Rachel Heveron loves to watch those with disabilities growRachel Heveron loves to watch those with disabilities grow Gratitude in Action Couple is dedicated to helping others in recover Encouraging the Future Women helping students find their careers Don't Quit your Daydream Women find happiness in two professions 225271 BILLINGS’ MOST READ MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 COMPLIMENTARY 2828 rachelrachelrachelrachelrachelrachelHeveronHeveronHeveronHeveronHeveronHeveron
If Billings Clinic hadn’t been there, she could have had to go out of state.
To learn more about Mary’s story, please visit billingsclinic.com/mary.
my biggest fan. She's taught me how to be a good mom to my daughter. I just admire her, her faith, her strength and her resilience. Our family has a group chat, and we say good night and good morning every day. That morning, something felt di erent. God was telling me something was wrong. I checked on my mom and that’s when she told me she couldn’t move her legs. I rushed over to pick her up and took her to the Emergency Room at Billings Clinic. When we arrived, the team told me that my mom was having a stroke. They immediately got her in for a thrombectomy to remove the clot. We had watched a news story about this new procedure just a couple months before.
- Megan, Mary’s daughter It was an easy decision to take Mom to Billings Clinic.
A nurse came out and called my name, and it was one of the scariest and best parts of my life. I immediately asked, ‘Is my mom okay?’ And she said ‘yes’ with a big smile. The care team at Billings Clinic was amazing. Every step of the way from the housekeepers to the CNAs, to the nutritionist. Everyone was so good to us, made sure we were comfortable, and had all our questions answered.
Growing up, my mom always taught us to give thanks in all things. Now I appreciate how much of a miracle she is and how grateful we are for Billings Clinic.”
Thankfully, we chose Billings Clinic.
406.254.1550 | 1550 Poly Dr, Billings | 444 N 9th St Ste 5, Columbus | 201 Broadway Ave S, Red Lodge | www.bhhsfloberg.com Amy 406.591.2370KraenzelSarah406.690.7469Kindsfather Marissa 406.855.7727Amen Angela 406.672.1512SladeLynsey406.861.8851PeekO’Brien Jon 406.855.0368Pierce Don 406.860.2618Moseley Catie 406.697.4321Gragert Toni 406.698.0008406.690.3181HaleLanceEganCindy406.425.0182Dunham OsselloStellaBurke406.690.9955Erika 406.544.803Burke3 Cheryl 406.698.7423Gross Myles 406.855.0008Egan Ginger 406.697.4667Nelson Maya 406.591.0106Burton Susan B. 406.698.1601LovelyScott 406.425.1101Hight Jeff 406.672.2515Watson Rhonda 406.661.7186Grimm Suzie406.671.1595Countway ©2022 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Equal Housing Opportunity. Anita 406.869.7639DolanTony406.671.2282Contreraz James 406.670.4711Movius Karen 406.698.0152Frank Team Hanel Tom 406.690.4448Hanel Robin 406.860.6181Hanel Jeanne 406.661.3941Peterson Brett 406.671.0519Taylor Mark 406.671.7305WinslowBrandon 406.647.5007TreeseJudy 406.850.3Shelhamer623 Carlene 406.698.2205Taubert Team Smith Beth Smith Owner 406.861.9297 Dan Smith Owner 406.860.4997 Lots of fun at the Welcome to the Neighborhood event! Community Corner Korinne 406.697.0678Rice DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH? Contact an agent for a Home Market Analysis. Kim 406.696.3675Gottwals
ExcitingNew to the all new GMC of BILLINGS! We are excited that an ownership change gives us the opportunity to show off new attitudes, expanded inventories, fresh service department leadership and upgraded customer experiences. Whether you are in the market for a Montana grade truck or up level SUV you will grow to love the all new GMC of Billings. Stop by this week and see me! Josh Soares - New Owner.
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AS I SIT HERE, staring at a cursor blinking at me, my dog is going nuts barking at a group of giggling girls. Some of my daughter’s college friends just rolled into town to spend some time in Billings before heading back to school next weekend. My son is visiting from Portland, and in between finalizing plans for this issue, I made a trek out to a beautiful venue that he and his fiancé would like to use for their wedding in fall of 2023. The house was electric, but somehow I felt Iunsettled.wasn’tready.
Letter FROM THE EditorJulie
I am still not ready to be an empty nester. I was about 20 weeks pregnant with my second child when16 my husband and I found out we were having a girl. As we made our way down the steps after the appointment, he smiled at me and said, “Well, now you can start planning her wedding.” I remember growling at him, but honestly, when you’re in the thick of that youngparent phase, you never think about how fleeting each moment will be. You know time is precious, and man, do friends tell you to enjoy every second, but time still has a way of sneaking up on you. Yep, still not ready to be an empty nester. Not too long ago, I was driving around town with my husband and all of a sudden, I just looked at him — deeply looked at him. He was kind of startled and said, “What?” I smiled and replied, “Oh, I don’t know. I guess I am deciding if I still like you.” I laughed pretty hard at my humor. Truth be told, I do love him, but with an empty house, a quiet house, how will we fill our days? Will we carpé diem? Will we take up new hobbies? Will we live spontaneously? Not sure. I hope so. I know one thing. I’m not ready to be an empty nester. Thank goodness fall is one of my favorite seasons. It means more family time. It means meaningful meals and memories made. And, who knows, it might create a bit of noise in my otherwise quiet house. As I type this, however, I realize I’m doing the exact opposite of seizing each fleeting moment. I’m looking ahead instead of focusing on the here and now. As I type this the noise has moved to the garage, where that group of giggling girls is loading up a pickup truck with kayaks to enjoy a float before the river gets too low. One of those kayaks has my name on it. While I know I’m not ready for this next phase in life, I know I have one thing that I cherish immensely. I have today. I hope you enjoy this issue!
6 YVW MAGAZINE
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562948 78 98 PUBLISHER & EDITOR JULIE KOERBER julie@yellowstonevalleywoman.com COPY EDITOR ED KEMMICK SPECIAL SECTION EDITOR LAURA BAILEY ADVERTISING TERRY PERKINS: 406-860-3951 terry@yellowstonevalleywoman.com TRISH SCOZZARI: 406-690-9528 trish@yellowstonevalleywoman.com LYNN LANGELIERS: 406-671-2325 lynn@yellowstonevalleywoman.com MICHELE KONZEN: 406-690-4539 michele@yellowstonevalleywoman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR MELANIE FABRIZIUS ads@yellowstonevalleywoman.com DISTRIBUTION NICOLE BURTELL CONTACT Yellowstone Valley Woman PO Box 23204 Billings, MT 59104 Phone: www.yellowstonevalleywoman.com406-254-1394 ©2022 Media I Sixteen All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. ON COVERTHE PhotographybyDanielSullivan 108 YVW MAGAZINE8
8 sept/oct 2022 Don't Quit Your Daydream 72 WRITING IS HER DREAM JOB ICU nurse spends her off hours writing a fantasy fiction trilogy 74 COUNSELOR BY DAY MUSICAIN BY NIGHT Meet Lindsey Suchy, the voice of Salt & Shadow 78 IN FULL COLOR ICU nurse creates an art side hustle to feed her creativity 80 FLYING AND RIDING HIGH IN THE SADDLE Seasoned pilot spends her off hours training horses YVW Home 98 AN ABRUPT DECISION A family’s comeback after a devastating house fire 112 MOVIE BUDDIES IN FIREROCK On The Cover 28 BREAKING THROUGH BARRIERS Rachel Heveron loves to watch those with disabilities grow The Difference Makers 14 ONE MORE THING IN ME Transforming herself, transforming others 18 LIFEJACKETS Billings woman writes a book about addiction through a mother’s eyes 22 GRATITUDE IN ACTION Couple uses their own rocky past to help others on the recovery journey Features 36 FAMILY FIRST Tragedy sharpens priorities for Billings businesswoman 44 THE CALM IN CRISIS Experienced medical pair look forward to working in a Level 1 Trauma Center 50 I WANT TO GIVE THEM A VOICE Paige Mayhall wants to use her education to lift up others 52 ENCOURAGING THE JOB FORCE OF TOMORROW Four women vow to help students find their career path in life 56 BUILDING GRIT IN GIRLS Mountain biking club gives riders skill & confidence 62 SPARKING A LOVE FOR MUSIC The women behind Billings Youth Orchestra 94 IN SEASON Eating the Colors of Fall 42 KAREN GROSZ: How can I help? 68 HEART GALLERY: Blue eyes and full of smiles 84 FASHION: Throwback threads 90 TASTE OF THE VALLEY: Flowers of Sicily 108 LOOK WHAT WE FOUND: A wreath you'll fall forIssueEveryIn 84112 9SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
lynn langeliers Sales Executive Michele Konzen Sales Executive melanie Fabrizius Design daniel sullivan Photography Terry Perkins Sales Executive trish scozzari Sales Executive / Writer casey Page Photography LAURA BAILeY Special Section Editor Social Media / Writer ed kemmick Copy Editor / Writer we our community partners meet the STAFF 10 YVW MAGAZINE
Women’s health is our priority RiverStone Health o ers family planning services to meet your needs. • All forms of contraception • Pregnancy counseling Prenatal visits • Labor, delivery, postnatal and newborn care RiverStone Health is here for you. 123 South 27th Street • Billings, MT 59101 • 406.247.3350 • RiverStoneHealth.org
Alumni, share your story MSU Billings Foundation & Alumni is generationsMSUB’smemoriescollectingtopreservehistoryfortocome.Learnmoreaboutparticipating Welcome back, Yellowjackets! msubillings.edu call 406-657-2888 • text 406-412-1324 Classes start September 7 Certificates, 2-year, 4-year, and Master’s degrees In-person, online, and HyFlex options
makersdifferencedifference
MEET
13SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
THE DEFINITION OF DIFFERENCE maker is an ordinary person who accomplishes extraordinary things. It’s a person who makes positive changes in her community or in the lives of others. This type of person doesn’t have to be famous. In fact, in most cases they’re not. It’s the woman who uses her past to spark a new nonprofit that’s transforming lives of despair into lives of hope. It’s the woman who works overtime just to make sure someone with disabilities gets to experience a slice of life that others might never have thought possible. It’s the woman who reinvents herself not to benefit her own life, but others. It’s the woman who uses a tragedy and vulnerably shares and opens those wounds in the hope of touching the lives of others. They are the difference makers in our community. THESE WOMEN WHO ARE CHANGING OUR COMMUNITY
One more TRANSFORMING HERSELF, TRANSFORMING OTHERS written by LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN One moreOnethingthingthingmoreinmeinmeinme 14 YVW MAGAZINE
Kristin admits she was also a tad jealous. Her grown daughters were off on exciting new paths and she yearned for her own adventure.
“I think I got a little bit of wanderlust,” she says. “It got me wondering if I had one more thing in me.”
“It’s been beyond my wildest dreams,” Kristin says. “It’s everything I’d hoped for and so much more.”
15SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
Kristin was edging toward the big 6-0 and had already invested more than three decades in two professions – 10 years in health care administration and another 25 years as a volunteer coordinator at her church. That’s when she began contemplating a “third act.” She laughs as she refers to it as her two-thirds life — rather than mid-life — crisis.
THERE’S A SIGN on the wall where Kristin Rapacz volunteers her time: “Life isn’t perfect, but your hair can Thebe.” simple message brings a grin to Kristin’s face and no doubt to some of her clients. Forty years ago, the collegebound Kristin would never have guessed she’d become a licensed cosmetologist at the age of 59. But that’s exactly what she did, and she couldn’t be happier. She’s not only learned the tricks of the trade, but she’s using them to transform lives.
But Kristin embraced her new direction and enrolled in a ninemonth cosmetology course. Her classmates were younger than her “Schooldaughters.was so much fun for me and the 20-year-olds,” Kristin says. “They accepted me and I was so grateful for Atthat.”first, Kristin thought about launching her new career in a mobile salon — somewhat along the line of a food truck or mobile dog groomer. She nixed that idea
“I think people thought I was nuts,” she says. “If you’d told me my senior year of high school I’d be a licensed cosmetologist, I’d have laughed you out of town.”
“I loved what I was doing (at the church), so anything I was going to do next had to be just right,” she says. She wanted her next career to be active, creative, hands-on and helpful to others. She considered nursing, massage therapy and even graphic design. But, for one reason or another, nothing quite clicked. “Then I landed on cosmetology,” she says. “It checked all the boxes.” She doesn’t remember anyone suggesting it. She laughs now, thinking of her friends’ reactions to her “aha!” decision.
Over time Kristin has gained the trust of her repeat clients. They’re just as apt to share laughs about old TV shows as they are to reveal secrets. Some succumb to the feel-good “Zen moment” of having their hair cut.
And yet, the experience has transformed both Kristin’s perceptions and the lives of her clients. “For people trying to make such profound changes in their lives, I have so much respect and admiration,” she says.
Volunteering seems to come naturally to the Minnesota native, whose parents and grandparents volunteered in their churches, as 4-H leaders and even as mayor (her father). Growing up in that culture, Kristin learned early on the rewards of giving time and energy.
Despite the years she’s devoted to volunteering, this latest calling has opened her eyes to a whole new world. “I felt like I had an understanding of people when I started,” she says. “But I really didn’t.”
“You get a sense for the trauma and brokenness that people have experienced,” she says, her emotions rising close to the surface. She shuns the term “homeless”— refusing to use that as a defining characteristic — and strives to dispel false assumptions. People who rely on the Mission are not lounging around, she adds. Most are employed or are seeking employment.
Kristin admits she’s a sucker for “before and after” TV shows and makeovers. “I didn’t realize that would scratch an itch for me, but it really does.”
When she felt ready to jump into her new profession, Kristin opted to “donate” rather than charge for her newly acquired expertise. She opened a free salon first at the Montana Rescue Mission and then at Tumbleweed’s drop-in center for at-risk and homeless youth. Later she added a monthly haircutting class at Friendship House, an organization that fosters stability and transformation for children and families in South Billings. She and husband, Allen, have long supported all three nonprofits and Kristin serves on the Billings Leadership Foundation, which provides shared services for each.
She recalls one man coming in for his first haircut in two years. “Just to see who was under there,” she says, smiling. “It was such a transformation to see him come out neat and tidy and ready for prime time.”
“What I love are there are a lot of edgy haircuts – undercuts,
Taking her clippers and scissors to Tumbleweed has opened another world for Kristin. She gets a kick out of the kids who drop by and the styles they request.
“It’s no different than any salon across town,” she says.
“As with any volunteer, you end up getting as much as you give,” she says. She’s instilled the same in her three daughters, whose “resumes” include serving as peer counselors for Eagle Mount and as an AmeriCorps Volunteer. She’s grateful for Allen’s back-up and the opportunities that allow her to give of her time.
“Downtown hotels and restaurants are staffed by people who live there,” she says, and then smiles. “Because they have such a tremendous haircut, you might not even know.”
Kristin’s heart aches for those who seek shelter at the Montana Rescue Mission. They are people, just like people everywhere, except so many haven’t had a fair shake, she says.
16 YVW MAGAZINE
and took a step back when Covid struck. “I wanted to be close to people but maybe not that close,” she says.
“This has been a fun one and the parents are so capable,” she says. Kristin shines when working with all ages.
enthusiasm is not only infectious, it’s mutual. Last year she was named Tumbleweed’s Volunteer of the Year.
MONTHLY hair-cuttingclass
AT FRIENDSHIP HOUSE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT FOSTERS STABILITY AND TRANSFORMATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN SOUTH BILLINGS. hair-cuttingsalonclass
KRISTIN "DONATES" HER TIME AND HAS OPENED AT THE MONTANA RESCUE MISSION AND AT TUMBLEWEED’S DROP-IN CENTER FOR AT-RISK AND HOMELESS YOUTH. SHE HAS ALSO ADDED A
free
“It was such a nice surprise,” she says. “It was presented by one of my clients, so it was especially touching.”
writer
LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA, A long-time resident of the Columbus area, Linda Halstead-Acharya enjoys spending time and learning from her rural neighbors. has a degree in but for the past 25 years has pursued a career other
A free salon
Mohawks, asymmetrical cuts,” she says. “There’s never a dull moment Wheneverhere.”the opportunity arises, she encourages her young charges to consider trades like cosmetology.
“So many trades can provide a great living and are so doable,” she says. “I’ve got (cosmetology) classmates now who own their own Kristin’ssalons.”
At Friendship House, Kristin reaches entire families. Once a month, she leads parents through step-by-step instruction on how to cut their children’s hair.
“I just like meeting people where they are and connecting with them,” she says. “In the times we’ve been through – Covid and this divisiveness – it comforts me, it gives me hope.” She pauses, and then adds with a grin, “I’m pretty good at cutting hair, but I’m really good at talking to people.”
✻ NEED HELP? 24/7 CRISIS LINE TOLL FREE 1.888.816.4702 LOCAL 406.259.2558 Your monthly donation helps provide an opportunity for our youth and young adults to receive basic necessities that help them reach long-term success, including: ● Governmental Documentation ● Case Management ● Mental Health Support WHAT DOES MY MEMBERSHIP DO? Go to www.tumbleweedprogram.org to sign up! ● Housing Assessment ● Meals ● Clothes BECOME A MEMBER OF THE SPONSOR A YOUTH FOR $25/MONTH FOR A YEAR platinum sponsors archie cochrane motors, cladis investment advisory, first interstate bancsystem foundation, scheels all sports inc. gold sponsors autumn springs, moulton bellingham pc, brent & dorothea cromley, valley credit union, riverstone health
She
wildlife biology
sharing
people's stories in print. She loves riding, writing and traveling. 17SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
ABOUTBOOKAWRITESWOMANBILLINGS EYESMOTHER’SATHROUGHADDICTION KOERBERJULIEbywrittenphotographybyARICALIPPlifejacketslifejackets 18 YVW MAGAZINE
About two years ago, Melanie started to write down pieces of her story. “There are parts of it that are just heartbreaking,” she says. Originally, she thought of creating a blog to connect families who are watching a loved one in the throes of addiction. After she’d penned 13 stories, she decided to share it with Karen Grosz, a woman she respected who’d helped others share their stories. “She told me, ‘Oh Melanie, this isn’t a blog. This is a book.’” Melanie adds, “I hired her as my book coach and we spent about two years together right smack in the middle of Covid to today. It was an amazing “I’mexperience.”inawe
of her bravery and hopeful that her words will help many other families to feel hope that dark days can eventually give way to days of love and laughter,” says Karen, who also writes for Yellowstone Valley Woman. The book, “Lifejackets, A Mother's Journey through her Child's Addiction,” will be released the first part of October. “It’s a raw book,” Melanie says. “The story is about a mom who is clipping along on this journey that’s not really hers.”
Melanie and her daughter, Morgan
The story begins when Morgan was 18 years old. “She was in this really bad car accident,” Melanie says. A car was T-boned and in the ditch. Lights from the police, fire and ambulance vehicles lit up the intersection at Shiloh Road and Grand Avenue. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. “As soon as I got to the police, I could hear her. She is yelling, drunk, angry. It was the first time I saw her like that. She was really gone.”
