion and Persistence

PayOff

NICOLE GRIFFITH BANKS ON “HEALTHY” AND “FAST” written by LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

NICOLE GRIFFITH has spent the past seven years building her business from the wheels up. The young entrepreneur started with a traveling juice and smoothie truck that’s evolved into two established locations of Well Pared, a juice bar and eatery that prides itself on being “healthy” and “fast.”

“In 2013, those were not two words you would often find together in the world of quick-serve restaurants,” Nicole writes in her blog.

“Well Pared had a goal to change that.”

Nicole was only 23 when she decided to launch her own business.

Had she listened to those “in the know,” her dream might have fizzled then and there.

“I was told ‘no’ at bank after bank,” she says. “We could have stopped and said it wasn’t meant to be, but we kept moving. We found a way.”

That perseverance has paid off. When the banks rejected her requests, Nicole reached out to private investors and family members. Today, she not only employs a staff of 20-plus, but she’s learned what it takes to foster those employees in ways that

benefit them as well as the business.

Nicole had no silver bullet as she took her dream to reality. Rather, she relied on the basics: hard work and dedication to her mission.

She also credits her family’s enterprising spirit for helping her brave that first leap.

“My family has the entrepreneurial gene,” she says, smiling. Her father, Kim Speasl, owns Billings Remodel and Paint. And her grandmother, Janet Jones, launched her own printing company and later a daycare business.

In fact, family still plays a key role in Nicole’s success. Her brother, Brian Speasl, who studied at Johnson and Wales Culinary School in Denver, serves as head chef and general manager of Well Pared. Her grandmother Janet serves as bookkeeper and mentor.

“She’s always been my sounding board,” Nicole says.

Over time, Well Pared has come to represent a blend of Nicole’s passion for healthy food and for the network of people she has met on her journey. Born and raised in Billings, she traces her interest in nutrition as far back as middle school, when she made JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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a personal decision to eliminate meat from her diet. That interest took on new fervor after Nicole moved back to Montana following several years in Las Vegas.

lessons, we learned through our failures. It was hard going through them but our resiliency and strength moving forward comes from that.”

“It was so easy to eat right there,” she says of her time out of state. Back home, she found few easy options for maintaining a healthy regimen. So, she set out to tackle two goals: to complete her degree in Health and Human Performance at Montana State University Billings and to do what she could locally to provide quick, healthy food for people on the go. That’s when she took to the streets with “Get Juiced,” her eatery and juice bar I’VE in a food truck.

As the business grew, they also began brainstorming a new name.

When they came up with Well Pared, they decided they’d hit on a winner.

“We would go to events — races and runs,” she says. “We had so much fun and it was going so well, we just didn’t stop.”

In the early years, she and her brother both worked at other jobs while they promoted the fledgling business. When they needed assistance, they’d call on friends and pay them to help out.

LEARNED COMMUNITY AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS EVERYTHING. AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO INVEST IN YOUR WORKFORCE. — Nicole Griffith

Within a year, she had opened her first outlet in Rimrock Mall. From the food truck and mall, she moved Well Pared to its current West End location at 605 24th St. W. Two years ago, she expanded with a larger venue at the corner of 27th Street and First Avenue North in downtown Billings.

“It goes along with our lifestyle,” Nicole says. “It starts with nutrition but it’s more about being ‘well’ overall, which includes relationships and mindfulness. We care about integrating ourselves within the community rather than just being a restaurant. Being ‘Well Pared’ made sense right away — we pair our food and drinks with people to create connection.”

Similarly, the experiences she absorbed while cultivating the business opened her eyes to a new sense of purpose.

“I started the company thinking my only passion was providing healthy food,” she says. “Then I discovered my primary passion was my people.

I want to grow the company for them. I’ve learned community and building relationships is everything. And the best way to do that is to invest in your workforce.”

Over time, Nicole learned from both her successes and failures.

Besides enjoying full benefits, Well Pared’s employees schedule monthly get-togethers for fun activities.

“We failed at so many things,” she says. “However, our biggest

“We want work to be fun and rewarding,” Nicole says.

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She also stresses education for her staff, so that the teams know about the ingredients and what those ingredients do for the body.

Pared’s outlets slowed to a crawl. Though Nicole never had to shut down, she and her staff made a quick shift to take-out.

“There’s also a big component of culture that we want to create,” she says. “Culture really is key for us and we do our best to hire with that in mind.”

“We’ve survived by being adaptable,” she says.

As Nicole describes the path she has taken, a steady stream of customers arrive and depart with take-out orders. A few linger at the tables chatting. A glance behind the counter reveals bins loaded with fresh oranges, pears and apples, many of which go into Well Pared’s juices, smoothies and cleanses. The menu also includes specialty salads, wraps, granola bowls and warm grain bowls.

She also survived by collaborating with other businesses and by taking advantage of guidance offered by the Montana Retail Association. The MRA helped her tap into funding assistance and directed her to resources for personal protective equipment for her staff.

“That group (MRA) was instrumental in our survival,” Nicole says. “It was helpful being surrounded by colleagues with their own issues and sharing what we needed to get through.”

Nicole’s favorite is the “Gallatin” — a salad or wrap served with tasty greens, pear, red apple, red onion, goat cheese, house made candied walnuts and a sweet onion vinaigrette.

The slowdown also allowed Nicole to pause and regroup. As 2020 arrived, she had been poised to expand into a new Midwest market — until COVID abruptly put those plans on hold.

Most everything is made in-house – from their garlic croutons to their house-made salad dressings. What you won’t find on the menu is added sugar, artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors or preservatives.

“Now we’re hoping that will happen in 2021,” she says.

“I am passionate about providing nutritionally sound food,” Nicole says. “We do our research to offer a quality product and ensure fresh ingredients.”

Beyond the walls of her business, Nicole finds support from a network of good friends and other young entrepreneurs.

“We challenge each other,” she says. “I feel a drive to make myself better.”

That network of professionals proved invaluable when COVID-19 hit in March 2020. Almost overnight, foot traffic into both Well 54

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Like the other hurdles she has surmounted, Nicole’s resolve will no doubt keep her on track.

“We definitely want to take our mission elsewhere,” she says.

“We want to bring Well Pared to health food deserts all over the country.” ✻

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.

‘MANTRAS’ from a

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR

EAT WELL. SUPPORT LOCAL!

The Core Beliefs Nicole Griffith Lives By

1.

MAKE SURE YOUR MISSION AND VALUES ALIGN WITH YOUR PURPOSE. YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD ALWAYS COME BACK TO WHY YOU ARE DOING IT.

2.

3.

4.

INVEST IN YOUR PEOPLE. THEY ARE GOING TO REPRESENT YOU AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR COMPANY MOVING FORWARD. DON’T BE RIGID IN YOUR THINKING. DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL. YOUR FAILURES WILL YIELD YOUR BIGGEST LESSONS.

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Immunity

Eating for

WHY WHAT WE EAT CAN HELP HOW OUR BODY FIGHTS COLDS & VIRUSES written by KARLI BIES, registered dietitian nutritionist

WITH THE THREAT OF COVID-19 and now flu season here, many are trying to find ways to beef up their immune system to stay healthy. While there’s no magic bullet to improve our immune system’s cells and their function, you can make sure you’re getting the full benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

EXERCISE Exercise and stress reduction both play a big part in your overall health. Both help reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn reduces the stress on the immune system so it can work properly.

Exercise helps get the blood flowing through the body so the cells that work hand in hand with your immune system can circulate and work to the best of their ability.

If you do start to experience symptoms of COVID-19, take caution. There’s a growing body of evidence that exercise can make symptoms of the virus significantly worse. Be vigilant about listening to your body. When in doubt, give your doctor a call for insight.

WHAT YOU EAT If you are eating a variety of foods including meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, chances are you are getting just what your body needs. If you are considering adding supplements into your routine, many of us could benefit from a daily multivitamin to cover the vitamins and nutrients we might not be consuming in our food. (See sidebar box, What to Eat & Why) Don’t forget to talk to your doctor before adding a new supplement to your routine.

