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MARCH/APRIL 2023
wander woman
Billings woman wanders the city streets to give homeless food & clothing on the horizon
New YWCA Shelter hopes to give domestic abuse survivors privacy & dignity
allison corbyn
Economic developer, community builder
Billings Clinic is pleased to announce that it has received certification from DNV as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, reflecting the highest level of competence for treatment of the most complex stroke events –now available close to home.
The DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes Billings Clinic’s full spectrum of stroke care – diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, research, and education.
The highest level. These hospitals have advanced capabilities to receive and treat the most complex stroke cases.
These hospitals provide endovascular procedures and post-procedural care.
These hospitals provide the critical elements to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes.
acute stroke ready hospital
These hospitals or emergency centers have a dedicated stroke-focused program.
For more information about Billings Clinic Stroke Care, visit billingsclinic.com/stroke
"Montana families come in all different configurations... as do the GMC Yukons available from GMC of Billings! One thing that is consistent however is a dedication to professional grade quality, high level customer satisfaction, and of course, all weather, all terrain, all wheel drive. Head to GMC of Billings for a test drive today." Josh Soares, Owner, GMC of Billings. WE HAVE 16 GMC YUKONS AVAILABLE!
electric ride so far and I’m in awe of the connections this magazine continues to make, not only in my life but in this vibrant community.
I had no idea when I started this journey with the magazine as its editor 17 years ago that it would flower into what it is today. More than 130 women have graced the cover of this magazine and so many more have inspired us with their stories. This month we celebrate 22 years as a community publication shining the light on amazing women. Twenty-two years. That’s a long time.
As we’ve shared these inspiring, informative, deep and powerful stories, we’ve done a lot of good too. We’ve sponsored countless events — the Montana Women’s Run, the Out of Darkness walk to prevent suicide, A Waiting Child Golf Classic to promote adoption awareness, and Dog Tag Buddies’ Celebrity Chef Gala, just to name a few.
This year, we’re supporting the Little Buzz Run to help raise funds for CASA of Yellowstone County. We fund the Heart Gallery, an artistic display in Rimrock Mall featuring the faces and stories of some of the area’s adoptable kids. We’ve supported Tumbleweed, LaVie, Saint Vincent de Paul, Family Promise — the list continues.
Last year, for the first time, we handed one deserving young woman a $1,000 scholarship for her first year in college. We’re doing it again
deliver Christmas presents to 372 foster children who might otherwise not have had a Christmas. And, we sparked a new kind of outreach called the Great Love Project – a charitable program fueled completely by you, our readers. You shared your favorite charities, voted to pick number one and now through our Great Love Project Mug sales (yellowstonevalleywoman.com/ love), later this year we will be able to write a $10,000 check to Love & Sonshine Ministries to help renovate their home for pregnant teens at risk of homelessness. Wow. You helped us do all that. You.
So, you can see why I sit here, a little in awe at the beautiful things you can do when you have the community’s backing. Every advertiser in this magazine plays a role in these good things. Every reader that picks up our latest issue and supports us, helps our community efforts to flourish. It’s that community connection that helps us thrive and allows us to continue to be a force for good.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all of this. You are the glue that keeps this — all of this — together. Keep reading, my friends. Our community depends on it.
Enjoy this issue,
ATTENTION ALL SHOPPERS
23 51 Solomon Avenue, Billings, MT
23 51 Solomon Avenue, Billings, MT
23 51 Solomon Avenue, Billings, MT
We invite you to come tour our thriving community while sipping on cider or hot chocolate.
All proceeds will be doanted to the local organization:
We invite you to come tour our thriving community while sipping on cider or hot chocolate.
♥ At Gratitude in Action (GIA), our Mission is to promote recovery and sober living by creating a community that empowers men and women with the opportunity to become self-supporting.
We invite you to come tour our thriving community while sipping on cider or hot chocolate.
Please bring by all of your donated purses, scarves and jewelry to Jan Doak at Westpark by April 1st!
To show our appreciation you will take home a delicious charcuterie board of treats specially prepared by the Culinary Director at Westpark Village.
23 51 Solomon Avenue, Billings, MT
♥ Our Vision is that everyone ready to commit to sober living will have support for their journey.
To show our appreciation you will take home a delicious charcuterie board of treats specially prepared by the Culinary Director at Westpark Village.
To show our appreciation you will take home a delicious charcuterie board of treats specially prepared by the Culinary Director at Westpark Village.
We invite you to come tour our thriving community while sipping on cider or hot chocolate.
To show our appreciation you will take home a delicious charcuterie board of treats specially prepared by the Culinary Director at Westpark Village.
♥ The GIA store supports and funds Ignatia’s House, which is committed to provide a safe, well-structured living environment as an effective transition program from active alcoholism and chemical dependency. We offer a place to feel human again, establish a disciplined life, regain and maintain a strong program of sobriety and recovery, while experiencing the relational support necessary to sustain a sober existence.
Call
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
JULIE KOERBER julie@yellowstonevalleywoman.com
COPY EDITOR ED KEMMICK
SOCIAL MEDIA LAURA BAILEY
ADVERTISING
TERRY PERKINS: 406-860-3951 terry@yellowstonevalleywoman.com
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MICHELE KONZEN: 406-690-4539 michele@yellowstonevalleywoman.com
GAYLE SMITH: 406-855-8210 gayle@yellowstonevalleywoman.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MELANIE FABRIZIUS ads@yellowstonevalleywoman.com DISTRIBUTION NICOLE BURTELL
lynn langeliers Sales Executive
Michele Konzen Sales Executive
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melanie Fabrizius Design daniel sullivan Photography
Terry Perkins Sales Executive
trish scozzari Sales Executive / Writer
casey Page Photography
Nicole Burtell Distribution
LAURA BAILeY Social Media / Writer
ed kemmick Copy Editor / Writer
WOMEN REACHING OUT TO FILL THE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHEN IT COMES to having a servant’s heart, a handful of women in Billings are taking on that title without a desire for attention or accolades. Whether its selflessly helping others get on the road to recovery, educating those who might otherwise fall through the cracks, fighting for justice for those who serve and protect or helping to bring comfort to those living on the streets — meet the women who are putting service over self to lend a hand in our community.
EIGHT YEARS AGO, Stevie Robinson was working at a local bar and restaurant and drinking with friends after every shift. Looking back, she realized that drinking was part of the workplace culture. She remembers that they always talked about fun activities and adventure, but when it came down to it, no one ever left their barstool.
Stevie was unhappy, and she knew her drinking was making it worse. She decided she wanted to quit drinking and said a prayer for the strength to make it happen. That night she started a yoga routine, alone in her bedroom every night after work. Her faith in God and yoga became her path to sobriety.
“God calling me out of that life was so much better than I expected it would be without drinking,” Stevie says.
A friend who noticed the difference yoga made in her life suggested she become a yoga instructor, which led her down the path of not only becoming certified to teach yoga, but also certification to be a personal trainer. She left the restaurant and went to work at a local gym.
Stevie started living the adventures she once talked about with her friends at the bar, and she approached all her favorite activities sober.
“I thought my life would be boring and that I wouldn’t have any friends,” she says. “That was never true.”
but now, she does it as an instructor for the Phoenix Sober Community. She’s also the Volunteer Success coordinator and oversees the Phoenix Billings chapter.
When she first heard of the opportunity to lead the Billings Phoenix, she knew she’d found her place. The way she sees it, the Phoenix community was where she was headed all along.
“Looking back, everything He put me through made sense,” Stevie says. “God just kind of led me all the way.”
Phoenix is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide people with the opportunity to connect with others who share their recovery experience. Activities include fitness classes like boot camp, Zumba and yoga, and occasional activities like rock climbing, bowling and camping. Last New Year’s Eve, Phoenix rented Skate World for a night of roller skating. Sober participants also get together for once-a-month craft events at local coffee shops and meet once a week for a group walk at a West End recreation site. The activities are all free. The only requirement for participation is 48 hours of sobriety.
Stevie RobinsonWith a few years of sobriety, Stevie volunteered to teach yoga at Rimrock Foundation. It was her first experience teaching yoga to people in recovery, and it turned out to be one of the most meaningful experiences of her career.
“I learned that helping others and being in community with others who are going through the same thing was important,” she says.
These days, Stevie still leads yoga classes for people in recovery,
“We want to eliminate all barriers and provide a safe environment and a healing culture that’s inclusive for everyone,” says Stevie.
Phoenix started in Colorado in 2006, after a man in recovery began a search for sober climbing buddies. With lots of networking he found them, and the connections he made helped him stay sober. Phoenix came to Billings in 2018 with help from the Yellowstone County Drug Court. The Billings chapter is one of three in Montana. There’s also a group in the Livingston/ Bozeman area and one in Missoula.
Drug Court suggests Phoenix to their clients, but it’s not a sentencing requirement. Most Phoenix participants are active in other recovery programs, including outpatient treatment and AA or NA.
I LEARNED THAT HELPING OTHERS AND BEING IN COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING WAS IMPORTANT.
—
MEGAN CORBITT & CHELSEA COONS
“I think meetings are great, but the act of doing something with another person can create a connection that is powerful too,” Stevie says. “We are just one more tool in the toolbox for recovery. We don’t want to replace anything that anyone is doing in their recovery. We are just another safe space.”
One of the messages that’s shared at almost every meeting is, “There’s no one right way to recovery.” Phoenix welcomes people who don’t identify as someone who is in active recovery. Supporters of those in recovery are also welcome, as are those Stevie calls “sober curious.” They are people who are unsure and are considering sobriety.
“Everybody has a different pathway to recovery and it’s really nice to be able to talk to a peer about your recovery,” Stevie says.
Volunteers are the backbone of Phoenix, and Stevie relies on about 10 core volunteers who lead various activities. Phoenix contracts with local gyms and fitness centers that provide space for classes, and classes are announced on social media. Last year, Phoenix hosted dozens of events in Billings, and people attended events 500 times. Some were repeat members while others came only once or twice. About 60 people are regulars, Stevie says.
Chelsea Coons leads the coffee and crafts get-togethers and says that interest in the events continues to grow. About 10 people regularly attend. Chelsea was involved in Phoenix as a participant before she stepped in as a volunteer. She is one year sober and says that Phoenix has made a difference in her life. She’s excited to be able to use her artistic talents to help others.
“It’s my way to pass on what’s made a difference in my recovery,” she says.
Megan Corbitt attends Chelsea’s meetups and also enjoys Stevie’s hot yoga classes and the occasional rock climbing and nature walks. She’s been sober for about eight months and is grateful to have Phoenix in her recovery. She believes in “recovering out loud” and is open about her journey.
“My circle was very small in my addiction, and Phoenix has expanded my circle and provided me with connection that I never would have had,” Megan says. “Recovery has made life so much more beautiful.” ✻
FOR MORE ABOUT the Phoenix Sober Community, go to thephoenix.org.
Yellowstone Valley Woman profiled Heidi Paulson and her fight for disabled law enforcement officers as the cover story in our May/June 2019 issue. This story is an update on her successful battle to change the laws of our nation to better protect those who protect us. You can read her cover story by visiting yellowstonevalleywoman.com/ backing-the-blue.
HEIDI PAULSON is a quiet yet strong presence. She’s tenacious. And, for the past 20 years she’s been in the middle of two battles, one of which put the IRS code and its treatment of first responders in her sights. In the other, she fought the way officers on disability received their benefits. She’s put countless hours into this fight.
“It’s a labor of love because there are just so many people that need an advocate,” Heidi says.
The battles began when her husband, Ladd Paulson, joined the Billings Police Department more than 20 years ago. When she looked at some of his first pay stubs, she noticed he wasn’t getting anything withheld for Social Security.
When she questioned this, her accountant told her, “When Social Security was first established, law enforcement agencies and railroads were exempt from withholding because they already had pension plans established. They didn’t have to participate. They were allowed to opt out.” On top of that, there wasn’t any provision within Social Security that an agency had to provide alternative disability coverage if they did opt out.
“I thought, this isn’t right, but I had no idea how to address it,” Heidi says. She tried to get disability insurance on her own but says, “They wouldn’t cover Ladd because of his high-risk profession.”
A few years later, Heidi would see firsthand how broken the system was when her husband suffered the first of two near-fatal motorcycle crashes on the job. The first wreck caused multiple injuries, including broken bones, a brain injury and a transected aorta. He never should have lived long enough to make it to the hospital. The second came three years later when his motorcycle collided with a minivan at 60 mph. The nerves that ran down his right arm were pulled from the base of his spinal cord. The injury continues to deliver debilitating nerve pain.
The Paulsons received a small workers’ compensation benefit but it wasn’t enough to pay off their bills, and it certainly wasn’t anything that would help long-term. Because Ladd never qualified for disability insurance, the couple was left to pick up the pieces.
That’s when the first battle was waged — to help make sure officers had access to disability coverage.