FOR MELANIE SCHWARZ, the nightmare was a recurring one. The shrill sound of her phone would wake her up at night. The Caller ID displayed “unknown caller.” She’d pick up the receiver only to hear her intoxicated daughter crying uncontrollably on the other end. Morgan was in jail. Again. Could her mom bail her out? The memories were so difficult, Melanie eventually cut off her landline so she’d never hear that ring tone again. To this day, she keeps her cell phone on vibrate “Wemode.don’t talk about it,” Melanie says of her daughter’s once spiraling addiction. “I am really hoping that if I talk about it, other people will too.”
“Nobody would have known that I was up late the night before getting our daughter out of jail, having to go to the pawn shop to get bail money. The next day I would be at work and I would be fine,” she says. “I always did it in the vein of saving her. And, that’s where the title ‘Lifejackets’ comes from. If I just get her the right services or we just send her to rehab or we buy her a new car, it was like I was putting a lifejacket on her because I thought I was
Through it all, Melanie learned how to put on a brave face and keep up appearances in her professional life.
19SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“It all just fell in this world of addiction,” Melanie says, adding that life just kept pulling her there.
While writing the book, Melanie left her job as director of business development with Big Sky Economic Development and started her own communications consulting firm. Her two clients — Rimrock Foundation and Substance Abuse Connect — have landed her right in the middle of helping to solve addiction in our community.
With the book out this fall, Melanie is working on a companion journal and is hoping to speak at rehabilitation facilities, talking directly to families. She says she wants to tell them, “This isn’t your addiction. It’s you on this road with them and you aren’t changing it. There are dark moments that you need to help them with but you never stop loving them. This experience really brings that home.”
“The truth of it was that it was so overwhelming to her to get to do what she wanted, she sabotaged it,” Melanie says. “The judge said to her, ‘Why are you here?’ She said, ‘I was supposed to start school on Monday.’ The judge said ‘Well, I think you should go to school.’” Melanie was shocked. The judge didn’t send her to prison but agreed to let Morgan out on probation. She had to go to treatment. If she kept herself clean for five years without trouble, the DUI would be expunged from her record. “I suspect that judge saved her life,” Melanie says. Today, Morgan has been sober more than five years. She’s married to a man she dated in high school, who is also in recovery, and she works in Spokane as a barber. “She loves taking care of people,” Melanie says. “One of the things that she said about doing hair is that it is the one thing she says she can do that makes people feel really good about themselves.”
“All my lifejackets are in the closet,” Melanie says. “I have them. They are still with me but I just don’t rush to them anymore.”✻
Before she wrote the pieces of this story full of denial, relapses and enabling behavior, Melanie made sure to get her daughter’s “It’sblessing.alook at someone’s addiction from another person’s eyes, but I think every mother, especially mothers, will see themselves in it,” she says. She’s already had readings where she’s shared snippets of her book to others affected by addiction.
IT’S A LOOK AT SOMEONE’S ADDICTION FROM ANOTHER PERSON’S EYES, BUT I THINK EVERY MOTHER, ESPECIALLY MOTHERS, WILL SEE THEMSELVES IN IT.
Over the years, there would be a handful of arrests, a suicide attempt after a tearful goodbye on the phone and eventually, another phone call from a public defender as Morgan landed her fourth DUI charge while in Spokane, Washington. Right before her arrest, Morgan was days away from starting school to become a hairdresser, something she always dreamt about.
“That was scary as hell to read that for the first time aloud,” she says. And then, she adds, “I would look out and see someone tearing up or crying. It’s amazing that you’re able to put into words what someone else is feeling.”
— Melanie Schwarz
20 YVW MAGAZINE
In the meantime, she says, the lifejackets have been put away.
TO PREORDER YOUR COPY of “Lifejackets, A Mother’s Journey through her Child’s Addiction,” visit www.lifejacket.club The book will be published by Balboa Press for release in early October. All preorders will receive a signed copy of the book along with free shipping.
2112 4th Ave. N Billings MT foodbank@billingsfoodbank.com406.259-285659101 • Large Catering Kitchen • 1,000 Seat Capacity • Restaurant with Patio • 1 Women’s Dressing Room • 1 Men’s Dressing Room This new facility increases our seating capacity threefold. With our existing building we will have ample room to preserve more produce and ready-to-eat meals. This shared-use facility will serve to train culinary students as well as be a spacious event center for the community.•Event Center • Stage • 12 Restrooms • Meeting Area Currently, we are half way to fulfilling our financial goals to complete this facility. If you would like to know how you can help, or if you would like a presentation on this exciting project, please give us a call!
in GratitudeGratitudeactionGratitudeGratitudeinactioninaction COUPLE USES THEIR OWN ROCKY PAST TO HELP OTHERS ON THE RECOVERY JOURNEY written by JULIE LOVELL photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN 22 YVW MAGAZINE
Sober Living residents volunteer in the community, which helps them feel less isolated and more connected.
Abee Brown, 29, is one of GIA’s success stories. Abee says when she started using drugs at 17, she blamed it on her parents’ divorce, instead of accepting responsibility herself. Abee says she had been an addict for about four years when she first turned to GIA. She stayed in a Sober Living house for a couple of months but quit and started using again. When her dad dropped her off at GIA a second time, she was ready to fully commit to recovery, and the Todds welcomed her back.
23SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
WHEN ALCOHOLICS AND ADDICTS who are desperate for help show up in Terri Todd’s office at Gratitude in Action, they find someone who truly understands them. That’s because Terri has walked many miles in their shoes, on her own road to recovery from alcoholism and addiction.
HOMES
“I got pregnant with my last daughter and my life spiraled out of control,” Abby says. “I lost custody of my kids and I thought that would be the end for me, but it wasn’t. I had a drug overdose and that kind of really opened my eyes.”
TRANSITIONED THROUGH GIA’S
GratitudeGratitudeGratitudeGratitude 72% 72%WITH SUCCESSARATEOF 1,800 PEOPLE 2016SINCEABOUT PEOPLE1,800
During her time with GIA, Abee took a variety of life skills classes that help alcoholics and addicts become active, contributing community members. They can learn trades, along with skills like job interviewing, budgeting and cooking. GIA also helps residents navigate medical and court appointments and build positive tenant referrals so landlords will rent to them after they leave. Each Sober Living home resident must also be employed and attend 12-step meetings and weekly dinners.
“When I was drinking and using, I never saw a way out,” Abee says. “I didn’t know all of the resources in the community, and when I came down here, they’re jampacked with all of the resources you could need.“
"What I know is people didn’t give up on me and I’m grateful for that,” says Terri. “So, I try not to give up on other people. If I can just be a hope dealer and show them a different way, then that’s what I should be doing.”
While some alcoholics and addicts use GIA’s services on
Terri first met Richard at a 12-step meeting in 2014, after he spent nine years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in “IBillings.hadacolorful past, and drugs and alcohol had become a problem for me,” Richard says. “For a long, long time, I thought Billings was the problem and if I could just get in the right environment and get the right job with the right girl and the right car, everything would be just fine. When I came home after being in prison, I was finally able to see that I was the problem, and so I wanted to help be part of theOncesolution.”theTodds were sober and healthy, they founded Gratitude in Action (GIA), a nonprofit organization designed to help people facing addiction and alcoholism get their lives back on track. GIA now operates four Sober Living homes in Billings that offer a safe, structured environment where addicts can learn to live happier, healthier lives. Since 2016, Terry says, about 1,800 people have transitioned through GIA’s Sober Living homes, with a success rate of 72 percent. GIA considers a person successful if he or she is sober, self-supporting, employed and giving back to the community. During that same time, Terri says 164 children of addicts and alcoholics have been reunited with their parents. The National Sober Living Association has accredited the program, which offers a hand up rather than a “Thehandout.thing we bring to the table is that we have been there,” Terri says. “So, it’s really hard to tell us we don’t understand. It’s also really hard to pull the wool over our eyes. We don’t believe in just giving. It has to be giving with a purpose. How do we get somebody to be able to take care of themselves? Otherwise, we just create this cycle of ‘I’m going to go to this agency and get this and go to this agency and get this.’”
“For most of my life, I was the only God in my life,” Terri says. “I served myself. God never gave up on me. I just never showed up for Him. He has to be the most important thing in my life, because the further away from Him I get, the sicker I’ll get.”
Terri and her husband, Richard, each spent years battling alcohol and drug addictions that created chaos in their lives and landed them both in prison. They finally found a path to sobriety through a 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program that fueled their faith.
HAVE SOBER LIVING
“If I’ve been a taker my whole life, I’ve got to figure out how to be a giver, so that’s kind of a cool thing,” says Terri.
“She really knows how to do tough love, because she’s been there,” Sarah says. “She can be very direct and she doesn’t waste too much time dancing around anything.”
a drop-in basis, those who live in a Sober Living home pay $500 a month. GIA finds ways to help those who can’t afford it and operates a large thrift store at Minnesota Avenue and South 30th Street in Billings to help fund the program. Terri says GIA is about 60 to 65 percent self-supporting, with donations and grants providing the rest.
Moving Forward in a New Direction
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That tough love paid off for Abee, who says she can’t believe how much her life has changed. While Abee was addicted, her former-in-laws adopted her three children. She’s very grateful they stepped in to help and now allow her to spend time with them.
“My favorite thing about recovery is I get to be present in other people’s lives and I get to show up for my own life and play a part,” Abee says. “Rich and Terri have been really vital in my recovery. I have my own parents,
The search for senior living is about finding a new home, building new friendships, rediscovering purpose, and enriching one’s life. As you explore your options, we’re here to guide you through this important process. Together, let’s move towards a brighter future for you or your loved one. call 406-652-4886 to Montana 59102
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Store Manager Sarah Ewald says Terri speaks from the heart and really understands the people the organization serves.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT RECOVERY IS I GET TO BE PRESENT IN OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES AND I GET TO SHOW UP FOR MY OWN LIFE AND PLAY A PART. — Abee Brown 406.672.1443 naibusinessproperties.comhvannatta@naibusinessproperties.com FULL COMMERCIALSERVICEREALESTATEBROKERAGE VANNATTA Haley SALES AGENT 25SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
Terri’s own struggle with alcoholism and addiction stretches back to her teenage years during the 1980s. She says she started drinking when she was about 13, and by the time she got to college, she was also doing drugs. Her addictions led her down a rocky road, one that landed her in prison three times for writing bad checks.
“For the first 16 years of Christian’s life, I was a great ATM mom,” says Terri. “I could show up and buy things, but I couldn’t show up for Christmas and I couldn’t show up for anything that was important. Through the miracle of Alcoholics Anonymous, I now have a relationship with him.”
The first time Terri went to prison, she was seven months pregnant. After giving birth to her son, Christian, in prison, she didn’t come home until he was 18 months old.
Strong relationships are essential to recovery, and Terri says the individuals GIA serves become family. Each November, the Todds host a Thanksgiving feast for about 150 people, including many who have transitioned out of Sober Living homes. MY
“In 1997, I committed a bunch of crimes in Yellowstone County issuing bad checks,” Terri says. “I had a drinking and drug problem that I couldn’t be honest about. So, I repeated the cycle numerous times.”
but they’re like my parents in recovery. They just love me right where I’m at and they’ve taught me a lot about life and how to show up for people.”
“I just have this life that I never dreamed was possible,” Abee Brown says. “I moved out of Sober Living and have my own house. I have a job. I’m a reliable person. I’m stable. I’m a member of society. I have a beautiful life.” ✻
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JULIE LOVELL, writer Julie is a former Billings news anchor who loves sharing positive news stories. After spending a decade in Georgia, her family is happy to back home in Montana. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her volunteering for special needs organizations, stretching her faith and getting reacquainted with the joys of life under the Big Sky!
“When their babies are born and they get married, a lot of times we’re one of the first calls because we have become that family to them,” says Terri. “It’s pretty cool.”
Terri and Richard are thankful for strong community support for GIA and a network of organizations that work together to help addicts and alcoholics live healthier lives. GIA’s thrift store is located in the Salvation Army’s old building, and Community Leadership Development Inc. helped GIA purchase its first Sober Living home. Terri says teamwork like that is vital as Billings tackles its critical drug problem.
“We just believe that to whom much is given, much is expected, and I received grace when I probably didn’t deserve it,” says Terri, who attends church at Faith Chapel. “God takes broken people and allows them to help other broken people, so I’m just grateful to be that conduit in some ways.”
The challenges of operating Gratitude in Action are great, but Terri says she and Richard have a front row seat to miracles every day. They’re happy to give back to the community that helped them find a better path.
RebuildReplenish YOUR HAIR AND Call Tom Quigley 801406-245-8188Today!14thStW|Billings Go Green GIA has big dreams for the future, including opening more Sober Living houses, moving services into a new building this fall, opening a coffee shop and offering more life skills classes. Current Needs: • Volunteers • Individuals to teach life skills classes, including finance, budgeting, anger management and parenting • Donations of clothing, furniture and decor to GIA’s thrift store • Bike and bus passes • Opportunities for Sober Living residents to volunteer in the community • Financial and in-kind donations HELP GRATITUDE IN ACTION? HOW CAN YOU HELP GRATITUDE IN ACTION? HELP GRATITUDE IN ACTION? 27SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
A LITTLE ADVICE if you ever meet Rachel Heveron, program manager for Eagle Mount Billings: don’t underestimate her. She thrives on proving people wrong. When others see limits for people with special needs, she looks for ways to break through barriers to help them lead fuller, more active lives.
“One of the things I’m most impressed with Rachel is her absolute commitment, first, to the safety of our participants,” Genna says.“She has a passion for making sure our participants have a good time and have the broadest and best experiences possible, and safety is a component of Sincethat.”Eagle Mount participant Anna Chairr moved to Billings a couple of years ago, she’s enjoyed a number of activities, like snowboarding, golf, summer camps and a social group. She knows Rachel really cares.
IT’S KIND BREATHTAKINGOFTO SEE THEM DO THINGS LIKE JUMP OFF A DOCK IF THEY’RE SCARED TO JUMP INTO WATER. IT REALLY BRINGS TEARS SOMETIMES, BECAUSE IT’S SO AWESOME TO SEE THEM CONQUER THEIR FEARS AND DO THINGS THEY DIDN’T THINK THEY COULD DO.
“It’s kind of breathtaking to see them do things like jump off a dock if they’re scared to jump into water,” says Rachel.
BarriersBarriersBarriersBarriers
Breaking ThroughBreaking ThroughBreaking ThroughBreaking ThroughBreaking Through 28 YVW MAGAZINE
The job is a natural for a young woman who doesn’t like to take no for an answer.
“I like that she doesn’t ever look at anyone on what they can’t do,” says Anna. “She always pushes people to do the best they can do. It’s cool how she does things. If it’s an activity, everyone can do it and she’ll find a way to make it work.“
“I got into this field to see people grow,” Rachel says. “A lot of kids think they can’t do things, so being able to prove them wrong is a challenge I like to take on!”
RACHEL HEVERON LOVES TO WATCH THOSE WITH DISABILITIES GROW written by JULIE LOVELL photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
Eagle Mount Billings is a nonprofit organization that brings recreation, adventure and fun into the lives of about 500 differently abled individuals around our region each year.
Genna Southworth, who recently joined Eagle Mount as its executive director, says Rachel understands that participants have limits, but she takes those limits with a grain of salt.
For parents of children with special needs, it can be tough to trust others with their children’s fragile health and safety. For the last eight years, Wendy Winterholler has relied on Eagle Mount to
“She doesn’t let people get away with what they may think are their limits when, in her experience, they’re not,” says Genna. “So she’ll call people out, and say, ‘No, you can do that. This is what we’re doing,’ and they just do it. It’s really pretty fun to watch!”
— Rachel Heveron
“It really brings tears sometimes, because it’s so awesome to see them conquer their fears and do things they didn’t think they could do.”
Eagle Mount Billings launched in 1988 with an adaptive ski program at Red Lodge Mountain. In the years since, the organization has expanded to include a wide variety of adaptive and therapeutic recreation adventures. Participants can now enjoy the thrill of trying activities like rock climbing, kayaking, horseback riding, bike riding and water skiing. As a certified therapeutic recreation specialist, Rachel is trained to organize and adapt activities to make them safe and accessible to all.
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“When something doesn’t go right, she always has a plan B, or she’s really good at faking it till you make it,” Anna Chairr says with a laugh.
help expand horizons for her 17-year-old daughter, Whitney. Whitney has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes physical, cognitive and behavioral challenges. Whitney loves Eagle Mount, and Rachel in particular.
“What I love about Eagle Mount is that Whitney gets into that environment and Rachel tells her, ‘Whitney, you can do this!’” says Wendy. “She makes Whitney feel like she can do anything, and she literally does it. She does things for her that she would never do for me.”
Genna says Rachel has helped her tremendously as she transitions into her new position.
“Whitney has some vision and depth perception issues, and any kind of uneven surface freaks her out,” Wendy says. “On the last Eagle Mount trip, Rachel got her in a kayak and on a paddle board, which is amazing!”
Wendy marvels at the activities Rachel has convinced her daughter to try, including whitewater rafting and paddle boarding.
Rachel downplays her powers of persuasion with participants and says the key to getting participants to try a new activity is highlighting the fun they’ll have doing it.“I tell the staff it’s about selling it and making it seem super awesome to try, and then the participants get over their fears pretty quickly,” Rachel says.
“I like to think I’m very organized and have things planned, but sometimes I can’t be,” says Rachel. “Like when the weather is smoky and we can’t play soccer, having tricks and activities in the back of my head helps. The staff is so funny, because they’ll tell me an activity was well-planned when I came up with it about 30 seconds ago.”
“As a new director, without having someone who can really anchor the programs, hold the parts together and do the planning and implementation of programs, I would have been way in over my head,” Genna says.
To stretch the limits in those she works with, Rachel relies on her training as a recreational therapy specialist to design programs that are not only fun, but therapeutic, helping participants move forward in their
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It’s clear that Rachel loves also to advocate for those with special needs. Her mother, Beth DelVecchio, says even as a child, Rachel was determined and driven to help others.
“Howdevelopment.dowehelp them gain confidence?” Rachel asks. “How do we plan activities that are designed for fun, but also to have an outcome?”
On any given day at work, Rachel juggles a half dozen balls at once, including organizing and leading social outings, adapting recreational activities like bike riding, boating and rock climbing, and cheering on participants trying new activities. Her official title is program director, but Rachel is also a teacher, a mentor to student interns and a safety coordinator. Among her most important roles is being a friend and confidence-builder for participants looking for adventure, fun and friendship. One key to success in her ever-changing job: knowing how to change activities on the fly.
“From the time she was little, we always said, ‘Watch out. If
“My mom has definitely taught me to be strong and tackle things day by day and not be afraid of anything you might encounter,” she “She’ssays.very determined and nothing’s going to stop her,” Beth says. “Don’t tell her you can’t do it, because she will prove you wrong. That’s what I see her doing here. Every obstacle, she’s like, ‘No, we can change Growingthat.’”upin upstate New York, Rachel was close to a cousin who has special needs, but she says her real introduction to the world of disabilities came during college, when she worked in group homes. She says she loved working with people who were so honest and happy, and she decided to major in recreational therapy. “I really saw the need for older people with disabilities to have access to recreation,” Rachel says. “People don’t stop wanting to recreate when they turn 21.”