VITAMIN A This is a fat-soluble vitamin, also known as beta carotene, that regulates the immune system and keeps our skin and tissues in our mouth, nose, stomach, intestines and respiratory system healthy to protect against infections. To get your vitamin A, try sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, red bell peppers or cereals and milk labeled “fortified with Vitamin A.”

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VITAMIN D This fat-soluble vitamin helps reduce inflammation and modulates immune function. While some vitamin D is produced by the rays of the sun, here in Montana many need a supplement to make up for the lack of sun during the winter months. Get your D with fortified foods such as milk, cereal and orange juice, or in fatty fish, meat and eggs.

VITAMIN E This fat-soluble vitamin works as an antioxidant in the body, protecting cells from the damaging effect of free radicals in the body or in our environment. Consume your E by eating nuts, seeds, vegetable oils or leafy green vegetables.

DID YOU KNOW? Fat-soluble vitamins are best absorbed by eating them with, you guessed it, fats! You may have heard someone tell you to eat your salad with a full fat dressing. That’s because you get more benefit from the vitamins in your food when they are more completely absorbed with those healthy fats.

VITAMIN C This water-soluble vitamin helps stimulate the formation of antibodies. It is great to pair this vitamin with non-heme or plant-based iron because it helps increase your iron absorption.

Vitamin C is often marketed in mega doses like EmergenC (1,000 mg per pack), but research shows the absorption of vitamin C decreases to less than 50 percent when taking in a dose greater than 1,000 mg. Just for reference, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. Luckily, because it is water-soluble, the body doesn’t store excess vitamin C so there isn’t as much risk to taking high doses, but there isn’t much to gain either. To consume your C, try citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and brussels sprouts.

ZINC This mineral helps the immune system work properly in several different ways with the formation of enzymes and proteins. It’s marketed to help reduce the severity of the common cold. Keep in

mind, the research is still mixed on the full benefit. To make sure you’re getting enough zinc, it is best absorbed when eaten with protein, which is easy to do because it’s in most protein items we eat. To get your zinc, eat oysters, red meat, poultry, cheese, shellfish or legumes.

you are going to try to increase your vitamin and mineral intake safely and effectively, your best bet is to find a multivitamin or, better yet, simply eat a wide variety of foods. ✻

KARLI BIES, writer

Overall, research doesn’t show much benefit to taking mega doses of a single vitamin. More doesn’t seem to equal better. Your body can only metabolize so much, either excreting the excess or storing it, which might be harmful to your overall health. If

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.

WHAT TO EAT & WHY VITAMIN/ MINERAL VITAMIN/ MINERAL

VITAMIN

A

(Retinoids and beta-carotene)

VITAMIN

C

)

(Ascorbic Acid

VITAMIN

D

(Calciferol)

DIETARY RECOMMENDED ALLOWANCE DIETARY

foods

ALLOWANCE

• Pumpkin • Red peppers • Sweet potatoes

• Growth and development • Immune function • Red blood cell formation • Reproduction • Skin and bone formation • Vision

• Cantaloupe • Carrots • Dairy products • Eggs • Fortified cereals • Green leafy vegetables

• Antioxidant • Collagen and connective tissue formation • Immune function • Wound healing

•C antaloupe, citrus fruits, kiwifruit, and strawberries • Orange, grapefruit or tomato juice •B roccoli, brussels sprouts, peppers, and tomatoes

900 mcg

90 mg men 75 mg women

*No conclusive evidence on reducing the common cold

• Blood pressure regulation • Bone growth • Calcium balance • Hormone production • Immune function • Nervous system function

• Eggs •F ish (e.g., herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, and tuna) • Fish oil and cod liver oil • Fortified dairy products • Fortified orange juice •F ortified plant-based beverages (e.g., soy, rice, and almond) • Fortified ready-to-eat cereals • Mushrooms • Pork

• Antioxidant • Formation of blood vessels • Immune function

• Fortified cereals and juices •G reen vegetables (e.g., spinach and broccoli) • Nuts and seeds • Peanuts and peanut butter • Vegetable oils

• Growth and development • Immune function • Nervous system function • Protein formation • Reproduction • Taste and smell • Wound healing

• Beans and peas • Beef • Dairy products • Fortified cereals • Nuts • Poultry

rol)

(alpha-tocophe

ZINC

RECOMMENDED

FOODS

FUNCTION

*In Montana or Northern climates, we are most often deficient due to lack of sunshine

VITAMIN

E

FUNCTION

Immune Boosting Vitamins & Minerals

• Shellfish • Whole grains

15 mcg

15 mg

11mg *Recommended for vegetarians to get double the Recommended intake due to lack of protein foods in the diet and less absorption

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

57

A CONVERSATION ON THE

BILLINGS ECONOMY AND

COVID-19

Q AND A WITH THE BILLINGS CHAMBER’S JOHN BREWER written by JULIE KOERBER

HOW HAS COVID-19 left its mark on our local economy?

What are the bright spots? YVW sat down with John Brewer, the president and CEO of the Billings Chamber of Commerce, to help paint the picture of how the pandemic is impacting our livelihoods.

Q. SET THE SCENE FOR US ON WHAT BILLINGS' ECONOMY LOOKED LIKE PRE-COVID. WAS IT FLOURISHING? WHAT WERE THE BRIGHT SPOTS? A. It was very strong. It seems like Billings is always that community that’s had a 2 to 3 percent annual growth. There’s nothing that really skyrocketed or had peaks and valleys. The bright spots in our community have always been agriculture, tourism, finance and the medical community. We’re just a hub for the region. We've always been very strong in terms of the lure for retail and hospitality. The main issue that came into play in every industry in our area has been workforce. Nearly every sector of our economy faced workforce challenges — challenges finding trained, skilled workers, and challenges with childcare.

Q. SO, HOW HAS COVID-19 LEFT ITS MARK SINCE THEN? A. Well, we're still in the middle of so much uncertainty. I think COVID is exacerbating the challenges that we had prior to the virus. We hear from a lot of small and large employers that say it’s very hard right now to get workers, whether that's because of the illness or because some of the government funding and subsidies for those who are unemployed are acting as a disincentive for people to want to come back to work. On the positive side, it's been so encouraging to see that entrepreneurial spirit out there. I’ve heard story after story of businesses who have adjusted their business model to address

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growing needs due to COVID. Or, they’ve addressed consumer habit changes and really have found a path through some of the challenges. They’ve had that ability to look down the road and adjust to make it their own and fill a niche.

Q. MANY OF US HAVE REALLY BEEN SADDENED BY THE LOSS OF SOME LONG-STANDING BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS OF COVID. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AND WHICH LOSSES DID YOU FEEL THE MOST? A. The impact on small, locally owned business has been difficult and is on the verge of devastating. Restaurants, retail, hotels — It feels as though so many of these establishments that employ our neighbors and define the character of our community are at risk. We’re also feeling the loss and limitations of our arts and cultural community. Places like Wise Wonders Science and Discovery Museum, Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, the Pub Station, Alberta Bair Theater and many others are shuttered or severely limited in their operations. The hotel industry right now is down about 34 percent from where it was last year. These businesses are part of the cultural fabric of Billings. If they can’t make it to the other side of this pandemic, our community will be missing some amazing treasures that truly add to the quality of life here.

Q. HOW HAS THE CHAMBER JUMPED IN TO HELP? A. I believe the 8,500 businesses in Billings see the chamber as a trusted source of reliable and timely information.

Information is coming so fast and from so many sources, we are blessed to have a strong communications team that has distilled essential information to help business fight their way through the pandemic. Early on we developed a town

hall series via Zoom to connect businesses with key decision makers at the local, state and national level. We hosted dozens of webinars and roundtables to help our businesses learn from experts and from each other. We have also advocated for health and safety practices to enable businesses to be open and safe. On a larger scale, we have worked hand-in-hand with the Yellowstone County Economic Recovery and Response Team with the mission of helping business and our community come out strong on the other side of the pandemic.

Q. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART ABOUT BEING IN YOUR ROLE AT THIS TIME? A. It’s been difficult trying to strike the balance between

tough. For someone to receive at least a $600 stimulus check to help stimulate the economy — the timing of that is good.