It took more than 15 years of phone calls, emails, trips to Washington, D.C., and work with national law enforcement advocacy groups to get Congress to fully appreciate the suffering of disabled police officers or the families of those killed on the job. In 2021, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley sponsored the Protecting America’s First Responders Act. The bill, which passed in November of that year, made sure the backlog of claims could be dealt with so that officers or surviving family members didn’t have to wait years to receive compensation.
When Ladd and Heidi talk about this fight, Ladd recalls one disabled officer he met on this journey, a man who is now one of his best friends.
“We were able to get him the benefits that he deserved. He had been fighting for 17 years,” Ladd says. “It’s comforting to know
IT’S A LABOR OF LOVE BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE THAT NEED AN ADVOCATE.
— Heidi Paulson
that this will be a significant help to many, many cops who need it a lot.”
At about the same time, another battle was still brewing. Heidi had pushed for legislation called Putting First Responders First. It was introduced in Congress three times in an attempt to make sure disability pensions for first responders would be exempt from federal withholding. Existing tax rules said they were, Heidi says, but since it wasn't tax law there was a lot of confusion resulting in a lot of needless IRS inquiries for disabled officers and firefighters.
“We’ve had nine IRS inquiries. They aren’t full-blown audits but they are inquiries. The last one was on our 2019 taxes and we actually took that with us to D.C.,” Heidi says. The letter showed the couple owed $11,000 in taxes on $20,000 in disability pension payments. “It finally got to the point where, OK, it’s going to take something like this showing our personal information and putting numbers to it to really get Congress to see how ridiculous this is,” Heidi says.
Montana Sens. Steve Daines and John Tester co-sponsored the Putting First Responders First bill for the third time. The third time was a charm. Congress approved it last December, clarifying the tax code and ensuring that injured first responders don’t have to pay taxes on injury-related compensation.
It was a sweet victory for Heidi, knowing that it affected not only her and her husband but thousands of other first responders all over the nation.
During this last congressional vote, Heidi had to take a backseat in the fight. She and Ladd were fighting their own health battles that prevented her from taking a leading role. In December of 2020, Heidi got Covid and shortly after developed a seizure disorder that delivered Grand Mal seizure after seizure.
“They put me on all kinds of seizure drugs, but it wasn’t enough,” she says.
At the same time, Ladd was working to get insurance to approve what’s called a spinal cord stimulator, a small device implanted on the spinal cord that releases small electrical bursts to help keep pain at bay.
With Heidi’s seizures, the surgery would be difficult to endure, but the two found a way to make it to Denver.
“Everything was coming together,” Heidi says. “We ended up going to get the surgery, but Ladd ended up with meningitis. He had a spinal fluid leak. By the time we got back, here he was in the ER and we knew something was really, really wrong.” Heidi says they admitted him into the intensive care unit. The stimulator, which doctors previously couldn’t even ignite, had to be removed. It was infected with meningitis.
“It was super discouraging because he was in so much pain from the surgery,” Heidi says, adding the surgery was a one-time shot. Doctors couldn’t try again because of the scar tissue all along Ladd’s spinal cord.
After Ladd’s surgery, Heidi had one of her own to implant what’s called a Vagus Nerve Stimulator. It’s a device that delivers electric micro-pulses to help keep her seizures under control. The surgery was a success.
“It was a rough year,” she says. “I had to let go. I have been working really hard on all of this for a long time and the last couple years I had to let go.” She says knowing that this legislation passed, “It feels like a miracle.”
With her and Ladd facing so much in such a short time, she knows there are so many other issues to fight for when it comes to our first responders. But for now, she’s going to take the wins and pass the torch to the other advocates she’s met on this road.
“All of the amazing people God has put us in contact with –disabled officers from all across the country – the battles they fight,” Heidi says, “Every one of them is such a warrior.” ✻
will establish a clear framework to ensure our nation’s heroes who have died or become permanently disabled in the line of duty are able to have their disability claims processed in a timely manner, and ensures that their families remain eligible for the additional benefits they’ve been promised.
PAT LOWTHIAN HAS SPENT DECADES IMPACTING THE LIVES OF OTHERS THROUGH EDUCATION
written by JULIE LOVELL photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
PAT LOWTHIAN was born to teach. The oldest of five, she cared for her younger siblings when she was just a girl. Later, she earned an elementary education degree and taught school for more than 40 years in Billings. Now, even after retiring from Billings Public Schools, she’s still at it. While she loves all children, Pat has always been passionate about the ones who can fall through the cracks.
“I’ve always loved kids on the fringe,” Pat says. ”I’ve taught so many different kinds of kids. Kids with autism, kids with ADD, kids with depression, kids with anxiety, kids who live with trauma, kid who don’t have their basic needs met.”
During her last several years teaching in public schools, Pat saw a growing number of children at risk facing all sorts of challenges.
“Food insecurity, gun violence and all of the different things that move people into areas of anxiety and depression,” says Pat. “Those are more common now.”
Pat’s passion for helping children who face tough circumstances stretches back to her childhood in Southern California, when she witnessed the difficult lives of migrant families who worked in the fields.
“I watched all those families working in the fields,” says Pat. “I used to say to my dad, ‘They don’t even have water, they don’t even have a bathroom out there. What is going on?’ So I’ve always just had this heart for the people living on the fringes.”
Seeing their difficult living conditions lit a fire under Pat, and she was determined to help migrant students improve their lives. For 35 years, she spent six weeks each summer teaching students in Montana’s Migrant Education Program. After retiring from Billings Public Schools in 2020, she was hired as the organization’s assistant director for eastern Montana. Over the years, she has taught hundreds of children of migrant parents who came to Montana for work.
For several summers, Billings resident Liz Maya was one of Pat’s students in the Migrant Education Program. Her parents were migrant workers who traveled from Mexico to Montana for work. Like many children of migrant workers, Liz needed extra help to learn English and keep up with school. She says Pat was more than a teacher for students; she was a friend to the children and their families.
“She is willing to go out of her way to help, not just in the migrant program itself, but outside of it,” Liz says. “Any personal issues anyone’s having, she’s willing to go outside the box to help, and she becomes more like family as opposed to a teacher or mentor.”
These days, Liz works part-time at Los Mayas, a restaurant that her parents own in Billings. She says Pat has made a positive difference in her life and in the lives of many other family members. Now, she sends her own children to the Migrant Education Program’s summer sessions.
“Pat’s a great teacher, and she’s a great mentor,” says Liz. “Not just to me and my kids. She has had my entire family there.”
Pat’s heart for children with challenges also stretches to those with mental health concerns. She understands their unique needs first-hand. She’s a single mom who raised her son alone from the age of 4. Her ex-husband suffered from addiction and mental illness, and her son has mental health struggles. Years ago, Pat took classes from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to learn more about caring for someone with mental health challenges. True to form, she now shares what she learned
PAT’S A GREAT TEACHER, AND SHE’S A GREAT MENTOR. NOT JUST TO ME AND MY KIDS. SHE HAS HAD MY ENTIRE FAMILY THERE.
—Liz Maya
by facilitating a caregiving class and serving on NAMI’s board.
“I took a 12-week training course called Family to Family and ended up learning so much,” Pat says. “Like I tell my people now, with mental illness, you don’t know what you don’t know. It’s like anything—you have to break through that denial.”
Over the years, strong friendships have helped Pat navigate life’s challenges. Each month, she gathers with a group of women who have played Bunco together for 36 years.
“You talk about dark nights of the soul, I’ve had those,” says Pat. “But I’m one of these people who says, ‘OK, you get to mire down for this amount of time and feel sad and feel whatever you feel, and then you’ve just go to get with it.’ I always tell people you can’t go backward. You just have to go forward, and life is going to take you in really different directions. Some are going to be quite joyful, and others quite hard, but you just have to stay around positive people.”
It’s hard to find a segment of our community that Pat hasn’t touched with her gift for teaching. For much of her career, she taught gifted and talented students, but her impact stretched across Billings schools and beyond. She helps organize the Eastern Montana Regional Science Fair, helped raise thousands of dollars for educational programs at ZooMontana, taught classes for parents of children with attention deficit disorder, and supervised many student teachers. She says teaching others gives her great joy.
“I’m able to get hope and give hope,” Pat says. “I’m giving what I can to my students, but they are giving me who they are and I’m
getting so much in return from them.”
Mary Sue Engel is a retired teacher who has been friends with Pat for many years. She loves the level of creativity and energy Pat brings to the classroom and to life.
“One of the things I’ve always marveled about is Pat can discipline children without them even realizing they were corrected,” says Mary Sue. “She did it such a creative, compassionate way, and then moved right on, keeping the flow and energy going without skipping a beat.”
Pat is a woman of strong faith and teaches weekly religious education classes to elementary students at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. She says her faith has fueled her lifetime of service to children and the community. Her gift for teaching is matched by her love for learning. She reads avidly and enjoys writing poems, visiting museums and historical sites, and playing piano. There’s always something new for her to learn and teach. In this season of life, Pat hopes to teach other seniors about the importance of planning.
“I think people retire way too early and then it’s like they don’t know what to do with themselves and that’s where I’m seeing issues with depression,” says Pat. They’re not engaged with the world as much as they once were. I’d like to encourage women to have a backup plan before they retire.”
It’s hard to keep up with Pat. At 69, she’s still a woman on the go and exudes energy and enthusiasm. She says she takes her cue from other strong women who made a positive difference in each season of their lives.
I’M ABLE TO GET HOPE AND GIVE HOPE. I’M GIVING WHAT I CAN TO MY STUDENTS, BUT THEY ARE GIVING ME WHO THEY ARE AND I’M GETTING SO MUCH IN RETURN FROM THEM.
“I think of Betty White, she’s one of my heroes. I think of Mother Theresa, Jane Goodall … you could go on and on with what they’ve accomplished in what some might consider the twilight years of their lives,” Pat says. “You’ve got to just make a difference. I don’t care what you’re doing, just make a difference and make life better for other people.” ✻
SHAY REISER was 18 and pregnant with her first child when the seats inside her 1982 Buick LeSabre became the place she rested her head at night. Her partner had run afoul of the law, she didn’t have enough money to pay rent, and she was estranged from her parents. She lived in her car for four months straight.
“It wasn’t for long and I was fortunate enough to have a car,” Shay says, showing her glass-half-full attitude.
When she moved to Billings from Nebraska a year and a half ago, she became keenly aware of the people she saw out on the streets. Unlike some of us who might not notice a person stuffed into a vacant building stairwell or crouched beneath the branches of a pine tree, Shay saw them.
“We grew up pretty poor,” she says. “We did the best with what we had always. I am trying to instill that in my kiddo now. We are grateful for every single thing we have because you don’t know if you will have it tomorrow.”
In October of 2021, Shay decided on a whim to cook up a hearty meal. She loaded a giant cooler and, with the help of her teenage foster son, they hit the streets of Billings to hand out food. They didn’t target the homeless population. They just wanted to perform a random act of kindness to anyone and everyone. They only planned to do this once.
“The first time I went out,” Shay says, “I walked up to a woman who clearly had significant mental health issues. I asked her, ‘Can I give you some lunch?’ She screamed, ‘Get away from me!’ I said, ‘OK, but I really want you to have some lunch, so I am going to set it down here and I am going to walk away.”
After the woman opened the box and dug in, she called out to Shay. “She had something in her hand that she had clearly been carrying with her for a long time,” Shay says. “It was well loved. She put it in my hand, gave me a hug and walked away. I haven’t seen her since.”
The well-worn piece of paper that the woman handed Shay was the Serenity Prayer printed on a bookmark. “It was clearly something that was near and dear to her. The fact that she
thought to give it to me was overwhelming. It made me emotional. I have it framed in my house to remind me of why I do this.”
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY SINGLE THING WE HAVE BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW IF YOU WILL HAVE IT TOMORROW.
— Shay ReiserWhat started as a onetime act turned into an operation, one where Shay wakes up at the crack of dawn every other Sunday to make a large-scale meal. She’s learned to watch for grocery sales and has gotten really good at stretching her dollars. On today’s menu was Taco Pasta. “It’s hamburger, fire-roasted corn, onions and peppers with pasta and beans,” Shay says with a smile. “I cook food I would like to eat.” When all was boxed up and ready to go, she says, “We made 65 meals and it cost me $55. I’m really good at cooking for a crowd because I raised three teenage boys and fed all of their friends.”
Since those first meals, Shay has added a trailer to the mix. She calls it her mobile closet. In it, tubs full of clothes, backpacks, sleeping bags, blankets, gloves, hand warmers and more sit at the ready. The trailer is emblazoned with the words “Wander Woman.” She says she adopted the name after wandering the streets looking for people to help.
As Shay stands next to her trailer, one of the women she often serves shouts excitedly from across the parking lot, “Look at me!