After earning her degree at the University of Northern Iowa, Rachel landed an internship at the National Abilities Center in Park City, Utah. It’s one of the top adaptive sports centers in the country, and she learned valuable lessons about working successfully and safely with people with disabilities. In 2018, Eagle Mount hired Rachel. The hours are long and the challenges can be great, but Eagle Mount participants are great role models for Rachel.
Your Honest, Hometown Full-Service Repair Shop 406-839-9100 6809 King Ave. W., Unit B, www.autotechspecialists.comBillings “The Dirty Hands Crew”No Job Is Too Big Or Small! • Tune ups • Oil changes & lube • Brake services • ••••replacementsEngineClutchrepairsAirconditioningTransmissionsAlignments • Diesel repair • Free loaner cars • Servicing all makes modelsand • One of only two AAA Top Shops in Montana Stay Safe on the Road! WHEN SOMETHING DOESN’T GO RIGHT, SHE ALWAYS HAS A PLAN B, OR SHE’S REALLY GOOD AT FAKING IT TILL YOU MAKE IT. — Anna Chairr 534-1439 710 Black Hawk, Unit F2, www.discreetsolutionsinc.comBillings LOCALLYOWNEDANDOPERATED Live IN THE MOMENT! Quality Incontinence Supplies delivered to your door every month! she doesn’t kill us first, we’re going to get to watch her change the world,’” Beth says with a laugh. “She’s changing the lives of so many, and I’m so proud of her.”
31SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
Rachel’s strength and ability to care for others comes naturally. Her mom is a registered nurse in Massachusetts. This summer, Beth flew to Billings to provide volunteer care for Eagle Mount campers on a trip to Idaho.
In the last few years, she has also learned how to handle the stress that can come with her job.
Late last year, Rachel’s desire to learn and grow in her field led her to take a new job at a rehabilitation institute in Minnesota. The news of her departure hit many Eagle Mount participants and parents hard.
“I learned a lot at the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Minnesota and was able to come back with a lot of new ideas, including ideas about working with volunteers and using new equipment and technology,” Rachel says. She’s thankful for the supportive Eagle Mount community.
“The most rewarding part of my job is being able to impact new people, whether it’s participants, parents or volunteers,” she says.
“Being able to have an impact on 12- to 16-year-old volunteers is also super awesome. I love that they can take what they’ve learned about working with people with disabilities and bring that inclusivity back to school.”
As she looks to the future of the nonprofit, Rachel has practical goals, including adding more adaptive equipment, making current programs the best they can be and expanding the activities Eagle Mount offers.
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“I used to sit here 12-13 hours a day and stress myself out about what’s going to happen next week,” she says. “Now, every day I just wake up and tackle it, and I’ve learned to play it day by day.”
“I’ve learned that it’s OK to push myself harder than I think I can, and some things are really scary, and it’s OK,” says Rachel.
Within a few months, however, Rachel realized the new position wasn’t a good fit, and she missed the Eagle Mount community. By March of this year, Rachel was back at Eagle Mount, getting programs and activities back on track.
MORE ABOUT EAGLE MOUNT BILLINGS and the programs it offers, visit eaglemountbillings.org. You can also click on to their site to learn more about volunteering with the nonprofit’s many programs.
YELLOWSTONEVALLEYWOMAN.COMLet’sgetLet’sget FollowUsOn /YVWMAGAZINE/YVWMAGAZINE
Rachel also hopes to do more out-of-state trips with Eagle Mount campers who love the independence and fun that come with being on the road with friends. This summer’s trip to Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho was a big hit.
“The amount of excitement they get from what we might see as a small activity is awesome, Rachel says. “When we went over the pass into Idaho and saw the lake, one of the campers said, ‘Wow! Idaho is so much cooler than Chuck-ECheese’! It was the best thing. So awesome and funny.”
33SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
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Her long-term goals are loftier, including helping raise the funding Eagle Mount needs to purchase a building and move from its leased office on 16th Street West.
Experiences like that make Rachel even more motivated to expand horizons for the participants who make her work so fun and rewarding. One participant at a time, she is changing lives.
“If you want to meet a person who can change the world,” says Anna Chair, “she’s a really good person!”
are pretty crucial to what we do,” Rachel says. “We couldn’t run the majority of our programs without them. I really want to focus more on volunteers and how we can train them, how we can appreciate them and how we can make them feel comfortable helping with our programs.”
She’s excited the organization recently hired a volunteer coordinator, and she hopes more people will volunteer their time and “Volunteerstalents.
Let’ssocialsocialgetsocial
Buying or building a home is a large and important purchase.
Dream homes don’t come along every day and high closing costs shouldn’t stop someone from making an offer. Bravera Bank’s low-cost home loans can reduce these up-front charges.
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There are many decisions to make throughout the process, including determining the amount of bedrooms and bathrooms, preferred features, the layout and the part of town you’d like to live in. Another sometimes overlooked, yet critical consideration is which lender to use to finance the purchase of a home. These are some things to keep in mind when choosing a bank or mortgage lender:
Where the loan is serviced Once a loan is funded and all the paperwork is signed, some financial institutions sell the servicing rights of the loan to another company. Essentially, this means that the bank where the loan was originally acquired no longer is the point of contact for payments or customer service. This can lead to issues if there are questions or concerns about the home loan. At Bravera, most home loans are serviced locally. This means that when questions arise, customers receive the same great service from the first payment to the last. How much the loan will cost While interest rates are an obvious consideration, additional fees and charges are not always factored into the cost of a mortgage. Application fees, origination fees, underwriting fees and closing costs are just some of the expenses associated with buying a home. Avoid any unforeseen surprises by asking about these costs up front.
• USDA Rural Development loans are a great option for borrowers living outside city limits and require no down payment.
Jodi Haddick Mortgage Banking Officer
• Veterans Administration (VA) loans are available for veterans and qualified military service members and offer a variety of benefits to the borrower.
Our lenders work with customers to determine which loan is best for each unique situation. In addition to offering a variety of loan options, Bravera has dedicated lenders to serve veterans, teachers, first responders and healthcare workers. Bravera also offers an in-house loan program for physicians, construction loans, jumbo loans, lot loans and home equity lines of credit. The reputation of the lender Just like a good realtor can make the process of finding a dream home simple and easy, choosing a trustworthy lender can go a long way in making the home-buying experience seamless. Consider the strength of the financial institution and the reputation of the Bravera’slender.team promises to provide the financial tools and guidance to help forge your path ahead. Whatever the dream, Bravera promises to always guide you toward a successful financial future.
Conventional fixed-rate loans are the most common type of mortgage and offer a fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan. Conventional loans require a 20-percent down payment to avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI).
jhaddick@bravera.bank406-544-8379NMLS#1321521 Natalie Pigg Mortgage Lead npigg@bravera.bank406-294-6485NMLS#298633 bravera.bank 123 N. Broadway | 4130 King Ave. W. Billings, MT
The types of mortgages the lender offers
When it comes to home loans, it definitely isn’t one size fits all. Some common types of mortgages include:
For more information about Bravera, visit bravera.bank.
• Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are backed by the U.S. Federal Housing Agency. These loans are a great option for first-time homebuyers or borrowers who do not have a large down payment.
•
TRAGEDY SHARPENS PRIORITIES FOR BILLINGS BUSINESSWOMAN written by LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN first family2 36 YVW MAGAZINE
KELLY COLEMAN exudes an inner fortitude that has served her well as the CEO of two Billings-based businesses: Hancock Enterprises, an oil and gas company, and P3Coleman, a property development company known for creating subdivisions in Billings and northern Idaho. Although she projects a core strength, Kelly sees her selfconfidence as a work in progress — for her as well as for so many “Iwomen.think as females, we often lack confidence in ourselves,” she says. “We should be nicer to ourselves. We need to know how to walk into a meeting with confidence.”
Kelly, a Billings native, marks the fourth generation to head the company that her great-grandfather John Hancock and his brother, Luke, founded in 1901. Interestingly, she is probably not the first woman to run what started out as Pure Oil Company. She’s been told that John’s wife, Bessie — Kelly’s great-grandmother — took charge when John died in 1929. As was typical of the times, however, there remains no evidence of her great-grandmother’s pivotal role.
Other times, I am swimming upstream to the best of my ability and barely making it. That is the ebbs and flows.”
✴ENTERPRISING✴ ✴✴✴WOMAN✴✴✴ 37SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“I have a thing with my staff,” she says. “Family first. That’s just who we are. And it works.” Kelly strives to live by that mantra, but she is the first to admit that the goal remains elusive at best. Balancing her roles as mother, wife and CEO, she says, is more a matter of ebbs and flows.
Based on that guiding principle, Kelly holds her own family close. She is devoted to her three children — daughter, Pavin, 16; son, Palmer, 15; and daughter, Payne, 8 — and to her husband, Jim, co-founder of P3Coleman. The two met through their shared love of golf, married during Kelly’s time of loss and have spent most of the years since working side by side. Kelly considers her family her “whole world” and extends that same philosophy to the office.
Kelly works from a corner office on the fifth floor of the Western Security Bank Building in Billings. She is energized by the light that streams through the windows. She is anchored by the photos on the walls.
As she works through the ever-changing demands on her time, she relies on support from a network of family, friends and staff. Looking back, she especially credits her father’s team for sticking by her so many years ago. “I knew really quick I was in over my head, so I built a solid network of people whose strengths complemented mine,” she says. She also knows that support goes both ways, so she offers to help others when the opportunity arises. “My philosophy is to throw kindness in every direction, and it comes back tenfold,” she says. Fast forward 20 years and Kelly has grown the family oil business
“My history is on these walls,” she says, pointing to images that trace back to bygone eras of her family’s involvement in the oil and gas industry.
Kelly, too, took the reins of the company after tragedy struck. She was fresh out of college and dreaming of law school when her father, William Hancock, died unexpectedly. Having already suffered the loss of her mother to cancer, Kelly might easily have succumbed to the grief. Instead, she put one foot in front of the other.
“At the ripe old age of 22, I became CEO of Hancock Enterprises,” she says. “What I went through put things in perspective so early. That shaped me to know that you can’t take family for granted.”
“Sometimes work needs all of my attention and it consumes me. Sometimes stress and life consume me, sometimes my family has so many needs that consume me,” she says. “Sometimes I’m killing it.
and expanded into real estate. She laughingly describes the latter as her “side hustle.”
it and thought ‘Why not?’ so I did it,” Kelly says. “I had to buy out his partner(s) and the bank loaned me more than they should have.”
I HAVE A THING WITH MY STAFF. FAMILY FIRST. THAT’S JUST WHO WE ARE. AND IT WORKS. — Kely Coleman 38 YVW MAGAZINE
“My (16-year-old) daughter may not agree about that last,” she says, laughing.
She and Jim were newly married when they made a calculated decision to develop their first subdivision — North Greensleeves — on Billings’ West End. It was an idea her father had contemplated before his death. It was an idea Kelly took on with “Idetermination.thoughtabout
“A long time ago my father told me to diversify,” she says. Oil and real estate are typically two businesses that complement one another, she notes, so that when one is slumping, the other is up. That is, she added, until the past two years of Covid. Kelly doesn’t come off as a high-octane businesswoman. She describes herself as analytical, pensive and, above all, patient.
Since then, she and Jim have developed two more subdivisions in Billings — The Nines and South Greensleeves — and another two — Otts Basin and Whisper Ridge — in Jim’s childhood stomping ground of Sandpoint, Idaho. With those projects completely sold out, the Colemans are on to their next venture, a West End development planned with affordable, single-family homes in mind. Ridgeline is projected to go online next spring and Kelly’s got “a few more dreams in the pipeline,” she says. With P3Coleman, they base their projects on the concept of “creating
“But I’m a thinker. I like to ask questions, take it all in. I’m not in a rush. I maybe don’t pull the trigger as fast as I might, but I like to make calculated decisions.”
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“I have a thirst to learn and grow,” she says. “I have new energy and I want to do even more in the next 20 years.” ✻
“We can show vulnerability in a positive way,” she says. “I think that’s a good thing.” Her advice for others? Trust yourself and be authentic. “I can be vulnerable a little and ask questions, but it’s always me,” she says. “It’s served me well.”
This year marks two decades since Kelly so abruptly took over Hancock Enterprises. She hopes that by sharing her personal story she might help others face their own unique Meanwhile,challenges. she looks to the future with excitement. She hired an executive coach who challenges her to push beyond her comfort zone and she’s eager to see where that leads her.
communities withtheirplannedactivities.centersandthatpaths,naturalincorporating—communities”withinessentiallywalkingbridgeslinkareascommunityforlocalThey’vesomeofsubdivisionsbothlarger
“I never had the opportunity to work for a lot of other bosses and I never had a female mentor to go to,” she says. “But when I started asking questions of some of the guys, what they gave me back was amazing.”
OF
That commitment to community is also evident in Kelly’s role on various local boards — the board of Rocky Mountain College (her alma matter), the Alberta Bair Trust Fund, Riverstone Hospice and the St. Vincent’s Foundation, among others. All have missions that touch her personally. She also serves as vice president of the board of the Yale Oil Association in Oklahoma. Not only have these experiences allowed her to give back but they have helped Kelly find her own voice. Building on her own past, she’s come to recognize the value of mentors and mentoring — something she lacked when she took over Hancock Enterprises.
PART MY DOGS,
GETTING OUTSIDE TOGETHER. — Kely Coleman 40 YVW MAGAZINE
DRIVE IS TO MAKE MY COMMUNITY BETTER. MY VISION IS FOR FAMILIES RIDING BIKES TOGETHER, WALKING THEIR
The lesson, she emphasizes, is to surround yourself with role models of all kinds — men, women, old or young. And do not hesitate to ask questions, she adds, even if it suggests a certain naiveté or vulnerability.
homes for growing families and quality “down-sized” housing for the generation that preceded them.
“Part of my drive is to make my community better,” Kelly says. “My vision is for families riding bikes together, walking their dogs, getting outside together.”
To begin with, let’s look at what’s happened with bond prices recently.
edwardjones.com Member SIPCMorgan A Reif, AAMS® Financial Advisor 1480 17th St W Billings, MT 406-702-130459102-2908
If you own bonds of varying durations — short-, intermediate- and long-term — you should regularly have some bonds maturing. And in an environment such as the current one, you can reinvest the proceeds of your expiring shortterm bonds into new ones issued at potentially higher interest rates. By doing so, you can potentially provide yourself with more income. Also, by owning a mix of bonds, you’ll still have the longer-term ones working for you, and these bonds typically (but not always) pay a higher interest rate than the shorter-term ones. It might not feel pleasant to see the current value of your bonds drop. But if you’re not selling them before they mature, and you take advantage of the opportunities afforded by higher yields, you’ll find that owning bonds can still be a valuable part of your investment strategy.
Should you own bonds when interest rates rise?
• Reinvestment opportunities – As mentioned above, rising interest rates and higher yields may reduce the value of your current bonds, but this same development may also offer you some favorable reinvestment opportunities.
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FINANCIAL FOCUS
As you know, the stock market has attracted a lot of attention – and for good reason, as we’ve seen considerable volatility almost from the beginning of the year. But if you own bonds, or bond-based mutual funds, you might also have some concerns. However, it’s important to understand why bonds should continue to be an important part of your portfolio.
by Morgan A Reif, AAMS®, Financial Advisor
Inflation has heated up, leading the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to help “cool off” the economy. And rising interest rates typically raise bond yields — the total annual income that investors get from their “coupon” (interest) payments. Rising yields can cause a drop in the value of your existing bonds, because investors will want to buy the newly issued bonds that offer higher yields than yours. And yet, despite this possible drop in their value, the bonds you own can still help you make progress toward your financial goals. Consider these benefits of bond ownership:
At Edward Jones, we can explain options for your 401(k), including leaving the money in your former employer’s plan, moving it to you new employer’s plan, rolling it over to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or cashing out the account subject to tax consequences.
(Keep in mind, though, that by itself, diversification can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses in a declining market.)
• Income – No matter what happens to the value of your bonds, they will continue to provide you with income, in the form of interest payments, until they mature, provided the issuer doesn’t default — and defaults are generally unlikely with investmentgrade bonds (those rated BBB or higher). Your interest payments will remain the same throughout the life of your bond, which can help you plan for your cash flow and spending.
If you’re leaving your employer, do you know your 401(k) options?
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC. Before investing in bonds, you should understand the risks involved, including credit risk and market risk. Bond investments are also subject to interest-rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of bonds can decrease, and the investor can lose principal value if the investment is sold prior to maturity.
Diversification – As you’ve probably heard, diversification is a key to successful investing. If you only owned one type of asset, such as growth stocks, and the stock market went into a decline, as has happened this year, your portfolio likely would have taken a big hit — even bigger than the one you may have experienced. But bond prices don’t always move in the same direction as stocks, so the presence of bonds in your portfolio — along with other investments, such as government securities and certificates of deposit — can help reduce the impact of volatility on your holdings.
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To learn more, call today.
edwardjones.com Member SIPCMorgan A Reif, AAMS® Financial Advisor 1480 17th St W Billings, MT 406-702-130459102-2908
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HELP?COLUMISTYVWwrittenbyKARENGROSZPhotographybyDANIELSULLIVAN
Humans are designed to be helpers. At our most basic, we’re herd animals, better off together taking care of the pack than we are as individuals. We prosper when we help each other prosper. We laugh when others are laughing, we cry when others are crying, and we grow when we help others to grow.
I know that I need people in my world to be cynical because I am not. I need people who can bandage a knee because I’m probably going to fall during my boundless pursuit of adventure. I like a skilled chef and an all-knowing mechanic too. If I were in a herd of one, my herd would have vanished a long time ago, with a lot fewer stories. That’s why I like to help. There are things I can do, ways I can give that help others just as the herd helps me, and I know KarenKaren
IN EVERY ISSUE AN AMAZING WOMAN I know, Anna Robertus, has a simple way of calming down situations when people are overwhelmed. In the heat of the moment, when arms are flailing and emotions run high, Anna quietly says, “How can I help?” Her simple offer doesn’t fan the flames or excise the excitement. It gently gives space for the other person to take a breath and ask for what they need.
42 YVW MAGAZINE
CANHOWCANHOWCANHOWIII HELP?HELP? SOMETIMES THE SIMPLEST ACTS DONE WITH LOVE MEAN THE MOST AnnaAnna
Anna finds that by asking this one question, she’s able to take one item off that person’s plate, one task, or just be a listening ear so that person can calm down and begin to move forward. She offers the help she can give, right when they need it. To me, that is grace. You wonder what the world would look like if, like Anna, we just asked how we can help.