The bill also contains a set aside for the live music and theater venues. They’ve really struggled, so having this set aside is very welcome to that industry. As businesses experience smaller occupancy restrictions (currently 50 percent), reduced hours of operation (currently businesses must close by 10 p.m.) and general consumer uneasiness about visiting stores in-person, we need this federal funding package to give our businesses and their employees a fighting chance. The Billings Chamber of Commerce, representing over 1,000 members with over 43,000 employees, supports a stimulus bill that would support small and midsize employers, protect against unwarranted lawsuits, provide testing and healthcare, unemployment and job training, state and local assistance plus support for childcare. The majority of what we were hoping to see is in this bill.

advocating for business and preserving the health of our community.

The healthcare community, our health officer and others have been very clear locally and nationally as to what we can do to get all of our businesses Q. IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO I SEE THE POSITIVE CONNECTIONS back in operation again at A CRYSTAL BALL AND SEE BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE ARE full speed and that's to follow THE LONG-RANGE EFFECTS MAKING TO TRULY SUPPORT ONE these regulations that they're ANOTHER — SHARING SOLUTIONS OF THIS PANDEMIC, WHAT prescribing. It’s not Voodoo or AND HELPING TO PROBLEM SOLVE. MIGHT YOU SEE? some kind of a strange formula — John Brewer that they’ve come up with. This A. I see the positive connections is science telling us how we can businesses and people are making slow the spread and get back to truly support one another — online. It has become such a sharing solutions and helping political struggle, the struggle of to problem solve. Unfortunately, that fierce Montana spirit of “I there are grave concerns about want to be my own person” mixed with the struggle of “I also the economic impact, particularly on small businesses. It’s want to love and support my neighbor.” Those two right now cliché of course to say but we can help by shopping local. There aren't working together like they should be. We hear the stories are benefits to Amazon and, of course, Hello Fresh, but, boy, of struggling businesses, owners worried for their employees at this time if we can just consolidate our resources around and themselves alongside the stories of people struggling with either buying gift cards or going out to eat locally in a safe and illness, death of loved ones, and the non-stop impact on our responsible manner, that’s the best thing we can do to help healthcare workers – these stories are heart-wrenching. keep these businesses afloat. They need us now. If we don’t,

Q. AS WE GO TO PRINT WITH THIS ISSUE, CONGRESS IS HOPEFUL OF PASSING A STIMULUS BILL TO LESSEN THE BLOW FOR COMMUNITIES JUST LIKE OURS. WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THE DETAILS IN THAT BILL? A. There will be a period of understanding the details and then implementing them once the President signs the bill into law. I think it is a great bill that is going to help stimulate the economy at a time when it may be needed most. As we come out of the holiday season, it is traditionally a very difficult time for small businesses and you add on the impacts they are feeling from Covid , these winter months are going to be very

we’re going to see a very vanilla landscape in our community if our small, locally owned, unique niche businesses don't get through this.

Q. WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE? A. We routinely hear that it is the

people of Billings who make this a great place to visit, live and work. Our residents are resilient, they lift each other up in challenging times, and celebrate success together. Most of Billings shows up when given the opportunity to do so. When a community can support one another, it can survive a lot. ✻

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

59

COVID-19 AND THE ECONOMY Based on our industry mix and saturation,

OUR YELLOWSTONE PEAK COUNTY IS IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT in the week ending April 18 was

TOP 10%

of counties that are economically vulnerable to COVID-19

9,601

Of that, nearly 30% of those filing for unemployment worked in leisure activities (restaurant, hospitality, tourism)

In November of 2020, enplanements at the Billings Airport reached nearly

60%

of what it was in 2019 Nationally, that number is around

30%

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TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY DROPPED BY

1,040 JOBS RETAIL TRADE ALONE LOST

400 JOBS

As of October,

YELLOWSTONE COUNTY’S

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE was

4%

As of mid-December, there were

As of the week ending Nov. 28,

ACTIVE JOB POSTINGS

PEOPLE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTY

2,470

2,932

The two top positions are

REGISTERED NURSES and

RETAIL SALESPEOPLE

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY’S REVENUE

in Yellowstone County is down about

34%

compared to this time last year

Some of these individuals may still be working but their employment has been reduced in some capacity

Hatching a

FINANCIAL PLAN COACH MAGGIE WINTERS HELPS OTHERS BUILD A BIGGER NEST EGG written by JULIE KOERBER

MAGGIE WINTERS is a mother of three and an elementary teacher by trade. She thought a master’s degree would ensure a comfortable living, especially since her husband had a good career as well.

But there were many months early on in their marriage when, after paying two car loans plus student loan debt, Maggie found herself anxiously counting down the days to their next paychecks.

When the couple’s first child came along, the cost of daycare — physically and even emotionally — was burdensome.

“After I had my first son, it killed me to go back to work,” she says. “I had no idea that I was going to want to be home with him, but I went back to work because I had to. When we got pregnant with baby number two, I told myself, ‘Something has to change. I can’t live like this.’”

It was on that journey toward change that Maggie discovered she had a knack for demystifying finances.

She put her family on a budget and told herself that this new financial roadmap wasn’t a restriction, it was permission to spend. Within a year, Maggie was working part time and within a few years after that, she became a stay-at-home mom who was sliding more money into savings than she did when she was working full-time.

“We’ve been debt-free for years,” Maggie says. “I’m almost ready for a new vehicle and it’ll be paid in cash.”

YVW MAGAZINE

“I literally woke up from a dream thinking ‘What is this?’ I had no term for it,” she says. “I didn't know the term ‘financial coach’ at the time. How can I help people? I really feel like I've learned so much in my own personal journey.”

WE’VE BEEN DEBT-FREE FOR YEARS. I’M ALMOST READY FOR A NEW VEHICLE AND IT’LL BE PAID IN CASH. — Maggie Winters

“I had this awakening. I read one of Dave Ramsey’s books and realized, ‘Wait, I am not even paying attention to any of our money. It’s just swipe card, swipe card, swipe card, not paying attention,’” she says.

62

As she was learning the ins and outs of budgeting, she realized that with a little education in the world of financial coaching, she could start a new side hustle and help others in the process.

That’s how Hatch Financial Coaching was born, as Maggie puts it, helping others build bigger nest eggs.

If you sit down with Maggie, she’ll show you what the average budget looks like for many of her clients. Many times, it’s in the red. After a few adjustments on her nifty formatted spread sheet, she shows how easy it is for someone to get back in the black. It all boils down to income and expenses and being intimately aware of both.

“For many of my clients, this is the first time they've ever written down their expenses,” Maggie says. “So that in and of itself is quite the epiphany.”

That’s why Maggie calls her first financial coaching session, the Epiphany Session. The visit gets into the nitty gritty of a person’s financial situation.

“I pick through things and I’m like ‘Whoa! You guys are paying $1,500 a month for groceries for your family of four. What's going on? Let’s see how you do on $1,000,” she says.

Maggie says that when she shops for her family of five, her combined grocery and Costco budget is $700 a month and she doesn’t step foot in a store without a meal plan in hand. If an item didn’t make her list, she says, “I really have to ask myself, ‘Do we need it?’” Right before she checks out, she’s gotten into

the habit of checking her cart one last time to make sure everything is a must have. That little habit has been a budget saver.

When it comes to budgets, Maggie says she puts every conceivable item into her family’s.

“For instance, if you drive a new car, you really don’t have a ton of car maintenance,” Maggie says. “What if we plan for $400 a year? I divide that number by 12 and that’s how much money every month goes into your savings account for maintenance. We love to do date nights, so I put that into my budget.”

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT WHAT AMERICANS ARE FACING WITH MONEY

78

OF AMERICANS

80

%

%

LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK

OF HOUSEHOLDS

DON’T HAVE A BUDGET IN PLACE

And she builds up savings for what she calls whammies.

“If you suddenly need new tires, I call those expenses whammies because they are usually the ones that make you say, ‘Dang it!’” she says, “These are the things that you don’t plan for on a day-today or month-to-month basis, but you’ve got to be prepared for them.” She urges her clients to have a savings account with enough money to make sure those whammies don’t become major financial burdens.

“When those whammies pop up, you slide the money over from your savings so that it doesn’t affect your month-to-month or day-to-day budget.

And then, over time, you pay your savings back that money.”