No one has seen me in jeans before. Thank you.” At the same time, a man walks up with a bewildered look on his face. Asked how he found out about the Wander Woman, he says, “I just stumbled upon this when I was coming up the sidewalk. I actually had all of my stuff stolen recently. I pretty much have just the clothes on my back. This really helps out a lot.”
As people start to form a line for help, one woman makes a beeline, running across the traffic-filled North 27th Street. The woman whispers in Shay’s ear and hands her a few bucks.
“She told me to go get some coffee,” Shay says with a laugh. “It’s so funny because I always have a huge cup of coffee out here with me.” It was a woman Shay has helped in the past.
Those who live on the streets find out when Shay will perch her trailer on the corner of Sixth Avenue North and North 27th when she announces it on Facebook. Somehow, they find her.
“People will ask, ‘What organization are you with?’ I tell them, just Wander Woman, that’s me. This is my church. This is what motivates me and keeps me going, being able to help other people,” Shay says.
Shay has built up a small army of followers who will help her in her mission. Nikki Lamb is one of them. The 37-year-old works by day as an EMT with Big Horn County Ambulance Service. Every other Sunday, she’s here helping Shay.
“I can’t imagine being in need and on the street,” she says. “It’s given me a new outlook. Sometimes you need a reality check. You get too focused on your own things. It’s very humbling.” She calls herself “Shay’s sidekick” and speaks with admiration when she says, “She is the most kind-hearted person that I have ever met. She’s just a great human.”
Shay says its very rare that she comes home from her day job without donations piled up on her front porch. She’s the day center assistant with Family Promise of Yellowstone County, a nonprofit aimed at helping end homelessness for families. She says it’s hard not to let the issues she deals with rule her emotions.
“We don’t cry,” Shay says. “We are here to show them love and joy. If you cry when you get home, that’s OK, and I usually do.”
On this day, Shay sports a black T-shirt with the words, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” It’s a testament to what she does as the city’s Wander Woman.
“I get my energy from doing this,” she says. “I have a big squishy heart and I just want to give love to everyone.” ✻
WANDER WOMAN IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS TO HELP IN HER MISSION. YOU CAN FIND HER BY SEARCHING WANDER WOMAN MONTHLY MEALS AND MOBILE CLOSET ON FACEBOOK.
Tumbleweed provides safety, assistance and hope to our community's vulnerable and homeless youth. Creating lasting life
ADULT RESOURCE ALLIANCE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE TWO HOURS A WEEK TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY’S SENIORS
written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
ONCE A WEEK, Pam Hofferber grabs her husband, Mike, gets in the car and spends two hours delivering hot and nutritious meals for Adult Resource Alliance’s Meals on Wheels program. It’s a win-win in her mind. She gets to serve the seniors in the community, plus, she says, “Afterward, Mike and I go out to lunch together, so it’s always a date day for us.”
She’s not only a volunteer, she’s one who has learned firsthand about some of the Alliance’s services.
“They helped me sort through my prescription drug coverage once I turned 65 and helped me figure out the best price and the best option since I’m on a specialty medication,” Pam says, calling their help a godsend.
Knowing the good that happens under and beyond the Alliance’s roof, she’s now helping to champion the rollout of a brand-new program, telling others like her to “Embrace the Power of 2” and give two hours a week volunteering to help a senior in need.
The Alliance was recently awarded a $180,000 grant through Community Care Corps to help fill some much-needed gaps in senior care. When asked, 90 percent of adults over 65 want to stay in their homes as they grow older for as long as they can. The grant will help create what Executive Director Mike Larson calls a “Senior Circle of Care” so seniors can do just that.
“We’ve lost 11 nursing homes in the state in the last six months. Even before we started to see this trend, we saw more and more seniors who were struggling,” Mike says. “One thing we know is, it’s better financially but we also know it’s better for that senior’s psychological and physical health to remain independently in their own home.”
Evelyn Dempsey, who will head up this new program, calls many of the seniors they plan to serve “the forgotten middle.”
“They are those individuals who are just over what the government considers the poverty line,” Evelyn says. “They still can’t afford the services, but they need them. They need the support, but they
43% 43%
OF AMERICAN SENIORS AREN’T CONFIDENT THEY COULD AFFORD PERSONAL AND HOME SERVICES IF NEEDED
can’t afford to pay to have a personal care assistant to help them in their homes.”
The Senior Care Circle is made up of 10 different services — everything from grocery shopping and minor home repair to assistance with pets and lawn care. By helping take of these things, Mike says, “You can extend how much longer a senior could be in their own home — for years or even indefinitely.”
The innovative part of the Senior Circle of Care that it is powered entirely by volunteers.
“We need to have answers for this, and they don’t need to be extensive and they don’t need to be a huge financial burden,” Mike says. “We have people who want to help and if we find the appropriate way to use them, I think it can make a huge impact.”
The Alliance currently has a pool of roughly 450 volunteers. When this program begins in April, they’ll need about 650 in order to reach seniors in need. That’s why the push is on to find those people willing to give a few hours out of their week.
“We are really looking forward to increasing our volunteer pool and having flexible opportunities for people to get involved in something that gives back,” Evelyn says. She knows that when a volunteer invests in a senior, the friendship and companionship goes both ways.
“To see something of this magnitude come together and push the needle to help seniors stay in their own homes — it’s exciting,” Evelyn says.
“For two hours a week, you can make a significant difference in the life of a senior,” Mike says. “Some of these opportunities wouldn’t take much more than two hours a week. Embracing the power of two – just give two hours.” ✻
WAYS YOU CAN HELP ADULT RESOURCE ALLIANCE TO SERVE SENIORS
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provide them companionship.
1. PANTRY PALS: volunteers help with grocery shopping or errands. 2. TRANSPORTATION SERVICES: volunteers help get seniors to their appointments. 3. MINOR HOME REPAIR: volunteers could do something as simple as change a furnace filter, fix a railing on a staircase or add safety by installing things like grab bars. 4. MEALS ON WHEELS: nutritious meals delivered daily to seniors in need. 5. SNOW REMOVAL 6. LAWN CARE 7. PET CARE: with the help of the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, volunteers check to make sure animals are being cared for. BOOKKEEPING ASSISTANCE SOCIAL BUDDIES: volunteers check in by calling seniors to make sure they are doing well. FRIEND COMPANIONS: volunteers senior’s home to
WHEN ANNA FOUND HERSELF pregnant and fleeing domestic violence, she turned to the Billings YWCA for the practical help and emotional support she needed.
She was grateful for all the ways the Billings nonprofit helped her, giving her a place to stay, lending her emotional support, guiding her in her job search and helping rebuild her self-confidence.
But sometimes, living at the Gateway Shelter, whose 14 bedrooms house both families and single individuals, could be stressful. Most everything — the eating area, the bathroom and the laundry — were communal.
“The shelter was full of women going through trauma,” says Anna, whose name was changed for this story. “Sharing the bathroom and laundry facilities with the other families could be difficult.”
Starting in early April, residents will gain more privacy with the opening of the new two-story, 16,500-square-foot, 25-studio-unit Gateway Horizons Shelter. The building, constructed near the original Gateway Shelter, is completed, awaiting only the new furnishings before it opens.
Each unit will contain one or two beds, a small living room with a love seat and TV, a kitchenette and a bathroom with a shower. The boost in privacy is more in keeping with what is now considered the best practice for such a shelter, says Erin Lambert, YWCA interim CEO.
Erin, who has been with the Billings YWCA for 17 years, has worked her way up through the ranks of the organization, including a stint as shelter manager for about eight years. Through it all, she’s watched the evolution of shelters like theirs.
“It started with a safe home network – almost like the underground railroad-type movement,” she says. “Then it went into more of a communal model of sheltering.”
That model was adopted by the Billings organization when it built its first 10-bedroom shelter about 25 years ago.
“The community and the folks at the YWCA, when they decided to do that in the mid-1990s did a fantastic job,” Erin says. “But later, it became a better practice to offer individualized spaces for privacy and dignity. It gives survivors the best experience.”
When she took over as shelter manager in 2008, Gateway Shelter wasn’t always at capacity. Now it almost never has an open room and if it does, the room doesn’t stay open for more than 48 hours.
“Then you start making hard decisions around when it’s safe to
tell somebody there’s no room and nothing you can do, or trying to decide if this is truly an emergency situation where we need to expend funds on a hotel, because those funds are limited.”
As the need for bedrooms increased, offices and meeting rooms gradually were converted into four additional bedrooms. Even that wasn’t enough.
Then, two years ago, just before Christmas, a generous gift came out of the blue and opened a new possibility. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott awarded the Billings YWCA an unrestricted $1 million donation.
Erin, then chief operating officer at the YWCA, met for discussions with CEO Merry Lee Olsen and others to discuss the best use of the money.
“Knowing we were beyond capacity for sheltering, and a new model, a better way of doing it, existed, it really made sense for us
From there, fundraising began in earnest, resulting in financial donations from a variety of sources that, to date, have totaled nearly $4 million. In 2021, time was also spent designing the building and getting final bids from contractors, signing construction contracts and putting the construction loan financing in place.
The new shelter, with nearly double the rooms, was designed by HGFA Architects, and Jones Construction served as the general contractor. Ground was broken in April 2022. The building was completed in early January.
All that is left is for the new furniture to be delivered. The furnishings, which Erin says were chosen for their durability and warmth, is expected arrive in mid-March.
A tour of the completed Gateway Horizons Shelter revealed the building’s light-tan walls and LVP flooring, the smell of paint still lingering in the air. Each floor contains a large laundry area with three washers and dryers, all free for residents to use.
A $100,000 grant from First Interstate Bank will equip and stock a family food center to provide basic nutrition to the families who
SOMEBODY COULD LITERALLY COME WITH THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACK AND WE COULD MAKE IT WORK FOR THEM.
— Erin Lambert, YWCA interim CEO.
stay at the shelter. Food is also provided by Family Service of Billings.
The individual units, one specifically designed as handicap-accessible, will be supplied with dishes, pots and pans, as well as bedding and towels.
“Somebody could literally come with the clothes on their back and we could make it work for them,” Erin says. “We partner with Family Service to offer clothing vouchers.”
An advocate will be on the new premises 24 hours a day to support the temporary residents. Legal services are also available, as is a housing navigator to help find more permanent housing. A case manager “helps with everything else,” Erin says.
The YWCA doesn’t rely on a one-size-fits-all program or formula for those seeking safety and assistance after suffering domestic or sexual violence, or human trafficking.
“I think it’s really important that we allow them to say, ‘Here’s what I would like my life to look like,’ or ‘Here’s how I need help,’” Erin says.
STRONG SOLUTIONS.
We create strong solutions by engineering effective and reliable structures that bring your vision to life.
ERIN CALLS THE SHELTER “A LAUNCHING-OFF SPOT” RATHER THAN A LONG-TERM SOLUTION. THE TYPICAL STAY IS 90 DAYS, BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS WHEN A NEED ARISES.
We are proud to partner with the YWCA to provide victims of domestic violence with safety and on-site services at the new Gateway Horizons Shelter. Thank you for making a difference in our community.
EACH FLOOR CONTAINS A LARGE LAUNDRY AREA WITH THREE WASHERS AND DRYERS, ALL FREE FOR RESIDENTS TO USE.
YWCA Billings is proud to announce the Grand Opening of Gateway Horizons, our new emergency shelter for the victims of domestic and sexual violence we serve. This new shelter will increase our capacity to protect and serve victims while assuring
YWCA can continue to provide lifesaving and lifechanging support to a larger number of survivors over many decades. Join us on Friday, April 14 to tour the new facility! Call 406-252-6303 or visit us at ywcabillings.org for more information.
“Then a provider meets with them and says, ‘Let’s figure out how to make this happen.’”
Erin calls the shelter “a launching-off spot” rather than a longterm solution. The typical stay is 90 days, but there are exceptions when a need arises. Anna was one of those exceptions.
She arrived in Billings seven months pregnant, leaving behind an abusive relationship, and hoping to start fresh with a new job. She had already qualified for low-income housing, but finding a rental in a tight housing market was nearly impossible.
Then things fell apart with her job, and Anna called the YWCA’s 24-hour Help Line for aid. She stayed at the Gateway Shelter for five months. With help from the shelter staff, she was able to find a job, which she has held for several months, and day care for her infant.
Anna then got the opportunity to move into the YWCA-owned Gateway Vista Apartments that house low-income families with rents based on a percentage of area median income. Once there, in an apartment that affords her even more privacy, Anna’s stress level decreased.
I WAS HOMELESS, DISHEVELED AND FEELING TERRIBLE. THAT QUICKLY CHANGED WHEN I SAW HOW MUCH SUPPORT THERE WAS.
“I have another opportunity at life,” she says. “I had been going so fast for so long to be safe for me and my son,” she says. “Being able to unwind and watch at TV show together and laugh and giggle has been a miracle.”