Touted as one of the best rough stock rodeos in America, the Chase Hawks Rodeo takes place in the Rimrock Auto Arena on December 22nd.Top cowboys and stock come straight from the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas to compete right here in Billings, Montana. And best of all, it’s for a great cause. The Chase Hawks Memorial Association works to bring comfort and assistance to families during times of tragedy and crisis.metrapark.com Beauty & the Beast 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.billingsstudiotheatre.comFRingeFestiva
L 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 comedy, theater improv, one act plays, musicals, performance art, spoken word/poetry, and puppetry.venturetheatre.org s ou L s t R eet d an C e This high energy show comes to the Alberta Bair Theater on January 19th and presents a new era in dance, while pushing the artistic boundaries of street dance. Soul Street concerts consist of a mix of movement that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The music is combined with an electric mix ranging from hip-hop to classical. It’s a show that will make you laugh and keep audiences of all ages entertained. a Con C e R t F o R the w ho L e Fami Ly Billings Symphony presents its Family Concert on January 26th at the Alberta Bair Theater. Four time Grammy nominees, “Trout Fishing in America,” will perform along with the Billings Symphony. Trout Fishing in America is a musical duo which performs folk rock and billingssymphony.comhave your events listed here, email jessica@billings365.com the $ 250 6 2 rd Karen Grosz
n soup&saladlunchbuffetsoup&saladlunchbuffet YELLOWSTONEVALLEYWOMAN.COM | DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013 63 accomplishQuietly.more, By
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What I have learned as a moderator on the page is that trauma and its aftereffects affect more people in Billings than I ever imagined. That trauma creates all sorts of life challenges for our page members, and so do public and employment policies and practices that were not well thought out. I’ve also learned there are sticky takers, stingy givers and scammers galore. But most of all, I’ve learned the power of help without judgment, simply loving someone because you can.
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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 Zoo Lights.The display will be open in December - the 7th-8th, 14th15th, and 20th-24th from 5pm to 9pm each night. zoomontana.org Chase h awks Rodeo
Through the page, we’ve delivered beds to places that shouldn’t be inhabited and we’ve seen some of our wealthiest friends reduced to tears when their Christmas cookies and a few gifts they offered were the only gifts a family had under the tree. There is a raw and scary element to publicly asking for help. It’s a step I admit I’d have a tough time taking. So when someone asks for help, I’m in awe of them and I hope they know that by asking, they’re giving a gift to the person who answers their plea. It’s wonderful to be needed.
and your community. www.quietleadership.group Order your copy today
KAREN GROSZ, writer Karen Grosz is a local Team and Leadership Development coach and motivational speaker. She owns Canvas Creek Team Building, is the author of “What’s Next” and “Quiet Leadership” and founding voice of the Facebook group “I’ll Help”- Billings. You can find more from Karen at karengrosz.life. the same holds true for you. The question is, how? What can we do that will have the most impact? Who should we serve and where should we start? Well, friend, the answer is right there in the question. All we have to do is start. When you look around, there’s not a shortage of problems to take on, and no fear that all the worthy causes are taken! The question is really, exactly what Anna asks, how can I help? To figure that out, I have a few suggestions. First, think about what matters most to you. What would you spend your last breath or your every dollar fighting for? Find someone leading the cause and ask, how can I help? If you don’t have a passion quite that big, think about what you love to do in your quiet hours. Do you read? Then, find a child to read to! Start at preschools, the Boys and Girls Club, or Reading Rocks with the Billings Education DoFoundation.youlike
all sorts of amazing ways to give whatever I had to give — leadership lessons to teens, a loving ear to a dying stranger, an umbrella to someone stuck in the weather as life bounced them onto the streets. Generosity took on a whole new meaning for me. I do love when I can write the check, but my oh my, do I love when, like Anna, I can reach out my hand, or wrap someone in a hug and say, “how can I help?”
“I’LL HELP”–BILLINGS • FACEBOOK GROUP •
The page now has 8,000 members, and needs, mostly emergent, from diapers to beds and gasoline to actual cars, have been donated through this page, simply because someone said “please help,” and someone else said “I will.”
This group is dedicated to assisting Billings area children, parents and families in the foster care system that may ask for help, and group members can say "I'll help with that!"
To
QUIET LEADERSHIP help discover capacity to operate as a Quiet Leader for yourself, team on Amazon!
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to talk on the phone? Did you know Big Sky Senior Services has a list of elderly people who would love nothing more than to have you call them while you are sitting at a stop light? They’re looking for connection. They want to tell their stories and to know that they are still an important part of our herd. All you have to do is call. Would you love to have a dog but your lifestyle precludes the luxury? The animal shelter has plenty of dogs that need a nice long walk. Did you notice none of these things cost money, take a lot of time, or require skills beyond what you already possess? Isn’t that wonderful? You can help, just as you Iare!love the Zimbabwean proverb, if you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing. I would add that if you can help, you can change the world. Maybe not for everyone, but for someone.
Several years ago, a group of amazing people sat together to talk about child welfare in Billings. Out of that conversation, we started a Facebook page called, “I’ll Help” – Billings. The idea was that a struggling foster parent or family on the edge could ask for something like diapers and someone else would say, “I’ll help with that!”
Born and bred to be a helper, there was a time when I thought giving meant writing a check — which my favorite nonprofits would say is a very fine thought! But life presented me with a season when that wasn’t possible. My heart ached because I wanted to be generous, to fill needs that needed filling, but I couldn’t. Stuck in the doldrums, my eyes were opened to the magnanimous capacity for small incidental acts to have a huge Iimpact.found
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So, friend, let’s both help someone today. Maybe it’ll change their world, maybe it’ll just make us feel like part of the herd. No matter which, it’s going to be a great gift to ask, how can I help? ✻
43SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
INCALMTHE CRISIS INCALMTHE CRISIS INCALMTHE CRISISCRISISCRISIS PAIRMEDICALEXPERIENCED WORKINGTOFORWARDLOOK CENTERTRAUMA1LEVELAIN OLPSUEbywrittenphotographybyDANIELSULLIVAN YVW MAGAZINE44
DR. JAMIEE BELSKYDR. LISA MERRIMAN
WORKING IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE requires decisive action. So does picking up a scalpel to perform trauma Forsurgery.twoBillings
“We are the frontline,” says Dr. Jamiee Belsky, emergency medicine physician and chair of the Emergency Department at the downtown hospital. On any given day, she might treat a 2-month-old infant with a fever, a 98-year-old woman suffering a stroke or a 22-year-old man felled by a gunshot wound.
“I really love to be the one in a crisis that can say ‘I know what to do, I can help you,’” Belsky says.
“It felt like that was going to be a really exciting and interesting way to both grow my skills and help build that,” she says.
“He said, ‘You’re so excited about what you’ve seen, who you helped, what you learned, there is no contest,’” she remembers.
After a three-year emergency medicine residency at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, Belsky worked at a number of hospitals.
Dr. Lisa Merriman, a core member of the hospital’s trauma surgical team and critical-care-trained physician, nods in “Iagreement.likebeing able to directly address something that’s happening and provide a solution,” she says, wearing her OR scrubs. “Not that that’s always possible, but when it is, that’s absolutely what drives me and makes me want to keep going.”
The two women came to Billings Clinic from opposite ends of the country. Belsky, 37, a native of Florida, trained and practiced on the East Coast, while Merriman, 42, was born and raised in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
The two doctors came to their careers in different ways. Belsky initially volunteered at a hospital when she was 13 “and I was always drawn to the ER.” After completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a year of research, Belsky attended medical school at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Clinic physicians, the challenges that accompany that kind of care are part of what drew them to their specialties.
One factor that brought both women to the Billings hospital was its decision to move toward becoming a Level I Trauma Center, which, for now, would make it the first of its kind within a 500-plus-mile radius. The official announcement came in March of this year, but the topic has been under consideration for much Whenlonger.Belsky interviewed at Billings Clinic about three years ago, she learned of the hospital’s intention to transition up from a Level 2 Trauma Center, something she believes will “change the face of healthcare in the state of Montana.”
She tried to keep an open mind as she completed rotations in the different medical specialties. She enjoyed them all, but her thenboyfriend-now-husband Dr. Mike Belsky noticed her excitement when she practiced in the ED.
Merriman, whose tenure began a year ago, held a similar conversation with her future surgical colleagues.
45SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
Billings Clinic is now o ering Midwifery care. Certi ed nurse midwives provide primary care for women across their lifespan from adolescence through menopause with special emphasis on pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive health. To learn more about Billings Clinic Midwifery, please visit billingsclinic.com/midwifery • Comprehensive physical exams • Care during pregnancy and birth • Prescribing contraceptive methods • Ordering diagnostic tests • Providing health education • Care for healthy newborns during the rst 28 days of life • Treatment of male partners for sexually transmitted infections The Midwifery Di erence Bene ts of Midwifery Care: 46 YVW MAGAZINE
“I also worked in the outpatient trauma clinic, actually as an office assistant which is where I got my first exposure to trauma,”
The couple were living in a 650-square-foot apartment in downtown Washington, D.C., where he was finishing up his fellowship in rheumatology and she was commuting 90 minutes to work, when Mike Belsky got a recruiting postcard from Billings Clinic with a picture of Glacier National Park. When he discovered the hospital was also seeking a physician for the Emergency Department, the pair interviewed at Billings Clinic and both accepted posts.
I MADE A DIFFERENCE TODAY IN THAT PERSON’S LIFE. THE REST OF THE DAY, I CAN CATCH EVERY RED LIGHT, I CAN BURN DINNER, IT DOESN’T MATTER. IF I DID THAT, IT’S A GREAT FEELING.
Asked what she loves about her job, Belsky says it’s the moments where she’s able to establish a quick connection with a patient and sometimes turn their life around. She tells of one critically ill patient whose eye she was able to save “and possibly her eyesight.”
“You’re like, ‘I made a difference today in that person’s life,’” she says. “The rest of the day, I can catch every red light, I can burn dinner, it doesn’t matter. If I did that, it’s a great feeling.”
At the hospital, Belsky splits her time between seeing patients and, as chair of the Emergency Department, doing administrative tasks related to how the ED functions and how it can best serve patients.
Eventually working in the offices of a neurosurgeon, a plastic surgeon and an orthopedic surgeon, she was able to interact with patients. She calls that time her “pre-med school” that led her to apply to med school at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
Merriman’s interest in medicine bloomed in a different way. While she attended Portland State University nights and weekends to complete her undergraduate degree, she spent her days in a variety of jobs at a Portland hospital, starting as an admitting clerk.
Merriman says, scheduling patients for appointments and finding herself engrossed, reading their medical charts. “And that’s how I got the bug.”
“They flew us in and we fell in love with the area, and with all the nurses and the physicians on staff,” Belsky says. “We bought a house with a white picket fence and got a dog.”
The lows come when she has to break bad news to a family. Seventy percent of all patients come through her department, often the sickest of the sick, and some don’t make it.
“We unfortunately have to give a lot of the bad news,” she says.
— Dr. Jamiee Belsky
47SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
When not working, the couple like to hike. They’re also training their rescue pup, Blue, and Belsky, a self-taught cook, enjoys exploring her culinary tastes.
“That’s a human, somebody’s brother, sister, father or son, so that’s always difficult.”
Halfway through, she knew that performing surgery “was the thing that made me want to get up in the morning.”
Like Belsky, being able to create a quick connection with a patient and fix an urgent problem, “that’s very satisfying, just to be able to make
Merriman completed her general surgery residency at the University of New Mexico, as well as a fellowship in surgical critical care. When her training was done, she found a good fit for her skills at Billings Clinic.
“I do trauma surgery, so anyone who comes in with an injury that’s caused by an accident, a car crash or a shooting or stabbing or a fall from a cliff and they need surgery on the chest or belly, that’s my area of expertise,” Merriman says.
Merriman also performs emergency general surgery for such conditions as appendicitis, a bowel obstruction or gallstone surgery. Unlike some of her colleagues, Merriman doesn’t do elective surgery. But she does take care of surgical patients in the ICU.
“Pretty much all my activities are outdoors,” she says. “Whenever possible I like to be out exploring stuff, and on the back of a horse is
Merriman can work anywhere from 10 hours a day to 12 or 16, performing surgery and making rounds, among her many duties. She’s grateful that husband, Joel Merriman, who worked for 20 years to support her through college and medical school and then retired, “literally takes care of everything else because I Incan’t.”her free time, Merriman enjoys her two horses. It’s been her longtime dream to own property and house her horses on her land, and ride them whenever she wants.
48 YVW MAGAZINE
are
to
A campaign is also underway to raise funds to expand operating rooms, build a new state-of-the-art transfer center and expand the Emergency Department. Providing regional care coordination between hospitals and trauma training to medical providers throughout the region are also crucial, Belsky says.
their regular duties, both
Merriman was heading out to Thermopolis the following week for a trauma outreach trip to an affiliate hospital “to give the nurses and providers some specialized education on things they maybe don’t see as often so they are prepared to deal with it before it’s transferred to us,” she says.
“That’s the most critical time because if you don’t stop the bleeding or if you don’t take care of that airway in the first hour, the rest isn’t going to matter,” she says.
In addition to physicians pleased to be part of the multiyear effort for Billings Clinic be designated a Level I Trauma Center. The closest hospitals with that label are in Denver, Salt Lake City and Seattle. Many of the services needed for the Level 1 designation are already in place at the hospital, Belsky says, including dedicated trauma services, 24/7 multi-specialty services, immediately available operating rooms and fellowship-trained surgeons in specific specialties, among other things.
Billings Clinic, the busiest trauma center in Montana and Wyoming, has seen a 55 percent increase in trauma patients since 2010. To meet additional requirements for the new designation, the hospital is working to complete and publish trauma research and, in collaboration with the University of Arizona, has added a surgical residency.
The more knowledgeable medical people out in the field and the vital communication between hospitals can make all the difference, Belsky adds. In an emergency situation, it boils down to the “golden hour,” the first 60 minutes after a person sustains a serious injury.
SUE OLP, writer Sue Olp worked for many years as a reporter at the Billings Gazette, covering everything from healthcare and education to county government, tribal issues and religion, not to mention plenty of humaninterest stories. Now retired, she is a freelance writer and enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her family, including her grandchildren. EXPERT SKINCARE YOUR FAMILY CAN TRUST ABD CERTIFIED IN Dermatology ♦ Dermatopathology and Micrographic Skin Cancer Surgery Dr. Tanya Riddle Dermatology: 294-9515 | Aesthetics: 294-9660 | 2294 Grant Rd | Billings | www.billingsdermatology.com Entrust your skin to the only triple-board certified dermatologist in the region StunningCreatingCreating Smiles for Your Family Visit kovacsortho.com to schedule your FREE consultation & take the first step towards the beautiful smile you’ve been looking for! Trusted Specialist in Orthodontics for over 20 years -Latest Invisible Braces Technology -1000's of beautiful smiles created right here in the Billings area - Trusted Specialist in Orthodontics for over 20 years - Latest Invisible Braces Technology - 1000’s of beautiful smiles created right here in the Billings area
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IIIwanttowanttowantto PAIGE MAYHALLWANTS TO USE HER EDUCATION TO LIFT UP OTHERSvoicevoicevoice writtenbyJULIEKOERBERphotographybyDANIELSULLIVAN winnerscholarship2022 givegivegivethemathemathema 50 YVW MAGAZINE
WHEN PEOPLE MEET PAIGE MAYHALL, sometimes they ask, “Is your name Paige, like from a book?” Truth be told, she’s a librarian’s daughter. And, while she has a deep love for books, she’s also inherited her mother’s love for helping children.
“Itherapy.saidto myself, I just want to help him,” Paige says. “He’s the reason why I want to go into speech pathology.”
— Paige Mayhall 51SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
MY MOM WAS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP KIDS AND THE KIDS THAT NEEDED A LITTLE PUSH TO BE BETTER, SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO ENCOURAGE THEM. SHE’LL DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS THAT IS COMPLETELY SELFLESS. I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT. I WANT TO BE LIKE MY MOM.
“I’m trying to do it in three years,” she says, adding that she was able to already complete 28 credits through both advanced placement classes and dual credit classes offered through Montana State University Billings. “I’m going in almost as a sophomore, so I can just jump right in my major,” she says. She’s excited to get started. Just this summer while working as a camp counselor for Billings Parks and Recreation, she met a young boy who could benefit from speech
“My mom was always there to help kids and the kids that needed a little push to be better, she was always there to encourage them,” Paige says. “She’ll do something for others that is completely selfless. I want to be like that. I want to be like my mom.” Paige was in her sophomore year at Skyview High when she added a last-minute class to her schedule that ended up changing the course of her life. She decided to be a peer tutor in one of her high school’s special-needs classes.
This past year, while volunteering for Special Olympics, she ended up helping Daniel, one of her former students, in the competition. “I got to meet his parents and they knew me. ‘Paige, right? We heard so much about you.’ I’m so glad to see that impact I made on Daniel’s life,” she says.
“The class taught me life lessons — always treating one another with kindness and to make everyone feel cared for and welcomed,” Paige says. “That class will always be a part of my backstory and those kids will be people I will never forget.”
While she knows her clinical focus could include both children and adults, in her mind she’d love to use her degree in a school setting
Paige Mayhall is the winner of YVW’s Empowered Women Scholarship. The scholarship sought out a student who shines scholastically and has character, leadership and community spirit. Paige Mayhall was all of the above. She received a $1,000 scholarship to start her freshman year at University of Northern Colorado.
One of those kids was a senior at Skyview named Jack. Paige learned early on that Jack had his own way of doing things and didn’t automatically socialize with other students. Paige was determined to change “Jackthat. had a huge heart and an even bigger personality,” she says. Over time, not only was Jack making friends, “he knew there was a new freshman in the class and he immediately volunteered himself to be his built-in guide.” If you ask Paige what her biggest accomplishment in life is thus far, she’ll tell you it’s been helping Jack grow as a person. “He never failed to make me smile.”
Editor’s Note:
“My goal as a speech pathologist is to help autistic and special education kids to better communicate. I love being around them, and those are the children that some shy away from. It can be hard for them to communicate. I want to work with them and help make a difference in their lives,” she says. “I want to give them a voice.” ✻
“It’s weird how it all ties together — my interests, being in speech pathology as a kid and wanting to help a wide variety of people,” Paige says. This fall, she will attend the University of Northern Colorado pursuing a degree in speech pathology with a minor in American Sign Language.
Paige admits there was a time in her life when she was the student in need. As a kid, she couldn’t say her “r”s. Her dad’s name, Roger, came out “Woger.” For a year, she worked with a speech pathologist to overcome her impediment.
Get these women together, and they have many success stories to Jennytell.Randall, who works at West High, recalls a teen who found her at a baseball game early this summer. It was the first week after school let out and he was beaming with pride when he showed her his official electrician’s apprentice card. It was Jenny who helped him make connections to get started on that career
EDUCATOR BAILEE VAUGHN remembers almost every student she works with, but one young man stands out. Bailee is a career coach for Billings School District 2 and she works with students to help them figure out what they’d like to do after graduation. She helps them make connections with potential employers or programs that can help them reach their goals.
In his senior year, this student was struggling and at risk of dropping out of school. At Bailee’s urging, he started working two class periods a day at a coffee shop and enrolled in a leadership program. She was betting that with some encouragement and meaningful work outside school he would thrive. It worked.
JOB
Forpath.college-bound students, career coaches help students decide what classes to take to optimize their high school experience. In some cases, dual credit classes or advanced placement classes offered through the high school can give a student a leg up with FOUR WOMEN VOW TO HELP STUDENTS FIND THEIR CAREER PATH IN LIFE
JOBJOB
written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
After the young man received his diploma, he came up to Bailee, gave her a big hug and told her he probably wouldn’t have made it to graduation without her support.