40

%

OF AMERICANS HAVE

LESS THAN

$10,000

SAVED FOR RETIREMENT

4 10 out of

AMERICANS CAN’T PAY FOR A

$400 EMERGENCY

WITHOUT A CREDIT CARD

Maggie opened Hatch Financial Coaching about a year ago and has since helped quite a few families get a handle on their money. When her clients first walked through her door, she says, all had more than $15,000 in credit card debt. All had car loans. And all believed that there wouldn’t be a day when they didn’t have some sort of debt hanging over their heads.

“Your income is your greatest wealth-building tool,” Maggie says. “The more income you have to work with, the more wealth you’re going to build, so you’ve got to get that debt paid.”

It probably comes as no surprise that Maggie enjoys reading financial books for fun. Chris Hogan’s “Everyday Millionaires” is on her nightstand now. She listens to Dave Ramsey’s podcast daily and, most importantly, she uses the system that she teaches.

“This feeds my soul,” she says. “I love watching people become successful and I love teaching. A budget has got to be doable. You’ve got to find a balance of living happily but also saving and getting yourself moving in the right direction. You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HATCH FINANCIAL COACHING, visit hatchfc.com. ✻

Helping you build a bigger nest egg MAGGIE WINTERS

406.200.8349 maggie@hatchfc.com ww.hatchfc.com JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

63

Reimagining healthcare with the patient in mind FLEX FAMILY HEALTH CARE OPERATES ON A MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MODEL written by Laura Bailey photography by Daniel Sullivan

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YVW MAGAZINE

WHEN VALORY HOEFLE cut her finger on a knife while

Fowler, a family practice physician. Hoefle and her husband have insurance for major emergencies, but the deductible is high – more than the cost of a membership at Flex Family Health.

She says their Flex Family Health membership has saved her family thousands of dollars.

washing dishes earlier this year, it almost certainly would have meant a trip to the hospital emergency room for stitches. Instead, she texted Cole Whitmoyer, a family nurse practitioner and owner of Flex Family Health. Whitmoyer asked her to send a photo, and when he saw THE DIRECT PRIMARY CARE MODEL the wound he said, “Meet me at the ISN’T A REPLACEMENT FOR office in 20 minutes.” It was well past INSURANCE, BUT IT’S OFTEN MORE 8 p.m. but he was happy to put four AFFORDABLE THAN THE CO-PAYS stitches in Hoefle’s finger, and she was headed home in less than 30 AND HIGH DEDUCTIBLES OFFERED minutes.

BY MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES. Hoefle’s cut could have been a $2,000-plus visit to the ER. Instead, she paid nothing for the visit. At Flex Family Health, that visit, and all the others she and her family of five have had this year, have been covered by their monthly membership, which gives her unlimited access to Whitmoyer and Dr. Jennifer

“They’re there for us for all of the dayto-day stuff,” Hoefle says. “It really gives you peace of mind to know you can call or text anytime.”

The service provided at Flex Family Health is based on a direct primary care model, and it is the only clinic of its kind in Billings. For one flat fee – in this case between $59 and $149 a month – members have unlimited access to a healthcare provider. Flex Family Health doesn’t take insurance, so there’s no co-pay or related headaches trying to figure out what’s covered.

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

65

The service is nothing like what most people expect in a traditional healthcare setting. Appointments are longer, wait times are nonexistent, and Flex Family Health usually schedules appointments for the same day or next day. They also provide 24-7 access to providers by phone, text and email.

of healthcare for them too. Both providers agreed that the patient-centered approach is refreshing after careers in the traditional delivery model. Depending on the nature of the visit, exams at Flex Family Health generally take 30 minutes to two hours, compared with most walk-in-clinics that see patients for an average of 15 minutes.

The direct primary care model isn’t a replacement for insurance, but it’s often more affordable than the co-pays and high deductibles offered by most insurance companies. Most of the members of Flex Family Health carry I LIKE TO SPEND TIME WITH insurance for catastrophic events and occasional visits to specialists.

PEOPLE AND LISTEN. IF YOU JUST

LET THEM TALK, THEY’RE GOING

“I like to spend time with people and listen,” Fowler says. “If you just let them talk, they’re going to tell you what is going on.”

After her residency, Fowler moved to Glasgow where she worked in general practice. As one of the few providers in the area, the hours were long and stressful. After only a few years she was burnt out.

Patients at Flex Family Health run TO TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON. the gamut — from the very healthy to — Dr. Jennifer Fowler those with serious medical concerns, Whitmoyer says. He and Dr. Fowler can meet 90 percent of all their day-to-day “I was ready to be done with medical needs, including lab work and medicine,” Fowler says. diagnostic imaging, which is provided at a deep discount compared to the She relocated to Billings and went into same services paid out-of-pocket. When a specialist is needed, esthetics. It gave her the break she needed, but she soon found Whitmoyer and Fowler can make a referral. she missed medicine, so she transitioned into an employer-based clinic where she met Whitmoyer. Together they envisioned a Whitmoyer and Fowler believe their clinic provides obvious better model for healthcare. benefits for their patients, but Flex Family Health is a reimagining

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YVW MAGAZINE

“What we’ve lost in healthcare is our connection to people,” Fowler says.

They were drawn to the direct primary care model as an opportunity to bring that focus back to the patient. To stay patientfocused they serve only about 500 to 600 people, a relatively small number compared to providers in traditional healthcare models.

“I’ve always been someone who likes to do things my way,” Whitmoyer says. “We’re not here to make millions. We’re here to help people and fill a void in the community.”

Flex family care has brought them both back from the brink of burnout.

“My work-life balance is so much better,” Fowler says. “I’m in charge of my own schedule.”

She takes Wednesday afternoons off to take her daughter to dance lessons, and Whitmoyer has the same flexibility for his family as well.

Visit us for an eye care experience you'll love.

“I almost quit nursing because I was so burnt out,” Whitmoyer says. “Now I’m so glad I didn’t.”

They have discovered that most people want to make a commitment to their health but tend to put off care because of the long wait and, at times, impersonal service. At Flex Family Health, Whitmoyer says, people reach out for an appointment sooner because it’s easy to get in. As a result, their patients are using more preventive medicine.

– Now accepting new patients – 100 Brookshire Blvd. • Building 2, Suite 2 (406) 656-8886 billingseyedocs.com

Whitmoyer and Fowler take a holistic approach to treatment, and work to find the best possible solutions for people, considering all facets of their lives. They take time to listen to their patients and educate them. Frequently, Whitmoyer and Fowler work together on a treatment plan.

“We each have different experiences and sometimes you will have both of us bouncing ideas off each other,” Whitmoyer says.

“We’re always trying to think outside the box to help people.”

For many Flex Family Health patients, there’s no comparison between the direct primary care model and the traditional healthcare model. There’s no way to put a price on convenience, quality and peace of mind.

“Our clinic is the same as any other clinic,” Whitmoyer says.

“We’re here for anyone and everyone.”

TO LEARN MORE, visit flexfamilyhealth.com. ✻

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

67

WHAT’S TRENDING 6 WARDROBE ITEMS THAT ARE GETTING LOTS OF “LIKES” READY TO LEVEL UP written by VICKI-LYNN TERPSTRA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

your wardrobe for the new year? With 2021’s promise of more excitement, more gatherings and more adventures than the year before, we picked out some must-haves. Here are six ways you can invest in your future fashion self. ✻

VICKI-LYNN TERPSTRA, writer

FASHION 68

YVW MAGAZINE

With nearly a decade long career in retail, Vicki-Lynn 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 know-how to help keep women in the Yellowstone Valley looking their best.

somethingchicclothing SOMETHINGchic

1,000 likes somethingchicclothing Ooh-la-la, no lines here! Bodysuits are perfect for layering with a long cardigan and a high-waisted jean or with a blazer and a pair of trousers for a clean classic look. Ditch the hard-to-tuck tank and opt for this essential layer instead. Wear Commando bodysuits range from $74 to $98.

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

69

joyoflivingmt The Joy of Living

1,000 likes joyoflivingmt Tip your noggin if you are done with ball caps. Women’s western hats are a staple in any woman’s wardrobe.