She’s happy for the individuals and families who will find that kind of private space when the Gateway Horizons Shelter opens. She hopes it will give them the same peace and care she has found since she first connected with the YWCA in spring 2022.
“When I first got there, I was stuttering,” she remembers. “I was homeless, disheveled and feeling terrible. That quickly changed when I saw how much support there was.”
Now she has a job she loves, her baby is thriving, she has a place to call home, she’s improved her credit score and one day hopes someday to buy a home of her own.
“My future is bright and my son is happy and healthy,” she says. “I’m so proud we could do it and so grateful for opportunities the Y has given me.” ✻
EDITOR’S NOTE: Special Thanks to Ashley Furniture for staging a space in the Gateway Horizons Shelter for our photoshoot. We appreciate your commitment to our community.
written by ED KEMMICK
photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN & BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TECHNICALLY, Allison Corbyn’s job is to spark economic development by recruiting new businesses to settle in Billings and Yellowstone County, or by helping existing businesses
Her studies also helped her to think critically, to research and to write, while reading the works of thinkers of varied ideologies taught her the value of understanding other people’s perspectives. Maybe that helped develop what Steve Arveschoug, BSED
I REALLY LIKE THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A GOOD COMMUNITY. WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT RECRUITMENT, YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING HIGH-PAYING JOBS, ABOUT SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY.
— Allison Corbynmy office and said, ‘Steve, I got this.’ She was kindly saying, ‘Get out of my way.’ She really wanted to take it from start to finish.”
Joe Easton worked on the project for years with Allison. Joe was director of developer services and planning for Jackson Contractor Group in Missoula in 2017 when Coca-Cola Bottling Co. High Country was looking to build a new distribution warehouse in Missoula.
Joe’s job was to scout projects that might turn into construction contracts, and soon the CEO of High Country mentioned that the company was also interested in a new warehouse in Billings. Joe met Allison in 2019, when he began quietly coming to Billings to look for land to site the warehouse, while also investigating the costs and benefits of such a move.
By 2021, Joe had gone to work full-time for High Country, still concentrating on the Billings project, which had expanded by then to include a bottling plant, but also working on similar projects around the region. The Billings project was one of the most complicated he’d worked on in a career of nearly 25 years.
The main problem was that Coca-Cola needed a lot of water, but city water and sewer mains stopped nearly a mile east of the Harnish site. Thus began a long, complex process of extending those utilities to the site, getting the land annexed into the city and obtaining property tax abatements from the city and county.
High Country had been in the community for more than 100 years and had plenty of credibility, Joe says, “but this kind of project was new, and we needed Big Sky ED, and Allison in particular, to help.”
And help she did. “She knows everybody,” Joe says. “And it’s not a small thing that people will take her call, answer a text. And if she says, ‘I need to keep this quiet for right now,’ people respect that. I was careful not to ask too much of her, but she was very, very helpful.”
Allison described her role as becoming “an advocate for the business, while having to maintain a relationship with the city and all of your other partners. So, it’s like pushing in a respectful way, then pushing back the other way, just to make sure you’re navigating a collaborative solution.”
The Coca-Cola project was big in another way. Joe says those water and sewer lines mean that hundreds of acres of other vacant land around the site will be much cheaper and easier to develop in the future. Coco-Cola, meanwhile, hopes to be fully moved into the new facility by January 2024.
Allison likes the way Billings is growing, economically and culturally. “It’s interesting to see how far Billings has come since I started college in 2006,” she says. “It’s grown, it’s cooler. Its coolness factor has been trending up.”
To help Billings grow, Allison stays busy. Besides her work in town, she frequently travels to meet with various airlines’ flight planners. In years like this one, when the Montana Legislature is in session, she often drives to Helena to meet with statewide economic development people and to testify before the Legislature.
When Allison heard Meadowlark Brewing was thinking of expanding into Billings, she and a BSED colleague hopped on a prop plane to meet in Sidney with owner Travis Peterson. Allison ended up working closely with Travis, helping him get a jobcreation grant through BSED and a planning grant through the state Department of Commerce, as well as helping the company obtain private financing for the big expansion.
It can be overwhelming. Allison and her husband, Chris Round, have two children, ages 8 and 5, and she’s thankful for help from
...IT’S NOT A SMALL THING THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE HER CALL, ANSWER A TEXT. AND IF SHE SAYS, ‘I NEED TO KEEP THIS QUIET FOR RIGHT NOW,’ PEOPLE RESPECT THAT. I WAS CAREFUL NOT TO ASK TOO MUCH OF HER, BUT SHE WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
— Joe EastonChris’ parents and sister, who live in town, and for her parents, who come up from Colorado when needed. She also has good friends in her support network. “I don’t know what you do if you don’t have that,” she says.
Allison has learned to live with seesaw emotions. When things are going really well at work, she feels like she’s not being a good mom, and when things are going well at home, she feels she’s not giving work her all. She tries to keep things in perspective.
“This job is something I love, building community,” she says. “So, I tell myself that even though you don’t spend all your time with your kids, you’re working to make a better Billings, or a better Montana, in a way that will mean something to them.” ✻
HELPING SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FIREFIGHTERS
written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
, Chelsea Thompson had a passion for animals, and she thought her career path would lead her to become a veterinarian. Knowing how important it was to choose the right school, she joined the Netarts-Oceanside Volunteer Fire Department in her rural Oregon hometown. She hoped to use the experience to attract a little attention on college and scholarship applications.
Her focus changed, though, during a fire call in the middle of the night along the northwestern Oregon coastline. She was only 16 at the time.
“We had two people stuck on the rocks between the ocean and a cliff, one of them had a broken leg. It was too dark to launch the department’s water rescue team, so the Coast Guard was called in to assist. They lit up the night sky with these amazingly colored flares that made it seem like daytime,” Chelsea says, adding that as she stood waiting for orders to help with the rope rescue to haul the pair up the 150-foot cliff, “I knew right then this was my calling and what I was meant to do.”
In her senior year of high school, Chelsea rerouted her education plans and started testing for fire departments. She ended up at Portland Community College’s Fire Science Program. Fresh from school, a 21-year-old Chelsea was welcomed into the Billings Fire Department in 2004. She was the first female to join the department’s ranks.
When asked if she was proud of that achievement, Chelsea says she didn’t really have a chance to let that fact sink in.
“I literally came into the recruit academy my first day and they said, ‘The media will be here at 3 o’clock,’” she says with a laugh. “I didn’t know back then the impact that it was going to have and the responsibility I was going to carry.”
Even today, after 19 years with the department, she admits she constantly feels the need to prove herself.
“Every time you move up, all eyes are on you to see if you can do it,” she says.
It happened when she moved from firefighter to engineer and again when she moved from engineer to captain. Now, she’s added “chief” to her title, serving as the department’s assistant training chief.
“I’ve always tried to take and embrace where I am and show this is a career for females because it wasn’t a huge thing when I first started,” she says. Today, three other women work alongside her.
In her role in the training division, Chelsea does a lot more than pave the way for women; she’s helping to shape the department’s future. In charge of the department’s fire academy, she, along with several others, helps to train every new hire. The academy typically runs at least once a year, sometimes twice, taking in up to 12 recruits for a 12- to 14-week training period.
Back when Chelsea was starting her career, fire was the department’s biggest threat. Now, firefighters carry bulletproof vests. They know they could be on medical standby for high-risk police calls. Call volume seems to be always on the rise and now training covers topics that were once taboo among firefighters — mental health struggles, sleep deprivation and cancer risks.
“Police and fire have taken over the number one spot for suicides and suicide attempts,” says Billings Fire Chief Pepper Valdez. “And, we’re just realizing in the last decade, ‘Hey, we have a problem here.’”
Chelsea explains that the stress of the job is evident when you consider that one minute your crew could be on the highway responding to a serious accident, and minutes later you might be grabbing a hose to douse a structure fire.
“Sometimes you don’t even have the time to process things,” Chelsea says. “It’s a reality and a side that isn’t necessarily talked about. We’re portrayed as America’s heroes and lifesavers. People don’t necessarily see the aftermath and the toll it takes. It’s not really on the job pamphlet when you apply.”
About eight years ago, Chelsea was forced to process the things she’d seen over the course of her career.
“I just hit capacity overload,” she says. She was on the scene of an accident in which a child was hit by a vehicle.
“I got off the fire engine,” she says. “I did the job. The kid was shipped to the hospital in the ambulance and I went to walk back to the fire engine and I couldn’t quit crying. I just lost it. The captain actually had to drive the fire engine home and I went off shift.” Later she realized, “It was a buildup of all the things I’d seen during my career.”
She realized rather quickly that the department was ill-equipped to deal with mental trauma. While there was a crisis team to
help firefighters debrief after a rough call, firefighters subsequently were given only four counseling sessions through the city’s Employee Assistance Program.
“That was a huge red flag to our administration,” Chelsea says. “I used those sessions and then they said, ‘We don’t know what to do with you.’” Chelsea adds that some of her fellow firefighters responded by telling the department that Chelsea could use their allotment of counseling sessions.
She admits she didn’t fully heal for a few years. “It was a struggle,” she says. “I was just in survival mode.”
“Nobody wanted to shine a light into that corner of the fire service,” says Training Chief Bryan Francis. “The interesting thing about Chelsea is that she is very assertive. She was going to seek help and I applaud her for that. It took a lot of courage to do that. It’s very easy to turn to other things in life and kind of go off the rails.”
“There’s definitely been a culture shift within our organization,” says Chief Valdez “Chelsea has been a huge part of that. From the moment Chelsea came on, she showed a lot of grit and determination. She’s resilient. She’s never wavered from those characteristics.”
Over time, the city of Billings expanded the number of counseling sessions available to its employees. And in 2018, the Fire Department began a peer-topeer support team. Close to two dozen firefighters have now been trained to help their brothers and sisters in the department cope after a critical incident.
“Every recruit class now, we take time to go over mental health and Chelsea has taken the lead on that training,” Bryan says. “We didn’t used to do that. We kind of threw you into the mix and it was either sink or swim.”
It wasn’t until the firefighters’ union brought in an expert on sleep deprivation that things began to click for Chelsea personally. With the shift work firefighters perform, it’s hard to regulate a sleep cycle.
“They said, you are never going to fix your mental health issues or your nutrition or any of these problems until you fix your sleep,” she says. “Unless your body can repair itself, you can’t work on the rest of it. That was like a light bulb moment for me.”
It wasn’t just mental health that rattled
Chelsea. After about 10 years with the department, she started to notice that she was attending a lot of funerals.
“Some of the captains and battalion chiefs that were my leaders when I started were being diagnosed with cancer or passing away from different health issues,” Chelsea says. “When I started in the fire service, I didn’t realize the cancer risk to our profession.”
Today, she knows that the risk is real. “The statistic is that one in every three firefighters will end up with cancer. That’s due to the toxins that we are around all the time,” she says. It was a startling statistic given the strong family history of cancer in Chelsea’s family.
“Both of my parents were diagnosed with cancer. My dad was diagnosed when I was 10 and wasn’t expected to survive. He went through radiation and multiple remissions. He’s still alive today,” Chelsea says.
It turns out, the gear meant to safeguard firefighters was the cause.
“Our own turnouts that are meant to protect us to go in and save people — protect us from heat and shield water — contain chemicals that aren’t healthy for us,” Chelsea says. She explains the chemicals released from the protective coatings are toxic and can eventually be absorbed through a firefighter’s skin.
“That’s probably our number one risk –all these toxins – you are hot and sweaty now they are on your skin and when you cool off, your body takes all of that with it,” Chelsea says.
These days, firefighters wipe down their exposed skin with special wipes and will often rinse off after a fire to prevent those toxins from being absorbed. But that’s only one aspect of the threat.
“Fires tend to off-gas for hours,” Chief Valdez says, “even after the fire has been put out. It’s that off-gas that’s been killing us and we didn’t know that.”
Since Chelsea entered the training division, Valdez says, “she’s taken that job and rewritten the job description and set the bar high.” She’s developed an inventory system to oversee the department’s millions of dollars’ worth of equipment. He adds, “Because of that, we’ve seen a significant decrease in expenses.” When the department needs new gear, she makes sure it’s the best their budget can buy.
“Chelsea has been very aggressive on our personal protective equipment and how it is built and how it is made,” Valdez says. “She’s the type that really gets in there, rolls up her sleeves and wants to know.”
The safety aspect has been a hot-button topic in the firefighting world as of late. Just a little more than a year ago, research was starting to show that chemicals known as PFAS — Polyfluoroalkyl Substances — which not only coated gear but were active in firefighting foam, were to blame for a rising number of kidney, pancreatic and testicular cancer cases in firefighters.