FORCEFORCEFORCEENCOURAGING THEENCOURAGING THE 52 YVW MAGAZINE
Bailee is one of four career coaches in SD2 who work at each of the high schools and Career Center. The Career Outreach Program is in its fourth year and was funded by a $970,000 levy approved by voters in 2019. Those in the District realized it was an opportunity not just for students, but for businesses who needed a skilled workforce. Collectively, these counselors have offered up 879 individual coaching sessions with students and hosted 204 classroom presentations. They’ve got connections within the construction industry, healthcare, business, education, information technology, marketing, engineering and finance.
“That’s why I got into this job,” Bailee says. “It is kids like him.”
“It changed his life,” Jenny says, “He wasn’t sure what he was going to do or even what he wanted to do, and this helped him figure it out.” He was one of 10 local kids in the program, and all of them had the skills necessary to be hired in the construction industry right out of high school – with significant earning potential.
Another student enrolled in the Career Center’s certified nursing assistant (CNA) program, earned her certificate and is now working at St. John’s United and is in their Nursing Apprenticeship Fellowship. She has her sights set on becoming a registered nurse and starts her studies this fall. She plans to work as a CNA while she is in college.
college credits before they even finish high school. And for students who don’t know what they want to do after graduation, there are assessment tools to help them explore their interests.
“There’s so much to explore. Parents and students don’t quite grasp what’s all out there for them,” says Vicky Cavanaugh, the career coach at the Career Center. In many cases, career coaches facilitate a connection between an existing program and students who are interested in that field. One such program is the Build Montana program, a partnership between Montana Contractors Association and the Montana Equipment Dealers Association. Through the program, one young man gained experience operating heavy equipment, and after graduation went right to work for Knife River, a local contractor.
“We ask, what do you want and how can we help you get there?” Tammi says. “We help them figure out the best path to get to the career they’re interested in.”
Bo Bruinsma, the SD2 career outreach director, says business and industry has wholeheartedly embraced the program, and even in the short time the program has been up and running almost every industry is represented.
VICKYCAVANAUGH TAMMIWATSON BAILEEVAUGHN JENNYRANDALL 53SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“A lot of people when they think of high school they think of math, English, and maybe something along the lines of academics, but our students have the opportunity to be exposed to so many more careers,” says Tammi Watson, a career coach at Skyview. Career coaches have a variety of tools in their toolboxes. Besides doing one-on-one coaching, they also set up job shadow opportunities, workplace experience internships, employer presentations, meet-ups with local professionals and job fairs.
“It’s all to give kids an idea of what’s out there,” Jenny Whensays. a student comes to them with an interest, the coaches can help them fill out job applications, college applications, and post-secondary training and certificate program applications. They offer help writing cover letters and resumes. They even help students find appropriate work clothes and interview attire.
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coaches partner with Job Service to maintain a job board for students looking for part-time work or summer jobs. It links local employers with potential employees. Bailee, Jenny, Vicky and Tammi all keep notes on their students’ interests, so when an opportunity becomes available, they can let them know.
support.
“It’s all about who you know, and our goal is to be the people they need to know to find these opportunities,” Bailee says. him
with FitzgeraldTurner Lisen to The that 8:33 am 5:33 pm at 8:50
Award Winning RADIO PROGRAM
“No matter what a student is interested in, we can usually find a in the community,” he says.
Career coaches work alongside high school counselors, who are busy with other tasks such as standardized testing and day-today for students in need of academic and emotional Counselors still offer students advice on college and post-secondary training opportunities, but now they share those duties with career coaches.
interventions
“It could be any student,” Jenny says. “We have kids who come to us who have an idea, and kids who have no idea. We want to reach them all.”
✻ ARE YOU AN EMPLOYER, PARENT OR STUDENT? For more information on the SD2 Career Outreach Program, call Bo Bruinsma at 406-281-5075 or email
connection
Michelle K. Roberts, DMD
Lynne
at bruinsmab@billingsschools.org. 54 YVW MAGAZINE
takes you on a daily journey in the ‘Wayback’ Machine. LisenDaily
Sometimes students think they’re interested in a particular field, but through career coaching and job shadowing or an internship, they find out that it’s not for them. That’s OK too. It’s all about “Careerexploration.coaching is for students who really want to get to know themselves better and figure out what they want to do,” Tammi
Thesays.career
After a car accident, my son and father-in-law were taken to the E R , and received the most compassionate care.” St. SCLVincentHealth While it’s our job to care for patients especially in emergencies, we still appreciate the feedback we get about not just our services, but our care. Sarah wrote to us to let us know that from the pediatric nursing staff, to the whole team, she experienced our compassionate care firsthand. To learn more about our emergency care and other services, visit sclhealth.org. – Sarah “ Now Intermountain Healthcare
girlsin grit Buildinggirls girls>>>> >>>> in in grit grit MOUNTAIN BIKING CLUB GIVES RIDERS SKILL & CONFIDENCE written by LAURA BAILEY photography by CASEY PAGE >>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>Building Building YVW MAGAZINE56
“It’s been amazing watching her grow,” Morvay says. “You get her on a racecourse and she gets that determined face on, and she just goes.”
“The most fun for me is seeing their confidence grow as they realize what they can do,” says Kathy Aragon, a GRiT coach. “It’s fun to see the progress these young girls make.”
“I just go,” she says. “I go and try not to stop.” Her coach, Brent Morvay, has been watching her develop over the past year and says she’s just beginning to reach her potential. She’s been riding mountain bikes for about three years. She tried racing for the first time last year.
Annaliese had her first brush with mountain bike racing by joining a group known as GRiT — Girls Riding Together, a program of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). She and her teammates – there are eight girls between 6th and 12th grade – ride and polish their skills twice a week. Racing is optional. For many of the girls, the camaraderie is the best part.
The Billings GRiT team started four years ago when the statewide Montana Interscholastic Cycling League formed. The sport of mountain biking has traditionally attracted boys and men, and recognizing that, NICA founded GRiT in hopes of getting more girls on bikes. NICA wants to see female involvement in mountain biking represent at least 33 percent of its membership. Right now, it’s hovering at about 20 percent nationwide. The local boys’ team, the Dirt Dogz, has roughly 50 riders. The sport is growing across the board for both boys and girls. Mastering the skills needed to climb over boulders, hop over tree roots and ride through loose rock is empowering. It boosts self-confidence, which serves young people well no matter what they set out to do in life.
Coach Aragon, 62, has been riding nearly her whole life and says she loves mountain biking because of all the beautiful places it’s taken her. The girls and their coaches ride on the Rims at Zimmerman Park, the Back Nine at Indian Cliffs, Phipps Park and Clearview Park, which is located behind the Mormon Temple.
IF YOU WERE TO meet
Annaliese McCormick, 15, you would, at first, be struck by her polite, quiet demeanor. But beneath that pile of red curls is the calculated mind of a competitor. She races mountain bikes and her formula for winning is straightforward.
“Most of the time they just want to get out and have fun,” Coach
annaliese avery brooklyn autumn>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 57SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“It’s a great community and we all have fun,” says Brooklyn Morvay, 12. “It’s super inclusive, so even if you’re not the best at it, you will feel welcome.”
Morvay, who’s been mountain biking for years, started coaching when his daughter got interested in the sport. Whether Brooklyn continues racing after GRiT is up to her, but her dad knows mountain biking is something she can the rest of her life.
Right now, there are several mountain bike race courses in Montana, including one in Butte, another in Bozeman and two in the Flathead Valley. Although Billings has a robust program, building a course and hosting a race is a challenge, Coach Morvay says. Races attract 2,000-3,000 competitors and spectators.
Morvay says. “It’s super laid-back.”
The race season in Montana starts in August and runs through October, and for the girls who choose to race, it’s a wild ride. The races begin with a mass start with a dozen or more girls vying for a win. The courses almost always start with a steep uphill climb, followed by four miles of hills, turns and obstacles. Depending on their age, the girls will do two or three laps.
“We push each other to be the best that we can,” Avery says.
“It takes a lot of skill building, especially to take on some of these more complex courses,” Coach Aragon says.
“The entire loop is pretty much a sprint the whole way,” says 12-year-old Avery Chilton, who raced for the first time last year.
Billings organizers haven’t found the right site yet, he says, but they’re working on Allit.
coaches are volunteers, and they invest in annual training to provide the best experience possible for the youth involved. There’s an annual fee to join the team, but Head Coach James Easton says that coaches are working to develop a scholarship fund so that no young person will be turned away for lack of funds. He also says they’re building up a stash of loaner bikes for kids to try mountain biking before they invest in a bike of their own.
“It’s an all-volunteer community,” Easton says. “We don’t just need kids to join we need volunteers and parents to come out and ride and mentor these kids.”
“If you fall in love with biking you’ll do it forever,” Morvay says.
✻ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 58 YVW MAGAZINE
This year, she’s hoping her training pays off with a win, and even if she’s racing against her GRiT teammates, they’ll all be cheering for one another.
No matter what their mountain bike riding experience, they’re welcome to join the team for skill building, group rides and/or racing. For more information email dirtdogzcoach@gmail.com $59.95 Regular Oil • $69.95 Synthetic Oil 5615406-245-5178InterstateAve•Billings YOUR EXHAUST EXPERTS LUBE, OIL & FILTER CHANGE Cannot be combined w/other offers • Up to 5 qts of oil • Exp. 10/31/22 THE MOST FUN FOR ME IS SEEING THEIR CONFIDENCE GROW AS THEY REALIZE WHAT THEY CAN DO. IT’S FUN TO SEE THE PROGRESS THESE YOUNG GIRLS MAKE. — Kathy Aragon >>>> >>>>>>>>GOLD, SILVER, COINS, CURRENCY Trusted by the Northwest (406) 702-1516 | 2450 KING AVE W | BILLINGS BILLINGS | HELENA | MISSOULA | IDAHO FALLS WWW.GRIZZLYGOLDANDSILVER.COM Riding withRiding withRiding with GRiT GRiT Do you know a girl between the 6th and 12th grades who would be interested in joining GRiT? GRiTGRiT >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Join the club to ride or compete SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 59
h n Y u! 2112 4th Avenue N • Billings • (406) 259-2856 18-6047% 23%61+ During September, October and November, TOWN PUMP will match your donation. ❏ I would like to make a tax deductible donation to the Billings Food Bank. ❏ I would like information about giving through the endowment fund. My AddName:ress:City State Zip E-Mail Address: Mail to: Billings Food Bank • P O Box 1158 • Billings MT 59103-1158 Does your employer match charitable contributions? Please ask and help us double the value of your gift! You can go to www.BillingsFoodBank.com to make a secure donation online! Billings Food Bank thrives because of the support of so many, in so many ways. Our donors who give not only food and funds but also themselves make our work possible. Each is an essential ingredient for success. So, too, are the prayers we continue to receive and the encouraging words we get. Your volunteer support allows us to do our work using under 2% of your money for administration. You ARE Billings Food Bank. It is never more evident than during these times of need with a pandemic and all the hardships which have become our shared history. You give us what we need – when we need it. You allow us to meet the increasing demands while preparing for what is to come. You are helping us triple our capacity and expand our programs. Together we will continue to fulfil our mission now and in the future. As promised, I will give you the progress of our 16th Street Project, which we had hoped would be ready for our 40th Anniversary (May 2022). However, reality set in and we have faced the same delays as others. We are making progress and moving ahead. It is time to ask folks if they would help us reach our goals. More of that later. On behalf of those we serve, we genuinely thank you. Warm regards,
www.BillingsFoodBank.com Volunteers prepare sandwiches for various organizations. Volunteers sort donations. Boxes prepared and staged for recipients.Fortin Culinary Center training program Food Boxes for those in need Food Boxes for Seniors Holiday Food Ser vices Meals provided to Tumbleweed, St. Vincent dePaul, and delivered during special events Food Boxes through Voucher System Meals, sack lunches, back packs given through the For tin Culinar y Center in addition to food boxes OPPOVOLUNTEERRTUNITIES Warehouse persons/ Truck Drivers (Non CDL) Food Distributors (especially with our Farm to Trunk events) Food Prep Helpers (preser ving, mak ing meals, etc.) Deliver y Drivers for our Monthly Meal Deliver y KNOW SOMEONE IN NEED? Please, if you k now someone who needs a little ex tra help, send them our way. We can help! Have them call 259-2856.
aaSparkingLoveforSparkingaLoveforSparkingLovefor aSparkingLovefor Music Music Music MusicaSparkingLovefor THE WOMEN BEHIND BILLINGS YOUTH ORCHESTRA written by LAURA BAILEY photography contributed by BILLINGS YOUTH ORCHESTRA YVW MAGAZINE62
BARBKIRKROSIEWEISS
“Every Wednesday she’d pick up a bunch of us kids and take us all to Honor Orchestra,” Lindsey says. She was in the fifth or sixth grade at the time and lived in Lockwood. Barb’s pick-up route included students in Laurel as well. In those days, the Billings Honor Orchestra and Honor Band were the only extra-curricular opportunities available for music students to play and perform together. Those groups are still offered, but today, young musicians can join the Billings Youth Orchestra as well. In those early years, neither Lindsey nor Barb could have known that they would eventually be colleagues. Today, both women are conductors for the Billings Youth Orchestra, which became a part of the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale this summer.
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Under Barb’s early mentorship, Lindsey has dedicated herself to playing the violin and was honored with the opportunity to play with the Billings Symphony Orchestra at age 16. She pursued music in college, earning a degree in church music with an emphasis on violin performance and education from Heartland Baptist College in Oklahoma. She returned to Montana where she joined the Billings Symphony. In 2014, she jumped at the chance to help lead the Billings Youth Orchestra.
Linsey conducts the Young Artists Orchestra, made up of fifthand sixth-graders. Her goal is to instill in young people a love of “There’s a level of joy that comes from participating in something Rosie Weiss was one of her early students. Rosie began playing with the Billings Youth Orchestra when it was founded in 2007. She started playing violin at age 3 and is now 25 and an
LINDSEYSELMAN
WHEN LINDSEY SELMAN remembers Barb Kirk, her first violin teacher, she has many fond memories, but one in particular stands out.
“When they are in the group, they have to listen to each other and stay together,” Barb says, adding that it doesn’t take long before they catch on and come together as an orchestra.
accomplished musician. She’s studying violin in graduate school at the University of Miami Frost School of Music and teaches violin in her spare time.
Both Rosie and Lindsey say they met lifelong friends in their early orchestra experiences, and Barb adds that for many of the young musicians she sees, the orchestra is their only afterschool opportunity. It provides a nurturing place to grow not only musically but socially as well.
64 YVW MAGAZINE
I’VE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR PLAYING WITH OTHERS AND IT’S FOSTERED BY MY EXPERIENCE WITH BILLINGSORCHESTRA.YOUTH
YoungduringtheBarbwindsisOrchestra.andArtistOrchestra,ConcertYoungOrchestratheRepertoryTherealsoarepertoryensemble,andandLindseydirectMontanaFiddleClubthesummeraswell.musiciansauditionto join the Billings Youth Orchestra and to make their way up from Preludio to repertory levels. Barb conducts the Preludio Strings Orchestra for the youngest musicians. Some of them are so small that their feet don’t even reach the floor when they’re playing. Barb loves seeing them develop over time.
— Rosie Weiss
Initially, the Billings Youth Orchestra was just one orchestra for all levels, but as interest grew, organizers decided to break up the group into ability levels. Today there’s four orchestras within the Billings Youth Orchestra. They are the Preludio Strings,
“IOrchestra.definitely wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for that fundamental experience I had with them growing up,” Rosie says.
Billings Youth Orchestra helped her take her playing to the next level, and by age 12 she was playing with the Billings Symphony
“I’ve always had a love for playing with others and it’s fostered by my experience with Billings Youth Orchestra,” Rosie says.
“It’s a fun activity and it keeps kids playing during the summer,” Barb says.
While the Billings Youth Orchestra spans the school year, Barb and Lindsey spend their summers with young string players in the Fiddle Club, teaching them to play traditional Irish and Scottish fiddle tunes. There are about 30 kids in the multi-age group and they perform at various local festivals and outdoor venues.
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More accomplished students have the opportunity to join the Repertory Orchestra.
“It’s another avenue for them to play have fun and be involved,” she says.
“It was a wonderful experience for me as a kid and it was invaluable in my professional training,” Sue says.
Each year, numbers fluctuate – especially since the pandemic started – but there have been as many as 80 young musicians in the Billings Youth Orchestra. Randy and
Sue Logan conducts winds and Randy Tracy conducts strings. Both conductors fondly remember their own youth orchestra experiences, which prompted a lifelong love for music, and playing with other musicians. Sue even had the opportunity to tour in Europe.
“It’s going to be nice to be a part of a larger, more stable organization,” Barb says. “There’s going to be even more opportunities for the kids.” ✻
“It’s not like all kids need is passion and drive. They need opportunity and support, and Billings Youth Orchestra provides that,” he says. “Nobody becomes brilliant on their own.”
THE KIDS WE WORK WITH ARE INCREDIBLE. THEY’RE DEDICATED. THEY’RE BRILLIANT. THEY WORK REALLY HARD, AND THEY’RE FUN TO BE AROUND. — Randy Tracy
66 YVW MAGAZINE
Billings Youth Orchestra gives young people an opportunity to explore music in a supportive environment where they can develop their talents, Randy adds.
Sue’s students are the most serious, and since the repertory orchestra follows a traditional orchestra structure, they are equipped to go on to confidently perform in adult orchestras. Youth also have the opportunity to travel to New York City on a biannual trip.
“The kids we work with are incredible,” Randy says. “They’re dedicated. They’re brilliant. They work really hard, and they’re fun to be around.”
Randy teaches kids about their music genealogy. Your teacher’s teacher’s teacher perhaps played with Johannes Brahms or sat under the tutelage of Tchaikovsky. That influence and passion are carried on over time, and passed from one generation to the next, he Withsays.the new connection with the Billings Symphony, the Billings Youth Orchestra’s family tree has gained a great new branch. Everyone at the Billings Youth Orchestra is looking forward to the opportunities the partnership will provide.
LOGANSUE
Scan for Exhibition info on view at the yam: Michael Haykin: Painting a Pandemic June 30 – October 2, 2022 Keeara Rhoades: The Shape of a Corner August 16 – November 13, 2022 Jane Waggoner Deschner: Remember me. Opens on September 11 Global Asias: Contemporary Asian & Asian America Art From the Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation Opens on October 14 401 North 27th Street | Billings, MT | 406.256.6804 | artmuseum.org FREE ADMISSION ON THURSDAY NIGHTS! 5–8 pm A 37-Year Billings Tradition of Trusted & Caring Dental Excellence 315 North 25th Street, Suite 101 Billings, MT 59101 1002 Shiloh Crossing Boulevard Billings, MT 59102 TurleyDentalCare.com406-248-6177 We Love Your Insurance We do whatever it takes to ensure you pay as little out of pocket as possible Two Locations with Great Staff to Serve All Your Dental Needs! Welcome7am–7pmWeekdays & on Saturdays! • LISTEN TO THE • ORCHESTRABILLINGSYOUTH THE SEASON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN The Billings Youth Orchestra season begins on Sept. 17 with their first concert planned for Dec. 4 at the Lockwood Performing Arts Center. The concert is free, but donations are welcome. The Orchestra’s concerts will also be presented by the Billings Symphony as a part of the Billings Symphony’s new Family Series and are part of their regular season. For more information on the Billings Youth Orchestra, visit billingssymphony.org 67SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“He gets real down on himself and struggles with that,” Jon says. Today, Donovan is at a group home waiting and hoping for that family who will bring him home for good.