Pick your statement color — from blush to black or any beautiful shade in between. These Gigipip hats are perfectly paired with denim and your coziest sweater or even a sundress during those warm-weather months. Gigipip Monroe Rancher Hat, $112.

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escape reality Experience our newest service...

G O O D LUC K R ITUAL This renewing massage treatment is based on the five Chinese Elements and promotes happiness, luck, and prosperity.

406.655.1701 • 1504 24th St W • SanctuarySpaAndSalon.com

2812 2nd Ave N | Billings, MT 59101 | somethingchicclothing.com

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

71

shopcricketmt Cricket Clothing Co

1,000 likes shopcricketmt Stop searching for the purr-fect coat. Prowl the town in this cheetah trench. It’s the new animal print that’s taking center stage. Not feeling daring enough to sport this full-length jacket? Make a splash by draping a scarf or layering with an animal print tee. Cupcake and Cashmere jacket, $179. Elliot Lauren Sweater, $129. Liverpool Denim, $89.

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joyoflivingmt It’s the golden season that glistens.

The warm tone of gold has won the hearts of the fashion industry. Find a delicate piece to inch its way into your look or dive into a bolder look designed by Julie Vos. Earrings, $155. Bee Chain necklace, $145. Medallion necklace, $85. All designed by Julie Vos.

somethingchicclothing Levi’s made these timeless.

High rise straight denim is the pick in casual attire right now. The skinny jean is still on trend but if you want a little more comfort, a little more leg room and a pair of denims that hugs the curves in your waist is even more fashionable. Levi’s Wedgie Straight Tango Fray, $98. Deluc cardigan, $76. Matisse mini leopard boot, $195.

dillards These boots are made for walkin’ and that’s just what they’ll do. Say hello to this season’s most versatile shoe. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing a flirty dress or a pair of leggings and a denim jacket, combat boots can finish the look. Sanctuary dress, $149. Patricia Nash purse, $52.15. Steve Madden Amulet Jewel Lug boot, $129.99.

JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

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TA ST E OF THE VALL EY

written by KAY ERICKSON

The Jubilee

Cherry

RECIPES EVEN OUR FIRST PRESIDENT WOULD LOVE

FEBRUARY IS A MONTH

George Washington just might savor if he were alive today. It’s National Cherry month, which gives a nod to one of the best-known legends about our first president — the story of the young George chopping down his father’s cherry tree after receiving the gift of a new hatchet.

For those of us here in Montana, an entire month dedicated to cherries seems more fitting for August when those sweet and amazing Flathead cherries grace the highway fruit stands, farmers’ markets and produce aisles of the grocery store.

In honor of this glorious and tasty month, I’ve pulled together some of my favorite tart cherry recipes, including my hands-down best Tart Cherry Pie, which has had a long-

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standing place in my family’s recipe box. It was my mother’s go-to cherry dessert and it has been mine for years.

So here is to you, Mr. President. And, as we cheer, please pass the cherry pie. Don’t fret, Flathead cherries, we still love you and plan to overindulge again when you ripen up for us to relish next summer.

Enjoy! ✻ 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.

sour cherry pie

cherry cobbler

Two 9½-inch crust pie shells (either homemade or frozen pie crust, thawed)

½ t. almond extract

1¼ c. cherry liquid (drained from cherries), add water if needed to equal amount

1 T. granulated sugar

1¼ c. granulated sugar ½ t. salt ¼ c. cornstarch combined with ¼ c. water 1 T. lemon juice Red food coloring 2 cans (14.5 oz) red tart cherries (pitted) 3 T. dry (unseasoned) breadcrumbs DIRECTIONS Combine 1¼ cup of cherry liquid, granulated sugar, salt, cornstarch/water mixture and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Mix well and cook until thick, stirring continuously until smooth.

Lower heat and simmer about 5 minutes.

Add red food coloring and pour glaze over well-drained cherries and let stand until preparation is cold. If filling appears too thick when it is cold, add a tablespoon of water.

1 can of cherry pie filling and topping 1 c. all-purpose flour 1½ t. baking powder ½ t. salt 3 T. shortening ½ c. milk 2 T. toasted slivered blanched almonds DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the pie filling and the almond extract in a 1½-quart casserole dish. Place in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Add shortening and milk. Cut through the shortening six times. Stir in the almonds, mix until dough forms a ball. Drop the dough by six spoonsful onto the hot pie filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until biscuit topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or almond-flavored whipped cream.

cherry cream cheese pie 1 prepared graham cracker pie crust 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk 1 8-oz pkg of cream cheese, room temperature 1/3 c. lemon juice 1 t. vanilla extract 1 30-oz can cherry pie filling and topping DIRECTIONS In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the sweetened condensed milk. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and stir until well blended. Pour the cream cheese filling into the crust. Chill for several hours. Top with cherry pie filling and serve.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs evenly over the bottom crust in the pie plate, pressing down gently with your fingers. Pour cold filling into crust. Brush the rim of the crust with milk or water, gently roll the top crust over the filling and gently press along the rim. Turn the edges of the crust under and crimp edges with a fork or your fingers. Cut slits in the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the pie with milk, excluding rim.

Place pie on an edged baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven long enough to place a strip of foil around the rim. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Allow pie to cool completely before cutting and serving.

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weetness2 S RIS ING WI TH

THREE WOMEN WHO BAKE JOY INTO DAILY LIVING written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

THEY HELP OUR LIVES

sweetly rise. Three women — Sam Walter of Sweets by Sam, Veronika Baukema of Veronika’s Pastry Shop, and Jayne Duenow of Jayne’s Signature Sweets — bake joy into daily living.

They measure and mix up cakes, cookies and pastries that nurture our appetites and spirits. Veronika’s Bakery nourishes with

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Eastern European and French pastries, while Jayne’s Signature Sweets and Sweets by Sam fill our souls with cakes and cookies.

Each woman came to her place by the oven in different ways.

While Duenow has baked for a living for 15 years, Baukema and Walter are celebrating three years in business this year. ✻

2 JAYNE DUENOW Jayne’s Signature Sweets

Once a long time ago, a 3-year-old customer, Nolan Bartholomew, bestowed on Jayne Duenow, owner of Jayne’s Signature Sweets, the title “cake lady.” Duenow bought the business Shelly’s Cakes from Shelly Lindh on March 1, 2005, after retiring from UBS Financial Services. The skills she learned in a cake decorating class in 1985 proved useful.

“I love happy people. I love making people happy,” Duenow says. Her desire to please started at the very beginning of her business.

These days, her cakes are larger and each one made to order. Over the years, Duenow has partnered with Judi Kittson, describing the relationship as “totally divine intervention. It’s a match made in heaven. We both have the exact opposite strengths and weaknesses.”

“I LOVE HAPPY PEOPLE. I LOVE MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY.

Proudly Duenew confesses to being a perfectionist, being able to smooth frosting on a cake to a glass-like smoothness. “Judi is more creative. She’s more artsy,” she says.

— Jayne Duenow

“Our first year of business was a learning experience. We didn’t know how to say ‘no.’”

As a result, she worked several 24 hours shifts to satisfy orders.

“I’ve learned how to monitor it better now,” she says, glancing at the sofa located in the front sales space. “The couch is a very comfortable bed.”

Duenow recalls baking cakes in an Easy Bake Oven as a child.

After 15 years, the two of them work in synchrony as they produce close to 40 cakes a week. Cookies, cupcakes and fruit pizzas are also on the menu and cupcakes are available daily.

Jayne and Judi’s talents have sweetened the celebrations of weddings, graduations, births, baptisms and, of course, birthdays.

Thanks to these creative and hardworking women, our celebratory events can be memorialized with a heavy dose of sweetness.

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SAM WALTER Sweets By Sam

Sam Walter started Sweets by Sam in the fall of 2017 while she While social media might help Walter’s recipes, she says, “I tweak was a student at Montana State University Billings, studying them to my liking.” She does, though, claims the sugar cookie finance and accounting, making sweets, she says, “as a side recipe as her own. “I adjusted the recipe so it didn’t rise and it thing.” She started with scones and muffins, later moving on to didn’t change shape.” Walter owns more than a hundred cookie baking sandwich breads. Walter didn’t attend culinary school or cutters. “I can’t stop,” she says. When a cookie cutter can’t be intern under a master. Instead, Instagram found for a specific creation, “I hand cut the and Pinterest helped spark ideas and cookie with an Exacto knife. I project the inspirations for her creations. She gleaned image onto the dough or make a cardboard CREATE SOMETHING THAT innovations from the other side of the cutout.”