“That was a turning point for me,” Chelsea says, adding that she’s devoted hours upon hours researching just the right gear and staying up to date on information surrounding the topic. In mid-March, she’s heading to the manufacturing plants for both Globe and TenCate Protective Fabrics to see firsthand how the department’s gear is made. Last
August, companies started to eliminate the use of PFAS when creating firefighting gear, but as Chelsea points out, research still needs to be done on the chemicals being used in their place.
“We’re happy to have her advocating for not just Billings Fire but all of the firefighters across the country,” Valdez says.
Toward the end of March, when the next fire academy begins, history will be made yet again. Of the class of 11 recruits, two are women.
“This is the first time in my history of working with the Billings Fire Department that we will have two women in the academy,” says Chelsea. Two women being taught, in part, by a woman.
“It’s quite exciting,” she adds. “It brings me back to the days when I first started.”
At the end of the day, however, there’s one job that trumps any work she does within her career.
“Being a mom is my number one. I don’t let a whole lot affect
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY HISTORY OF WORKING WITH THE BILLINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE WILL HAVE TWO WOMEN IN THE ACADEMY.
— Chelsea Thompson
that,” Chelsea says. Eleven-year-old Jillian Rose is her world. When asked if her daughter thinks she’s a hero, Chelsea smiles and says, “She does. She’s very proud. She likes to tell everyone that I was the first female firefighter in Billings and that she’s the daughter of the first female firefighter.”
When Chelsea got promoted, Jillian loved the fact that her mom got to upgrade from wearing a blue shirt to a white one. Through it all, Chelsea says she tries to make it clear to her daughter, “You can do whatever you want. Girls can do anything.”
If being a mom and a firefighter isn’t hard enough, for the past eight years Chelsea has done it all on her own, as a single mom. When she worked 24-hour shifts, close family friends took Jillian under their wings.
According to the networking group Women in Fire, ROUGHLY 6,200 WOMEN CURRENTLY WORK FULL-TIME AS FIREFIGHTERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
About 150 hold the title of chief as district chiefs, battalion chiefs, division chiefs, or assistant chiefs.
Upwards of 40,000 women across the nation serve with a volunteer fire epartment.
“They were a huge blessing handed to me by God,” Chelsea says. “It was a family I could trust and I could do my job because I knew she was OK.”
While Chelsea would love to be back on the fire engine taking calls, the job of assistant training chief was all about balance. There are no more 24-hour shifts. She works dayside and can be home every night with her daughter.
“The other thing I have now is the ability to make some change,” she says. “When I came off the line to work in this division, it was to work to make things run more efficiently.”
As she talks about the impact she’s able to make, she points to a whiteboard that sits just across the wall from her desk.
“You show up to make the change and work toward change in the department — making it better than it was yesterday,” she says. Emblazoned on the whiteboard are the words that Chelsea holds as her motto. It reads “Training today for safety and survival tomorrow.” Chelsea pauses and says, “That’s what we do.” ✻
written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
AT THE MARBLE TABLE, elegant comfort food is served nightly, and there to greet guests is restaurant co-owner Jen Marble, who invites them into what she lovingly calls her “home.”
“I want to help people in the least expected ways,” Jen says. “When they come into the restaurant, I never know what they have going on outside of here. When they come through the door, I say ‘hello’ and smile,” she adds. “We want them to feel that they belong here. It’s family here.”
Jen runs the popular establishment with her husband, Jason. He oversees the kitchen operations. She takes care of most everything else. Their eldest son, Michael, cooks alongside his father, while their daughters, Madeline and Briella, help the service staff. The youngest, Logan, buses tables.
In redesigning the space of their new restaurant at 2515 Montana Ave., Jen says, “I wanted to have a comfortable place here. I am here more than I am at home.” The gray walls at the restaurant are one shade different from the ones at their home.
Weathered wooden doors with windows inserted up top serve as dividers between tables. Family stepped in to help when her father-in-law, David, fashioned the Covid-friendly partitions for the restaurant’s opening on Black Friday in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Initially designed for social distancing, the partitions now offer privacy for diners.
Jen, who once owned Rustic Nest Designs, refreshes the dining space with seasonal touches on a monthly basis. In her former business, she created handmade custom decor and offered DIY classes as well. You’ll see her handiwork at the Marble Table as well. On this day, the words “believe” grace a wooden board hung just outside the kitchen. Next month, a different message of inspiration might be in this space.
Jen and Jason were sweethearts at Senior High. They were in pep and jazz band together, where Jason played the trumpet and Jen played the alto saxophone. “Jason was a prankster, a jokester,” Jen says. “I found him annoying, but he was always really funny and he made me laugh.”
Then one day, she says, “My mom forgot to pick me up at school. I was carrying the sax and it was really heavy. Jason walked up and said, ‘Hey, do you need a ride home?’” His metallic blue 1972 Chevy Stepside Truck proved to be the right calling card.
“I loved that truck ever since I first saw it,” Jen says. She remembers seeing it illegally parked in the teacher’s parking lot. Quickly, she became part of a trio, along with Jason’s best friend, Colin Peters. “Only three of us could fit in that truck,” she says.
Jason is a “third-generation nursery man,” part of the family that owns Billings Nursery. Jen recalls working at the nursery in the summers. Her fondest memories were the meals Jason would
prepare. “He cooked formal meals in high school. We would eat on the family’s antique table at the nursery.”
In 1999, the “trio” moved to Portland, Oregon, where Jason attended the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. The new-found freedoms created conflict, Jen says, and “we got engaged but broke it off. Instead of telling Jason what to do, I wanted him to figure things out for himself, so I moved back to my childhood home in Hibbing, Minnesota, and married someone else.” After giving birth to Briella and Logan, Jen’s marriage turned abusive. She was too embarrassed to tell anyone.
THERE’S A REASON FOR WHY THINGS HAPPEN. DOORS OPEN AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT DOORS TO GO THROUGH. IT’S NOT EASY TO DECIPHER. THIS IS WHY WE DON’T SAY ‘NO’ RIGHT AWAY.
— Jen MarbleMeanwhile, Jason had married, divorced, and had two children of his own. He was back in Billings, working at the nursery. Not knowing what else to do, Jen called Jason — the number at the nursery hadn’t changed. He answered the phone, recognizing the desperation in her voice and asked, “Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
Jen and Jason married in 2015. Finally, Jen found security. With introspection and healing, she’s gained strength from the difficulties she encountered, which started as she was growing up. “I had a dysfunctional upbringing.” Now she realizes, “His family is my family. I didn’t know what real family was until I met his family.”
Today, that feeling of family spills over to the Marble Table. The restaurant opened in what was previously Lilac restaurant. At the time, Jason was working as the head chef at Uberbrew and Jen was making a go of her Rustic Designs business. They asked his parents for financial help, but with the pandemic putting most other restaurant businesses at risk, his parents didn’t believe they were making a sound business decision. Yet Jen had experience in all kinds of careers — legal secretary, medical assistant, office manager, hostess — all suitable for restaurant management. And, just as important, both possessed entrepreneurial spirits.
While overnighting at a hotel in Minneapolis, waiting for an airline flight, Jason scribbled down some numbers on a piece
“I am not a negative person,” Jen says, “There’s a reason for why things happen. Doors open and you don’t know what doors to go through. It’s not easy to decipher. This is why we don’t say ‘no’ right away.”
Jen believes in her husband’s cooking skills and says, “It's an added bonus that Jason is a pastry chef.” She always saves room for the sweet endings. “I like them all. I can’t have chocolate, but I love his Apple Pie Cheesecake. It’s my favorite.”
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EVEN WITH THE BUSTLING MARBLE TABLE, THIS CULINARY POWER COUPLE IS STARTING A NEW ENTERPRISE JUST DOWN THE ROAD. THE SPACE THAT ONCE HOUSED CAFÉ ZYDECO WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE BEARDED BULLDOG PUB GRUB.
children, “She is an advocate for every child. Fiercely protective,” and he adds, “She is genuine and just a good person.”
Even with the bustling Marble Table, this culinary power couple is starting a new enterprise just down the road. The space that once housed Café Zydeco will be replaced with the Bearded Bulldog Pub Grub.
Jen describes the concept of the restaurant as a “speakeasy with upscale bar food. Nachos. Salads. Smashed burgers. There will be no sit down. The food will be to-go only.” With a mischievous look, she says, “I may have a password for the backdoor in the well-lit alley.”
The operation began out of the Marble Table originally. Guests at Carter’s Brewing, Thirsty Street, Undammed Distillery and the Rainbow Bar could order with a QR Code and the Marble Table would deliver the order right to the table when ready.
With two businesses serving diners along Montana Avenue, the Marbles are members of the Historic Montana Avenue Association, an advocacy organization devoted to restoring the vitality of this section of downtown Billings.
“This is the beginning. This is where the Magic City started,” Jen says. “The more we shed light on Montana Avenue and see the beauty of the storefronts and the wonderful people here, it will flourish.” To this end, the group plans on upgrading the lighting, reducing traffic, establishing diagonal parking and replacing unsafe sidewalks.
As the couple’s enterprise grows with the love of this historic neighborhood, Jen often reflects on the blessings it has brought. “This is the best job I have ever had,” she says, “Our customers mean the world to us.”
On a large communal dining table in the side annex of the restaurant, customers share their appreciation by signing the table top. Tara and Kat write, “Love spoken through food,” while Bob and Kathy wrote, “From craziness in high school to outrageous success in adulthood. Who knew! We are so happy for you!”
As many can testify, at the Marble Table, comfort and support come in many ways. ✻
RED LODGE WOMAN TAKES THE 1,200 MILE WALK ALONG THE CAMINO VIA FRANSCIGENA
written by LAURA BAILEY photography by LEA PAGE
SOMEWHERE IN THE HEARTLAND of Northern Italy, a farmer tilled a fallow field, and as he did, the wind picked up a plume of dust. Lea Page saw it coming as she walked the quiet country road, but just before she tucked her chin and tipped her head to brace for the dirty cloud, the farmer stopped his tractor. The dust settled. She passed. As she did, he waved.
“You can go for miles on a simple kindness,” Lea says, remembering the warm and sunny day last September.
She was midway through a 1,200-mile walk, the Walk to Camino Via Franscigena, a journey Lea started in Calais, France, that took her across France into the Swiss Alps and zig-zagging across Italy to Rome. The route wound through the Champagne vineyards of France, up and across the famous St. Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps, across the interior of Italy, to the Mediterranean Coast, and through the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Looking back at all the beauty she encountered, Lea measures the distance not by landmarks but by the small acts of kindness she experienced along the way.
Camino walks of various distances can be found all over Europe. They are medieval routes taken by early Christian pilgrims as they traveled from one church community to another. The most famous today, Camino de Santiago, starts in the French Pyrenees and traverses about 480 miles across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago. The most popular of the Camino walks, it sees thousands of pilgrims a year, and villages along the route cater to walkers. Lodging is easy to find, except in busier months, and restaurants promise some of the region’s best dining. The scenery is beautiful, and landmarks along the way are stunning. Also known as the French Way, it’s a social and cultural experience.
Lea did that walk in 2018, and it sparked an obsession. She wanted something longer this time, and less traveled. Camino Via Franscigena offered that and, as she discovered, much more.
“This was different. You’re almost entirely alone,” Lea says. “Half the people didn’t even know what I was doing, and I liked that.”
Unlike her first Camino walk, infrastructure on the Franscigena didn’t cater to pilgrims. The scenery was spectacular at times, but sometimes she crossed large, ordinary cities, walked along busy highways, and traversed long stretches of unremarkable farmland between small villages.
Though Lea was hardly ever noticed, her large backpack sometimes gave away her identity as a pilgrim. When they saw she was walking the Camino, locals shouted out a friendly “Buon Camino” or “Buon passegeiatia.” Motorists would often beep their horns and wave.
Lea found lodging as she went and at the end of each day she searched out grocery stores for provisions.
Those grocery stores, and the cold Coca-Cola she’d buy there, were a highlight of each day. Lea knows Spanish and did her best to learn Italian before her trip. Often, she would chat with people if they started a conversation.
“The interactions felt so meaningful,” Lea says.
A vegetarian, Lea lived mainly on bread, cheese and yogurt, cooking what little she could for dinner in her hotel or apartment.
“The whole country is like a mother asking, ‘Are you getting enough to eat?’ I learned to say, ‘I’m eating very well.’ If you did say you were a little hungry, they would mobilize and not let you leave without eating,” Lea says.
the journal changed how I experienced the walk,” Lea says. “I realized I spent the whole day looking for what I want to put on my page. It dialed up my noticing and my awareness.”
Her days became very sensory, and while many pilgrims have a desire to see the beautiful cathedrals and churches in every
city and small community, Lea found herself drawn to more pedestrian scenes, like the two old women chatting on a bench outside a grocery store. Or the motorist she watched being scolded by two women for stopping in the middle of a crosswalk.