“It was a real TV scene. They talked about how maybe I am going to get a family soon.”
When you ask Donovan what he would love in a family, he talks about his old dog Reddick. “I loved him with all of my heart,” he says. And that’s exactly why he’d love a family with larger animals. He also wants a family to know he loves hamburgers. And he just wants to be loved in general.
“We really want to find someone who has time for him and someone who is willing to have some patience with him. He’s awesome 99 percent of the time but he does have his 1percent moments. Any family that is interested, patience is key with DonovanDonovan.”hashada rough year. In the year and a half that Jon has worked with him, he’s been in four different homes and had an adoptive placement fall through.
“He really loves motorcycles and cars. He’s that type of kid,” his social worker Jon Grewell says. Donovan is quick to add, “And, Hot Wheels are pretty cool too!” He’s also into sports. He loves basketball and loves playing “Hesoccer.isreally friendly,” Jon says. “He loves to talk to everyone. Supposedly, he has a girlfriend now,” he adds with a laugh.
When asked about life and what he hopes for in the future, Donovan smiles and says, “Well, you’ve heard the rest about me from the TV, right?” Earlier this year, Donovan was featured on KTVQ’s “A Waiting Child,” a statewide news segment that shares the stories of the state’s adoptable kids.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be in 9-year-old Donovan’s company before you get sucked into his big blue eyes and lively smile. It also doesn’t take long to see he’s a curious and energetic boy who not only loves playing with Legos but loves anything that has wheels on it.
✻KOERBERJULIEbywrittenphotographybyDANIELSULLIVAN heart gallery 9-YEAR-OLD DONOVAN IS HOPING FOR A FOREVER HOME BlueBlueBlueEyesEyesEyesSmilesSmilesSmiles AND FULL OF 68 YVW MAGAZINE
“Getting loved,” Donovan says, “and hopefully, I can bring all my toys with me.”
home,
foster-adoptive
children
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DONOVAN OR CALLSYSTEMFOSTER-ADOPTIONTHEINGENERAL,DANIELLEMETCALFAT406-657-3120.
to
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While Donovan needs an adoptive many times the primary goal for in the system is have a temporary placement while social workers strive to reunify them with their biological family. family wanting to become a licensed home must undergo hours of mandatory training learn what it takes to become a successful foster
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Well, YVW found four enterprising women who aren’t quitting their daydream. All are working not one, but two careers — at the same time — with excitement, energy and enthusiasm, thankful for the opportunity to stretch their lives in new and creative ways.
Meet the pilot who trains horses, the nurse whose vibrant art is on the walls of Billings venues, the counselor who belts out tunes as she strums her guitar, and the nurse who just penned a young adult series, tapping into the world of fantasy fiction.
YOU’VE HEARD THE PHRASE, don’t quit your day job.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 71
“IN SIX MONTHS, the world would begin its descent into death. In six months, the fate of the universe would rest in the hands of five eighteen-year-olds—untrained, unprepared, and desperately searching for an adult to take over.” A synopsis written on the back cover of Chosen Children.
Over a decade later, the dream of being published has come to fruition. Jenny’s first novel is a fantasy work
“Chosen Children” is the first published novel in a three-book series written by Billings resident Jenny Raveling. The young novelist couldn’t be more excited about the response to her book, released in June, and about her future. At a recent book launch party, Jenny enthusiastically shared with the audience her lifelong dream of being “Thispublished.hasbeen a long time in the making,” she says. “But I couldn’t be more excited.”
For the past seven years, Jenny has been an intensive care nurse at St. Vincent Healthcare, writing novels in her spare time. “I’ve always had a dream career of writing,” she says. “I’ve written since I was young. As a 6-year-old, I wrote my first story about a bird that was scared of heights. By early teens, I had 12 notebooks full of writing, and by 18, I tried to get my first novel published.”
ICU NURSE SPENDS HER OFF HOURS WRITING A FANTASY FICTION TRILOGY written by CYDNEY HOEFLE photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
WRITINGWRITINGISHERISHER dream7dream7 JOBJOB 72 YVW MAGAZINE
“I always loved writing as a hobby,” she says. “I grew up during the Harry Potter and Hunger Games era and fantasy really had an impact on me.”
During the challenging times at the hospital during Covid, she wrote to keep her stress level under control.
“I’m always working on something,” she says. “I have a file on my computer called ‘random ponderings’ full of things that just come to mind. I also have a couple of journals I call my affirmation and gratitude journals. It’s a fun escape for me.”
While she balances her time between the ICU and writing, Jenny is also promoting her book. She’s self-published and has taken courses on marketing and navigating through the entire process of finding editors, cover designers and other help. Her fiveyear business goal is to write full time. “I’m treating my writing like a business,” she says. “I’ve invested a lot into what it takes to self-publish and promote it. I’m realistic and determined. I know what it will take to be successful and I’m willing to make it happen.” ✻
JENNY RAVELING
“I live in an emotional world,” she says. “Not just in my job, but everywhere. My book is emotion-based. It’s entertaining, fast moving and the tension is high.”
“It was a good time to really start writing,” she says. “I couldn’t do much else!” The discipline of writing became part of her daily routine, and she now devotes hours per week, honing her craft. “It just comes to me,” she says. “I just start writing what comes to mind and go back and work with what I’ve already written.”
73SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“It’s a stressful job,” she says. “There is no small talk. It’s real. It’s raw and emotions run high. It was especially hard during the pandemic.”
Still, it is fantasy. But as she says, “Fantasy can bring up a conversation that’s not as triggering as reality.”
You can find “Chosen Children” on Amazon, Nook and Kobo. Follow her on Instagram @jenny.raveling or search Jenny Raveling Author on Facebook. You can also visit her website at jennyraveling.com
And though she didn’t purposely set out to make a statement to her readers, if they read closely enough, they’ll understand that she’s suggesting that it’s everyone’s job to take care of the world and we’re all called to make a difference in life. Jenny deals with chronic pain because of her leg and manages it with her active lifestyle. She’s stepped back to per diem with her nursing career to two or three days per week, takes one day to completely unplug and spends the other three or four writing.
Just after graduation from MSU, Jenny was diagnosed with a benign tumor in her femur, which required several surgeries and weeks of down time for the active woman.
learn more about7
targeting a teenage audience. It’s what she calls the “Great Generation Series,” in which five teenagers each make the decision to accept the world as it is, or to fight for change. The book is full of elemental powers — air, earth, water and fire — and a battle between good and evil.
CYDNEY HOEFLE, writer A fourth generation Montanan, Cydney was raised on a ranch on the banks of the Yellowstone River where an appreciation of the outdoors was fostered. She and her husband raised three children in Billings and are now the proud grandparents of three. The best part of any of her days is time spent with Jesus, family, friends, a good book or capturing someone’s story in words.
Raised in western Montana, Jenny attended Montana State University for nursing and began her career in the cardiac unit at St. Vincent Healthcare. It wasn’t long before she moved to the ICU and she’s been there since.
It was during that time she really began to think about a future as a writer. An avid outdoor person, Jenny enjoys hiking and climbing and tries to spend one day a week decompressing in the “Nursingmountains.ishard,” she says. “There’s a lot going on. We’re shortstaffed and busy. I have incredible co-workers and we support each other, but you also have to have a release. Writing has been it for me.”
DAYBYCOUNSELORDAYBYCOUNSELORCOUNSELORBYDAYnight2bymusiciannight2bymusician SHADOW&SALTOFVOICETHESUCHY,LINDSEYMEET PHOTOGRAPHYSKOOGOFSKOOGARIANNAANDSULLIVANDANIELHOEFLECYDNEYbywrittenphotographyby 74 YVW MAGAZINE
JUST
OK
As a musician, Lindsey uses her maiden name, Lindsey Jacobsen, and has played solo acts in numerous venues around town, but her music really took off last fall when she put together her band, Salt & Shadow.
ONE OF MY SONGS MIGHT SOUND TO ME. BUT WHEN MY BAND PLAYS IT, IT’S LIKE THEY BRING OUT THE BEST OF ME. COMPLETE THE MESSAGE TRYING TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN
EMOTIONAL INTERPRETATIONS.
her calling to work in the mental health field in 2008, when she got a job working in community outreach at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch as a youth and family support worker. She found that she enjoys working with children and spent years serving in the public schools as a comprehensive school community treatment therapist. She earned her license as a licensed clinical and professional counselor in 2015. It wasn’t until 2018 that Lindsey started her private practice, Silver Line Counseling. “Working for myself gives me the freedom to make my own schedule so I can be with my family more,” she says. She has two sons, Gage, 6, and Jacob, 3, and shares parenting with her husband, with help from grandparents. Lindsey and Chase feel the boys are old enough for her to pursue both of her careers.
— Lindsey
Suchy SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 75
THEY
I’M
Lindsey plays guitar and ukulele, and Sophia Christine Writesel plays cello. The dynamic duo with their sultry, perfectly harmonized voices, have captured a sound that is both haunting and “We’rehypnotic.aNirvana vibe with a Pink Floyd influence,” Lindsey says. “Our songs are a blend of rock and ballad.” Accompanied by Chris Reeves on electric guitar, Bryce Clifton on bass
“I don’t like doing that,” she says. “I like providing a service where people can seek guidance from a professional. It’s unnecessary to be given a diagnosis when all you need is a place to be heard and an expert to guide you, especially Lindseychildren.”found
LINDSEY SUCHY has two completely different careers, but they overlap in her heart and in her compassion. As a licensed counselor, Lindsey goes by her married name, Lindsey Suchy. She meets with dozens of people every week. She’s a listener and is fascinated by others’ stories. She considers it an honor when they share them.
“My desire is to help my clients see themselves in a loving light and empower them to make the best decisions for their life,” she says. “I go into the trenches with my clients and get to the nitty gritty of stuff. It’s a beautiful process when we break through. That trust is unique. Magic happens. We explore big, controversial ideas and have meaningful conversations about Lindseythem.” is unique in that she is moving her private practice, Silver Line Counseling, towards a completely self-pay program, believing that counseling is for everyone and anyone. Using insurance to pay for mental health services requires that her clients be labeled with a mental health disorder to prove medical necessity.
“I couldn’t do it without the family support I have,” she says. “We’re very fortunate to have a close family that is able to help us with the boys when we need it.”
THROUGH
Visit us online! ONLINEEXCLUSIVECONTENTEXCLUSIVEONLINECONTENTEXCLUSIVEONLINECONTENTCOMMUNITY’SMOSTTRUSTEDEXPERTS! from our COMMUNITY’SMOSTTRUSTEDEXPERTS!COMMUNITY’SMOSTTRUSTEDEXPERTS! I LIKE PROVIDING A SERVICE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEEK GUIDANCE FROM A PROFESSIONAL. IT’S UNNECESSARY TO BE GIVEN A DIAGNOSIS WHEN ALL YOU NEED IS A PLACE TO BE HEARD AND AN EXPERT TO GUIDE YOU, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. — Lindsey Suchy 76 YVW MAGAZINE
and Clint Gramza on drums, the band describes their music as “dystopian folk “Werock.”livein emotional times,” Lindsey says. “Our music brings a message of empowerment in the face of tyranny.” She connects with her clients in the same way connects with her audience. She writes the songs for Salt & Shadow and they just released an Extended Play called “Feels Like Flight,” which is available on all streaming platforms like “OneSpotify.ofmysongs might just sound OK to me,” she says, “but when my band plays it, it’s like they bring out the best of me. They complete the message I’m trying to express through their own emotional interpretations.”
As if counseling and music don’t take enough of Lindsey’s time, she and Chase have decided to homeschool their boys. “It will work perfectly with our schedules,” she says.“My appointments are purposefully in the afternoons and evenings so that I can be with them in the morning. Chase works mornings, so he will be with them in the Chase,afternoon.”whois a master gardener for the Moss Mansion, also has a business growing microgreens for the community called Midtown InMicrogreens.alltheaspects of Lindsey’s life, her main desire is to connect with people with compassion and understanding. “I feel like I was born to do this,” Lindsey says. “I meet people on a fascinating, intelligent, social and emotional level in both of my careers. It’s very fulfilling.” ✻
you2 can find2suchyLINDSEY by searching Silver Line Counseling on Facebook. Follow her music on Facebook by searching Salt & Shadow or Lindsey Jacobsen Music.
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“Quillingboard. is like a puzzle,” she says. “All the pieces need to fit together perfectly. When the colors and the composition start to flow and it clicks, it’s really beautiful.”
“It began as something I did just for me,” she says. “I started painting with watercolors. Bold, colorful flowers on 30x40-inch canvases. It was a release for me.”
For Kelly Bourgeois, it’s a unique way to relieve the stress of the day and express herself creatively Kelly is a registered nurse at Billing’s Clinic, but, on the side, she’s an accomplished contemporary artist.
The rolled pieces of paper then go on to create bold and colorful works of art on a variety of “canvases.”
FULLFULLFULLINININ
She didn’t start out aiming for a second career, but friends, who noticed her talent, encouraged her to market what she painted. She did. And then, quilling came into the picture.
ICU NURSE CREATES AN ART SIDE HUSTLE TO FEED HER CREATIVITY written by CYDNEY HOEFLE photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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QUILLING IS AN ART FORM that involves the use of strips of colorful paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative 3D designs. Though it’s been around for centuries, few artists turn to the medium, especially in Montana.
“I don’t choose easy paths,” Kelly says with a laugh. “It’s taken a long time to get where I am today, but if I can do it, I hope to inspire others to do it too.”
“I encourage my patients even with the little things,” she says.
“Quilling for me is an opportunity to do something I love while I can still visit with my kids or talk to my husband. It’s rhythmic, like knitting. And for me very therapeutic.”
“One of the first ones I did was on a piece of discarded glass I dug out of the dumpster,” she says. “I love recycling and quilling allows that.” Another piece was crafted on using an old Parcheesi
As an ICU nurse, Kelly is constantly helping patients who are enduring life-threatening situations. Difficult diagnoses and horrific accidents are part of her day-to-day life. To keep the stress from creeping into her personal life, Kelly took up art.
Much as she loves being an artist, Kelly doesn’t see herself completely outside of the medical field. She’s especially drawn to whole body wellness and believes there’s much that can be done to help people with their mental and physical state of mind.
Kelly started her education with a fine arts degree and a master’s in finance and non-profit work. She was working at a contemporary art museum in Helena when she realized that her heart for helping others wasn’t being used fully. So, she went back to school.
KELLY BOURGEOIS’S
79SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“Even a minor step forward is major. I tell them, ‘We have to work on today, don’t worry about tomorrow, we can’t give up today.’”
Every aspect of Kelly’s life seems to connect. From her art, which she hopes inspires others, especially women, to step out and find the artist in themselves, to her personal dealings with her “Ipatients.believe that everyone is an ‘artist,’” she says. “We self-limit ourselves when we don’t capitalize on our talents — be that painting, writing, cooking. There’s something inside every person that can be expressed in positive ways.” She adds, “I do art for me. But seriously, if I can inspire others to do something, or by creating a piece of art that others enjoy, then I have changed the world, even a small part of it!” ✻ to explore2
As she speaks, you can feel the positive energy radiating from her.
“I started out in radiology,” she says. “I worked for seven years and had both of my kids, but I needed more interaction with people than doing MRIs. So, I returned to school once again and received my Registered Nursing degree.” Eventually, she’d love to obtain a doctorate in holistic wellness. “We need to learn how to take care of ourselves,” she says. “There’s so much depression and mental illness and not enough people to help with it.”
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“I love being in healthcare, especially in times of crisis, which there is an abundance of out there,” she says. “I try to make sure my patients feel valued, even if they are there because of really bad decisions. We’re all just trying to survive and move forward.”
ART, visit part of her collection at Roots Garden Center located at 2147 Poly Drive. Her exhibit will be on display until the end of October. You can also visit her website at KellyBourgeois.com
FLYING and2 FLYINGRIDING and2 RIDING SADDLETHEINHIGHSADDLETHEINHIGH HORSESTRAININGHOURSOFFHERSPENDSPILOTSEASONED HOEFLECYDNEYbywrittenphotographybyDANIELSULLIVAN 80 YVW MAGAZINE
“I love it here,” she says of Montana. “This will always be home to Graduatingme.” from Rocky Mountain College with an aviation degree, Muri’s first job was with a local flying company. For two years, she was on call, flying the company’s employees to various “Idestinations.learnedalot working for them,” Muri says. “But there’s a big difference between a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron and what I fly Murinow.”flies
“The training was extensive and catered from ground zero to a jet,” she says. “It was like a firehose of information, but it was really very good for me.”
WHICH CAN HOLD UP TO 190 PASSENGERS
Muri and Glehn bid for schedules that put them back in Montana at the same time as often as possible. They married during the pandemic, settling for a small intimate wedding on the bank of the Clarks Fork River on the family ranch instead of the destination wedding in Hawaii they both dreamed about.
MURI FLIES 737 PLANES
Born and raised on her family’s ranch outside of Joliet, Muri has been around horses her entire life. She began riding as a child and trained her first horse, a pony, for a neighbor before she was even in high school.
The other perk is scheduling blocks of time to be home to work her horses. Muri has a corral full and has a special place in her heart for each of them. She’s currently working on training her Thoroughbred mare, War Candy, a beautiful bay with a quiet demeanor and a pedigree that includes being the greatgranddaughter of Secretariat.
“We work well together,” Muri says. “He’s a good pilot.”
“Part of the perks of being a pilot is we can travel for reduced rates,” Muri says. “It helps when your family lives on the other side of the world.”
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MURI TRIANTAFILO HAS FLOWN all over the world as a commercial pilot for Delta. She’s been to most major cities in the United States and flown abroad as well. But whether she’s flying across oceans, over mountains or landing in big cities, her heart is always in Montana.
After more than 1,000 flying hours as a first officer (co-pilot), Muri became a captain. While working for SkyWest, she met her future husband, Glehn Triantafilo. Glehn is also a pilot, and with less seniority than Muri, he was occasionally her first officer. They’re hopeful that will be the case again as Glehn just joined Delta this summer.
737s. Instead of four passengers, she has up to 190. In 2016, she left Billings when she accepted a position at SkyWest, a connection carrier for Delta Air Lines, based out of Salt Lake City.
Since then, Muri and Glehn have managed to travel to Australia several times to spend time with the Triantafilo family.
“It was really nice,” Muri says, “except that Glehn’s family from Australia couldn’t be here.”