TAKES YOUR VERY BREATH world, from Australia and New Zealand.

AWAY THE VERY FIRST TIME For nearly two years, Walter rented space Magnolia Kitchen, founded by Kiwi Bets YOU SEE IT, WHILE ALSO BEING at the Fieldhouse’s Annex bakery. She Gee, a culinary celebrity, became Walter’s TASTY ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU worked in the dark of night. The solitude favorite source. Walter says of the bakers COMING BACK FOR MORE. allowed her to devote nearly 15 minutes in these countries, “It’s just like art for — Sam Walter to decorating each cookie. While prettying them. People go all out.” the cookies was her favorite thing to do, she “The cake is the focal point for their prided herself on perfecting the technique events,” Walter says, “For birthdays, they have whole balloon of making macarons. These French meringue-based confections garlands and huge cake stands. Here,” she lamented, “the cake is require finesse for a puffy yet delicate crispy exterior and a soft, just for cutting.” Walter wanted to “create something that takes slightly chewy interior. These cookies formed the blank canvas your very breath away the very first time you see it, while also for Walter to flavor and color. being tasty enough to keep you coming back for more.”

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VERONIKA BAUKEMA Veronika’s Pastry Shop

Veronika Baukema, owner of Veronika’s Pastry Shop, honed her baking techniques with practice, time and patience. She was introduced to baking by her grandmother. “I never thought I was different from the other kids. I have been baking since I was a little kid, playing with my grandma in the kitchen. I just thought this was normal,” Baukema says of her belief that all kids in Uzbekistan, where she grew up, baked cinnamon rolls and pastries at home.

Baukema credited her husband Toby for encouraging her to pursue opening a shop on Montana Avenue. “I was grateful for the confidence he gave me. My daughter Anna also really encouraged me,” she says.

danishes and pinwheels for her 8 a.m. opening. Her kouign amann and Russian rugelach honor her heritage and pay homage to her grandmother.

“Baking is like meditation,” she says. “I can picture how everything will go.” Then she said of those who entered her shop, “I love talking to my customers. They’re like my family.” She also found time to work with BAKING IS LIKE and talk to students from the the Culinary MEDITATION. Arts Program at Passages.

I CAN PICTURE HOW EVERYTHING WILL GO.

In the last few years, she found her rhythm, learning customer patterns, making fewer — Veronika Baukema pastries at the beginning of the week, and adding extra toward the end of the week. She She embarked on her venture in 2017, readjusted the days she opened during the admitting, “I had to be happy. I had to be happy because I was week, closing on weekends. On most days she is sold out before opening my business. My daughter was having a baby. I had to 10 a.m. be happy because my husband was leaving me. I would close my These days she is practicing “mind power” to harness success shop at night and start sobbing.” and happiness in her life. “Everything I have right now I have She found solace in her work, devoting herself to her business, created,” which has brought her much self-confidence. arriving daily before sunrise to bake croissants, bear claws, 79 JANUARY/FEBRARY 2021

weets2 S TO SAVOR A FEW SUGARY DELIGHTS TO TRY

pryaniki RECIPE FROM VERONIKA BAUKEMA Pryaniki, also known as honey bread, is a Russian spice cookie with a cake-like density.

MAKES 30 TWO-INCH COOKIES FOR COOKIES 1 c. honey 1/2 c. sugar 2 T. unsalted butter 31/4 c. flour 2 eggs 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (optional) 1/2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. white vinegar 1/4 t. salt 1/2 t. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

FOR GLAZE 1 pasteurized egg white 1 c. powdered sugar

While cookies bake, whisk together egg white, sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside. Remove pryaniki from the oven, immediately drizzle with glaze. Cool and enjoy. (Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or put into the freezer for up to three months.)

1/2 t. vanilla extract

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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Add honey, sugar and unsalted butter to a medium sauce pan and melt them together over low heat, whisking occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Put baking soda in a large spoon and stir in white vinegar. It will foam, then pour into the honey mixture, whisk in two eggs.

In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, walnuts and cinnamon (or other spices such as cardamom or nutmeg). Mix together dry ingredients with honey mixture. The dough will be soft.

Refrigerate for dough one hour. With a small scooper, spoon cookies onto prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

grandma’s sugar cookies

swiss meringue buttercream

RECIPE FROM JULIE KOERBER Use this tried and true recipe from YVW’s publisher to serve as the base for Sam’s delicious Buttercream frosting. Julie fondly remembers her mom making these cookies and shipping them to Montana so she wouldn’t miss out on the soft and sweet taste.

RECIPE FROM SAM WALTER

MAKES ABOUT 30 THREE-INCH COOKIES 1 c. sugar 3/4 c. margarine 2 eggs 23/4 cup flour 1 t. vanilla extract 1 t. almond extract (this is the secret ingredient!)

1 t. baking powder 1/2 t. salt DIRECTIONS Cream sugar and margarine together until smooth and creamy.

Add eggs and extracts, stirring until combined. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients into batter, mixing well. The dough should be soft and not sticky. Form into a ball and chill overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two to three large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough out in small batches to 1/4" thick, cut out using your favorite cookie cutters. Arrange cookies on baking sheets, 2 inches apart and bake until firm and edges turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool before decorating. (Cookies stay soft for about a week when covered tightly at room temperature.)

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3 large, pasteurized egg whites 1 c. granulated sugar 1½ c. unsalted butter, slightly softened yet cold 1 t. vanilla extract DIRECTIONS Combine egg whites and sugar in a heatproof standing mixer bowl. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk consistently until all the sugar has dissolved (it should feel smooth between your fingertips). Place bowl on standing mixer with whisk attachment. Mix on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Add vanilla. Slowly add butter on low speed, increase speed to medium, mixing for about five minutes. It may start to separate, just keep mixing! (Use immediately or keep in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks or in freezer for up to three months.)

PASTEURIZING EGGS Place eggs in an even layer onto the bottom of a medium saucepan.

Cover with water one inch above the eggs. Remove eggs and set aside at room temperature. Heat water to 140 degrees, using a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Any warmer than 142 degrees, the eggs will cook. Place eggs in the water. Heat eggs for 3 1/2 minutes. If using a Sous Vide, set the temperature to 135 degrees and allow eggs to pasteurize for 75 minutes.

STELLA FONG, writer

Stella divides her time between Billings and Seattle and is the author of two Billings-centric 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.

CABINET WORKS

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INTERIOR DESIGN

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FLOORING ■ HARDWOOD

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CABINETS

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APPLIANCES

2495 ENTERPRISE AVE, BILLINGS, MT 59102 | 655-8955 | DESIGN@KITCHENOFDREAMS.COM | WWW.KITCHENOFDREAMS.COM

a contemporary2

Masterpiece written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by JULI FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM Lanissa Fortner and Cody Delaware of LC Custom Homes captured the imaginations and hearts of thousands of people during the Parade of Homes this past fall. They designed and built an impressive 6,300-squarefoot home, marking their first entry into the annual event. To top it off, they earned the prestigious People’s Choice Award.

Fortner and Delaware, who are in their mid-30s and have been married just shy of five years, hit a home run with this contemporary masterpiece. Cody’s decade-plus work in the construction industry and Lanissa’s experience as a seasoned Realtor made theirs a strong partnership.

The busy duo chose a unique year to build a Parade home with excitement running high in celebration of the Parade’s 30th anniversary.

“We had 11 amazing homes,” says Kim Welzenbach, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Billings, “and it was

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a new, fresh builder who won People’s Choice. We were also really happy with attendance. We always have between 5,000 and 6,000, and even with COVID-19 and the directives everyone needed to follow, we were down only 600 people.”

Visitors touring the properties selected the two-story home located on Verde Lane on Billings’ West end. The grand front entrance conveys an air of tranquility with a tiered modern waterfall with lighted spillway. A covered sunken sitting area bids a warm welcome.