“I could just sit outside a grocery store and watch people coming and going,” Lea says. “It was fascinating. Utterly fascinating.”
She dedicated only one journal page to each day and followed the advice of poet Charles Simic, who said, “Be brief and tell us everything.” She found the brevity was accessible, simple and poetic.
“I wanted to make my journal pretty too, but I can’t draw, and I can’t paint,” she says.
Lea settled on a favorite pen, a small ruler and yellow marker. Every night when she sat down to write in her journal, creating
IN NORTHERN ITALY, LEA TOOK A SHUTTLE ACROSS THE PO RIVER, AS IS THE CUSTOM FOR CAMINO PILGRIMS. AFTER CROSSING, THE DRIVER OF THE BOAT INSISTED THAT SHE SIGN HIS BOOK, WHICH INCLUDED THE NAMES OF EVERY PILGRIM HE’D HELPED ACROSS THE RIVER. HE’D BEEN KEEPING RECORD FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
and coloring the header centered her thoughts on the experiences of the day. It became a conscious transition to rest.
“I’m not very good at resting, which is why l like a long walk,” she says. “The thing I like about a long walk is that I’m actually not thinking because everything is in the now. I can spend the entire day absorbing everything around me without having to think.”
Lea, a writer who lives in Red Lodge, had just finished a manuscript, a memoir, and looked to the walk as a way to clear her head. At home, she usually walks about four miles a day. On the Camino Via Franscigena she walked for about eight hours a day, usually covering about 20 miles.
“I’m not good at sitting still, so walking is meditation to me,” she says. “Walking was not the hard part. The hardest part was being gone. I’m a homebody.”
Lea called her husband Ray every night before bed. He would be just waking up in Montana. Ray joined Lea for the last 10 days of her journey. Although Rome was Lea’s final destination, they stopped just short in the town of Acquapendente. Having been to Rome before, Lea and Ray were not excited about trekking through the huge city on foot to the Vatican as most pilgrims do.
“There were moments every single day that I would never give up,” she says. “It wasn’t about the scenery. The scenery was spectacular, but to me that didn’t have any more impact on me than sitting at the grocery store and watching the old ladies.”
Not a day goes by that Lea doesn’t remember at least some small snippet of her journey.
“How do you take that feeling of wonder and joy and gratitude and bring that back?”
Lea says.
“You stop seeing because you think you’ve seen it. That’s what I want to carry over, the seeing.” ✻
IT’S NOT REALLY THEIR SECRET It’s more like their “sacred time.” They are members of a small-but-committed group of Billings women who doggedly guard a two-hour time slot every Monday evening.
“We do whatever we can not to have to do something else,” says Leigh Schanfein, smiling. “If you have kids, you make sure someone’s lined up for them. And then you leap out the door.”
Carly Mann considers this her vital “me time,” two hours when she can turn off life’s other distractions.
“We kind of have this mutual sacredness to our Mondays,” she says.
Leigh and Carly are two members of Arc: A Montana Dance Collective. Formed in Billings in 2019, the collective is made up of teachers, business owners, doctors, dance instructors, real estate agents, mothers, physician assistants and attorneys. What brings them together is their passion for all things dance.
“We’re so different from each other but we can come together with this passion and unity,” says Carly. “There’s something so connective about dance.”
Carly has spent most of her life dancing, much of it in cities across her native California. In 2010, after graduating with a bachelor’s in dance, she moved to Billings to live with her husband and she began teaching and mentoring young dancers at local dance studios. Today, as an associate financial adviser by day and dance instructor/mentor by night, she finds special joy watching her 4-year-old daughter follow in her dance steps.
“It’s so much fun,” Carly says. “She seems to love it.”
Leigh’s path took many turns from her native New Mexico. She graduated from high school in Austria, earned degrees in animal physiology and neuroscience in California and a master’s in kinesiology in Indiana — all the while studying and performing
in multiple dance styles. Before moving to Billings in 2020, she spent more than a decade as a freelance dancer based in New York City.
Both women have been impressed by the quality of dancers they’ve met locally.
“I’ve found there are really capable, creative people here,” Leigh says. “People with ideas and drive to see things come to fruition.”
In addition to discovering talent here, Leigh is tapping into talent from around the country — choreographers Bethany Mitchell and Alexis Robbins, both friends from New York, and Alexis Gideon, a composer friend from Pittsburgh — for Arc’s upcoming performances.
“I feel including them in this creation for Arc is very fitting as I am bringing friends together with other friends to create this work,” Leigh says.
Arc: a Montana Dance Collective consists of a core group of nine women ranging in age from their mid-30s to mid-40s, though there is no set age limit. Through word of mouth, random emails or perhaps through a child enrolled in a dance class, these women have found one another. Some are Billings natives, while others herald from Salt Lake City, Seattle and even Mexico. Their dance backgrounds vary from ballet and jazz to contemporary and modern dance.
Though their experiences differ, they share the group’s mission: to ignite inquiry, inspire change and connect people through dance. The term “Arc” was chosen for what it implies: a prism or spectrum of light and expression, which encompasses the breadth of everything they do. And that “arc” includes bonds that go beyond dance.
“It’s kind of a sisterhood,” Carly says. “We get together for dinner or drinks. It’s like an extended family — we all really care.”
For Leigh, Arc offered a perfect way to connect and continue performing when she first moved to Billings. “It becomes a built-in friend group,” she says.
That camaraderie fuels the chemistry they present when they perform. “Everything you think you’re seeing, you’re seeing – the way we interact with each other,” Leigh says.
But how do busy young moms and professionals find the time? As Leigh points out, dance becomes an integral part of a dancer’s identity. “When you’re not dancing anymore, you’re taking away a huge part of yourself,” she says. Carly agrees. “When it’s something that you’re passionate about, you don’t have the capability of saying ‘no’,” she says.
And yet, dance is more than serious business – it’s fun, they insist.
“Hard work is fun,” Leigh says. “Moving is fun. Figuring out how to do something is fun.”
The group jokes around during practice, riffing off one another and laughing at their own mistakes.
“We have a lot of humility. We can laugh at ourselves,” Leigh says. “Through the process of creating and attempting, we mess up but we take it in stride. We just keep practicing.”
The dancers not only find reward from Monday night practices, but they thrive on sharing their art.
“I love to perform,” Carly says, “the whole process of working hard toward something and sharing it with other people.”
Likewise, they take heart in dispelling the misguided preconceptions that dance is too serious or that the audience “should” feel one way or another.
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CREATING AND ATTEMPTING, WE MESS UP BUT WE TAKE IT IN STRIDE. WE JUST KEEP PRACTICING.
Schanfein,
When they perform they crave feedback –both complimentary and critical.
“We aim to spark their (audience) curiosity,” Carly says. “There’ve been comments like ‘I’ve never connected so much with a visual piece’ or ‘It brought tears to my eyes’. Or the opposite.”
ARC:
DANCE
will offer shows for its spring recital at the Babcock Theater on April 21 and 22 with shows at 7:30 p.m. on both days.
Arc is currently gearing up for its annual spring recital at the Babcock Theater. Their spring performance marks the culmination of months of practice, after which they shift their focus to smaller events and fundraisers. They’ve partnered with the Billings Public Library – their last library performance demonstrated how a dance piece is created – and last year even danced in the local brew pub Thirsty Street.
As their name suggests, their pieces come together through group inspiration and collective efforts. Certain members of Arc — Leigh and Carly among them — flesh out their ideas through choreography. Costumes, too, are often born from a group
decision.
Above all, members of the collective hope to entice “non-dancers” to come watch them perform.
“We really want people to appreciate what we’re doing,” Carly says. “You want to be able to give people something. That is fulfilling.”
“We’re worth coming to see,” Leigh adds, smiling. “People shouldn’t be afraid to experience dance.” ✻
LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA, writerA long-time resident of the Columbus area, Linda Halstead-Acharya enjoys spending time and learning from her rural neighbors. She has a degree in wildlife biology but for the past 25 years has pursued a career sharing other people's stories in print. She loves riding, writing and traveling.
IV THERAPY PROVIDES AN INFUSION OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS FOR HEALTH & ENERGY
written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, Robin Mahler was suffering from low energy and it was having an impact on her usually busy, active life. She knew her body well enough to know something wasn’t right, so she turned to the physicians at Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic for help.
After a consultation and blood work, they recommended she try IV therapy, a fast-acting intravenous infusion of vitamins and minerals. The mix included high doses of Vitamin C, Vitamin B, calcium, and magnesium in a solution of sterile water. Mahler started out with two infusions in two weeks and felt better immediately. Since then, she’s come in for IV therapy whenever she starts to feel run down and fatigued.
“This has been a game changer for me,” she said. “I feel like I’m back to myself again.”
She spends about 45 minutes in the chair for each treatment, and because the vitamins and minerals are pushed into the bloodstream and bypass the liver filtration system and bowels, the vitamins and minerals go to work immediately.
“People can expect to feel better right away and the effects last for about a week. Some will feel it longer,” said Dr. Autumn Dugas, a physician at the Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic who oversees the IV therapy program.
Her patients come to her with a number of health concerns. Many are suffering from low energy, brain fog and chronic fatigue, and others look to IV therapy for immune support. It’s helpful for those suffering from Covid and long Covid, and it can be used as a preventative for people who plan to travel. For some people, a dose of magnesium has also proven to be an effective treatment for migraines.
“IV therapy can also be a part of treatment for any chronic illness as a way to support other treatments,” says Dr. Kaila Sellars, who is also a physician at Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic.
The IV that Mahler received is the Myer’s Cocktail, which was developed in the 1970s. Each one-liter bag is mixed on site for each patient, and depending on the patient’s needs, other minerals and vitamins can be added. For example, glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, is often added for patients who need healing support. There are several ways to take IV therapy. It’s offered in a “push,” which usually takes less than an hour, or a gravity drip, which can take up to three hours. IV therapy is safe for most people, except for those who have blood pressure issues.
At Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic, patients must have bloodwork done and have a consultation with a physician prior to IV therapy to be sure their symptoms can’t be attributed to something serious. They also discuss medications and supplements that may have an impact on their health as well.
“It’s medically driven and specific to each patient,” Sellars says.
Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic has been offering IV therapy for more than 20 years, but recently, Sellars and Dugas have seen in uptick in interest in IV therapy. Because the procedure is fast-acting and safe for most people, the procedure is growing in popularity nationwide. In the Billings area, it is offered at several medical spas, including Vitality Medical and Wellness Center.
Vitality Medical and Wellness Center opened two years ago and has provided IV therapy since it opened. Melissa Fuller, a nurse practitioner and medical director at Vitality, oversees IV therapy there. The center offers a variety of cocktails, with the immunity and wellness blend being the most popular. They also offer a blend for weight management, radiant skin and stress relief, as well as an infusion of prenatal vitamins for expectant mothers.
PEOPLE CAN EXPECT TO FEEL BETTER RIGHT AWAY AND THE EFFECTS LAST FOR ABOUT A WEEK. SOME WILL FEEL IT LONGER.
— Dr. Autumn Dugas
Athletes can come in for pre- and post-workout cocktails to help them with performance and recovery. Vitality also offers hangover remedies for a quick recovery after a night or weekend of overdoing it.
Because the cocktails are administered with 1,000 milliliters of water, they not only deliver the positive effects of vitamins and minerals, they offer instant hydration, which also provides great benefits.
“It’s better and faster than just drinking water,” Fuller says. Vitality’s clients are not the only ones who swear by IV therapy. Fuller also takes them.
“When I’m feeling the sniffles or feeling run down, I will get an IV and I never get sick,” Fuller says.
While most everyone can benefit from a boost of vitamins and minerals and the hydration an IV offers, Dugas and Sellars are on the lookout for what might be causing the symptoms that drive people to consider IV therapy. It may take a few IVs to get someone’s health back on track and an occasional IV to maintain good health, but a need for more frequent IV use is cause for concern.
For Mahler, the occasional IV therapy boost is all she needs to maintain a steady, adequate energy level. She’s glad to have the support of the physicians at Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic and has encouraged others to give IV therapy a try.
“Talk to your doctor first,” Mahler says. “There’s so many options that you need to be sure you are getting exactly what you need.” ✻
AS I PULLED INTO the car wash today, I noticed the attendant, not because he did a fancy dance while wielding the spray gun, not because he was dressed like a blow-up dinosaur, he wasn’t, nor was it because he even acknowledged me — the woman embarrassed to be in a car with a disproportionate amount of road grime on it. I noticed him because he looked like sadness if it had been packaged and branded. His mouth was downturned, his eyes never met mine and if he had ever smiled, it was not in the last year or 10. He broke my heart.
The best exercise I get is jumping to conclusions, and so I decided, before I’d really taken him in, that he probably immigrated to the U.S., that this was the only job he could get, that he mourned the people he left behind and the life of the high-powered executive he lived there. His sadness permeated me and if I wouldn’t have caused a scene, I would have gotten out and given him a hug — not a side one either, but a real, honest, 20-second or more, life-affirming hug. I think he needed it.