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“I love to fly. I have a good, well-paying career that will help set us up for the future. But here’s where I want to be,” Muri says from the deck of the original homestead on her parent’s ranch. “We love it here.” ✻
“It was the sorting that won it for us,” Muri says. “Candy worked quietly, and we managed to cut five of the nine cows out, putting us in the lead for our division.”
Candy is now a graduate of the Thoroughbred Makeover, a program for retired racehorses that are trained beyond life on the racetrack. Similar to greyhound dog rescue programs, the program educates owners in ways to retrain a racehorse to do other Becausethings.Muri
Muri entered her in ranch work, where she was judged to rope, open a gate, cross a bridge and sort cattle. At the end of it all, she and Candy won.
Owned by Pam Doddridge, her best friend, Melissa’s mother, Candy was brought home and her racing career finished. With too many horses to train, the Doddridges gifted her to Muri.
Now Muri’s hope is to move into competitive jumping and dressage events. It will take consistent time and hours of work, and with Muri’s flying schedule, she’s making it happen. She and Glehn spend much of their free time in Montana working the “Glehn’shorses. been amazing,” Muri says. “He’s starting to understand why, when we get home at 2 a.m., that the first thing I have to do is see is how the horses are!”
CANDY IS NOW A GRADUATE OF THOROUGHBREDTHEMAKEOVER A program for retired racehorses that are trained beyond life on the racetrack.
is a Montana ranch woman, it was natural that she’d train Candy to be a ranch horse. “Candy’s done well,” Muri says, “She’s been easy to train because she’s doesn’t have the hot temperament that a lot of thoroughbreds have. I’ve worked cows with her, and she’s been incredible.”
“She’s bred to be fast,” Muri says, “but she only came in second and third in her races. When she raced, it was like she just didn’t have that competitive edge. She’d be out in the lead and then furlongs before the finish line she’d slow down.”
So incredible, in fact, that last fall Muri entered her in the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Competition in Kentucky — a competition whose events include jumping, dressage, competitive trail, barrel racing and ranch work.
Through it all, Muri makes her professional career and hobby career work for her.
•Are there near-term financial needs that can wait, or do I have other sources of liquidity to help hold me over so I can stay invested longer?
3.Speak with a financial advisor Many financial advisors have been through multiple market cycles and have seen difficult periods before. Having an advisor who can share her expertise and experience and provide you with advice during difficult times can be extremely helpful in keeping your plan on track.
Below are a few suggestions on how to better manage your emotions, and in turn, your strategy planning and decision-making:
•Does my portfolio have an appropriate level of diversification? If the answer is “yes” to these questions, then ask yourself why you need to make any changes given the risks involved. If the only thing that has changed is the current value of your portfolio, should this affect your long-term plan? These biggerpicture questions can help shift the focus away from short-term discomfort. However, if the answer to any of the questions is “no,” then discuss these changes with your financial advisor; she will review your plan and work with you to adjust as needed.
Three ways to avoid making charged decisions
(08/22)
© 2022 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, registered investment adviser and Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. 22-BL-02017
•Is my portfolio aligned with my risk tolerance and my time horizon for when I might need the money?
Investment and insurance products offered through RBC Wealth Management are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency, are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank or any bank affiliate, and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.
2.Avoid constantly checking your investment Are you guilty of checking your portfolio daily? One way to reduce the emotional impact of market volatility is by simply looking at it less often and instead focusing on your big picture wealth plan. The market tends to be more volatile over shorter time periods, so the more often you check, the greater the likelihood you’ll see wider fluctuations in the value of your portfolio. Checking your portfolio less frequently may mean you’re more likely to see trends over the long term.
Your concerns are perfectly understandable, and if you’re wondering what you should do, I welcome your call.
emotionally
financial
1.Ask big-picture questions During times of market volatility, it may be helpful to revisit your goals to see if anything has changed. Consider asking yourself questions such as:
North 31st
Janiel FinancialOlsonAdvisor 404 Street | Billings, MT 59101 (406)255-8732 | janiel.olson@rbc.com
It’s important to remember that remaining calm during all market environments and staying focused on the long term is critical to reaching your financial goals.
•Are my goals still the same now that my investments have declined?
WHAT WAS OLD IS NEW again and our fashion inspiration this fall is celebrating looks from the past. Each decade in history seems to have a defining fashion style. The 1950s brought A-line skirts that were, at times, adorned with poodles. The ’60s delivered loud geometric designs. The ’70s were all about wide collar shirts donned at discos. And the ’80s were fulltilt neon. Today, we’re not embracing every decade of fashion. Instead, you’ll find hints of yesteryear when it comes to what’s trending for your fall wardrobe.
✻ ThrowbackThrowback Throwback Throwbackthreads2threads2 FASHION FASHION IS INSPIRED BY DECADES GONE BY 84 YVW MAGAZINE
SULLIVANDANIELTERPSTRAVICKI-LYNNbywrittenphotographyby
look7
Tres Bien t-shirt, $49; Zenera jeans, $129; Latico purse, $198; Brave belt, $94. All can be found at Cricket Clothing. Superga platform sneaker, $89, can be found at Something Chic
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get the
look7
FASHION FUNCTIONOVER
Billy T floral overalls, $139; Billy T V-neck T-shirt, $75; Blue Pacific black label scarf, $30. All can be found at Neecee’s.
FRESH AS A DAISY
FASHION FUNCTIONOVER
In the ’90s, overalls were inspired by hip-hop lovers who wore one strap fastened. In the ’30s, they were paired with soft accessories like a scarf. Today, overalls are making a move back into fashion. Today’s bibs, however, are rocking waist-cinching, dainty pockets, flared legs and creative patterns. This stylish pair is perfect with a ruffle edged white V-neck tee and some sporty sneakers. get the
FRESH AS A DAISY
FASHION FUNCTIONOVER
FRESH AS A DAISY
Big and bold daisies will always be reminiscent of the flower child era of the 1970s. You can picture them in floral crowns and full pattern jumpsuits but the blossom truly belongs to the ’60s when French designer Andre Courreges chose a daisy as his iconic motif. The sweet flower with power represented nonviolent resistance during war protests. Here in this look, one quintessential flower makes a bold and beautiful statement.
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The tiny and sweet flowers in this dress might remind you of your grandma’s blouses or even her apron, but today, flowers are sexier than ever. Add your own personal edge to this look by switching out the layers or the shoes. The sequins on this blazer give a splash of femininity but the boots give it that unexpected interest. The cinched waist and full skirt also bring on a ’50s flair. get look7the Sequin Serafina blazer by Generation Love, $368; Beje chain link bracelet, $178; ASTR the label Ferreira dress, $158; Dolce Vita Nestly bootie, $178. All can be found at RocHouse
NOT FLORALGRANDMA’SYOUR 86 YVW MAGAZINE
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L.A. LOOKSL.A. LOOKS In the ’90s, the crisp white shirt was an effortless staple. Well, it’s back and you’ll find it paired with a vintage wash of ’90s inspired denim complete with a thick cuff. We see youthful celebrities rocking this look in their streetwear. But fashion isn’t saving this look for the young alone. It’s great for the young at heart to sport as well. get look7the Pinch pocket button down, $48; TopFoxx sunglasses, $69; Levi’s 501 90s jean, $108; Dolce Vita Caster H2O booties, $160. All can be found at Something Chic L.A. LOOKS 88 YVW MAGAZINE
VICKI-LYNN TERPSTRA, writer 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.
2818 2nd Ave N | Billings, MT 59101 | somethingchicclothing.com
PATTERN OF THE YEAR PATTERN OF THE YEAR
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PATTERN OF THE YEAR
Checked patterns have a long history in fashion but were made popular by the lining of Burberry coasts after World War 2. Rockers and musicians of the late ’80s and early ’90s prompted a new demographic favoring this classic pattern. This linen dress layered with the oversized Levi black denim jacket looks straight from the ’90s. It’s modern fashion with a nostalgic feel. get look7the Rylee & Cru dress, $79; Itzy Ritzy mini backpack, $90. Both can be found at Bumps N Bundles. Levi 90s Trucker jacket, $98; Dolce Vita Caster H2O booties, $160. Both can be found at Something Chic.
Fiori di Sicilia has a citrusy floral note to it — a blend of citrus, vanilla and bergamot — and emits such an amazing aroma that Marguerite and I have said we would consider wearing it as a perfume. It’s that enticing.
Italians have been using the flavoring for years in panettone. Marguerite is sharing a recipe for this sweet bread that’s typically enjoyed around Christmas. Experimenting with Fiori di Sicilia has been a delight. My first experiment was pound cake and after adding this essence, I will never go back to my plain recipe. If you want to experiment, any baked goods that ask for lemon or orange zest can easily take on this flavor. I cut the amount of zest in half and add in a half teaspoon of Fiori di Sicilia instead. I’ve not been disappointed yet. I’ve used it in blueberry muffins, vanilla pudding, panna cotta, ice cream … the list goes on. Maybe Stella is right. I just might be obsessed. Enjoy! ✻
BAKING UP THE TASTE OF VANILLA WITH A SPLASH OF CITRUS
VALLEYTHEOFTASTEwrittenbyKAYERICKSON IN EVERY ISSUE
FLOWERS Sicily OF 90 YVW MAGAZINE
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.
STELLA FONG, sister contributor to Yellowstone Valley Woman, says I’m obsessed. I prefer to think of myself as enthralled— even fascinated—with Fiori di Sicilia, which, translated from Italian, means Flowers of Sicily. Until a few months ago I had never heard of Fiori di Sicilia, and until just recently, you couldn’t find it locally. After trying for quite some time, Marguerite Jodry of Zest successfully found a distributor to bring this delicious taste to Billings. It’s been called an extract but this flavoring is actually a blend of essential oils. I think of it as an essence. And it is fabulous.
406-245-4612 | 2810 2nd Ave N, Billings | bestmensstorebillings.com AllProducts_Poster_24x36.pdf 2/5/21 2:18 PM 112 N BROADWAY ••• SUITE B ••• (406) 894-2333 macarons • gelato • pastries • chocolates • gifts 1 c. unsalted butter, room 1temperaturec.granulated sugar 4 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temperature 2 c. sifted cake flour 1 t. baking powder ½ t. table salt ¼ c. whole milk ½ t. vanilla extract ½ t. Fiori di floursprayBakingSiciliawith fiori di sicilia pound cake RECIPE BY KAY ERICKSON
91SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream the butter well with an electric mixer (stand mixer is best). Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium speed until the mixture looks like whipped cream. Beat in the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Combine the vanilla extract, Fiori di Sicilia and the milk and set aside. With the electric mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and endling with the flour. Beat after each addition only until blended; don’t over mix. Use a spatula to ensure the flour is incorporated. Spray a 9 ¼ x 5 ¼ x 3 –inch loaf pan. Turn the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick or wooden pick in the center. (The cake will split in the center but that is characteristic of this cake.) Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on the rack. When barely cool, wrap tightly and store at room temperature at least one day before serving for better flavor and texture. Cut in thin slices and serve plain or lightly sugared sliced strawberries. (You don’t want to disguise the subtle flavor of the Fiori di Sicilia.)
DIRECTIONS:
2 T. orange or lemon zest, or a mix of the two
1/16 t. (pinch) instant yeast; do not substitute active dry
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM KING ARTHUR FLOUR
1 T. instant yeast
1/2 c. slivered dried apricots
1/2 t. Fiori di Sicilia
2-1/4AllDOUGHthestarterc.all-purpose flour
3 ounces finely chopped candied orange peel
3/4STARTERc.all-purpose flour
USING DI SICILIA
FIORI
1/3yeastc. cool water
A little goes a long way Because Fiori di Sicilia is a blend of oils, you use far less of it than you would an extract. If you’re substituting it for vanilla extract in a recipe, it’s not a 1-to-1 substitution. For one teaspoon of extract, substitute a half teaspoon of Fiori Di Sicilia. After you open the bottle, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.
4 T. butter, softened at room temperature
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1/4 c. lukewarm water
1/2 c. dried cranberries
panettone
2 large eggs
DIRECTIONS: Make the starter: Combine the starter ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Do not overmix. Cover, and allow to rest overnight (8 to 12 hours). Make the dough: Combine all dough ingredients except the fruit and zest and knead them together for about 5 minutes. This dough is very sticky so it’s easiest to use a stand mixer, but it can be mixed by hand with plenty of patience. The dough should be very smooth and soft. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until it’s puffy (not necessarily doubled in bulk). Gently deflate the dough and knead in the dried fruit and zest. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a paper panettone mold. Cover the dough and let it rise until it has crested over the rim of the paper, about 1 hour. Bake the bread in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 10 minutes, then to 350 and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil if the top crust appears to be browning too quickly. Your panettone should have a deep brown crust, sound hollow when tapped and read 190 degrees at the center using a digital instantread thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Store at room temperature, well wrapped, for up to a week or longer in the freezer.
1/3 c. granulated sugar
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written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
Fresh chives, chopped (optional) inSeason2
vegetable tart with portobello mushroom, sweet potato, fennel and chévre
¾CRUSTc.whole-wheat flour ¾ c. white unbleached flour ½ t. salt
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Fresh ground black pepper, to taste 4 ounces chèvre cheese
2 portobello mushrooms, sliced 1 sweet potato, peeled, sliced 1 medium fennel bulb, cored, sliced 4 shallots, quartered
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. Oil another baking sheet. Set aside. In a food processor, add the flours and salt with the butter scattered over the mixture. Pulse the food processor until the ingredients form pea-size clumps. Add the water and process until the dough comes together. Put the dough onto a piece of parchment paper on top of a cutting board. Roll out into a 13-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate while preparing vegetables. Toss vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 30 minutes. Take baking sheet with dough out of refrigerator. Spoon vegetables into center leaving a 2-inch border. Crumble chèvre cheese and sprinkle on top. Gently fold edges of dough over vegetables. With pastry brush, brush egg white over the edges. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with chives, if desired.
SERVES 6 EATING THE COLORS OF FALL
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 t. fresh thyme
WHEN THE WEATHER COOLS and the earth tilts lower into the horizon, the once green plants take on colors of red, orange and yellow. This is the time of the year to eat food that holds those colors. Apples and pears ripen in the early fall as sweet potatoes mature a little later in the season. Applesauce and pear cake with lemon zest bring hearty comfort, while a vegetable tart with portabello mushroom, sweet potato, fennel and chévre showcases the earthy and rustic feel of this time of the year. The coolness of this season makes for the perfect time to simmer a treat on the stovetop or bake something delectable in the oven. ✻ Carrots, butternut squash and broccolini are vegetables that can be substituted for this tart. It can be made ahead and reheated to accompany a fresh salad.
3 whole ripe pears
1 t. almond extract
2 T. Confectioner’ssugar sugar for dusting
2 T. sugar or to taste
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter or oil, and line with parchment paper. Peel and slice pears. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a mixer, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add extracts, zest and eggs and mix together, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture and mix to combine, about 1 minute. Gradually mix in milk and oil until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Arrange pear slices on top and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Lightly cover the top with aluminum foil if browning too quickly. Cool cake completely and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
Fall and applesauce go hand in hand. Though delicious eaten all by itself, it goes well with yogurt and even ice cream. Spread it on top of toast that has a spread of cream cheese or ricotta. Applesauce is the perfect accompaniment to roast pork or baked chicken. The Cosmic Crisp, a balance of sweet and tart, is currently my favorite apple for applesauce and pies as a well as eating raw. If you prefer more tart sauce, you can’t go wrong with a Granny Smith.
½ c. apple juice or cider
pear cake with lemon zest
DIRECTIONS: Put apples, apple juice and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamon. Simmer, stirring often, until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in sugar. Remove whole spices and discard. With a potato masher or fork, coarsely mash the cooked apples. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze any extras to enjoy later.
eason2
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.
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½ t. vanilla extract
2¼ c. unbleached white flour
1½ c. sugar
½ c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 T. minced lemon zest 4 whole eggs
1 t. ground cardamon
ginger applesauce
SERVES 12 A slice of pear cake brings comfort for an afternoon snack or to the end of a meal. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, lemon gelato or a dollop of whipped cream pairs beautifully with this moist rich cake.
Pinch of salt
½ c. milk 1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 T. lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick 4 whole cloves
2 t. baking powder
2 t. finely minced ginger
3 pounds apples, cored and quartered
home7 98 AN ABRUPT DECISION A family’s comeback after a devastating house fire 108 A WREATH YOU'LL FALL FOR Capture the season in this rich looking DIY 112 MOVIE BUDDIES IN FIREROCK Family creates dream home from afar 97SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
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ABRUPT DECISION
One by one, the wish list was checked off. “It’s
ON A NORMALLY QUIET STREET in the Granite Park subdivision, a catastrophic fire roared through Chelsey and Emery Tower’s home, destroying the main level. Thankfully, the family was “Allunharmed.thesouth end of the home was gone,” says Emery, a landman in the oil and gas industry and owner of Rock Creek Resources. The fire burned through a large chunk of the roof, leaving a cavernous opening. Poking out the top was what looked like gigantic charred match sticks. “The damage was bigger than a disaster-restoration (company) could take care of,” Emery says. This two-level home required an intensive revival.
ABRUPT DECISION
“We took over the project,” says Jeremy Van Wagoner, owner of Pinnacle Remodeling. “We’re a full-service design-build firm. We solve problems for people. We pulled half the roof off and inside of the house we stripped it to the “We’vestuds.”basically built a new home and made the changes we wanted to hopefully never move again,” Emery says. “It was an abrupt decision. We had a fire. It sparked a lot of this. We had to replace everything.”
ABRUPT
A FAMILY’S COMEBACK AFTER A DEVASTATING HOUSE FIRE written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
AN AN AN DECISION
REMODELING OWNER JEREMY VAN WAGONER AND PINNACLE REMODELING INTERIOR DESIGNER RACHEL PETTY.
The major renovation of this five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home beautifully and candidly expresses the desires of the homeowners. “I said to Chelsey, ‘If we’re doing this, let’s make changes we want,’” Emery recalls. “We both wanted a mudroom, light in the kitchen, and storage.”
THIS BEAUTIFULLY REDONE HOME ON THE WEST END IS POWERED BY YELLOWSTONE VALLEY ELECTRIC CO. 99SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
through collaborating and communicating,” Jeremy says. “We offer 3-D renderings and models to see how it looks when it’s finished. It takes a lot of the guess work out.”
“The girls were very involved with the colors of their bedrooms,” says Rachel Petty, interior designer for Pinnacle Remodeling.
Specific design elements make this spa-like bath one of a kind. A double-sink vanity with Skara Brae Cambria quartz top positions itself as the regal contender for elegance. Toe-kick lighting around its base casts a warm glow on heated tile flooring.
In the next bedroom, 4-year-old MacKenzie indulges in the whimsical. Racing from her sister’s room, she plops on plush carpeting beside her bunk bed. Mint green walls play hostess to a pink mountain scene above the bunk. On the opposite wall dinosaurs roam over a bookshelf. “MacKenzie makes up elaborate stories here,” notes Chelsey, smiling.
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One extra wish was a window seat for the couple’s 12-year-old daughter, Cadence, an avid reader. The wish came true with Jeremy building a custom bump-out window seat. Reading sconces grace each side of the chic space while the benchtop swings up for underneath storage. Cadence’s lavender-color bedroom shows off feminine style, yet suits her studious spirit.