The Prairie-style design showcases a mammoth mahogany pivot front door against two-toned dark stone and wood exterior highlighted with glass.

“There are 97 windows in this house,” Cody points out. “They’re thick Design Arch extruded aluminum cladding windows,” adds Brian Reay, owner of 406 Window Co. “They hold up to hailstorms.” It’s a home designed and constructed to withstand

THE HOME FEATURES SECURITY AUTOMATION AND WHOLE HOUSE SURROUND SOUND BY CK TECH + SECURITY.

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A TIERED MODERN WATERFALL SPILLWAY FROM SYLVAN NURSERY BIDS A WARM WELCOME TO THE GRAND ENTRANCE.

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OUR

Mission Members.

IS OUR

VISIT YVEC.COM T H I S PA R A D E H O M E I S P O W E R E D B Y Y V E C

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the sometimes harsh Montana weather.

The large windows equipped with remote blinds present an unencumbered view to the half-acre back yard. The 1.1-acre spread was designed to accommodate a shop, plus a 40-foot pool. A well supplies water and Yellowstone Valley Electric provides power coverage.

Here, thanks to covered patios surrounding the home, you can perfect the art of lounging. The west-facing patio allows you to watch the sunset in one of three outdoor hanging chairs. It’s a cozy space that wraps into the back patio. A multi-use wet bar kicks this outdoor area up another notch.

“You can serve from inside right onto the patio,” says Lanissa, “as all of the fold-out windows open.”

The indoor/outdoor kitchen boasts walnut custom cabinetry from Rimrock Cabinet Co. with dark leather pre-sealed granite surface from The Countertoppers. On the opposite wall, a Murphy bed pulls down, transforming the space into a guest retreat. Built-in shelving on either side finishes the chic look.

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ream itchen D K C R E AT I N G Y O U R

651-8109 • 547 S 20TH ST W #7 • BILLINGS

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656-8681 | 3127 Central Ave | stuartshouseofvacuums.com| Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30 | Sat 10-4

How can we serve you?

The extraordinary craftsmanship continues throughout the house. The open kitchen/ dining area features stunning white cabinetry accentuated with a sophisticated navy center island. “The 10-foot-high cabinets fill this big space,” says Steve Wylie, co-owner/manager of Rimrock Cabinet Co., “and Lanissa picked the navy custom color.”

The navy and white color scheme carries into the hidden butler pantry where a builtin espresso machine gets plenty of action.

A transom window emphasizes White Macaubas quartzite countertops while allowing a sneak peek into the back yard.

The durable quartzite dances with warm tones and grey veining. “The color is a great accent to the cabinetry and flooring,” says Alicia Eyre, Countertoppers lead 90

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salesperson and office manager. “It ties the room together.”

Modern lighting enhances this open concept space with goldsplashed black pendants hanging over the center isle. A chandelier floats gracefully nearby above the 10-foot walnut river dining table handcrafted by Steve and his team.

The modern lighting positioned throughout the house amplifies white wash oak flooring from Rich’s Flooring Abbey Carpet.

LED transom windows above every door distribute soft lighting during evening hours. These universal windows allow in additional daylight as they’re cleverly used as the kitchen’s backsplash.

The second story basks in light as well. A panel wall and floating glass-sided staircase guide the way up where four bedrooms each with walk-in closets complement the space. “We wanted four bedrooms on one

floor so there would be plenty of room for having guests over and for the kids,” says Lanissa.

Two bedrooms separated with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom are situated on each end of the second level. The loft area between the two sets of bedrooms affords a comfy relaxation area overlooking

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THE AUTOMATED ISLAND FUNCTIONS AS A PIECE OF FURNITURE WHILE SLIDING BACK TO REVEAL A LARGE “SAFE ROOM” BELOW. IT’S AN UNEXPECTED SURPRISE.

the living room. There’s also a great TV/play room taking in views to the Rims.

The living room hosts the perfect spot for watching movies or relaxing in front of the 72-inch linear gas fireplace insert from Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning. Floating walnut shelving on both sides of the majestic 24-foot-high stone fireplace pinpoints the focal point of this spacious area.

Just beyond the fireplace sits the master suite. This private haven features a herringbone wood treatment in the 13-foot tray ceiling, sliding glass door to the patio, and an extra room suited for a nursery, sitting room or office. There’s also a luxurious en suite bubbling with spa amenities.

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A generous soaking tub with waterfall faucet relieves the day’s worries while the heated floor keeps toes toasty. White cabinetry with inset lights in the mirrors, Vermont black granite countertops, black marble flooring and a walk-in marble shower define the feel of elegance.

Dreams become reality with the huge walk-in custom closet.

Dark cabinetry contrasts superbly with light-colored walls and oak floor. Pull-down clothes racks and shoe racks lend a tidy look.

The piece de resistance is the movable island with black matte base topped with exotic quartzite named Tiffany. “It’s a stunning greenish-blue with unique white and brown veining,” says Alicia.

“The waterfall edge adds the perfect touch.”

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Congratulations Lanissa & Cody on your Parade home!

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Comfort comes in many forms and are unique to each family. We provide the following installations and services: • Energy efficient furnaces and air conditioners • Humidifiers for any sized spaces • Allergy and viral attacking products • Custom fireplaces for new construction homes • Custom vent ranges • Garage and bonus room heaters

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THE MAIN FLOOR LAUNDRY ROOM RADIATES CHEERFULNESS WITH LIGHT AQUA BLUE CABINETRY.

ADDING THE

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The automated island functions as a piece of furniture while sliding back to reveal a large “safe room” below. It’s an unexpected surprise.

Each room of the house offers pleasant surprises like this. The main floor laundry room radiates cheerfulness with light aqua blue cabinetry. The mud room looks sporty with its tall navy storage cabinet. The mud room leads to the three-car garage and to the lower level. Once downstairs it’s workout time in the exercise area or its cocktail hour in the wine room.

Every inch of this award-winning home is truly stunning.

Lanissa and Cody thought through every detail in its design and build. Their foresight for building the quintessential family home certainly produced a contemporary masterpiece. ✻

WE ARE HONORED

to have worked with LC Custom Homes on this outstanding Parade home!

Beauty Value ADD

AND

TO YOUR HOME

E X A C T LY W H AT Y O U WA N T AT T H E B E S T P O S S I B L E P R I C E .

WE ARE HONORED LC CUSTOM HOMES CHOSE US FOR THEIR WINDOW TREATMENTS.

It’s time to get on the schedule for spring! Call us today!

656-5169 | 7300 Danford Rd, Billings | sylvan@sylvannursery-mt.com

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406.839.8055 | Billings, MT | allkindsofblindsmt.com

builder7 SPOTLIGHT LC Custom Homes // Lanissa Fortner & Cody Delaware HOME BUILDERS LANISSA AND CODY agree it’s their clients who give them the inspiration to build amazing homes.

“We build and design our homes with the customers in mind,” says Cody. “Being able to turn someone’s dream and vision into reality is what keeps us loving what we do.

It’s always an amazing experience to see their expression when they walk into something that started as an idea on paper.”

The couple’s design style objective is creating what others are not. Almost two decades of combined experience, plus their knowledge of the industry, sets in motion how they bring their clients’ visions to fruition.

“Every build is special, no matter what the size,” adds Cody. “Every property is another client’s dream and no details are overlooked. The Parade build was our chance to showcase unique features that the community wouldn’t see in all the other homes.

Making people dig deeper into their imaginations and come up with something elegant, functional and jaw-dropping is what inspired us for the style of this home.”

For more information, visit www.lccustomhomes. com ✻

Congratulations — on your —

beautiful home!

406-655-1200 6956 Commercial Ave Billings, MT josh@pridetruss.com

Grand Lumber is proud to work with LC CUSTOM HOMES on this new home!

406-656-3588 3201 GRAND AVE BILLINGS, MT

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SENTIMENTAL AND C R AF T Y

JOURNEY

LOOK WH AT W E FOU ND

written by RACHEL JENNINGS photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

GIVING OLD ITEMS NEW LIFE IN YOUR HOME

WE ALL HAVE those items that have sentimental value.