I would also have told him how much his work, the degriming of my humble white rig, meant to me. On the way there, I had been daydreaming about a full-time, do-all-thethings life assistant. I envisioned someone to run my car through the wash, pair the socks and keep our fridge stocked with well-prepped vegetables. This person would not only do what I don’t want to do but he or she would also do these things before I even knew I wanted them done. Now that is a daydream worth sinking into. While I don’t have that assistant (yet), I do have, as do you, countless people who show up, every single day, to serve me.
They are in the post office, the grocery store, the power plant, the offices, salons, schools, hospitals, and doggy day cares of our life. They are humble, faithful and, for the most part, dedicated to making whatever I am doing, better. They sit through customer service training, absorb ridiculous amounts of abuse, and make way less than they are worth, in every single category. They wash my windows, clean my carpets, sweep my streets and serve my food, almost always with a smile. And, if I’m being honest, with not nearly enough
family in ZooMontana’s 14thzoomontana.org Chase December Finals Montana. Memorial during
appreciation on my part. Thinking about this made me stop and reflect on how I show up for them.
I try to offer a genuine thank you. I try to look them in the eye and I try to make their day just a bit brighter, with appreciation or a nice tip. But I wondered what it’s really like to serve, especially in the restaurant world. I’ve seen it and I bet you have too — the restaurant customers who demand attention, offer nothing but complaints and leave a mess. I asked a few women what it’s like to be a server now and what I found is that the stories I love to tell of the server who said, “Oh honey, can’t you just cut that end off?” when I showed her the rotten end of my baked potato or the one who told me, “I gave you lots of chips because we’re trying to get rid of them, they’re stale,” are the exceptions to the rule.
to have breakfast in his favorite café. Often, as dad aged, it was the only meal he wanted to eat. Now, my dad was one of those men that’s just handsome enough to look interesting, just funny enough to be endearing and just kind enough to seem like he was worth kindness in return. Dad would give any person anything they asked for — from his coat to his last piece of toast. When we moved him to a nursing home, we thought it was for a few days, maybe even just hours. As we sat, crying, wringing our hands, dad’s favorite server showed up with his favorite breakfast.
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.com
He did it again the next day, and the next. And then, as dad broke all of the predictions, he was treated to this breakfast he didn’t pay for, again and again and again, for several years.
The servers I spoke with LOVE their jobs. They LOVE their repeat customers, feeling like they are family, and they couldn’t imagine doing life any other way. One server, Sara, told me that when her customer didn’t show up two days in a row, she called for a welfare check. The customer was sitting on the floor, unable to move because of a stroke. Another receives, every single year, the nicest, most thoughtful birthday gift, from the man who only tips a quarter for his daily coffee.
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
Who does that? Well, a server. This person who may not have dreamed that someday they would fill the role they are in, but by damn is going to do it in a way that makes them matter to the world. They are going to laugh at bad jokes they’ve heard dozens of times, slap straying hands and fill out paperwork when we don’t know how. They are going to watch over us because they have servants’ hearts and they know, at least I hope they know, that our world would be smaller, less fun, without them in it, doing what they do.
Joy told me that she prays for a handicapped child, who was berated by his dad, over and over and over, during a nice dinner out. She can’t get the little boy out of her head, even years later. Joy is also the server who told me that when she worked in a restaurant frequented by exhausted road warriors, her one goal was to make them smile. She did it not by flashing an empty grin or pulling a quarter from behind their ear. She did it by asking them about their hometown or if they were headed fishing. She did it by showing that she saw them, that they mattered. She always got the smile.
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.
If I were truly a kind person, the kind of kind person I should be, I’d go back to the car wash tomorrow, learn my sad friend’s name and shower him with praise, making sure his boss knew my car was cleaner than I thought it would be and my load was lighter because of his diligence with the spray wand. While I probably won’t do that and I don’t have a life assistant to do it either, I am going to be like Joy and pray for him tonight and tomorrow night too. While I’m at it, I will add Jimmy, and Ja, Ryan, Britney, and Tara, and Lynn, and Sarah, and, and, and so many others who make my life better because of their work. It’s the very least that I can do. ✻
Isn’t that beautiful? Being a server isn’t just about the clean car or the warm meal. It’s about human connection. It’s about this journey that we take together, from the delivery room to morgue and every stop in between that is filled, absolutely filled, with those who act with kind hearts and big smiles to make sure we, as they often say, “have a nice day.”
This was especially true when my dad was in a nursing home. My dad, for years, had gotten up at 5:30 a.m. and walked about a mile
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 children’s music. billingssymphony.com
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.
By Karen Grosz
THE SERVERS I SPOKE WITH LOVE THEIR JOBS. THEY LOVE THEIR REPEAT CUSTOMERS, FEELING LIKE THEY ARE FAMILY, AND THEY COULDN’T IMAGINE DOING LIFE ANY OTHER WAY.
— Karen Grosz
WE’VE BEEN BEGGING for more comfort in our fashion lately. Denim doesn’t normally answer the call. But 2023 demanded it and jeans have become wider, looser and simply more movable and comfortable. Over the last few years, we’ve been swapping our jeans for more comfy wear. For denim to rise again, it was clear it needed to meet the need for an easy-going silhouette. We aren’t saying that because certain influencers declared skinny jeans dead that you trash them. We are saying, however, that at one point they also said mom jeans weren’t all the rage and here we are rocking them again! ✻
Our cowgirl friends might have had it right all along. The wider hem of jeans like this have always allowed us to sport our cowboy boots. This casual denim is also perfectly paired with the trending sneaker and graphic tee look or with tight-fitting tanks and a cropped interesting jacket like this camo creation. Wider denim with a high waist button fly flatters, accentuating the waist. If you aren’t into the distressed denim, you can still pull off this look with crisp, clean flare jeans.
Army jacket, $199; white tank top, $20; KanCan jeans ’90s flare, $64; Myra cowhide snug bootie, $125. All can be found at Giddy Up.
HAIR BY BROOKE BECKER MAKEUP BY MIRANDA WELBORN
Levi’s have made their way back into the hearts of every jean-wearing lady and should be back in everyone’s wardrobe rotation just like our “Mom Jeans” from the ’80s and ’90s. This classic jean pairs easily with a sweet sweater, but when transitioning from winter to spring, think breezy blouses or a tank top with a light jacket and slides.
Lucy Paris sweater, $80; Levi’s ribcage straight ankle jean, $98; Shu Shop braided strap heel, $70. All can be found at Something Chic
Soft, stretchy and high-waisted jeans like this have a timeless look and give a simple nod to the sailor shape and form. Paired with a bomber jacket, this look is giving off ’70s vibes that are perfectly on-trend right now. The shape of this jean falls over the thighs easily and allows you to ditch the boots and wear sandals and heels as springs approaches. The cut looks structured but feels buttery and classic. It’s versatile. Whether you are a T-shirt and sneaker gal or prefer a bodysuit and leather jacket, these jeans will make it work.
Central Park West spencer jacket, $238; Heartloom Litchi cami, $79; Mother the Rambler jeans, $248; Marc Fisher Dalida heeled sandal, $99; Sahira necklace, $59. All can be found at RocHouse
The most form-fitting shape in this wider-legged family of jeans, these flares skim your shape perfectly and are the easiest transition from the skinny jeans we’ve been rocking for years. If you’re hesitant to jump in the deep end, start here. You can’t go wrong. These jeans are light in color but fun to pair with layers for spring. It’s a shape that will always help you look put together and it’s probably the most timeless.
Joe’s the Callie jeans, $228; All Row cardigan, $109; Thread & Supply thermal, $46; necklace, $46; Luca Grossi slide, $95. All can be found at Cricket Clothing Co
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.
WINTER TRIES TO MERGE into spring during this time of the year, but usually can’t get there. With the lingering remnants of winter, I crave rustic food that brings comfort. Yet, I want freshness in anticipation of spring, with herbs mixed into the dish or sprinkled on top. Juices from lemons or oranges also bring pop to a recipe. ✻
The Kale Nut Pesto is also delicious spread on bread or tossed with cooked noodles. For a dip or spread, it would be a great accompaniment to the Roasted Turnip Hummus found in this set of In Season recipes. Instead of discarding the parsley and kale, the greens can be placed under the fish when served. Just season with some salt and pepper or a dash of soy sauce.
Boiling water
1 bunch Italian parsley
2 kale leaves, stems removed, torn into large pieces
2 pounds mild fish filets such as cod, halibut, sole, grouper or salmon, cut into 4 equal portions
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of a baking dish that will hold the fish filets in an even layer with parsley sprigs and kale. Pat fish dry and season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Lay fish on top of greens. Add boiling water to just cover the bottom of the dish. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake until fish is opaque, about 10 minutes for thin filets and 20 minutes for thick filets.
While the fish is baking, prepare the Kale Nut Salsa.
Transfer fish to plates, discarding parsley, kale and water. Spoon some salsa over the fish and enjoy immediately.
The pesto can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or frozen
2 kale leaves, stems removed, coarsely chopped
½ bunch parsley
½ bunch cilantro
1 c. mixed salted and roasted nuts, preferably cashews and pistachios
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 t. rice vinegar
Juice of ½ lemon
1 t. honey
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS: In a food processer, add kale, parsley, cilantro, nuts, oil, vinegar and honey. Pulse until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I always love having some cooked potatoes in my refrigerator. They can be quickly cut up for a potato salad, used as the base of a frittata or smashed into rugged mashed potatoes with the addition of some butter and milk. Aside from the fresh herbs, top with spinach leaves or arugula and you will have a delicious main dish for dinner. For this recipe, a leftover baked potato can be used as a substitute for the steamed potatoes.
1 14-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pound baby potatoes
8 ounces ricotta
4 ounces firm goat cheese
1 t. smoked paprika
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 T. chopped fresh chives
1 t. fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Place pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a knife, lightly score border ½-inch away from the edge. With a fork, prick pastry every few inches inside the border. Bake pastry until puffy and light golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Fit a large pot with a steamer basket. Add enough water to just below the basket. Bring water to a boil. Add potatoes and steam until the potatoes can pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Remove potatoes from the steamer and allow to cool. Slice potatoes crosswise, about ¼ inch thick.
While the potatoes are cooking, in a bowl, blend together ricotta, goat cheese, paprika and 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread the cheese mixture evenly on the puff pastry to the border. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer. Brush with melted butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chives and thyme. Serve immediately.
This recipe allows me to use up any leftover turnips I may have in my fridge. Browning the turnips caramelizes them and provides a slight smoky and sweet flavor. I like my hummus chunky as it gives the dip a little bit more rusticity and a more homemade feel. Keep hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
2 to 3 c. turnips, diced
1 T. olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 15½ ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
¼ c. tahini
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Juice from ½ lemon or to taste
½ t. ground cumin
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss turnips with oil, salt and pepper. Spread evenly onto sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
In a food processor, blend turnips with the chickpeas, tahini, oil, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Blend until smooth, adding water if needed.
Serve with fresh vegetables or pita chips or spread on toasted bread, top with slices of pear and drizzle with honey.
Orange Polenta Cake is one of my favorite cakes. There’s texture in this cake and I adore the flavors of orange and lemon. Serve this cake with drizzles of chocolate sauce and chocolate ice cream and I am in heaven. Slices of this cake can be easily frozen and warmed in the microwave for a quick rustic citrus snack.
¾ c. cornmeal
2 c. almond flour
6 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
½ t. salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon zest of ½ orange
3 large eggs
2 T. Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur
½ t. pure almond extract
1¼ c. powdered sugar
4 T. orange juice
1 T. Grand Marnier or orange liqueur powdered sugar, for dusting
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a rectangle to fit in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, almond flour, flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking into the mixture. Mix in the orange and lemon zests, liqueur and almond extract.
Add dry ingredients into the butter mixture and stir until just combined.
Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool on a rack for about 30 minutes. Remove from pan and place on dish.
To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with orange juice and liqueur in a mixing bowl until the glaze is thick but still pourable. (Add more sugar if the glaze is too runny or more juice if it is too thick.) Pour glaze over the cake, letting the glaze drip down the side of the cake.
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.
STELLA FONG, writer
PAN and grab your favorite cheese. April 12 has been anointed as “Grilled Cheese Day,” and I happen to think this classic comfort food deserves the designation.
Two food inventions probably elevated this sandwich to classic status: the bread slicer in the 1920s and Kraft Food’s individually wrapped slices of processed cheese that hit store shelves in 1965. The term “grilled cheese” showed up in print for the first time in the ’60s, replacing “toasted cheese” or a “melted cheese” sandwich.
My childhood grilled cheese sandwich was simply some sliced Velveeta on Wonder Bread. I was an adult before I was grilling something other than white bread and the cheese of choice was not individually wrapped.