Just as elaborate is Chelsey and Emery’s personal sanctuary. This spacious area offers extra privacy as it’s tucked in around the corner from the girls’ rooms. Open simplicity of the master suite pairs nicely with its luxurious en suite.
Sharing Light, Energy and Fresh Air.
“Our
Jeremy relocated the pantry, increasing its size to a walk-in. Trendy barn doors conceal this mighty storeroom. It’s a “check” on the wish list for storage and a “check” for the mudroom.
“We both love to cook,” says Chelsey. The couple entertains quite often and with the newly expanded kitchen, “we’re not crowded at all,” she adds. “We extended the kitchen, adding about 300 square feet,” Jeremy says. “We also bumped out to the garage to make a big laundry room and to add a powder room.” The bump-out allowed for a nice-size mudroom featuring a custom-made bench fitting the space precisely.
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Light streams in while unhindered views of the covered patio and backyard provide an inside/outside living experience. Family and friends easily pass back and forth through the sliding glass patio doors of this robust kitchen.
Expanding boundaries & building communities 406-252-0576 | WWW.P3COLEMAN.COM
While Cadence and MacKenzie hang out in the living room, mom and dad are close by in the kitchen.
“I asked for artistic liberty to come up with something cool,” Jeremy says. “I created an ambient ceiling with LED lighting and a big fan.”
The distinctive island maintains center stage in the kitchen while
A stone-stacked fireplace with a Douglas fir mantel adds to the artistry of this living area. It also makes the perfect backdrop for Chelsey and Emery’s wedding photo taken in Red Lodge at Emery’s parents’ home.
The walk-in shower commands attention as well. Gray vein porcelain wall tile matched with a pebble stone floor look stunning together. Dark gray wall color at the end of the shower gives good contrast to the room’s lighter tones. A well-organized walk-in closet with ample cabinetry completes this lovely space.
Premium-grade quality vinyl windows from 406 Windows claim the western and southern exposure in this phenomenal kitchen. “The perimeter-style grid pattern was chosen by the homeowners,” says Alex Shin, operations manager/sales consultant for 406 Windows, “to accentuate their view without clustering the glass.”
“We also needed more light in the kitchen,” Emery says. “The original windows were covered by the patio. Now we have wideopen windows facing the sunset.”
The new powder room used to accommodate a small pantry.
‘signature’ toe-kick lighting is around the island,” Jeremy points out. Extra-deep cabinets in the island’s base provide extra storage. Generous seating allows the family to engage while enjoying meals together.
The modern-rustic vibe of the busiest space in the house caters to large and intimate gatherings. A long dining table fits comfortably in the window space while the 10-foot center island rocks the space with wavy Skara Brae Cambria quartz from Pinnacle Remodeling.
The personal quarters are tailor-made for each family member, but where they congregate are the social areas of their totally revamped home. The girls enjoy watching TV and playing in the stylish living room. A coffered ceiling creates depth and architectural interest.
103SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
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“We’re happy to be in it and happy to be done,” Emery says. ✻
It’s the perfect place to relax and watch some television. Emery’s office is strategically located at the far end of the room so when it’s family time, “We like the movie area with the popcorn machine,” says Chelsey.
It’s been quite a journey for this family of four and their fur babies, Lola and Cooper. From the misfortune of the fire to finding a place to rent to finally moving back home, the Tower family’s “abrupt decision” seems to have the perfect ending.
The pitch of the roof was redone after the fire and now gives the back of the house show-stopping appeal with a double gable roof line. The fire also caused some damage on the lower level, fortunately not to the extent of the main level. “We did freshen up the lower level,” says Jeremy. “We replaced the sheetrock and did new trim, doors and carpets.”
105SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
engineered hardwood flooring offers up a good foundation. “The cabinets are rustic hickory stained a cool tone of graphite color,” says SmallRachel.subway tile in a cool gray tone reaches to the ceiling. The uniqueness of extending the backsplash highlights the cabinetry while embellishing the kitchen’s overall beauty. Mirroring the impressive hickory cabinetry and subway backsplash is a custom stand-alone cabinet with wine rack conveniently located near the dining table and patio doors. Highend stainless appliances including double wall oven, a six-burner gas top with hood, and a 60/40 farmhouse sink take the rustic-modern “look” all the way to home base. The Tower family home would not be complete without the huge covered patio. Two timber posts provide Montana charm tying into the rusticmodern vibe. “We spend a lot of time out here,” Emery says. “We did a custom privacy fence around the hot tub,” Jeremy says, “and also the bump-out for the kitchen.”
“‘Shock and Awe’ is how I like to describe my style, when given artistic liberty and opportunity. There’s really no limit to where creative ideas can lead to, for I am always looking for ways to take projects to the next level. I look to add focal points in every room, so that each space has something of interest and draws your “Whenattention.putting a design together, I love to incorporate bold colors, while maintaining the right balance of wood, metal, stone, and other textures that push the envelope of design and creativity. Whether budgetary confines are an issue or not, my goal is to ‘wow’ my clients and give them something truly unique and special.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit www.pinnacleremodels.com.
“I AM ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS,” says Jeremy Van Wagoner, owner of Pinnacle Remodeling. “So most of my inspiration and passion comes from getting to know my clients personally, and taking the time to understand their wants, their needs, and what they are excited about. Once that begins to take place, I start getting a vision for how to bring those pieces together into a unique design that reflects their style and needs for years to come.
builder7 SPOTLIGHT Ken O’Neil, Owner/Master Plumber 406.671.2537 • oneil.plmb1@gmail.com OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF EXCEPTIONAL PLUMBING SERVICES SERVING BILLINGS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS Specializing in Service, Repair and Remodels FULLY LICENSED AND INSURED It was a pleasure to work on the Koski home! TAKING YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS SERIOUSLY Subscribe Subscribe 1(6YEARISSUES) go online... YELLOWSTONEVALLEYWOMAN.COM or call... 406-254-1394 $20 $20 Today! Today!
✻
THE INSPIRATION &
PASSION BEHIND PINNACLE REMODELING JEREMY VAN WAGONER, PINNACLE REMODELING OWNER 106 YVW MAGAZINE
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FOUNDWEWHATLOOKwrittenbyRACHELJENNINGSphotographybyDANIELSULLIVAN IN EVERY ISSUE CAPTURE THE SEASON IN THIS RICH LOOKING DIY A Wreath You’ll Fall For
I LOVE FALL and all its vivid shades of orange and red as the leaves begin to turn. Not too long ago, a woman I know made a handmade wreath created with fallen leaves straight from her yard. The DIY creation was packed with autumn shades. I knew right away that I wanted to duplicate the look. However, I was afraid it wouldn’t last more than a season if I used real leaves. So, I decided to go faux and keep this beauty around for more than a few years.
What you will
Here’s How To Make It
Start by plugging in your heat gun to get it warm. Next, start stripping the leaves from several stems to get a good combination of colors. When the glue gun is hot, squeeze some glue onto the grapevine wreath and carefully place the leaves perpendicular to the wreath so they stand straight up. Follow this pattern and just keep gluing and picking up leaves at random. Every so often, hold the wreath up to make sure the colors are blending well and the leaves are looking balanced around the grapevine base. You’ll want to watch for holes and empty spots. All in all, it took me about two hours of constant gluing to get the density of leaves that I wanted for my wreath. While I loved the look of it with leaves alone, I had so many small branches, acorns and pinecones that I added in a few sparingly around the wreath, attaching them in random spots.
need... SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 109
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.
Few supplies are needed for this project, but my inspiration picture was packed with leaves so I knew I was going to need a lot of them. I searched my local thrift stores first to find as many stems as I could before I bought new ones. I ended up purchasing 10 new faux branches at full price from a local craft store. You could easily get these on sale, or you might even be able to give the dollar store a try.
In an afternoon, I was able to capture the colors of the season and have a beautiful accent to jazz up my home, either indoors or out. Best of all, this project is completely unique. All you need is a lot of glue and a little bit of time. So, start looking for that colorful faux foliage right now so you will be ready to welcome fall a little bit later. ✻ • Approximately 15 faux stems of leaves of your choice. • 12- to 14-inch grapevine wreath (this will be our base) • Hot glue and hot glue gun
17TH & INTRODUCINGGRAND (406) newmanclean.com672-2819 We Care About Your Indoor Air Emergency24/7Services before after AIR DUCT CLEANING Fireplaces | Gas & Wood Fired Pellet Grills | Fire Pits | Outdoor Living 655-9700 • 2494 ENTERPRISE AVE • BILLINGS • RANDTSERVICES.COM your comfort your way. Zero Maintenance Aluminum Powder Coated Pergola System 110 YVW MAGAZINE
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written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by NATHAN SATRAN MOVIE BUDDIESMOVIE BUDDIES in2fire rock7FAMILY CREATES DREAM HOME FROM AFAR YVW MAGAZINE112
Warm color tones prevail in this Modern Prairie Ranch-style home. A light and airy feel flows throughout. “They designed the house with large windows in the living room,” Vicki notes.
The property is fenced and, according to Harp, “This subdivision has irrigation water.” Todd keeps the grounds looking good while Vicki keeps busy in the kitchen. “I love to cook,” she says. “It’s important to me to have a nice flow so everyone’s part of what’s going on. And I’m not kept in the kitchen when it’s time for college football. We like to entertain, too. Todd boils crawfish!”
“We lived here for eight years and moved to Texas and Oklahoma,” Vicki says. A particular set of circumstances brought them home.
VICKI AND TODD SHACKELFORD found more than they were looking for when they decided to move back to Billings.
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“It went smoothly,” Christine says. “Todd and Vicki were very easy to work with as they knew what they wanted and didn’t change their minds often.”
“I knew this would be a good experience,” Vicki says. “My best friend, Ashley, helped me pick out colors.”
“We did a lot of Facetime,” adds Todd, thus allowing Vicki to make the decisions on everything from flooring to appliances.
All that glass affords luscious views of the countryside. And, whether on the covered patio or snuggled in a chair around the outdoor fire pit, spectacular mountain vistas abound. “On a clear day we see the ski slope in Red Lodge,” says Vicki.
“Our two older kids, Morgan and Tyler, moved here in 2020 when Covid happened,” Vicki continues. “Ethan, our special-needs son, is a pediatric patient with muscle disease and autism. He needed more care.”
Vicki’s “dream kitchen” materialized during the long-distance conversations she’d had with Steve Wylie, co-owner/manager of Rimrock Cabinetry Co. She says she wouldn’t change one thing.
“We were building this home as a spec house,” says Todd Harp of Century 21 Hometown Brokers. Project Manager Christine Arnold of Bruechert Custom Homes and a team of industry professionals were in the midst of constructing the 2,400-plussquare-foot home.
Knowing this could be the gem they were looking for, Vicki flew from Oklahoma to the Magic City. “I knew within 10 minutes we’d want to work with them,” she says. Husband Todd agreed. “I took her word for it then took a trip here by myself,” he says.
Nestled on 1.14 acres in a pastoral setting, the property offers a touch of tranquility, yet it’s just a quick jaunt into town. “We love it out here,” Vicki says. “The first day we saw it all was when we pulled up in a moving truck.”
Glass patio doors off the dining room further enhance the flow of natural light into this open design space.
Vicki, Todd and youngest son Ethan remained in Oklahoma while construction bustled along. “This is a testament to all involved,” Vicki says. “There was a lot of trust.”
The couple began an online search for real estate. Their determined quest generated the idyllic spot. Located in the West End’s Fire Rock subdivision, the newly built house and separate casita (small house) has become home base for the Shackelford family. “This is our ‘forever home,’” says Vicki.
THE HOME’S EXTERIOR IS A LIGHT-COLORED BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING SPORTING DARK TRIM. STAINED TIMBER COLUMNS AT THE ENTRANCE EXTEND A HEARTY WELCOME. A DIFFERENT STYLE GARAGE DOOR WAS DESIRED TO FIT THE LOOK OF THE HOME. THE BARN DOOR THEME CARRIES IT OFF.
Todd favors these technical aspects of the home, saying he’s “more about functionality.” Todd takes care of the region’s marketing for Thryv, a business software company. Home automation fits precisely into his wheelhouse. “There are speakers in the ceiling controlled by an app,” he says. “It’s rather inexpensive as it is programming that is AlexaAscontrolled.”Toddand
Dark stainless appliances and a sleek stainless hood over the six-burner gas stove top set the mood in this classy gourmet kitchen. Shaker cabinets painted Designer White give a timeless look while harmonizing with white quartz countertops from InfusedCountertoppers.withsubtle veins of gray, the white quartz complements the pureness of the cabinetry. Backsplash composed of rubbed white wavy subway tile intensifies the kitchen’s clean lines. The center island’s navy color base adds rich contrast. A cabinet-face door hides a sizeable walk-in pantry. Vicki points out it’s one of her favorite things about the kitchen. The open design reaches to the far wall of the living room where a unique “art” TV decorates the shiplap fireplace wall. The mantel situated above the gas fireplace from Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning is stained maple, as are floating shelves on the side wall. A built-in cabinet rests beneath. Maple shelves float on either side of the stove hood in the kitchen, as well, providing cohesive character to the spacious area. “I told Steve, ‘I wanted some natural wood,’ so he made it happen,” Vicki Brownsays. and beige shades of multi-width water-resistant laminate flooring contribute to the neutral palette. An exquisite tray ceiling with recessed LED and rope lighting amplifies the intricately detailed space. Motorized voice-activated blinds heed the homeowners’ commands.
REAL AUDIO CONCEPTS realaudioconcepts.com406-208-9890 We DolbyhonoredaretohonoredtosupplytheAtmosTheaterSystemforthishome! 114 YVW MAGAZINE
Harp continue discussing automation, Vicki crosses the living room and slides open a pair of barn doors revealing her
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117SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
The 932-square-foot casita is Ethan’s place. “It provides independence for him and for us,” Vicki says. The original plan didn’t include the
©2018 Budget Blinds, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Budget Blinds is a trademark of Budget Blinds, LLC and a Home Franchise Concepts Brand. Each franchise independently owned and operated. Call now for your free in-home consultation! Blinds • Shutters • Shades • Drapes • Home Automation 406-248-9968 BudgetBlinds.com husband’s office/studio. “Todd works from home,” she says. “Also, he was a musician when we met and now, he’s picked it back up. He composes music – like film scores.”
The en suite sparkles with a tile-surround soaking tub and tiled walk-in shower. His and hers maple cabinets dressed in a deep mocha color provides a beautiful contrast.
Vicki bubbles with enthusiasm as she heads down the hall. She’s eager to show off the “future grandbaby room.”
Son Tyler and wife, Darian, are expecting their firstborn. A guest room sits at the opposite end of the hall with the main floor bathroom inThebetween.secluded master suite lies on the opposite end of the house. A beautiful tray ceiling with recessed LED and rope lighting adds romantic ambiance. Stylish barn doors lend a tasteful dose of rustic elegance.
The chocolate color cabinetry carries over to the one-bedroom casita steps away from this end of the home.
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casita. “It was started halfway through the construction of the house,” Christine says. “We then extended the plan to put in a theater room,” Todd adds. “Ethan and I are movie buddies. It’s the way we connect. Being special needs, it’s limited for Ethan to get out, so we put in a theater in the same place he lives.”
“You lose track of time here,” notes Todd, in between explaining overhead speakers and sub-woofers of the Dolby Atmos theater system from Real Audio Concepts. “The
119SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
“Todd always was going to have a theater and, man, he is talented,” says Steve, “as he has extensive background in audio. It was the perfect place to put an additional living space for Ethan as he loves movies and needed a place to call his own.”
“We weren’t sure Ethan would be ready to be on his own,” Vicki says. “The first day the carpet was in, Ethan asked, ‘Where’s my bed?’ We never looked back. This works for Theus!” one-bedroom casita serves as 20-yearold Ethan’s “apartment.” His bedroom and bath take up half the space while the other part is devoted to the theater room.
BRUECHERT CUSTOM HOMES is a family-owned construction company, building exceptional homes in the Billings area. Todd Harp from Century 21 Hometown Brokers leads the marketing team. Bruechert Custom Homes enjoys partnering with local companies and professionals to bring dreams to reality.
Asked why Agent Phil Coulson disappeared, Ethan states without hesitation, “He took a break. He went away for a while.” An appropriate quote from Agent Coulson is, “I really believe that together we can accomplish anything.”
✻ builder7 SPOTLIGHT BRUECHERT CUSTOM HOMES 120 YVW MAGAZINE
The company began building homes 4 years ago on the west-end of Billings, Billings heights and Lockwood. They currently have three spec homes underway - two in Mackenzie Meadows and one in the Grasslands subdivision off 54th and Grand. For more information about these homes or about building a custom home, contact Todd Harp at 406-591-2999.
As the theater’s motorized lights gradually dim, the action begins as Todd cranks up the high-quality sound. Seated in one of eight Italian leather theater recliners, the floor begins rumbling as the thundering sound of helicopters approach. It’s definitely just like being at the movies but so much more comfortable. Six double-sided movie posters, lighted from behind, line the walls. Ethan and Todd showcase their favorite movies. Vicki says that Ethan, a super fan of the television series “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” “can tell you in what episode something happened.”
The Shackelfords and the Montana customs team have done just that. Together they’ve created the ideal home. The Shackelford “forever home” is more than ready to welcome its newest member while the movie buddies in Fire Rock continue to connect. ✻
acoustically designed screen allows sound to pass through. For instance, helicopters fly around you.”
Pictured: Calacatta Aspen, GMC Private Collection V is i t O ur N ew S l ab S how r oom A t O ur B i lli n gs Loc a t i on A nd C hoos e Fr om O ur G r a ni t e M oun t ai n P ri va t e Colle c t i on O f Q ua r t z O r N a t ur al S t one . A hoos Fr om O G a ni e M oun ai n P va t e Colle t on O f Q z O r N a t ur S t
202 S 38TH 5050 CHEYENNE TRAIL 5041 CHEYENNE TRAIL 3730 VICKERY DR4805 VERDE LN 8720 DANFORD AVE ROBIN HANEL 406-860-6181 Robin@RobinHanel.com TEAM HANEL TOM HANEL 406-690-4448 Tom@TomHanel.comKORINNE RICE 406-697-0678 Korinne@TeamHanel.com new listingnew listing new listing new listing new listing new listing new listing new listing new listing 521 PINON DRsoldsold sold sold sold sold 2206 REMINGTON1132 SANDSTONE TRL 3759 POLY DR 5406 BOBBY JONES 3382 STONY RIDGE RD 104 N BROADWAY # 405 1128 N 26TH ST 3215 MCMASTERS RD www.berkshirehathawayhs.com — Mike & Wendy Samson 7818 MOLT RD Under Contract UnderUnderContractContract UnderUnderContractContract Under Contract We’ve worked with Team Hanel on multiple real estate transactions.They are always exceptionally caring toward all parties involved , maintain great relationships with other Realtors which makes the transaction go smoothly, and act as problem solvers throughout the process.Their professionalism, attention to detail, and dynamic personalities make them truly outstanding. We highly recommend Team Hanel - Tom, Robin and Korinne!
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