Maybe it’s a vintage item passed down through the family.

Maybe it is something seemingly insignificant, like an old license plate that holds a special meaning. Or, maybe it’s something precious, like your child’s christening gown.

There’s nothing better than giving those pieces a place of honor in your home. Why not frame and display them in a shadow box for all to see? This is a great project to fill the quiet days after the holiday, when you can reflect on those things you’d like to treasure each day.

Shortly after my grandmother passed away, my aunt gave me one of her silver serving spoons. I remember, back in the day, watching my grandmother serve up Boy Scout Stew (which I renamed Girl Scout Stew) with this spoon and having her tell me how great it was. At the time, I thought she was referring to the stew, but now that I think of it and after hearing more stories from my aunt, I realize she was talking about the spoon!

Knowing it was something she held dear, I couldn’t imagine keeping it socked away in a drawer. Since I only have a few of her prized possessions, I wanted to see it every day. I decided to put it in a shadow box with one of her handwritten recipes to hang in my kitchen.

When choosing your shadow box, there are endless ways to display. You can create a collage or simply display one special item. When you give the items in the shadow box room, it gives them more importance. You don't want the display to look crammed. The shadow box I chose was $11.50 on sale and the mounting tape was $3. I thought this was a great and affordable art piece that is now going to have a major impact and bring a unique flavor to my home.

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED

box the appropriate size for the item/items • Syouhadow want to frame • Mounting tape

LET’S GET STARTED First, I removed the back of the shadow box and placed my items on the backboard. Once I decided on the placement, I got the items ready to be mounted. I polished the spoon with silver polish. Whatever you are displaying, make sure it’s clean, free of stains and ready to take center stage. I then placed the mounting tape on the back of the spoon, making sure you can’t see the tape from the front, and I pressed down the spoon firmly. I did the same with the recipe card. If you’re using a cloth item, be sure you use plenty of double-stick tape or several pins to hold the item in place. From here, add the backboard to the back of the shadow box and place in a spot where you can enjoy seeing it and reliving all of those special memories. This is, by far, one of my favorite DIYs to date! ✻

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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KNICKETY-KNOCK A FAMILY EMBRACES INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING written by VIRGINIA BRYAN photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

WHEN TERESE BLANDING'S young grandson wants to see her, he ambles to the back of his parents' kitchen and knocks on a big, white door.

“Knickety-knock!” he says, just loud enough for Terese (he calls her Nona) to hear. Kristin, his mom, and his two big sisters are busy in the kitchen. Dad (Nathan) likely left for work early that morning.

On the other side of the door, Nona hears her grandson’s knock plus the magic words and she replies, “Knockety-knick!” Knowing permission has been granted to enter, the youngster bounds through the door, hoping that she or Papa (Grandpa Keith) will play a game of cards with him, take a walk/trike ride around the block or begin an art project.

Sometimes, he's happy to just snuggle up on Nona’s couch and read books.

Whatever the activity, three generations of the Blanding family have embraced inter-generational living — defined as deliberate and planned sharing of lives across generations that fosters deep connections within the context of a sustainable lifestyle, whether one is growing up or growing old.

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A SERIES OF ADVENTURES Before there were grandchildren, Keith and Terese Blanding and their two (now grown) children, Nathan and Leslie, lived in western Montana in a home that Keith built. In 1988, the family relocated to McMinnville, Oregon, where they purchased and remodeled a vintage Craftsman-style home. Family quarters were established upstairs, while the main floor was dedicated to “Lavender’s Blue: a Tea Room.” Named by Terese, it was a notable destination that supported the family through Nathan and

Leslie's high school years.

After several years in Oregon, Keith and Terese yearned to return to Montana. They developed a bed and breakfast near Augusta, Montana, along the Rocky Mountain Front.

With his parents catering to travelers intent on exploring the wilds of Montana, Nathan shipped off to upstate New York to study architecture at Cornell University. He paid his college expenses by building theater sets for university, community and professional productions. Cornell internships introduced him to large architecture firms in Chicago, designing skyscrapers, museums and theaters.

“I learned there’s a big gap between the architectural line and the builder’s reality that I wanted to connect,” Nathan says. To bridge that gap while in college and after, Nathan pursued what he calls “his nonacademic education.” In western Oregon and New York, he learned to install copper and slate roofs. In Montana, he acquired

timber-framing and blacksmith skills.

In southern France, he worked on a castle restoration.

As the 20th century drew to a close, Nathan, like his parents before him, realized he'd rather be in Montana. By 2004, he and Kristin, then newlyweds, bought their first home on Clark Avenue. Billings was an equal distance from both sets of parents and Nathan and Kristin found employment quickly.

When their first baby arrived, a closer connection with extended family took on greater importance.

PLAN AND THEN GET READY Nathan's architectural training exposed him to several inter-generational living arrangements. He'd seen Boston row houses, with different generations living on each level, and bucolic farms in the northeast United States where family members constructed homes near one another. Single family living

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wasn't the only option.

Nathan's parents embraced the concept of inter-generational living enthusiastically.

The foursome engaged in many discussions and brainstorming sessions.

They inspected available sites and drew multiple versions of house plans. In the process, they discovered a mutual preference for urban infill over developing agricultural land on the city perimeter and a shared appreciation for walkable streets, nearby schools and the modest scale of houses in existing older neighborhoods.

One day Kristin was chatting with a neighbor across from their first home on Clark Avenue. She learned he owned two rental houses on adjacent lots that he might sell. A double parcel would accommodate the separate-but-connected homes they envisioned. A quick decision to purchase followed and Nathan drew up plans to meet their extended family needs and stay within budget.

PHASE ONE AND FORWARD During Phase One, one house was demolished and the second house remained a rental. Two connected residences, consisting of about 3,000 square feet, went up over a two-year period. Where a single house once stood, the Craftsman-like exterior of the front house, now occupied

by Nathan and Kristin's family, blends into the existing neighborhood. A large front porch welcomes neighbors and adds curb appeal. A second baby girl was welcomed during Phase One. The majority of the front home's main floor is dedicated to the kitchen, dining and living areas. Neutral colors create a sense of spaciousness while bamboo floors and tile surfaces for countertops and showers withstand the rigors of busy family life.

Upstairs bedrooms, slightly larger than usual, provide children and parents with some personal space.

On the back wall of the front house, the large, white “knickety-knock” door opens into a smaller residence that's about onethird of the total footprint. In the separate space where Nona and Papa live, the color palette shifts from cream to sage green. It

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features a separate outside entry, a main-floor bedroom, bath and office area, all handicapped-accessible. Upstairs, a gracious seating area and dining space is defined by Terese’s welldeveloped aesthetic. An efficient galley kitchen and art studio provide respite from the occasional ruckus of grandchildren.

Windows deliberately placed on all four upstairs walls give one the sense of being in a treehouse.

Nathan provided construction leadership and did most of the “heavy lifting” with help from the entire family. He was inspired by the German “Passive Haus” that incorporates superior airtightness and additional insulation. Using these concepts, the Blanding homes maintain 58-degree temperatures with no interior heat supply, even when outside temperatures are 20 below zero. The HRV system, or the mechanical lungs of the houses, circulate constant fresh air without heat loss.

down to make room for a new structure on the second lot.

When completed, it will include a detached garage, a private design studio for North-South Building, and a gracious upstairs apartment. Meanwhile, family life moves forward with shared meals, walks to school, music lessons and everyday moments.

“Our culture has promoted specialization for so long, we're losing the connections of an integrated life,” Nathan says, as he paused to reflect on his family journey. “Our kids can’t see what we do for work, they don’t see where food comes from or how to grow a garden. Parents have to work too much to educate our own children. Having grandparents near to share their knowledge of life is a rare and precious opportunity.”

For the Blanding children, the experience is much simpler. All it takes is a gentle tap on the large white door and the magic words.

“Knickety-knock!” ✻

THE URBAN HOMESTEAD As if a second baby and new construction weren't enough during Phase One, Nathan established his own design firm, North-South Building, to focus on energy-efficient construction. In Phase Two, raised garden beds and ornamental garden were established on both lots and a third baby, a boy, joined the Blanding family on their “urban homestead.”

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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