These days, I don’t make the same sandwich twice, changing up the bread along with what I put inside the pieces of bread. I might add whole grain mustard and I always experiment with the cheese. Right now, my fave is Golden Onion Jack by Boar’s Head. I might throw in some slices of bread and butter pickles. And instead of buttering the outside of the bread, now I spread mayo.
Think of grilled cheese month as a time to pay homage to this classic comfort food. At a cooking class at the Yellowstone Art Museum’s Raven Cafe d’Art, I sampled Angela Lyle’s Southern Pimento Cheese Sandwich — it was very tasty. And if you like Muenster cheese, then I strongly suggest the Melty Muenster offered up by Ashley Lauckner at Evergreen Cafe. (I tried to get her to part with the recipe for their Tomato Basil Soup, a perfect companion to the melty Muenster, but she wouldn’t budge. You will just have to stop by and take some home.)
Here's to your grilled cheese month. I raise my melty cheese and bread in your honor.
Enjoy!
KAY ERICKSON, writer
Kay has spent her professional career in public relations and broadcast news, currently at Yellowstone Public Radio. Her journalism degree is from Northern Illinois University. Her passions include her family, sports and food. Her mom and an aunt taught her the finer points of cooking and instilled a love of good food and family mealtime.
2 slices of white country loaf bread
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese slices
Pepperoni slices or thin slices of ham
¼ c. grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Garlic butter
DIRECTIONS: Butter one side of each slice of bread with garlic butter. Layer Mozzarella cheese slices one slice of bread (with buttered side down). Spread with a thin layer of pizza sauce. Top with slices of pepperoni or thin slice of ham. Sprinkle the grated or shredded Parmesan cheese. Top with remaining slice of bread, butter side up.
Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet to medium-low. Place the sandwich on the griddle and cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich and cook until the bottom is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Recipe from Ashley Lauckner, Evergreen Cafe
Sliced baguette or sourdough bread
Olive oil
Muenster cheese, sliced thin, around 2mm (around 1/8 inch)
DIRECTIONS: Drizzle the olive oil on 1 side of each bread slice. Layer slices of the Muenster cheese (how many slices is personal choice). Top with the other slice of bread.
Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet to medium-low. Place the sandwich on the griddle and cook until bottom is golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
NOTE: Ashley suggests ways to add some crunch of extra flavor or heat to the sandwich. Try adding caramelized onion, crispy bacon, pepper jelly, thin apple slices or carrot ribbons.
Melty
OR YELLOW)
Recipe from Angela Lyle, Raven Café d’Art
Pimento Cheese
1 lb. extra sharp cheddar cheese or a mixture of mild cheddar and sharp cheddar cheeses
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-4 oz. jar diced pimentos, drained
2 T. good quality mayonnaise
2 T. Miracle Whip (or can use all mayo)
½ t. Worcestershire sauce
¼ t. salt
½ t. black pepper
2 slices of country white bread
Butter
Sliced ripe tomato
DIRECTIONS: To make the pimento cheese, shred cheeses in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients except pimento. Blend until combined and a thick, spreadable consistency. Fold in pimentos. For chunkier recipe, combine ingredients with shredded cheeses in a bowl and mix by hand.
Butter one side of each bread slice. Spread one side with the pimento cheese (as thickly as desired) and top with sliced tomato. Top with the other slide of bread.
Preheat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-low. Place the sandwich butter side down and cook until bottom is golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, cut in half diagonally and serve immediately.
TRY THESE OPTIONS TO CHANGE UP YOUR GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH:
written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by NATHAN SATRAN over7
, Kendra and Josh Allen make a great pair. Owners of J & K Signature Properties, this husband-and-wife team combine their talents and skills to turn outdated dwellings into modern marvels. They know from personal experience what it takes to deliver the joy of home ownership.
“Josh and I have been married seven years,” Kendra says. “The first home we bought together was our very first ‘small’ remodel project. We lived in that and it is now a rental. We've done three big remodel projects together since then.”
As with their starter home, Kendra and Josh lived in each of the renovations. Their newly completed five-bedroom, three-bath beauty, however, tells a different story.
“The Rimrock house is the first one we haven’t lived in,” says Kendra. “It’s the first house we’ve put on the market right away.”
Nestled on just over a half-acre lot on the corner of Rimrock Road and Brayton Street, the nearly 3,700-squarefoot, two-level rancher delivers a sweet package. Its solid structure features original red brick exterior with new black-trim windows, giving the property a contemporary, stately look.
“Homes clad in brick are one of the most challenging to replace windows in,” notes Aaron Reay of 406 Window Co., “however, Alex (Shin) created an awesome game plan for the trim and flashing details. Alex provided some glazing wizardry by specifying a glass that has insane sound protection,” says Aaron. “Luke Gerhardt and our installation team executed and built off this plan. The result speaks for itself.”
The large windows afford amazing views to the tree-lined road in front. Toward the back of the home, an inspiring view of the Rimrocks rises from across the sprawling backyard. In plain sight, Zimmerman Trail winds its way up the Rims. Both views allow natural light to bathe the space.
The color scheme Kendra chose adds even more warmth. As the designer for all the couple’s projects, she chose an earthy color called Ivory Lace for the walls and Bungalow Beige for the trim.
“I love the trim with its clean lines,” she says. The trim and baseboard work, along with interior doors, was completed by Benchmark Window & Door.
The timeless look achieved in this total revamp liberates the once dark boxy house with skinny doorways, rewarding it with
BOTH OF THESE WARM TONES HELP BRING AN OVERALL COZY FEELING TO THE SPACE. THE WOOD HELPS THE SPACE FEEL MORE TIMELESS WHILE THE SLAB DOOR STYLE ADDS A TOUCH OF MODERN.
— Ragan Yetley
sophistication. “It takes a lot of back work to make an already-built home flow,” says Kendra. “We took this house down to the studs.”
The demolition required Josh and his team to remove old lath and plaster, an exercise in patience. “Especially with the wire mesh attached to it around the windows,” Kendra says.
Walls were torn down, new electrical work put in, and new plumbing by Christoferson Plumbing was installed.
The result of the open concept layout reveals a stunningly detailed classic home with modern flair. An impressive rock fireplace reaching from floor to ceiling lends a dynamic element to the expansive area. The wrap-around wood-burning fireplace with hearth caters to the living room, as well as the dining area.
The backside of this multi-purposed fireplace supplies romantic ambiance to the outdoor covered patio while extending its earthy vibe and warmth to the modified lower level. Kendra opted to paint the two indoor fireplaces a rich black. This bold shade adds both character and depth. “Josh is a painter,” says Kendra. “He owns Signature Painters, so we had it made!”
The J & K team, with a myriad of artisan work from local businesses, breathed new life into the “Rimrock” house. Kendra worked closely with designer Ragan Yetley of Beyond the Box Design Center. The collaboration revived the closed-off and severely outdated kitchen.
“Kendra and I went with a two-tone kitchen,” says Ragan. The base cabinets are painted “greige,” a combination of grey and beige. They juxtapose seamlessly with tall light-wood upper cabinets.
“Both of these warm tones help bring an overall cozy feeling to the space,” Ragan adds. “The wood helps the space feel more timeless while the slab door style adds a touch of modern.”
“It’s really a fun design,” Kendra says. “Beyond the Box draws out everything. This is very helpful. Even though the kitchen had been walled off previously, we moved it around to function better.”
A generous built-in pantry surrounding a black stainless fridge displays the same warm wood cabinetry as the upper cabinets. Located at the far end of the space it sets this hub of the home on a grand scale.
Durable water-resistant laminate flooring
from the Floor Trader flows throughout most of the main level. The beige and brown shades of this wood plank-look flooring is “Woodside” by Inhaus. It coalesces flawlessly with the kitchen cabinetry.
The neutral creaminess of quartz countertops, the white tile backsplash and the non-traditional stove hood give this room its finishing touches. “It’s a very airy, bright and clean feeling,” says Kendra.
“The clay-color backsplash adds to the warm color palette, and covering the wall with the tile gives a focal point and ‘wow’ feature for the space,” adds Ragan.
The luscious tile combined with the kitchen’s clean lines charge the atmosphere with personality. “The hood ties it together,” says Kendra. “I wanted the wall to be one piece so the hood is framed in like a box. It’s simple. And, the tiles make it pop.”
This chic simplicity carries through to the master suite situated down the hall. During the high impact transformation, a small bedroom and a tiny pink bathroom were consumed by the new suite.
The large room stays loyal to the rest of the home’s color scheme with walls and trim dressed in ivory and beige.
Like the guest bedroom across the hall, along with the three lower level bedrooms, this sizeable suite is luxuriously carpeted.
The spa-like ensuite offers a feast for the eyes with dual-color tile flooring. “These wood plank tiles are angled to lead you into the space and immediately bring your eye to the beautiful freestanding tub,” Ragan says. “Just like in the kitchen, the wood brings timelessness and helps tie all the warm tones together.”
A floating bath vanity dazzles in a muted green hue presenting a “pop of color,” says Kendra. Grandiose gilded-frame mirrors above the vanity’s sinks enhance the elegance.
A distinctive walk-in shower featuring slider-style glass door and “cocoa” color tile completes this well-designed bath. “The two different patterns on the shower walls help bring interest to the shower while not being overwhelming,” comments Ragan.
The entirety of this “flip” home imparts design done well. The amenities including a super large driveway, double garage and a private covered breezeway. The back patio area complements the grounds.
“When Josh and I first looked at it,” says Kendra, “I loved the squarefootage, the location, size of lot and the big kitchen.”
It takes a great pair of house flippers to take on an immense project like this. The couple used their talents and skills. Teamwork enabled them to rejuvenate an outdated home turning it into a modern marvel.
“We do well together,” says Kendra. “We make a pretty good team.” ✻
MAKE THEM THE FOCAL POINT ON ANY WALL IN YOUR HOME
IN MY FILIPINO CULTURE, a bilao is a round, woven, sieve-like basket made of bamboo. It’s used to winnow rice, helping to remove rice from the chaff, small pebbles or even rice hulls. As a child, my fondest memory of winnowing rice was watching the chickens gather below, hoping to feed on the leftovers. I was never very good at winnowing and that's probably why the chickens liked me —there was always more rice on the ground than impurities.
While this multipurpose tool can be used to serve fruit, harvest fresh vegetables or even as a base for a unique charcuterie display, lately these bamboo baskets have found their way into home décor. Designers have been using them along with bamboo plates and chargers as a way to spruce up our walls.
Where can you find these unique pieces? I bought my first bilao from Isabela Asian Market on 24th Street West. My entire collection came from living for a bit in Japan, from boutiques, World Market, online shops or the occasional flea market. Some were gifts, and I learned that when summer arrives, garage sales are a perfect place to hunt for these pieces.
I love bamboo baskets with intricate patterns. You may find colorblocked designs appealing, but I prefer the natural earth tones. I suggest picking out an assortment of sizes, textures and styles to your taste. Some even have metal integrated into the weaving and shapes. Personally, I love the rounds ones. You can go from small groupings to a large gallery display of these items.
Once you find your inspiration, the easiest way to start is to lay your baskets on the floor to get a vision for your layout. Begin with your largest basket. This will lay the foundation for placing the other sizes and shapes around it. Once you have arranged your
• A variety of baskets in different shapes and sizes
• Small finishing nails
• Command Strips
• Measuring Tape
display in a way you like, simply transfer it to your wall. Feel free to measure the height and width on the floor so you can properly arrange the baskets on the wall. Tack them into place by using a small finishing nail in several places or placing a damage-free adhesive strip on the back of the basket.
After placing all your items on the wall, feel free to add to the display later. There are no rules on how to achieve your own style. You can even add faux greenery like I did for an extra pop of color and interest.
The project is relatively effortless to accomplish. This gallery can easily spice up an empty wall in your living room, office, bedroom, or even your kitchen. You will be amazed how much these baskets bring life to a bare wall. You can also consider other collections to add to the wall like charcuterie boards or decorative plates. No two wall displays are alike meaning the options for creativity are endless. ✻
LOVELY HITCHCOCK, writer/photographerLovely Hitchcock might have been born Asian but she is American at heart. Her purchase of an XT Canon camera in Japan in 2006 helped her launch her selftaught career as a photographer. When she's not out taking photos of food, seniors, kids or families, she loves spending time with her own family.
When we were making the decision to relocate to Montana, Team Hanel was with us the entire way . We could not have asked for better during our cross-country move. They helped walk us through step by step , explained everything in detail , and worked to find the right home for us
Not only was Team Hanel helpful during the searching and buying process, but have warmly welcomed us into the Billings community and even helped with local recommendations post-move. We are truly grateful to have had such a pleasant and professional experience.
— Finchum Family
• OVER100YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE •
