Yellowstone Valley Woman Magazine

COMPLIMENTARY

BILLINGS’ MOST READ MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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On the

T HE WO M E N B E HIN D T H E FI G H T AGA I N ST D RU GS I N B I L L I N GS

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Community Corner

Thankful Giving Coat and Food Drive was a huge success!

Marissa Amen 406.855.7727

Victoria Brauer-Konitz 406.855.2856

Erika Burke 406.544.8033

Stella Ossello Burke 406.690.9955

Cheryl Burows 406.698.7423

Maya Burton 406.591.0106

Tony Contreraz 406.671.2282

Suzie Countway 406.671.1595

Nancy Curtiss 406.696.2434

Mary Dobrowsky 406.606.0233

Anita Dolan 406.869.7639

Cindy Dunham 406.425.0182

Lance Egan 406.698.0008

Myles Egan 406.855.0008

Karen Frank 406.698.0152

Catie Gragert 406.697.4321

Kim Gottwals 406.696.3675

Rhonda Grimm 406.661.7186

Toni Hale 406.690.3181

Scott Hight 406.425.1101

Sarah Kindsfather 406.690.7469

Amy Kraenzel 406.591.2370

Sheila Larsen 406.672.1130

Susan B. Lovely 406.698.1601

Julie Magnus 406.672.1164

Career Enhancement Manager

Liz Miller

Don Moseley 406.860.2618

James Movius 406.670.4711

Ginger Nelson 406.697.4667

Linda Nygard 406.855.1192

Kelsey Palmer 406.396.8785

Lynsey O’Brien Peek 406.861.8851

Jeanne Peterson 406.661.3941

Jon Pierce 406.855.0368

Brandon Treese 406.647.5007

Jeff Watson 406.672.2515

Mark Winslow 406.671.7305

406.860.1032

Judy Shelhamer 406.850.3623

Carlene Taubert 406.698.2205

Brett Taylor 406.671.0519

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Tom Hanel 406.690.4448

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Contact an agent for a Home Market Analysis.

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Dan Smith

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Letter

FROM THE

NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES. Sometimes

they wear a badge or a sharp black suit or a pair of to-diefor stilettos. I met four of them recently while looking into the drug crisis hitting our town. My heart is full of gratitude for the work these women do and the way they do it.

Over the past few years, I’d heard rumblings that the spike in crime that Billings had been witnessing was due to a rise in drug use. It’s not a stretch to draw that conclusion. I’d been hearing for years that Billings was starting to become a target of the Mexican cartels’ drug trade. I didn’t believe it.

It sounded too far-fetched. I believe it now.

As I was researching this story, two friends within a span of 48 hours lost nephews to drug overdoses. While our crew was photographing the women for our cover, one of them could be heard talking to another about an overdose the night before. Someone had smoked marijuana that unknowingly was laced with opioids, most likely fentanyl. That’s just a snapshot of what this community is witnessing.

Sitting down with Stacy Zinn, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Montana, was incredibly eye-opening. Not only did I find it reassuring to know that a woman of her rank and experience would chat with me for hours about the issue, but I was in awe of how much she has her finger on the pulse of the problem.

I was heartbroken to hear Kim Edinger’s story about what she endured after her 20-year-old son was killed by overdosing on carfentanyl, a synthetic and deadly opioid. Instead of drowning in grief, she openly shares her story and advocates for other parents and family members who have walked in her shoes.

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Editor Kristen Lundgren is the definition of a problem solver.

No issue is too big. She’s not afraid. She realizes that the drug issue in Billings is far too important to get caught up in the “what ifs” — “What if it fails?” “What if no one listens?” “What if we can’t find funding?” She simply puts her head down, calls on those in the community with a grasp on the problem and starts finding solutions. The network she’s created is on the road to positive change.

And then, there’s Lenette Kosovich, a rock star in the world of addiction recovery.

As with Stacy, I was floored by her candor. She held nothing back. I’m used to talking to CEOs who tell you what they want you to hear. They mold the narrative to deliver what sounds bright and shiny.

This is not Lenette. She knows the stakes are too high. She spoke about what she sees on a daily basis at Rimrock Foundation and even shared the heartbreaking story of a family member who, after years of sobriety, suffered an overdose death. When she talks about helping others face addition and turning the tide here in Billings, she says, “It’s a personal mission.”

These women might not don capes, but they most certainly are heroes. My hope is that you read each of their stories and feel blessed that Billings has them — and their advocacy, commitment and drive — on the front lines of the fight.

Julie

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 On The Cover

36 HUNTING DOWN A THREAT

Head DEA Agent in Montana is on a mission to turn the tide

of drug trafficking

42 "I WANT TO STOP THE STIGMA AND SHAME"

With overdose deaths on the rise, one Billings mom hopes to

help others heal

46 AT THE HELM OF THE HOUSE OF HOPE

Rimrock Foundation’s CEO is waging a war on addiction

through innovation

52 PROBLEM SOLVING POWERHOUSE

Kristin Lundgren leads the community charge to reduce drug-related crime and addiction

Features

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12 SHE'S GOT THE SPARK

Meet Welder Woman Reese Newman

16 SHE'S GOT THE POWER

Engineer Erin Robbins helps bring power to neighborhoods and businesses citywide

20 'SOMEONE'S GOTTA DO IT'

Laurel woman’s business takes care of the ‘dirty work’

24 DISEASE DETECTIVE

MyLinda Lovell is at the helm of a sea of scientific testing

28 VAL JEFFRIES

Fueling Change in the World

58 IS WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS IN YOUR GENES?

6 6

Two Naturopathic Doctors take a different approach to help others shed pounds

62 IT'S HER PASSION

Brenda Roche sparks all kinds of wellness journeys

66 WOMEN EMPOWERED

The class delivers more than self-defense tactics and a pink belt, it develops confidence

70 FROM MESSED TO BLESSED

Billings Organizational Guru finds herself in the national spotlight

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Tips for empowering women to take charge of their finances

88 RESTORING HERITAGE FOR THE FUTURE: Greycliff Mill

94 THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB

What you need to cook up new flavors n the New Year

YVW Home

6 9 8

82 LET'S TALK ABOUT MONEY

106 A FRESH NEW FACE

After 37 years, a remodel breathes new life into this multigenerational home

IN EVERY ISSUE 76 FASHION: Sweater weather 86 KAREN GROSZ: Leaning into change in 2022 96 TASTE OF THE VALLEY: Stews and brews 102 LOOK WHAT WE FOUND: Jazz up your walls

MEET the STAFF PUBLISHER & EDITOR JULIE KOERBER julie@yellowstonevalleywoman.com COPY EDITOR ED KEMMICK SPECIAL SECTION EDITOR LAURA BAILEY

ED KEMMICK

LAURA BAILEY

TERRY PERKINS

TRISH SCOZZARI

LYNN LANGELIERS

MICHELE KONZEN

Special Section Editor Social Media / Writer

Copy Editor / Writer

Sales Executive

ADVERTISING TERRY PERKINS: 406-860-3951 terry@yellowstonevalleywoman.com TRISH SCOZZARI: 406-690-9528 trish@yellowstonevalleywoman.com LYNN LANGELIERS: 406-671-2325 lynn@yellowstonevalleywoman.com MICHELE KONZEN: 406-690-4539 michele@yellowstonevalleywoman.com

Sales Executive / Writer

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C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R MELANIE FABRIZIUS ads@yellowstonevalleywoman.com DISTRIBUTION NICOLE BURTELL CONTACT Yellowstone Valley Woman PO Box 23204 Billings, MT 59104 Phone: 406-254-1394 www.yellowstonevalleywoman.com

MELANIE FABRIZIUS ON THE COVER Photography

by Daniel Sullivan

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WE

DANIEL SULLIVAN Photography

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©2022 Media I Sixteen All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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s r e z WO M E N

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ORLD W S ’ N A MA N I G N I ORK WHEN YOU THINK

of a welder artfully working with stainless steel, an engineer laying plans for natural gas or high voltage power lines, a scientist who’s processed thousands of Covid-19 tests or the operator of a septic tank service, your mind probably didn’t travel to a woman being behind that job.

Right now, a little more than 6% of women in the United States work full time in male-dominated fields. Meet some of the women here in Yellowstone County who are blazing new trails for women and loving every minute of it. ✻

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SHE’S GOT THE

spark

SHE’S SHE’S GOT GOT THE THE

MEET WELDER WOMAN REESE NEWMAN

written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

REESE NEWMAN is a woman on a mission. She’s got it. She shows up early to the office every morning eagerly anticipating slipping through the door into the adjoining shop. In this big warehouse-type area Reese is the sparkle in the room.

Today may seem like an ordinary day in her world, but what this 40-year-old accomplishes rates as extraordinary. Grabbing a welding hood, she quickly positions it on her head and slaps down the face shield before firing up the welding gun. Welding is only part of what she does. She’s also shop foreman, drafter and laser operator.

“I’ve been with Shepherd Stainless for over 14 years,” says Reese, flipping up the shield. “I started my drafting skills at Action Electric after graduating MSU-Northern (Havre) in graphic design with two years of auto cad (drafting program). I like this type of work. This is absolutely fantastic to do for a living.”

Working in a male-dominated field doesn’t intimidate her in the least. “I’m the first one in and the last to leave,” she says.

“It’s about gaining and earning respect through hard work. It’s setting a good example. My mom, Rudy, was a positive influence in what I love to do. She was the only woman in a landscaping business. She used to take me to work with her.”

Reese learned early about hard work. She continues working hard and she knows her stuff. “Guys come in and talk cars,” she says. “One had a 427 Ford motor. I rattled on about it and his eyes

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Reese enjoys car talk. She especially enjoys fabricating trim pieces for vehicles. Her specialty is hot rods. “I do custom chrome pieces,” she says. “Like the custom side fenders I’ve done on an El Camino — no one else will have one like it.”

Reese shines with artistic talent. It plays an expressive role in her work. Whether it’s for custom car trim, the fancy beer glass washer built into the drip rail she designed and created for a couple’s new kitchen, or when she’s creating metal artwork for customers.

“I use my artistic side for any form of art when I get the opportunity,” Reese says.

“A lady wanted a sign for her son and daughter-in-law with the name ’59 Chevy pickup in the middle. She gave me free rein to design the signage to her liking. So I need to know a little bit about a lot.”

Reese learned a lot her first days on the job at Shepherd Stainless Inc. The company, owned by Stan Swenson, has been in business for nearly six decades. “I took over running the laser from Stan’s wife,” Reese says.

“I also learned how to weld here, and run the press brakes. This gives me the ability to make a flat piece of metal into a finished product. We manufacture sinks and countertops. We did the drip rail for the Pollard bar in Red Lodge.”

Walking over to the monster laser machine, this energetic dynamo spins a few dials before hoisting a sheet of stainless steel

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onto its surface. She flicks a switch. The sparks fly. The metal sheet dances across the laser bed while getting pummeled with laser points shooting out of the belly of the machine.

“This is what I love and get to do every day,” she says with a big smile. “I run the laser machine and it never gets old. It’s literally straight out of science fiction. It’s the challenge of making it do new things. It’s fun. I can have a flat piece of metal and turn out an exhaust hood for a kitchen. We do a lot of custom fabricating for commercial business. Everything is custom built per the customer.”

than er you are braver “Always rememb em se u yo n tha er you believe -strong Suess n you think” ~ Dr. —and smarter tha

Asked what was the most exciting project she’s worked on, Reese responds without hesitation, “When we made parts for the World Trade Center Memorial in our shop.

I was running the laser making panels for the names of those who perished. It was the most meaningful for me as I had seen the towers during a high school trip.”

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“We’ve been together 18 years and I’m a step-mom of three kids and four grandkids,” she beams.

“Shane encourages me and has taught me a lot about mechanical,” Reese notes.

“It’s challenging being a woman in maledominated fields. I’d like to see more women in this field as we’re few and far between.” ✻

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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SHE’S SHE’S GOT GOT THE THE

power ENGINEER ERIN ROBBINS HELPS BRING POWER TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES CITYWIDE written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

ERIN ROBBINS

knows how to wield power. She’s been engineering high voltage power as well as natural gas lines for the past eight years. Right out of college she began her career in the Midwest and Hawaii for an architecture and engineering services firm. Women were and still are few and far between in the field.

“We were consigned out to different companies, so I traveled to places like Wisconsin and Minnesota,” she says. “It was always interesting getting out into the field with a bunch of linemen.

They’d see me and probably think, ‘Yeah, right.’”

It was a big step for a young woman who never left home except to attend college and play golf for the “Cats.” “I never knew I’d be doing this kind of work when taking mechanical engineering at MSU-Bozeman,” Erin says.

She estimates there were about five females in an engineering class of a hundred students during her time at college. Now, Erin speculates that number may be 10. “I remember my dad told me, ‘You can do anything with that degree.’”

Dad’s savvy words proved true. A couple of years ago, 31-yearold Erin became this area’s energy services representative for Montana-Dakota Utilities (MDU), where she designs natural gas lines. “I’m initial contact for anyone wanting a gas service,” she says, “whether it’s a new build or old-house conversion, or subdivision or commercial.”

It was a new twist in her career and Erin proved to be a quick

study. She was in her role just two months when the pandemic struck.

“For the next one and a half years I worked remotely,” she says. “I had to figure it out pretty quickly.”

She credits Billings’ three MDU field operations coordinators (FOCs) for helping her “a ton” in working with the company’s construction crew and physically staking meter location. “These guys used to do this, so they were great at training me,” Erin says.

“The FOCs and construction crew are all men and I’ve built a good relationship with them. They can trust I’ll get the job done.”

Erin’s job entails orchestrating the upfront work when the calls or plats (plans/maps) roll into the office. She’s on the phone a great deal, but her favorite part is meeting people face to face. She finds there’s “always some connection,” attributing it to her family’s longstanding time in the community.

“On new builds I go out and meet the homebuilders,” she says.

“This is a big thing. It’s builds a relationship so they trust us and call MDU. When a developer sends in a plat of the subdivision showing roads and parks saying it’s for all single-family homes, we lay it out. It’s then a coordination game with a lot of moving parts.”

With the broad array of infrastructure present around the city, one obviously important moving part is the electrical company.

“We work with them to get the best design layout for that

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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subdivision,” Erin explains. “So if we’re in the same trench with the electrical company we’re not digging around each other.” She adds, “The hardest part is staying on top of it.” The demand for services, Erin says, is at an all-time high in and around the Magic City.

“Billings is the busiest with the volume of new services compared to other regions, so I try to get back to people as soon as possible.

I put myself in their spot and work to be a good rep for MDU.”

I LOVED MATH GROWING UP AND WAS IN THE MATH CLUB. IT’S NOT A BAD THING TO BE SMART BUT I HAD TO WORK REALLY HARD. — Erin Robbins

Erin’s advice to other women interested in an engineering career is not to be intimidated. “Be confident in yourself. You can do anything,” she says.

“I loved math growing up and was in the math club. It’s not a bad thing to be smart but I had to work really hard,” she says. “I also grew up with three brothers which helped me be able to talk with anyone, no problem. It also helped me: 1) in having thick skin and, 2) I like to joke around.”

The combination of having a thick skin and a sense of humor serves Erin well. “I’m not very tall, so my yellow safety vest goes down to my knees,” she says, with a smile and slight chuckle.

“In college, there were no welding gloves that fit. And, it’s tough to find work boots, as the demand’s not there.” Erin predicts, however, as more women seek careers in engineering and other typically male dominated fields, “It’ll be built for girls.”

She’s already starting to see the growth.

“There’s definitely more than when I was in college,” she says.

“One of my best friends works for an engineering company and we get to do on-site meetings together. There are so many opportunities with an engineering career.”

Putting her degree to good use in the community brings everything full circle for Erin. She enjoys living close to family and has managed to get golf time in with her husband, Jayson.

“He’s picked it up a lot more,” she quips.

On the job, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, Erin says.

It all boils down to “working hard and being respectful. That’s what people want.” ✻

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‘SOMEONE’S

‘

GOTTA DO IT LAUREL WOMAN’S BUSINESS TAKES CARE OF THE ‘DIRTY WORK’

written by LINDA HALSTEAD ACHARYAR photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

BRENDA FRANK

is not shy about what she does. The grandmother of three doesn’t hesitate to pull on her elbow-length blue gloves, haul the hose off her truck and begin pumping her customer’s septic system.

“In this line of work, there’s no one stabbing you in the back trying to get your job,” she says smiling. “No one wants this job, but I love this job.”

Brenda’s business – Brenda Frank Septic Tank Service -- is splashed across a billboard along I-90 near Park City.

“That’s gotten me so much recognition,” she says. “That was the best money I ever spent.”

Though she’s only officially owned the business for the past year and a half, she’s been at it for more than 40 years. That’s when she first tagged along after her father, the late R.L. Frank, who made a name for himself pumping septic tanks.

“It may not be a fun job, but my dad always made it fun,” she says.

can tell that we’ve been there is the bill in the door.”

Just as Brenda helped her dad, her own children help her. Son Trevor has assumed most of the pumping duties while Brenda holds down her second job as manager at High Plains Brewery in Laurel. Meanwhile, daughter Kaylee has no qualms about helping out when she can. The grandkids, too, have a role.

“They keep me going and melt the stress,” Brenda says. “They bring me joy.”

As she ponders her line of work, she doesn’t consider it either a man’s or a woman’s job. She smiles as she tells how she’s had tough-looking male customers retreat to the house when the pumping begins.

NO ONE WANTS THIS JOB, BUT I LOVE THIS JOB. — Brenda Frank

Brenda describes herself as a life-long tomboyat-heart. She loves spending time with her horses and skimming across a lake on water skis. Above all, she thrives on hard work and has always grabbed any opportunity to spend her days working outside.

“I would much rather be on the truck than inside working on book work,” she says, smiling. “When I go inside, I just keep thinking of things to do outside – watering, mowing…”

Growing up as her father’s sidekick, Brenda recalls hauling hoses and prying lids off septic tanks when blistering summer days ratcheted up the fumes.

“We’re super, super careful,” she says. “We never want to leave a trace behind when we’re done. When we leave, the only sign you

“People ask all the time how I can do this job,” she says. “Or they’ll say, ‘I never did expect to see you on this job.’ But a job’s a job. There are pros and cons to every job.”

For Brenda, the business weighs heavy on the plus side. She loves cruising the back roads, soaking in Montana’s scenery, as she drives to the next job. She loves that the business employs her son and she loves that it allows her time with her grandkids. She also loves that she gets to chat it up with her customers.

It’s not so much about what Brenda does but how she does it.

“I don’t feel it’s all about the money,” she says. “Anyone can come and pump the tank and leave. But if you don’t treat your customers the way they want to be treated, you run the risk of hurting yourself.”

Brenda tells of one urgent, late-night call that sent her out in the truck, searching for an address in the hinterlands between Park City and Columbus.

“There were no lights – no cell service – and I said to myself, ‘Oh, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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Lord, help me find the right road,’” she says.

Brenda was more than relieved to arrive at her destination, and the woman was more than relieved to see the headlights of Brenda’s truck.

“She told me I was like an angel,” Brenda says. “She said she prayed for me to get there and she would pray for me and my business to be a success. That just meant the world to me.”

Brenda launched her business in June 2020 during a particularly painful period.

“Within a year and a half, I lost my dad and my mom and started a new business,” she says, the emotion brimming in her eyes.

At the same time, differences among siblings and financial constraints weighed heavily on her. With support from sister Niki Fox, she decided to start anew, under her own name. But first she needed a truck.

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“That’s when Covid hit. There was no truck to be found in the state of Montana,” she says. “I would have to travel to buy a truck. But then we had the lockdown.”

She was about to throw in the towel when, while browsing a trucks-for-sale site, she swiped one last time. The photo that popped up was the spitting image of her father’s truck.

“It was like my dad’s truck’s twin – the same model and year,” she says, grinning. “The only problem was, it was in New Jersey.”

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“We knew we needed to stand out,” she says. “Those colors – you can’t ever miss. And anyone who knows me knows I love pink. They’ll know it’s my truck.”

Although Brenda was unable to purchase her dad’s business, she considers that she’s carrying on his legacy through the work ethic and professionalism her company shows.

“I don’t care if I make a lot of money off my business,” she says. “I want to make sure Trevor has a job and that we can maintain the truck. And if I make enough to go to Mexico and have a margarita on the beach, that’s all I need.” ✻

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DISEASE Detective MYLINDA LOVELL IS AT THE HELM OF A SEA OF SCIENTIFIC TESTING written by SUE OLP photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

MYLINDA LOVELL sees herself as a sort of medical detective.

As the clinical laboratory manager at St. John’s United Diagnostic Laboratory in Billings, Lovell runs the lab that typically processes anywhere between 50 and 200 Covid-19 tests a day.

Covid testing isn’t the only type of testing laboratory scientists like Lovell can do. They are trained in all aspects of human testing, from hematology and coagulation studies to blood matching, human chemistry studies, microbiology and now molecular studies.

“My boyfriend tells me I’m a lot like (Dr.) House working in a diagnostic lab,” she says, referring to the TV doctor who diagnosed a myriad of strange diseases. “We find the root of it all.”

A patient who is experiencing symptoms visits a doctor to get a diagnosis. The physician orders tests to nail down the problem, which is where someone like Lovell comes in, conducting lab tests to figure out the cause.

“You’re able to help them find the answer and that’s where the satisfaction comes in,” she says. “You’re giving the patients the why: ‘Why is something wrong with me?’”

Lovell was hired a year ago September to organize and run the diagnostic lab, located at St. John’s United Gainan’s Commons downtown, which opened in December 2020. An inability to get tests results quickly is what spurred St. John’s to create the inhouse lab to process Covid-19 and influenza tests for residents who live at St. John’s senior living communities.

“The state lab was overwhelmed with patient samples and to get results back turned into quite a wait,” Lovell says. “Our solution was to provide a fast turnaround time on test results.”

The lab would get the patient swabs in the morning “and we’d be able to give results by the evening,” she says. Two months after the lab opened it contracted with Billings Public Schools to provide rapid antigen tests to staff, and eventually broadened testing to students, their families and also the general public.

The lab initially did about 200 tests a month. But after opening testing to BPS and the public, and with the surge due to the Delta variant that sent numbers soaring in August, the monthly average grew to 1,000. The lab offers both rapid antigen and PCR tests. The appointment books are full a few days out, but the lab tries to squeeze people in when it can, especially if a person is symptomatic.

“We are very busy all day long,” Lovell adds. “We swab people, we do the testing, we report out to patients and then we also report to the state of Montana.”

In additional to Lovell, the lab employs another part-time lab scientist and a full-time LPN, both women, as well as an EMT, who doubles as a security person and testing swabber, among his other duties working for St. John’s United.

That both of the St. John’s laboratory scientists are women is no surprise, Lovell says, in a field that tends to be dominated by women. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Montana State University Billings in 2016 and then completed lab science training through Montana State University Bozeman.

Lovell is licensed through the American Society for Clinical Pathology and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. The need for lab scientists is expanding, Lovell says.

“And we’re experiencing a shortage because the bulk of lab

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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I REALLY LIKE KNOWING THAT IN MY PROFESSION I’M ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE DIRECTLY, EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT REALLY A TRADITIONAL PART OF A LAB SCIENCE JOB TO GO OUT AND TEST. USUALLY, WE’RE IN OUR OWN UNIVERSE. — MyLinda Lovell

scientists that are retiring, there is nobody to replace those jobs,” she says. “A lot of people hear about nursing shortages, but nobody is really aware of lab scientist shortages.”

Where Lovell’s current assignment differs from other lab scientists is her contact with the public. The bulk of testing done by most lab scientists is performed in hospitals and clinics, where work is completed in labs isolated from the public. At St. John’s, Lovell comes in contact with individuals seeking tests and provides them with their test results.

“I really like knowing that in my profession I’m able to help people directly, even though it’s not really a traditional part of a lab science job to go out and test,” she says. “Usually, we’re in our own universe.”

Lovell likes when she can give a person good news in the form of a negative test result, and “the relief that you’re not going to pass it to your kids or your elderly parents.”

Dealing with the public comes with its ups and downs, Lovell acknowledges. As manager of the lab, she’s assigned herself the job of listening to voicemails, which can include angry messages

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YVW MAGAZINE

from people irritated that they can’t get in that day for a test or that an employer is requiring a test in the first place.

The lab also provides vaccinations, and Lovell gets her share of people wanting to argue about the validity of the Covid-19 vaccine or the reality of the disease.

“We get a lot of feedback from people who don’t think it’s real,” she says. As she looks at the volume of tests that run through her lab, she often reflects on the personal toll it’s taken on her as well.

“For me personally that’s hard to hear because I’ve had family members who passed away from Covid, so for me it’s very real.” ✻

SUE OLP, writer Sue Olp worked for many years as a reporter at the Billings Gazette, covering everything from healthcare and education to county government, tribal issues and religion, not to mention plenty of human-interest stories. Now retired, she is a freelance writer and enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her family, including her grandchildren.

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val

JEFFRIES

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written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

VALERIA JEFFRIES

fuels the world. As the regional director of operations for Holiday Stationstores, she has been providing people with the octane to reach destinations for work, family and play for more than 32 years. In driving through her own life, Jeffries has always striven to be the change she wants to see in the world.

“Go out and do the job the best you can, and the naysayers will slough off,” she says of how she has navigated her career.

In 1987 in Sheridan, Val applied for a manager position at SuperAmerica, a chain of gasoline stations and convenience stores. She was hired at a time, she says, when “it wasn’t YVW MAGAZINE

Val credits George Townsend, then the company vice president, with helping her be successful by nudging her boss, Arlan Hayden, to be supportive of her work. “By the end of the day, they always had ✴ my back,” she says of both men.

G RISIN P R E T ✴ ✴ EN ✴✴ N A OM ✴✴ W

Her work wasn’t always in the gas and convenience ✴ store business. “I went from fashion to fast gas,” she says with a laugh. After graduating from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota in 1981 with an art degree, she worked in Brooklyn Park at Seiferts Clothing Store, a lady’s apparel outlet. A couple of years later the company transferred her out west to Casper, Wyoming.

28

typical for a woman to run a gas station. People would ask, ‘What part of this job is your husband’s?’ There were very few women in my position.”

In 1993, Val took over as district manager of Billings’ SuperAmerica stores. SuperAmerica was subsequently sold to Holiday Stationstores, and seven years into her job, she became a regional director, responsible for overseeing four districts, covering large parts of Montana as well as Sheridan, Wyoming, and Spokane, Washington.

“Through all of this, it’s ebbed and flowed,” she says, mentioning that over the years, the Twin Cities and Sioux Falls and Rapid City have at one time or another been part of her responsibilities.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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VAL IS TENACIOUS, HAS A STRONG BUSINESS ACUMEN, AND IS A GREAT COACH. — Jeff Reed

FUELING WITH ENTHUSIASM Val believes she was originally hired because of her enthusiasm, as the store’s customer service needed improvement. These days, she hires employees for the same reasons that she was given a job. She believes in “hiring for enthusiasm, and training for skill. It’s really managing people that is important.”

Early on at SuperAmerica, Val recalls a local businessman making the comment, “You know, you are more suited to running a lingerie store,” Jeffries says. Her reaction to this statement was, “It’s a challenge or asset when people underestimate you.” At the same time, she gives people the benefit of the doubt with a touch of forgiveness. “I don’t think people understand what they said,” she says.

This is the mindset that has propelled her through the years. From the challenges of relentless bosses and biased customers, she advises young women starting a career to not only aim for a good job, but more importantly, “In order to break the glass ceiling, you have to have the right boss, the right coach.”

EMPOWERING STAFF AND FRIENDS “Val gave me a shot 14 years ago, and through her constant leadership and coaching, has helped me develop into the market manager position,” says Jeff Reed. “Val is tenacious, has a strong business acumen, and is a great coach.”

Tenacity and smarts have helped Val in her career. She earned an her MBA from the University of Montana in 2004. It took her five years, while simultaneously working at Holiday Stationstores. For her 60th birthday, she set a goal to run a marathon. After training for year, she finished first in her age group in the Montana Marathon.

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YVW MAGAZINE

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IN ORDER TO BREAK THE GLASS CEILING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT BOSS, THE RIGHT COACH. — Val Jefferies

As Val continues in her mission of personal growth, she never stops helping those around her. She has served on various boards, including those of the Yellowstone Art Museum and the Billings Community Foundation.

Susan Carlson recalls Val helping out at Highland Elementary School when her children were young, donating to fun walks

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and carnivals providing the hotdogs for fundraising for library projects and playgrounds.

“She was always a ‘yes,’’ Susan says. “She was the first to be there donating to our fundraisers.”

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EMPOWERING WOMEN In 2018, the corporate partner of Holiday Stationstores, Couche Tard and Circle K, formed The ACT Women’s Council to help advance the careers and strengthen the positions of women by providing mentors, sponsors and educational opportunities. In collaboration with Michelle Krenke, human resources program manager, and Joannie Almjeld, regional director of operations in Minneapolis, Val set out to empower and educate women locally through newsletters and “Coffees and Conversations.”

D ITE LIM O N I T E D I EE F F O T

In Billings, Jeffries has worked with the Zonta Club and the Yellowstone County Human Trafficking Task Force to help promote the Red Sands Project. The project, started by New York artist and activist Molly Gochman, raises awareness of the human trafficking victims by filling in cracks of sidewalks with red sand. Volunteers set up at Holiday Stationstores to spread awareness of the project by passing out sand and brochures.

Closer to home, Jeffries nurtures friends to be their best.

“In 2019 the seed of an idea bloomed into a full-on extravaganza when she offered to host a piano recital, featuring our friend Teresa Morse, and an art show, featuring my work, at her home,” says artist Connie Herberg. “Val’s newly constructed ‘garage-mahal,’ was transformed into a concert hall/art gallery for a weekend. Allen’s expertise in lighting and professional production and Val’s expertise in putting on a darn good party came together for a wonderfully successful endeavor.”

Val’s husband, Allen Powers, a freelance cameraman, caught sight of her in 2006. “She is simply the finest human being I have ever met, with numerous assets like leadership, community involvement, simply a joy that lifts the room,” he says.

“But of all her cherished traits, her ethical integrity is my favorite quality of all.”

When the ever-busy Val and Allen aren’t on the road, they tend to work around their house in Shepherd, doing remodeling projects. Jeffries also practices her skills as a master gardener, while Allen tends their American Pekin ducks – Donald, Teddi and Taft. And, Val says, “I love to run,” allowing her to clear her mind and reinvigorate.

With renewed energy, Jeffries says of her work, “My job continues to grow. I don’t do the exact same thing every day. This gives me the opportunity to continue to grow, to learn. I have never had a boring day.” ✻

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s e n i L FIGHT

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THE TENTACLES OF DRUG ABUSE wrap around every element of our community. It impacts the treatment arena. It impacts crime. It impacts the welfare of children with child abuse and neglect cases reaching critical levels. It impacts business when employees choose their addiction over work.

When YVW started looking into the issue, we discovered a handful of women with compassion and drive on the front lines of this difficult fight -- from law enforcement and treatment to advocacy and community prevention. These women have joined forces to raise awareness and attack this crisis on all fronts. ✻

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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Hunting Down a Threat HEAD DEA AGENT IN MONTANA IS ON A MISSION TO TURN THE TIDE OF DRUG TRAFFICKING written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN 36

YVW MAGAZINE

IN STACY ZINN’S OFFICE, she’s thumb-tacked a photo

of 89 people to her wall, all of them known drug users who fed their addiction buying painkillers on the street. When she posted the picture eight years ago, the users ranged in age from 18 to 27.

For Zinn, the resident agent in charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Montana, this was a way of keeping tabs on what happens to a person when addiction settles in.

“It’s been sad to see,” she says. “Some have died. Some have been arrested.

Some converted over to heroin. A few pulled themselves out of it but the vast majority have not.”

When she learns that one of the people pictured overdosed, she makes a note on her board. It’s a visual reminder of the ones she’s lost in the fight.

“When I first got here, we were seeing maybe half a pound of meth on the streets at one time, maybe a pound, and that was big time,” she says. By contrast, Zinn says, in the first week of this December alone, “We seized 32 kilograms (70 pounds) of meth.”

Twenty years ago in Billings, the drug trade was fueled by local criminal families who both manufactured and dealt drugs. She says those “notorious” enterprises still exist, but today, some dangerous national and international players have started to stake their claim here.

COMING TO MONTANA, I SAW WHAT DRUGS DID TO FAMILIES. WHEN I WAS DOWN CHASING AL QAEDA, THE TALIBAN, OR EL CHAPO, I DIDN’T SEE WHAT THE DRUGS WERE DOING. IT WAS A CAT AND MOUSE GAME. HERE, I SEE FAMILIES TORN APART.

“We do have several cases not only here but in Great Falls where we have known communications between Montana and Mexico with cartel members there,” says Zinn.

She’s seen rumblings from not only California and Detroit street gangs but both the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Mexican cartels. The Sinaloa cartel, one of the strongest — Stacy Zinn criminal organizations in the world, is reportedly the top supplier of fentanyl to North America. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is Zinn has been at the helm of the DEA similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 in Montana since 2018. She’s the first times more potent. Zinn says the Sinaloa cartel has claimed female to hold the post. She started her career here in 2014 as a the state’s reservations as their turf. It’s rival, the Jalisco New supervisor for the Tactical Diversion Squad, an interagency team Generation Cartel, has been called “the biggest criminal drug dedicated to the trafficking of prescription drugs. At the time, she threat” to our nation by U.S. counter-drug officials. Neither wondered what the drug culture was like in “sleepy Montana.” It group, Zinn says, is anything you want settling into your city. didn’t take long for her to realize that it wasn’t all that sleepy.

“These were young people,” she says.

“There are some that started with sports injuries. There are some who just started partying with the wrong people. In my eyes, they are just young kids.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

37

In early December, DEA agents in Denver announced that a massive raid brought federal grand jury charges against 19 members of the Sinaloa cartel. In the raid, agents seized 110,000 pills laced with fentanyl, eight pounds of heroin, 13 pounds of meth and 24 pounds of cocaine, plus nearly a half million dollars in cash.

Zinn says that since Denver is a pathway to get drugs to Montana, it’s safe to say this bust affected the flow of drugs here.

While Zinn couldn’t speak about ongoing investigations, her dealings with the cartels go back two decades. Her first job with the DEA involved undercover work in El Paso, Texas, chasing down some of the cartel’s key players. In time, intelligence surfaced that one cartel had put out a hit on her life.

She was in the process of being relocated when, in 2005, the DEA assigned her to what’s called FAST, or Foreign-deployed Advisory and Support Team.

She spent three years traveling back and forth to Afghanistan targeting the opium trade that financed both the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Zinn’s experience in Kabul reads like a major motion picture thriller.

“We would land early in the morning, hike up about two miles up to these labs and we would determine what we had, try to gather up any evidence, seal it and then lay explosive devices, scuttle down, hike out of there and then destroy the labs,” Zinn says.

During those tours of duty, she encountered two more attempts on her life. She escaped the first when an explosive-laden vehicle ran out of gas on its way to detonate outside a dinner party full of Afghans and U.S. Intelligence operators. The second brush happened on the way to an event involving a highranking leader of the city of Kandahar.

“He wanted to show the world he was destroying all these drugs. We went out to a field and he was going to make a big production out of it,” Zinn says. On the way back, she says, “Our driver changed the route at the very last minute, which was a very smart move. The individuals knew who we were and they set out these little remote-control cars laden with explosive materials.

They were going to detonate when we came by, but we went the opposite way.” She adds, “After that I told myself, I’ve done four tours, I am done. At the time, I was pregnant and I didn’t know it.”

Her daughter is now 13.

EVERYTHING HAS COME FULL CIRCLE. STARTING OFF WITH THE CARTELS, GOING INTERNATIONAL WITH THE TERRORISM SIDE. I’VE SEEN ALL LEVELS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING. I’VE SEEN THE BIG PICTURE. THE PROBLEM IS TRYING TO CONVEY THAT BIG PICTURE TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. — Stacy Zinn

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YVW MAGAZINE

“Everything has come full circle,” she says. “Starting off with the cartels, going international with the terrorism side. I’ve seen all levels of drug trafficking. I’ve seen the big picture. The problem is trying to convey that big picture to local law enforcement.”

As in communities across the country, drug dealing in Billings is a money grab by criminals.

“Montana is very lucrative because the cartels make so much profit,” Zinn says. She talked about the evolution of drug use.

When opiates were selling for $30 to $40 per pill, she says, “Our street users started converting over to heroin. We saw that trend in 2016.” Heroin, she says, cost roughly $14 per day instead of roughly $100 for the same high on opioid pills. The only problem was, the high is elusive. “When you take that drug over and over,

DURING A TRAFFIC STOP IN FEBRUARY OF 2020, THE MONTANA HIGHWAY PATROL SEIZED

78 POUNDS OF METHAMPHETAMINE, ONE OF THE STATE’S LARGEST SEIZURES. you don’t get that euphoric feeling,” she says. “You’re chasing the dragon. That’s what they call it.”

Last May, a bad batch of “fake oxys” led to 17 overdoses over a four-day period on the Rocky Boy reservation just south of Havre.

So the cartels found a new and dangerously addictive alternative.

“My former office in El Paso, they recorded this week that there was so much fentanyl coming across the southwest border that they couldn’t stop it,” she says.

“The cartels figured out that If you mix fentanyl with heroin and you take that and you don’t overdose and die, you get that original euphoric feeling — every time,” Zinn says.

It’s a high that users are willing to pay for, Zinn says, with cash and their lives. The farther away you get from the Mexican border, Zinn says, the more you pay for the pill.

A fentanyl pill in Tijuana, for instance, sells for roughly 60 cents. In Yellowstone County, that pill goes for $22. Take it farther north to Sidney, and a single pill will cost upwards of $120.

The pills look like Oxycontin, a prescription painkiller, with the same color and similar numbers and letters stamped on them. Many times when a person buys one of these pills, Zinn says, more than likely they’re actually getting “fake oxy,” or fentanyl-laced pills.

LAST YEAR,THE DEA IN MONTANA SEIZED MORE THAN

174 POUNDS OF METH AND 48 POUNDS OF OPIATE PILLS, MANY OF WHICH WERE LACED WITH FENTANYL.

“The problem is that users don’t know how much of the percentage of that drug is fentanyl and how much is heroin. You see individuals overdosing and dying more now than ever because they don’t know what they are taking,” Zinn says. It’s estimated that two out of every five pills could spark an overdose death. “I’ve talked to many people and asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’ They tell me, ‘We know we are playing Russian roulette but it’s worth that high.’”

Right now, the clock is ticking for Zinn to turn the tide of drug trafficking to our area. In two years, when she turns 57, the agency is forcing her retirement. Since she was never assigned to DEA headquarters, it’s standard procedure. The agency can’t extend her time.

“I really hate to say this, but I have nothing to lose. If I say something out of bounds, I will apologize but I would rather risk that and tell the community that this is what is happening instead of being in a suit and drinking coffee in my building,” she says with passion. “If I can help one child of not going down that path with narcotics, then it's worth it to me.”

This past spring, Zinn’s team found evidence that LSD was being sold at two Billings Middle Schools.

“I pushed all of my work aside and went after this. I handled it personally,” she says. “It was just too important to me.”

She immediately teamed up with a trusted task force officer.

Together they looped in school resource officers and were able to eliminate the threat from a particular cell of dealers who had been targeting students via the social media app Snapchat.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

39

FAKE

OxyContin

CRIMINAL DRUG NETWORKS ARE MANUFACTURING FENTANYL-LACED PILLS AND MARKETING THEM TO LOOK LIKE LEGITIMATE PRESCRIPTION PILLS. DEA LAB TESTING REVEALED THAT 2 OUT OF EVERY 5 PILLS LACED

WITH FENTANYL CONTAIN A LETHAL DOSE. “That’s why people need to understand this,” she says. “I have 24 months left and I want to really hit the community between their eyes because I am really worried, especially with the legalization of marijuana.” She knows from experience that pot can be a gateway drug.

“I would say out of 50 people that I debrief whether it be defendants or confidential sources, 48 of them have said that their first illegal drug of choice was marijuana,” she says.

Add in the fact that many don’t understand that marijuana today is nothing like the drug smoked back in the ’70s. THC, the mind-altering portion of marijuana, made up roughly 2 percent of the drug back then. Today, it’s legal for marijuana to have anywhere from 33 to 65 percent THC. Zinn says she’s read studies that the higher THC levels can lead to psychosis-style breakdowns in a person’s developing brain.

was down chasing Al Qaeda, the Taliban, or El Chapo, I didn’t see what the drugs were doing. It was a cat and mouse game. Here, I see families torn apart,” Zinn says.

THE NUMBER OF DEA-SEIZED

COUNTERFEIT PILLS WITH FENTANYL HAS JUMPED NEARLY

430% SINCE 2019.

She plans to devote a team to keep an eye on the black market that will undoubtedly move in to undercut legal sellers.

That’s why over the next two years she plans to put some serious mileage on her car, traveling to any town willing to listen and help her solve problems.

“We can’t arrest ourselves out of this problem,” she says. “Unfortunately, there are too many of them and not enough of us.” She noted that there are not many crimes that occur in Billings that don’t have a tie to the drug trade. “The shootings that took place at the first of the year? It’s drug based,” she says.

Zinn says if her career sounds harrowing, it’s nothing compared to her husband’s. The retired DEA agent spent time working in the jungles of Colombia hunting down criminal networks during the time of Pablo Escobar, a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist.

It’s just one more element of the fight.

“He’s the person you call in the middle of the night if you need some help to do something that no one needs to know about,” Zinn says.

“Coming to Montana, I saw what drugs did to families. When I

Until retirement comes, this tough-as-nails daughter of a Marine

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YVW MAGAZINE

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will keep her focus on the threats against our community.

“I’m fearless in my fight for this community and its kids,” she says.

As she keeps tabs on every search warrant and ongoing investigation, she says, “It’s a reminder that this is a community problem. This isn’t just the DEA versus Joe Blow the trafficker.

This is a community problem, and this is our community that we live in.” She adds with a slight laugh, “For better or worse, the sheriff and local P.D. are stuck with me for another two years.” ✻

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41

“I want to stop the and

stigma shame” WITH OVERDOSE DEATHS ON THE RISE, ONE BILLINGS MOM HOPES TO HELP OTHERS HEAL written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

42

YVW MAGAZINE

IN LATE JULY OF 2017, Kim Edinger sat down to chronicle her son’s life. Nothing could possibly have prepared her for the task.

“Never in a million years did I think I would have to write my kid’s obituary,” Kim says. “It shocks me still to this day.”

On July 27 that year, Kaden Edinger was found dead in a Bozeman apartment, the victim of an apparent drug overdose. The investigation determined that the 20-year-old DURING THE unknowingly took a lethal dose of carfentanyl, a synthetic opioid that’s FIRST SIX MONTHS 100 times more potent than fentanyl OF 2021, THERE WERE and 10,000 times more potent than morphine. Kim suspects that Kaden thought he was buying oxycontin, a prescription painkiller, but got pills laced with carfentanyl instead.

to pursue a career in medicine.

She says his world started to crumble during his sophomore year at Billings Senior High.

“He started using marijuana with a neighbor kid,” she says.

“People I talked to would say, ‘He’s such a good kid. He’ll grow out of it. Don’t worry about it, you’re fine. You’re being too hard on him.’” Kim pauses before adding, “You start to question yourself.”

323 OPIOID OVERDOSES ACROSS MONTANA.

“He didn’t know what he was taking,” Kim says. “He had no idea. And it killed him.”

Her son died just one month before his 21st birthday.

Kaden was a boy who at 6-foot-4 towered over his mom when he reached down to give her a hug. He loved fly-fishing with his dad. And, as the baby in the family, he had his two big sisters wrapped around his little finger. When asked to describe her son, Kim called him a smart, charismatic and athletic kid who wanted

Over time, she started to find things in Kaden’s room. There were the unidentified capsules and the synthetic marjuana known as “Spice.” She said she and her husband, Larry, came down hard on their son. “We were out of our element.”

By the time senior year rolled around, Kaden’s straight A’s dropped to F’s. He got kicked off the basketball team after being caught a few times with chewing tobacco. Kim says he also got busted with alcohol at a school dance.

“He lost basketball at the beginning of senior year and he just tanked,” Kim says. “He lost his friends. He lost his girlfriend. He didn’t know where he fit in anymore. Guess who welcomed him with open arms? All the kids in school who dealt.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

43

LETHAL

LETHAL

dose of Heroin

dose of Fentanyl

By graduation time, Kim says, “We didn’t know if he was going to graduate the day before.” She says the more he used, the more depressed he got and the more depressed he got, the more he used. Even though they found a counselor for their son, Kim says, “We didn’t know how to get him out of it.”

you did to our family? We will have a hole in our family forever.”

In the fall of 2015, Kaden enrolled at Montana State University.

Kim desperately hoped that it would bring a new chapter for her son. He didn’t make it past his freshman year.

When a friend invited her to the Artwalk in downtown Billings, she forced herself to go. She didn’t know it, but the invitation was made so Kim could meet Carol and John Keenan. The couple had lost their daughter Mary Kate to an overdose in 2016.

“At the end, I know for a fact he just thought this is who I am going to be,” Kim says. “He thought, I flunked out of college. I let my family down. I wanted to be a doctor but now I am working part time at UPS and I might as well do everything because my life is a wreck. That’s exactly how it went for our family.”

On July 28, 2017, Kim and her husband were bracing for an evacuation at their Emerald Hills home. The Fly Creek Fires were raging. When a knock on their door came that night, Kim assumed it was news about the fires. She knew it was something worse when her eyes met those of a Yellowstone County sheriff’s deputy.

“I saw his uniform and my heart stopped. I didn’t cry. I wailed,” she says. “You’re in this tornado and you are swirling around.

You are trying to catch your kid. You’re trying to hold onto your husband. Everyone is fighting and we are all stressed out about this problem. All of a sudden, the tornado spits you out and one of us is gone. How did this happen? How did we get here?”

It took time but eventually Kim and her family were able to piece together the details surrounding Kaden’s death. A Drug Enforcement Administration investigation uncovered that the strain of drugs that caused Kaden’s death caused another death and a handful of overdoses. Eleven people would come to be indicted. All were under the age of 25. Kim says the man who sold the pills to Kaden was distributing out of MSU’s cafeteria. He’s currently serving a seven-year prison sentence.

“I looked up the kid’s picture on Facebook and I sat and I stared at him for a long time,” Kim says. “I thought, do you know what 44

YVW MAGAZINE

After Kaden’s death, Kim says it took her months to be comfortable leaving her house. She says she was afraid. She felt shame. She thought everyone could see through to her broken heart.

“Carol’s husband came up to me and grabbed my hand and he said, ‘I want you to know that we know what you are going through,’” Kim says. “I just lost it.”

The meeting sparked a friendship and a mission to help other parents in their shoes. In August of 2020, the two launched Overdose Awareness Day at Rose Park in Billings.

“The hardest thing with an overdose is there are so many unanswered questions,” Kim says. “There are things we will never know. We want to help people who have lost someone to overdose because it is a dark windy path to navigate. I want to stop the stigma and the shame because it can happen to anybody.”

There are times Kim wishes she could go back in time to talk to her son one last time. She’d plead with him to see the light.

“I wish I could have told him you can change everything in a heartbeat,” Kim says. “I wish I could have convinced him, ‘You can change this.’” ✻

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY, visit facebook.com and search Overdose Awareness MT. Editor’s Note:

YVW featured Carol and John Keenan’s story in our October/November 2018 issue. To read about their journey, visit yellowstonevalleywoman.com/remembering-Mary-Kate.

YOU WANT TO

Stopping

a Killer

WHY HOMES SHOULD HAVE NARCAN AT THE READY

Families who have loved ones who struggle with opioid addiction should keep the nasal spray, Narcan (Naloxone HCI), nearby. When someone suffers an opioid overdose, they have 10 minutes or less to seek help before the drug delivers lethal effects. Narcan reverses the effects of opioids and can quickly restore normal breathing if it has slowed or stopped. The drug is used to treat heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine and morphine overdoses.

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45

At the Helm of the House of

Hope

RIMROCK FOUNDATION’S CEO IS WAGING A WAR ON ADDICTION THROUGH INNOVATION written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN 46

YVW MAGAZINE

AS CEO OF RIMROCK FOUNDATION,

there are moments burned in Lenette Kosovich’s mind that continue to fuel her passion for helping others toward addiction recovery.

There was the time when a former patient excitedly ran up to her in the grocery store to hug her and talk about her successes in life. There have been tears, letters and countless joys shared over the decade she’s held this post. One vivid memory, however, still eats at her. It was the night she saw the insidious nature of WE ARE IN drug addiction and the power it holds.

Lenette says she’d only been in her position for about 18 months when a staff member called to tell her about a walk-away from their recovery home for moms and their children.

The woman had been in treatment successfully for six months when she simply up and left.

“How can you leave this sweet little baby? It showed me right then that we need to work harder because methamphetamine is nasty bad and for it to be that kind of draw that you walk away,” Lenette says, her words trailing. “My resolve to work harder was even greater.”

CRISIS. THE NEED IS OVERWHELMING. I’VE NEVER SEEN THIS IN THE DECADE THAT I’VE BEEN HERE.

Fast forward to today and the war against drugs in this community has only intensified. Last year, overdose deaths hit an all-time high, not only across the U.S. but in Montana as well.

“We are in crisis,” she says. “The need is overwhelming. I’ve never seen this in the decade that I’ve been here.”

Not a week goes by that Rimrock Foundation doesn’t get upwards of 400 phone calls from people needing substance abuse treatment — for themselves or for a family member.

Each call pains Lenette. She knows that right now, the waiting list to get into residential care is long — too long.

— Lenette Kosovich’s

“Her drug of choice was methamphetamine,” Lenette says. “She had this little baby who was about 3 months old, darling little girl.”

Lenette adds with emotion, “She was done. The addictive draw of methamphetamine, even after being with us for six months and being abstinent was too great. Our staff at the house said, ‘We don’t know what to do. We have this baby.’”

Lenette called Child Protective Services and took the infant into her arms. Her heart broke at the thought of what the future might hold for this wee one.

“It’s three to four months before we get through the waiting list and they keep coming,” Lenette says.

On top of that, she says, she continues to deal with what she calls the antiquated requirements of Medicaid. To get away from what she describes as the “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” model of institutionalized care, Medicaid won’t pay for care in treatment facilities that have more than 16 beds.

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“What did we have to do? We had to embed a number of eightbed homes in the community to do the exact same treatment because these people are on Medicaid. It’s the most expensive way to deliver this kind of 24/7 care,” Lenette says. As a result, she says, “I will sit here with 20 beds open in our main treatment facility that is licensed for 40 beds and takes insured or selfpaying clients. Meantime, we have a waiting list for four months on a Medicaid bed. It’s so backwards.”

Thirty-five states filed for exclusion from that rule, which has been in place since 1965. Montana just filed for exclusion this past fall. Lenette knowns firsthand that the type of care being delivered needs to evolve if Billings is going to stem the tide of

addiction.

“In many states, there is this new model called the CCBHC – the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center. It’s a model, not a program,” she says. The model is what Lenette calls the most holistic care you can give to someone facing addiction.

Instead of the traditional counselor-patient relationship, she says, “You have the patient and they are surrounded by this case management that knows everything about them. All the cogs of the wheel surround them — it’s physical health, it’s addiction treatment, it’s mental health. What’s so cool is that it must have a component of crisis management. We get out there and meet the people where they are with a mobile crisis team.”

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www.crowleyfleck.com 48

YVW MAGAZINE

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In late fall of 2020, Rimrock Foundation landed a $4 million grant over three years from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to put this new model of care into action.

It’s been up and running since June, when Lenette solidified the team.

The campus model of care will better serve these patients. There are efficiencies built into this model. Staff will be consolidated on one site. There will be one food service program. And these efficiencies mean more people can be served. The waiting list can be trimmed, possibly eliminated.

“We are hoping to show the state that it’s worthy,” she says, adding that it should be a standard model of care across the state.

“We are the house of hope,” Lenette says, “hope that people will not be enslaved by a lifestyle due to a disease that there is help for.”

Making CCBHC a reality is what sparked Rimrock’s $26 million capital campaign for what will soon be a whole new campus, encompassing five acres on a two-block section of town between North 13th and 15th Streets on Sixth Avenue North.

The goal is to be up and running by the fall of 2023.

Last May, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., invited Lenette to testify before the Senate Committee on Finance’s subcommittee on health care. The senator wanted her to give lawmakers an inside look at how a CCBHC model performed.

Right now, 40 states have at least one site where CCBHC is being delivered.

IN 2020, RIMROCK SERVED

As Lenette glances at the blueprints and computer renderings in her office, she sees hope.

1,589 PATIENTS

IN ITS INPATIENT, RESIDENTIAL AND OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS.

“I would like to erase everyone’s brains on how we, for 53 years, have delivered treatment and live instead under a model that is truly holistic,” she says. She points to the renderings, showing the space for the new mother and child wing, the cafeteria, the recreation facility, the chapel and the primary care clinic to help those in recovery improve their often very poor physical condition.

“It is not uncommon to have a 26-year-old here who’s already had a heart valve replacement because he’s gotten endocarditis from injecting drugs,” Lenette says, underscoring just how sick some of the people are who walk through Rimrock’s doors.

When pressed on the need for this type of care, Lenette held firm on the fact that Medicaid reimbursements need to be at a level that can realistically financially support delivering services for a person through recovery. While she tempered her comments then, today she admits she wishes she could have said what was truly on her mind.

“We continue to struggle every day with this low reimbursement, so we are challenged in hiring enough employees to take care of people,” she says. “Who is going to work for $15 an hour doing the most important work — taking care of women with children who are struggling with addiction?” Lenette says. “What happens then? There’s the woman who doesn’t get the help she needs.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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#RimrockIsRecovery

She’s the one who gets hooked up again with the bad boyfriend and is in a freefall with her addiction. Her child goes back into foster care. She and her boyfriend go on a crime spree that results in a homicide. And, ultimately, she loses her life in a murder/ suicide. You end up reading her story in the newspaper. We have failed her, her child and our community. You, Congress and the State of Montana, have failed us because you haven’t made the connection in reimbursing to the level that it needs to be, so we can reach that woman and help change the trajectory of her life.”

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE A 26-YEAR-OLD HERE WHO’S ALREADY HAD A HEART VALVE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE HE’S GOTTEN ENDOCARDITIS FROM INJECTING DRUGS. — Lenette Kosovich’s

Even with those obstacles, she says, her staff helps upwards of 250 people through its various programs every day — from outpatient drug treatment, mental health counseling, treatment court programs to inpatient and residential care.

“It’s not even close to enough,” Lenette says.

Despite the dire need and the, at times, uphill battles, Lenette’s smile rarely vanishes. She never stops searching, and finding, those little rays of hope.

“Every day there is a communications log on every single program and I read every one of them. I can see progress with people,” Lenette says. “Their struggles seem insurmountable. I think, how can you even get over this?”

“That they can come through this and come out on the other side and get back to a real, productive, happy life? It’s miraculous because I think it would kill you or I — what they’ve gone through.” She sees resilience.

It’s what fuels her. It’s why she can’t wait until Rimrock breaks ground on its new campus next summer.

“It’s what this organization has been striving for forever,” Lenette says. “It just so happens that I am the CEO that is shepherding it right now. This will be for all Montanans.” ✻ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

51

Problem Solving

Powerhouse

KRISTIN LUNDGREN IS LEADING THE COMMUNITY CHARGE TO REDUCE DRUG RELATED CRIME AND ADDICTION written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN 52

YVW MAGAZINE

FIFTY PERCENT of Yellowstone County residents say their life has been negatively impacted by substance abuse.

An estimated 4,000 teens and adults abuse illicit drugs.

Eighty percent of child abuse and neglect cases are tied to substance use. Methamphetamine is the number one substance abused in those cases.

After recalling some of the faces she saw in the room from Yellowstone County, she started making phone calls. She wondered if some of those key players wanted to talk more in depth about the devastating effects of substance abuse and the rise in violent crime that happens as a result.

“That’s how Substance Abuse Connect got started,” she says.

It took a few months, but they managed to draft a one-page plan.

Today, Substance Abuse Connect not only has a three-year action plan but has also leveraged the strength of close to 250 people from 80 different organizations to help in the mission. Among their partners are business leaders, law enforcement, mental health OF CHILD ABUSE AND providers, churches, corrections NEGLECT CASES ARE TIED officials, counselors, tribal members and nonprofits with a TO SUBSTANCE USE. stake in the topic.

Those are the statistics Kristin Lundgren can’t stop focusing on as she heads up the huge and exhaustive task of leading our community to not only reducing drug-related crime but creating a roadmap to prevent it altogether.

“My work is really about the fact that no one entity can solve this problem alone. If we want different results, we need to innovate,” says Kristin, the executive director of the grassroots community coalition called Substance Abuse Connect.

80

%

METHAMPHETAMINE

IS THE

#1 SUBSTANCE ABUSED IN THOSE CASES.

“Our goal is that someday we have been so effective at disrupting addiction that our jails sit half empty and our prisons are half empty,” she says. “Someday, we’re going to disrupt addiction that much.”

The coalition was formed in 2017 not long after Kristin was invited to a listening session by then-Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. The initiative was called Aid Montana and the goal was to put heads together to tackle drug abuse.

“He brought together prevention, treatment and law enforcement players to talk in one room,” Kristin says. She remembers thinking, “Here we are talking, but what are we going to do?”

“My whole life, my whole career has revolved around bringing people together to solve complex problems,” Kristin says.

That exposure to difficult problems began when Kristin was just a child.

Her dad, a pediatrician, and her mom, a nurse, raised Kristin in the Republic of Chad, in West Africa.

Her parents were working first for the World Health Organization doing smallpox eradication. When that problem was solved, they began doing public health with the Lutheran Church.

“I lived in the middle of famine and civil war for quite a long time,” Kristin says. In the midst of incredible poverty, Kristin saw preventable death after preventable death.

“There were babies dying from tetanus,” she says. “You can prevent tetanus. Babies shouldn’t have to die from that.” She watched her parents innovate, using non-traditional methods JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

53

IN 2017, KRISTIN'S DAUGHTER WAS ON A FELLOWSHIP IN CAMEROON. KRISTIN AND THE REST OF HER FAMILY JOINED HER FOR A TRIP BACK TO CHAD, REUNITING WITH FAMILY FRIENDS THEY MET WHILE LIVING THERE.

and community involvement to keep people safe and healthy.

“My dad forged his own ideas from a health standpoint,” Kristin says. “His vision was to create a public health program that would be locally owned and locally sustained and not dependent on money from the outside. He implemented that vision in Chad and it is still going today.”

In a way, Kristin is using the same tactics her dad used to ignite a community response. Just like her father, she spends a good portion of her work week sitting with community members, listening to their concerns and brainstorming solutions.

“It’s a calling,” she says. “That’s how I feel. I feel so lucky and blessed to be able to do this work and think creatively.” After all, she says, just like smallpox in Africa, substance abuse in Yellowstone County is preventable. “I see people dying from things that are preventable.”

And, just like her father, she’s not afraid to face difficult problems.

KRISTIN IN LERE, CHAD WHEN SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD DISTRIBUTING POLIO DROPS AS A PART OF HER DAD'S IMMUNIZATION CLINIC. "SOME OF THE MOUNDANG VOCABULARY THAT MOST STICKS WITH ME ARE WORDS I REPEATED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AT THESE CLINICS," KRISTIN SAYS. "IN THIS CASE: “OUZAI!” WHICH MEANS 'OPEN YOUR MOUTH!'" 54

YVW MAGAZINE

“My superpower is solving puzzles and figuring out something that seems really, really complex. You take it one step at a time. I am never willing to let go of the really big bold vision,” she says.

It’s why she’s worked on addiction-related issues off and on in Billings for the past 20-plus years, for United Way of Yellowstone County, for Montana State University Billings, for Rimrock Foundation and now as the executive director for Substance Abuse Connect.

KRISTIN, 10, GATHERS WITH HER MOM, JOAN, AND A GROUP OF WOMEN IN LARA, CAMEROON THAT THEY MET WHILE HER PARENTS WORKED IN A LEPER COLONY FOR A YEAR.

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Classes will be virtual via Microsoft Teams and run every Tuesday from 4-5:30 pm starting February 1through March 22.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

55

“Our system right now is created so that you basically have to be bleeding and almost dead to get help,” she says. “That’s, of course, an exaggeration.”

Since Substance Abuse Connect was formed, Kristin helped organize committees and began gathering exhaustive data to look for holes in service areas and to discover where the community was vulnerable in the fight. As she flips through the data on her workspace, you see flow charts, committee structures and detailed strategies that, one by one, the coalition is working through. They have a 42-page report that shows the issue in great detail, and is also a roadmap for combatting drug-related crime and substance-abuse prevention.

“It’s been our bible for everything we do,” Kristin says.

It’s been a year since the ink on the report started to dry. Now the coalition is looking ahead to see the fruits of their labor. “We are checking things off the list,” Kristin says. A 2-11 intervention line is up and running.

who is suicidal, someone who is off their meds, someone who is concerned about the welfare of a child.”

By next summer, the coalition hopes to have mobile crisis units staffed with behavioral health professionals to help take some of the burden off first responders. Right now, the only option that 9-1-1 dispatch has for dealing with a non-emergency substance abuse or mental health issue is to send law enforcement. Once mobile crisis units start rolling onto the streets of Billings, they might be dispatched alongside an officer or, if the risk is deemed low, they might respond alone to help divert that person to the care they need.

9 8 8 MENTAL HEALTH - -

CRISIS HOTLINE

“This would pretty much be a 24-hour response,” Kristin says.

All in all, the coalition targeted 22 items on its action plan, from training law enforcement to de-escalate crises sparked by a person abusing substances to uniting businesses for a “wake up call” targeting policies to support treatment and recovery. The prevention arm of the coalition hopes to rekindle strong anti-drug messaging in K-12 education.

“The idea behind it is that it should be just as easy to get non-emergency WILL BE UP AND RUNNING IN help as it is to get emergency help,” she explains. Say, for instance, you “Within five years, I would like to be MONTANA BY JULY OF 2022 can’t pay your electric bill and the sure that everyone in Montana can get power company is going to cut off your the help the moment they need it,” she electricity. Kristin says an operator says. “It shouldn’t be when they are will be there to listen and provide a already addicted.” handful of resources. If you visit montana211.org, you’ll see the Kristin says she’s hopeful because for the first time, the database of more than 900 resources that Kristin helped compile. community has a plan.

In July, Substance Abuse Connect will partner to launch a 9-8-8 “I am excited because I see the possibility and I am just driving crisis line, the next step in intervention. to the possibility,” Kristin says. “It takes a village. That’s the story “What’s happening in Montana is that they of this coalition.” ✻ are converting the suicide hotline to the 9-8-8 number,” she says. ”Someone who is suicidal, someone who is IF YOU’D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SUBSTANCE concerned about someone ABUSE CONNECT, visit substanceabuseconnect.com. If you’d like to read some of the data they’ve gathered on the problem, click on the “about” tab on their website and then click on “documents.” That’s where you’ll find their most recent assessment. While you’re there, scroll down and sign up for their quarterly newsletter for the latest on their efforts.

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YVW MAGAZINE

IS

weight loss

SUCCESS in your genes?

TWO NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO HELP OTHERS SHED POUNDS written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN 58

YVW MAGAZINE

Dr. Melissa Manda, ND

RIGHT NOW, half of Americans admit they’d love to shed a

few pounds in the New Year. If you’re one of them, it might be as simple as getting in touch with your genes, receiving a little help from a handful of nutrients or even adding a hormone. Two doctors with Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic have been using all three as tools to help their patients trim down and improve their health.

“Instead of playing a guessing game and trying 15 different diets, you can know that this is what your body needs and you can work on that,” says Dr. Kaila Sellars, ND. To boil down a body’s propensity to lose weight, Sellars will often start with the “Find Why” DNA test. It helps pinpoint the five known “obesity genes” that can help shed some light on what kind of food and exercise a person’s body prefers. She’ll also run a Body Impedance Analysis (BIA), which measures a person’s percentage of muscle and fat as well as how many calories a person needs to maintain his or her current weight a.k.a. basal metabolic rate.

It’s well known that genetics play a role in people’s metabolism, but hearing there were accessible tools to help decipher the best path to weight loss was fascinating to me. That’s why I decided to take both programs for a test drive.

FINDING MY WHY The past year has not been kind to my health. In the fall of 2020, my family got the Covid virus and while we recovered, I became what’s called a “Covid long hauler,” suffering from some scary and troubling symptoms over the course of about nine months.

Dr. Kaila Sellars, ND

When it came to my weight, my thyroid function went haywire and within two weeks, I had packed on 15 pounds. Exercise didn’t get rid of it. Cutting calories didn’t either.

After swabbing my cheek to send off for DNA analysis, I discovered that I have three out of the five genes that make a person susceptible to weight gain. The test revealed that my body apparently prefers a high protein diet and does better with five small meals a day to keep my blood sugar steady. When it comes to exercise, it burns fat best when cardio and strength training are a part of the same workout.

GAME CHANGING HORMONE For the past two decades, Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic has been helping those wanting to lose weight with the help of hCG, a pregnancy hormone that the medical world discovered helps with weight loss as well.

“In pregnancy, it’s in very high levels. We are using miniscule amounts of hCG for weight loss,” says Dr. Melissa Manda, ND. “Basically, hCG sends messages to parts of the brain to change how your body metabolizes stored fat.” Instead of getting fat from food, hCG shifts the body’s metabolism to use its own stored fat leading to a half-pound to a pound of weight loss each day on the program.

“This is really ideal for that person who does eat pretty well,” Manda says. “They exercise. They stay hydrated. They are doing all of those healthy things and still having trouble losing that last 20 to 30 pounds.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

59

HCG SENDS MESSAGES TO PARTS OF THE BRAIN TO CHANGE HOW YOUR BODY METABOLIZES STORED FAT.

The program has also been a game changer for those with quite a bit of weight to lose.

“Losing 100 pounds could take years and years and years,” Manda says. “We can use this as a jumping off point to continue to develop good lifestyle habits. It’s thought of as an alternative to gastric bypass to help a person gain momentum in terms of weight loss.”

Manda adds that the program isn’t ideal for those with uncontrolled diabetes or a history of certain cancers. That’s why everyone who wants to try the program needs a comprehensive medical intake before they’re given the green light to move forward.

On paper, the program sounds severe. A person in the program not only administers shots of hCG daily for either 23 or 40 days but logs every calorie, making sure not to exceed 500 calories. Foods are restricted to a short list of vegetables and proteins.

Carbohydrates come from a twice daily apple or handful of strawberries.

There’s no oil or fats in the program so that the hormone can trigger the use of a person’s stored fat. For exercise, a half hour walk daily is all you need.

the first few days as the hCG was settling into my system. As the days moved on, the food choices proved to be the biggest challenge. The vegetables weren’t my favorite (greens, celery, cabbage, radishes, plus tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and asparagus). You could use seasonings but no sugar, Stevia only. I found myself putting apple cider vinegar on every salad mixed with a little Stevia and water. By day 12, it was FOR SOME FOLKS WHO tough to stomach. Having said all of that, HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED I lost 14 pounds easily in 21 days. It’s safe to say I’d do it all over again.

THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE WITH

MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT AND WEREN’T ABLE TO FEEL GOOD OR EXERCISE THE WAY THEY WANT TO, THIS CAN REALLY BE A GAME CHANGER.

“For some, it is a really helpful time to step back and look at what is your relationship with food,” Manda says.

Manda says she’s seen an average of 12 pounds lost on the 21-day program and upwards of 30 on the 40-day program.

She’s watched many — thanks to a healthier lifestyle — keep the weight off for years.

— Dr. Melissa Manda, ND. “When I check in with people, they tell me they aren’t hungry, their energy is good and often better than it was,” Manda says, adding that hCG naturally keeps hunger at bay. “We also don’t see a loss of strength or stamina. People feel “For some folks who have really struggled throughout clear and energized, which is generally what we see when their life with maintaining a healthy weight and weren’t able their metabolism switches to fat burning.” The program, she says, to feel good or exercise the way they want to,” Manda says, “this essentially resets your metabolism. can really be a game changer.”

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TURNING TO MIC If strict and quick isn’t your speed, Dr. Sellars has championed using lipotropic injections to help move the needle on weight loss.

“These nutrients really help how your body is processing weight loss,” Sellars says. “The nutrients aren’t doing anything on their own but are supporting your body’s processes.”

The injection, known as MIC, consists of Methionine, Inositol, Choline, vitamin B-12 and L-Carnitine. It’s a mix of amino acids and vitamins that help with everything from the breakdown of fat to proper liver function. Sellars administers the injection either once or twice a week into the muscle. When paired with a calorie deficit, it’s meant to ignite a person’s metabolism and keep fat burning efficiently.

“Calorie deprivation is the root of all weight loss,” Sellars says.

Based on your basal metabolic rate, she encourages a deficit of about 500 calories a day. If you don’t get it by cutting calories, she says you’ll need to burn it through exercise with a goal to lose one pound per week.

“This program is designed to be slow and steady weight loss so that you keep it off,” Sellars says. “It’s a true lifestyle change. If you are looking to lose 20 pounds in a month, this is not the program for you.”

This program was a breeze for me. I logged every calorie on the app called My Fitness Pal and then made sure I worked out to create a calorie deficit. My energy was good, which is typical, and, like many on the program, that helped keep my motivation high.

If you ask Sellars, writing down everything you eat is critical to making permanent lifestyle changes.

“It puts into perspective that some foods you’re eating might not be friendly calorie-wise. A piece of pizza has 400 calories?

Well, if you want to eat pizza, you can still lose weight but you are going to have to adjust a lot of other things just to have one slice,” Dr. Sellars says.

Following this program on the heels of a 21-day hCG plan kept my metabolism stoked. In the first two weeks of MIC, I lost 4 pounds. By the end of my journey, I was down 18 pounds. After 18 years trying to get to my ideal weight, I was close to crossing the finish line.

“It’s a lot of lifestyle coaching,” Sellars says. “How are you doing with the diet. How are you sleeping? Do you have barriers to making good choices? What are they? Maybe we can help with that.”

At the end of the program, Sellars conducts another BIA scan to see how a person’s body fat percentage changed. She says it’s empowering to see what a little hard work and dedication can deliver.

“After the injection portion is over, you aren’t just let go,” she says. “We can follow up as often as you need. We want to give you the tools so that you can make those healthy decisions for the rest of your life.” ✻

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it's her5 BRENDA ROCHE SPARKS ALL KINDS OF WELLNESS JOURNEYS written by SUE OLP photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

DR. BRENDA ROCHE has spent more than 20 years as a

neuropsychologist helping other people, quite often children, find emotional healing and wholeness. Today, she still deeply enjoys that work, but she’s added a new role to the mix — health and wellness coach — cheering others on as they take steps toward healthy living.

If you click on Brenda’s Facebook page, you’ll see all kinds of topics she’s championed. In December, she issued a “core challenge” to her more than 2,500 followers to help them tighten up their midsections. She posted a self-care bucket list for the holiday season and did a live chat targeting ways to create a successful fitness plan. She’s on fire for feeling better, eating better, moving better and living a better life.

Seeing how in tune she is with health and wellness, it might surprise you that just a few years ago, she was 85 pounds heavier.

She dug in and found out what worked and what didn’t and today, she loves guiding others on their own wellness journeys. She helps them build a healthy relationship with food, and she looks to not only improve their physical wellbeing but boost their selfesteem.

“Helping other people get to that point, that’s my passion,” she says.

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She practices what she preaches. This past year, she pushed herself to take up the grueling physical challenge of a triathlon.

“I feel better now than I’ve felt in the past 30 years,” Brenda says, smiling.

By day, Brenda, 57, works full time at Billings Clinic’s Behavioral Health Clinic, about 90 percent of her time devoted to neuropsychological evaluations and 10 percent to therapeutic counseling, mainly with traumatized youngsters.

She was led to neuropsychology after her brother suffered a severe head injury. The specialty zeroes in on the brainbehavior connection and impacts on the brain including learning differences, alcohol exposure, head trauma and neurological or genetic disorders.

Over the years, this specialty has helped her make her mark on the community. She had a hand in creating the Yellowstone Valley Family Drug Court where she’d perform neuropsychological evaluations of parents and their children who were in foster care, helping develop treatment plans. A grant she wrote helped launch the Center for Children and Families in 2008, which enhanced the work of the Family Treatment Court. Eventually, she’d come to serve as the center’s director of clinical and evaluation services.

The work brought her great satisfaction.

“Seeing parents transform and start to believe in themselves again, and the kids see their parents healthy, if I never accomplished anything else in my career, that was enough,” she says.

By 2017, Brenda was working both as a neuropsychologist for the Billings Clinic and a clinical psychologist in a private practice called Family Works for Kids, where she spent evenings and weekends providing neuropsychological evaluations, therapy and a supervised parenting program.

She was working 110-plus hours a week, trying to juggle it all.

In May of 2017, an accident left her with most of the bones in her face crushed. While moving a refrigerator on a set of stairs, the appliance fell back on her face. Her mouth had to be wired shut for nine weeks.

“I’d drink Dairy Queen shakes four times a day,” she says, acknowledging the habit created a beast of a sugar addiction. So much so, she continued the daily shakes for another eight months after her mouth was unwired. Her weight shot up and her health declined.

“I’d been a yo-yo dieter all my life and I was also athletic,” she says. “I still have a high school swimming record from 1980.”

Brenda swam competitively in college, and even into her career remained fairly active. But she admits that every year brought a few extra pounds, and with every diet plan she tried, “I would gain the weight back plus 20 more pounds.”

When long hours of working sparked her eating spiral, Brenda remembers eating upwards of a dozen peanut butter cookies a day from a nearby convenience store. She’d wash them down

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While scrolling social media, she spotted a friend’s posts about her weight loss success. The friend talked about her increased energy and improved health. Brenda kept an eye on her friend’s progress for six months before she decided to follow in her footsteps.

“I was looking at health versus weight loss,” she says. “I knew I could do weight loss but I wanted health, and I knew I needed community to help with that.”

She started April 1, 2018. Within eight months, she was down 65 pounds. When she added exercise to the mix, she dropped another 20 pounds.

I WAS A TERRIBLE EMOTIONAL EATER... NOW, I DON’T HAVE THOSE CRAVINGS. NOW FOOD IS FUEL AND MEDICINE FOR MY BODY. NOW I HAVE CONTROL. —Brenda Roche

People started to notice, so Brenda started sharing.

Eventually, she started her own health coaching business, which set off an explosion of Facebook posts revolving around anything and everything to do with health from nutrition to sleep habits to hydration to physical and mental health along with general tips to lead a balanced life. She stays in tune to her followers’ questions.

“I ask what they are doing for movement – walking is one of the best exercises out there – and give them some tools to monitor how their body is recovering from physical exercise,” she says.

When she looks at how far she’s come, Brenda is especially happy about how her relationship with food has completely changed.

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She tells followers often that getting healthier is a great goal.

When people talk about how buying healthy foods or joining a gym costs too much, Brenda has a simple answer.

“We’re going to either pay it up front or we’re going to pay doctor bills,” she says. “And it’s never too early or too late to look at your overall health.” ✻

TO FOLLOW BRENDA, visit facebook.com/brenda.roche.5

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★ If you suffer food cravings, Brenda says drink 16 ounces of water, then distract yourself for 15 minutes. If you really are still hungry, eat a healthy snack that includes a protein and a healthy fat, like an apple and a tablespoon of almond butter or 10 almonds. Other ideas include cottage cheese with berries, Greek yogurt with no added sugar, dark chocolate, olives with a couple of whole-wheat crackers, or a banana with peanut butter. ★ Monitor your stress level by checking your resting heart rate. “If your resting heart rate is higher than 60, you’re stressed and your body is going to hold onto everything you put into it,” Brenda says. Get into stress-relieving activities, whether that involves meditation, mindfulness or yoga.

You can do everything right and if you don’t take care of your stress, you won’t lose weight, Brenda says. ★ Look for ways to incorporate physical activity into your life. If you’re just starting your journey to health, Brenda suggests focusing on eating habits first. “You can’t out-train a good diet,” she says. “You’ll have much better success that way.”

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WOMEN d e r e w o p Em THE CLASS DELIVERS MORE THAN SELF-DEFENSE TACTICS AND A PINK BELT, IT DEVELOPS CONFIDENCE written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

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MARISSA HENTHORN

used to work at a casino, and she couldn’t help but realize the risks her job involved. Late at night, after the casino closed, she would stay sometimes until 3 a.m. to reconcile deposits and count what was often large amounts of cash, only to step out into a dark, empty parking lot and walk, alone, to her car. She was always looking over her shoulder, scanning the area for danger.

Then, a robbery at a nearby casino moved Marissa to take action. She attended a women’s self-defense seminar put on by SK Martial Arts last spring and joined the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Women Empowered course they offered. She’s learning simple yet effective self-defense techniques. She now has a sense of security she didn’t have before. Although Marissa is no longer working at a casino, the lessons she learned will be valuable no matter where she goes.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a style of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that’s ideal for women because the techniques it employs work no matter how large or strong your opponent may be. The Women Empowered program teaches 20 different techniques to neutralize attacks, ranging from having your hair grabbed to being pinned to the ground in a choke hold. The class took the most common assaults against women that are reported to law enforcement and crafted the techniques to give women a fighting chance.

“You have to learn it before you need it,” says Tanya Weinreis, the Women Empowered instructor. “A lot of people just don’t think about it, or they think it’s not going to happen to them – until it does.”

The Women Empowered program welcomes women of all sizes,

of all fitness levels, and all ages.

“It’s a welcoming community and it’s judgment-free,” Marissa says.

Ann Jones is in her 60s. She’s successfully learned almost all the techniques, honing her skills as she works toward earning a Pink Belt.

“It’s about leverage and smarts,” Ann says. “Hopefully, I’m never in a bad situation, but I have confidence I can get away. I can be a little person and knock someone down if I remember the techniques.”

Through the 15-session course, women gain not only self-defense skills, but confidence as well.

“It trains your mindset,” says Ellise Nienaber, 22, “I tend to freeze in stressful situations, but now I have a lot of options. It’s muscle memory now. Even if you’re not able to think in a stressful situation, your muscle memory will kick in.”

Ashlee Fritzler’s father always encouraged her to take up martial arts. Ashlee, 27, was curious but never made the leap – until the stars aligned and she met Tanya while getting a pedicure last spring. At Tanya’s suggestion, Ashlee tried Gracie jiu-jitsu in the Women Empowered class. Now she’s hooked.

“I wish I could go back in time and learn this when I was a teenager,” Ashlee says. “It’s really given me a lot of confidence I didn’t have before.”

Every woman on the mat has a different reason why she was drawn to the class, but for Tanya, the reason she’s an instructor is extremely personal. A childhood friend was abducted, raped and killed while she was in college in 2003. Her murderer was found JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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guilty and sentenced to life in prison, but Tanya can’t shake the thought that if her friend, Dru, had been trained in the techniques offered in the Women Empowered program she might still be alive.

It's not unusual for women who are survivors of assault to be drawn to the Women Empowered program. In the class, they find a safe, empowering place to learn to defend themselves — but it can be an emotional journey. To become a certified as an instructor, Tanya studied the effects of trauma and has modifications to the various techniques to deal with any triggers her students encounter.

I WISH I COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND LEARN THIS WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. IT’S REALLY GIVEN ME A LOT OF CONFIDENCE I DIDN’T HAVE BEFORE. — Ashlee Fritzler

“It’s OK to come just the way you are,” Tanya says.

Many of the women in the class are studying to earn a pink belt — a jiu-jitsu achievement that’s exclusive to the Gracie Women’s Empowerment program. Earning a pink belt is no easy task.

Participants must demonstrate that they are proficient in all 20 techniques and must improvise using those techniques during two, two-minute fight simulations.

Participants are encouraged to keep their skills up by continuing to come to classes even after they’ve learned the techniques.

Some pink belt graduates choose to take the Adult Combative JiuJitsu also offered by SK Martial Arts. The co-ed class is taught by Tanya’s husband, Shane Weinreis.

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s s e r t SFree MAKE GETTING READY FOR WORK

TANYA'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND, DRU, WAS ABDUCTED, RAPED AND KILLED WHILE SHE WAS IN COLLEGE IN 2003.

During his 18 years in law enforcement, Shane investigated numerous assaults and wholeheartedly believes in the Women Empowered program. The techniques participants learn could save their life, but the confidence they gain while learning them will help them live a fuller, more satisfying life no matter what may happen.

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“Life’s too short and too good for you to live in fear,” Ashlee says. ✻

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SK Martial Arts is offering a FREE women’s self-defense seminar Friday, March 11, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 777 Fitness Center, located at 777 15th St. W. in Billings.

To register, call 406-696-8021.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Women Empowered classes are offered three times a week and women can join anytime. For details, call 406-696-8021.

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BILLINGS ORGANIZATIONAL GURU FINDS HERSELF IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

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PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER

Sarah Kary is not a newcomer to serious disorganization. She’s made a living helping others clear out the clutter with her business, From Mess to Blessed. But recently, her talents made an appearance on A&E Network’s Emmy Award-winning show “Hoarders” when celebrity clutter buster Dorothy Breininger asked for her help.

How does a Billings organizer grab that kind of spotlight? In 2020, just a year after launching her business, Sarah came across a webinar from “Dorothy the Organizer.” Because Sarah felt she needed help with the business and marketing side of things, she took the course. Before long, she was a certified, “Boss Organizer.” In the process, she developed a friendship with Dorothy.

When Dorothy asked her if she wanted to join her as a consultant on two episodes of “Hoarders,” Sarah leapt at the chance.

“It was amazing seeing Dorothy in her element and seeing how she interacts with the clients,” Sarah says. “She’s exactly who she is on the show. She’s down to earth and wants all of her boss organizers to be successful.”

Although Sarah has yet to encounter a true hoarding situation in her business, she has had some challenging projects working with clients who are overwhelmed with clutter. In every instance, she’s been able to help create sustainable solutions and give her clients freedom and peace of mind.

“An organized home just feels good,” Sarah says.

PROVIDING A CALMING PRESENCE Joni Cozzens life has taken so many that she’s still spinning. She recently moved into a 1,200-square-foot home after living with her ailing mother. When her mother passed away, Joni inherited all her belongings. Of course, Joni had her own things. A storage unit was packed with things from her previous, more spacious home. Physically, Joni had some setbacks, too, and sometimes, just getting through the day was a struggle. She’s not a hoarder, but her house was beginning to look like she was one.

That’s when she called Sarah Kary looking for help.

“Until I met Sarah, I thought it was impossible,” Joni says. “She swooped in without judgment and gave me hope.”

Together, they set some realistic goals and sorted through Joni’s things. Some things went to the dump, some went to secondhand stores and other stuff was sold. Her home is still a work in

progress, but it’s nowhere near as cluttered and disorganized as it was. She can now have family and friends over.

“At a certain point, your stuff owns you instead of you owning your stuff,” Joni says. “She changed all that for me.”

Sarah approaches her work with kindness, compassion and efficiency. She starts with a consultation and goal-setting session.

In most cases she works alongside her clients and helps them come up with creative and sustainable solutions that fit their lifestyle.

Every client shares one thing in common: They have more stuff than their space can contain. This time of year, many people are looking to clear the clutter and get organized. Sarah has a few tips and tricks for making that happen.

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THE CLOSET CURE In most homes, closets are a catch-all, and they’re often the first place people start when they decide to de-clutter. Sarah advises taking everything out of the closet and pairing like items with like items. Sweaters go in a pile, tops in another, pants in another.

Look for duplicates and decide which one you wear more often and put the other in a pile to donate. If it doesn’t fit or you no longer wear it, give it away.

“If someone else can use it, pass it along,” Sarah says. “If it is something you can’t use, there’s probably someone else who can.”

The same rule applies for linen closets and pantries. Pair like with like and try to keep items you use more often within reach.

Those less-often-used items can be put up on the higher shelves.

“When in doubt, throw it out,” Sarah says.

In the pantry, Sarah suggests organizing this space according to the way you cook. She likes to keep all of her baking stuff together, and for one client, she organized bins. All the Mexican food and spices were in one bin, Italian foods and spices in the next and so forth.

“Put everything in a place where it is visible, so you know what you have,” Sarah says.

HOME OFFICE FIX Another clutter hot spot is the home office. The first question Sarah asks when organizing this space is, “Is this stored somewhere else where you can access it later?” Almost all bills, statements, and important documents can be accessed online.

“Try to go as digital as possible, which I know is scary for some people,” Sarah says.

For documents that must be stored as a hard copy, create a file folder and (you’ve heard this before) pair like with like so that you’re not searching for, say, a medical document in your car maintenance records.

Sarah encourages her clients to consider cloud storage for important documents like birth certificates, marriage licenses or property records. Should a disaster happen, you can have these documents at your fingertips no matter where you are.

Shred the documents you don’t need to save and eliminate office supplies that you no longer need or use.

DROP ZONES Drop zones are those spaces that tend to be a catch all for everyday items. Think kitchen counter with mail or entryways with coats or the kids’ backpacks.

If there’s space, Sarah advises her clients to use bins to keep things organized. A small bin on the counter for mail can instantly tidy up the space, and if each family member has their own bin or cubby for their belongings, that means less clutter in the entryway.

“Tailor it to your lifestyle and needs,” Sarah says.

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clutter accumulates. Sarah said she likes to deal with her drop zone — which happens to be her kitchen counter — on Sundays.

She sorts the pile and puts everything back where it belongs.

SENTIMENTAL STUFF Sarah acknowledges that sentimental belongings, even if they are never used, can be hard to part with. Sara’s advice: Pare it down to what you really love.

She knows collections can get out of hand.

That’s why she works with her clients to help them pick out their favorites or perhaps the ones with the most sentimental value. Those pieces, she says, should be displayed where you can enjoy them and the memories they evoke.

People often have a difficult time deciding what to do with family heirlooms. Kristi Gilliland, one of Sarah’s clients, was in that place recently when her husband passed away and she downsized from a house with five bedrooms to one with two bedrooms. It seemed like everything she touched in the process of moving had sentimental value.

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“There were so many memories in everything,” Kristi says.

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Sarah gently asked questions about Kristi’s favorite memories and helped her trim down those precious items to a manageable number.

“I learned that it was OK to let things go,” Kristi says. “It was hard to say I needed help, but I knew I couldn’t take everything with me. In the end it was all very reassuring.”

MAKE IT A HABIT “Organization isn’t an event,” Sarah says. “It’s a habit.”

Not every space that you organize will stay that way, and even the best thought-out plan may not work in the long run. When that happens, Sarah’s advice is to dive in and give the space another overhaul.

“What works for one person may not work for all,” Sarah says. “Keep experimenting.”

It’s also helpful to think of why areas of your home are becoming cluttered. Americans are bombarded with a “new is better” message.

People often buy without thinking.

They buy things because they are on sale, or replace things that don’t need replacing. It all leads to clutter.

“For whatever reason we put our value in who we are based on our stuff,” Sarah says.

In reality, relationships, experiences and just the simple joys of friends and family are what bring meaning to our lives.

“That cannot be replaced with stuff, Sarah says. ✻

NEED A LITTLE SUPPORT IN YOUR ORGANIZING EFFORTS? Visit Sarah’s website at www.frommess-to-blessed.com. She sends out a newsletter with tips and tricks and offers a free consultation for new clients.

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COMFORT, WARMTH & STYLE

WHEN THE TEMPERATURE

takes a dip, there’s nothing quite like slipping on a sweater for a little comfort and warmth. Even though you love that slouchy cardi that’s seen better days, why not trade it in for something that exudes both comfort and style?

written by VICKI-LYNN TERPSTRA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

Do you want a date night outfit that’s both cozy and sexy? We’ve got you covered. Maybe you don’t need to constantly reach for your hoodie and yoga pants for that indoor hockey game. Every now and then you can skip the basic denim and baggy sweaters and add unique layers to your warm knits to create a more fashion forward look. Every moment calls for a different take on sweater weather. We found five ways to be both comfortable and stylish. ✻

playful5

For the ladies who are full of life with packed schedules, we know you can’t ditch denim from your lineup. You need those sweaters that pair easily with jeans. The excitement comes when you take a basic partnership and layer it up in unexpected ways.

Here, we added a denim vest in a different shade than the jeans to create a spirit of youthful adventure. Starting with your basic black sweater as a base layer, add interest with distressed denim, combat boots and a lighter denim vest and you have a lively look that’s perfect all winter long.

GET THE LOOK

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Levi’s Retro Denim Vest, $70; Deluc square neck sweater, $60; ARFM Ferris High Rise Mom Jeans, $69; pearl and gold necklace, $65; Dolce Vita Huey H2O boot, $140. All can be found at Something Chic.

creative2

Ignite your adventurous and artsy side and hit the town in this dramatic floor-length tulle skirt paired with a chunky rock and roll sweater. It’s perfect for that gal who loves to spark conversation while wearing sneakers under the most feminine and whimsical of skirts. Though this gives a nod to rock ’n’ roll fashion with its skulls and black leather, the cardigan could be easily thrown overtop a floral dress as well reminding us that opposites really do attract.

GET THE LOOK

Elan tulle black skirt, $89; Elan rock and roll cardigan, $75; Vintage Havana sneakers in cheetah, $130; Ink + Alloy earrings, $30. All can be found at Neecee’s.

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fierce5

Padded shoulders are the base for this power outfit. Pair this sweater with faux leather pants and you have an extremely on-trend and universal style. Yes, padded shoulders and this kind of shoulder detailing is back and it’s better than the looks we sported in the ’80s and ’90s, adding just the right amount of interest. The sky-high mirrored stilettos add a bit of drama, making this power outfit one that can go from a board meeting straight to martinis with your best friends.

GET THE LOOK

Sen Gemma sweater in heather gray, $168; Cinq à Sept Giles faux leather pants, $298; Tova heart earrings, $78; Marc Fisher Sassie pewter pump, $148. All can be found at the RocHouse.

romantic2

The spiciness of a silky dress partnered with a relaxed knit sweater makes for the most hassle-free date night or winter event outfit. These pieces will transform when separated but when paired with a tone on tone look, its both trendy and timeless. This bright and cheery color and pleasant mix of fabrics is guaranteed to turn heads.

GET THE LOOK

Vince Camuto Ultra Red dress, $109; Vince Camuto Bright Cherries sweater, $39; Antonio Melani Nicola Bathio dress boot, $159.99; Anna & Ava necklace, $25; bracelet $14.40. All can be found at Dillard’s.

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SHOP WITH US FOR EVERY OCCASION. — Owner Courtney Burton and the RocHouse Team

652 .9999 | 1 02 5 SH ILOH CROSSIN G BLV D ST E #6 | BILLINGS SH OPROCH OUSE .COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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sophisticated7 An urban, refined look is what you get when you mix layers with rich textures. The masculinity of the faux leather button up is softened by the sweetness of these satin pants. As an added bonus, the sweater jacket is versatile enough that you can sport it on warmer winter days.

It’s also flexible enough to be a statement piece when paired with basic denim and a button-up blouse. We love it here as the finishing touch to this tasteful outfit.

GET THE LOOK

Melissa Nepton pants, $129; Dolce Cabo blouse, $98; Charlotte Avery sweater, $198; Rings, $59 and $96; French Kande necklace, $239. All can be found at Cricket Clothing Co. Gianni Bini Venicia Leather d’Orsay Pumps, $79.99, at Dillard’s.

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For the perfect gift...

Give us an hour... we’ll take of the rest.

care

SOMETHING retro...

406.655.1701 • 1504 24th St W • SanctuarySpaAndSalon.com

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.

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

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money

LET’S TALK ABOUT

TIPS FOR EMPOWERING WOMEN TO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR FINANCES

written by LAURA BAILEY photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

THE ROAD TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM is paved with

the best of intentions. We have big ideas on how to plan for retirement, how to pay for our children’s college education or how to even set some money aside for those everyday emergencies.

Over the course of our lives, however, we’re bound to hit a few 82

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potholes or be forced to take a detour from our goals. It’s life.

That’s why to spark a great start in the New Year, we sat down with three financial advisors to talk about the tough questions and how we can make sure our long-term goals don’t get lost in the shuffle of day-to-day life.

MEET THE WOMEN Betsy Rector is an Investment Advisor Representative and Accredited Investment Fiduciary with Loveless Wealth Management LLC. She’s a Billings native and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, staying active, and enjoying local cuisine.

Janiel Olson is a Financial Advisor for RBC Wealth Management.

When she’s not helping her clients navigate their financial security, she loves coaching high school basketball. She and her husband, Travis, are soon-to-be parents.

Morgan Reif is a Financial Advisor and Accredited Asset Management Specialist for Edward Jones. She’s been helping her clients reach their long-term financial goals since 2017. In her free time, Morgan loves adventuring with her husband, Seth, and daughter, Lyla, who is almost two years old.

BETSY RECTOR, Loveless Wealth Management Q. Are there any questions women commonly ask when it comes to finances?

A. There is generally a fear of judgement. Am I going to be looked down upon because I have debt? Student Loans? Am I a poor saver? Do not be afraid to seek help if you need assistance with getting on track. Both men and women often ask about what will happen if their partner passes, and since women generally live longer, it is more commonly a female concern. Questions such as: Am I going to be taken care of financially? Will I have to make a lifestyle change? We often see that financial responsibilities have been managed by one individual in a partnership, or that income was imbalanced. If the primary earner passes away, it can be particularly stressful for the surviving spouse. This issue can often be handled proactively by getting both parties in a marriage involved in their finances. Everyone should make sure they have their estate planning in place, regardless of age. Think of it as making what would be an exceedingly difficult time for your loved ones, just a little bit (and in some cases a lot) easier.

Q. What’s one issue you think women might not consider when it comes to managing their money?

A. There is a prevailing trend in our industry that women are often overlooked in the client/advisor relationship, and statistics show that most women will change advisors if their husband passes or there is a divorce. They may feel like their advisor does not see them as an equal to their husband in terms of making decisions or having financial significance (for example, if the husband has traditionally been the breadwinner). It is crucial that women find an advisor who sees both parties of a marriage as equally significant, one that will listen to your questions and concerns, and make just as much of an effort to maintain and build your trust.

Q. What’s the most common pieces of advice you find yourself telling all of your clients?

A. Investing is not a “get rich quick” scenario. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Time is your ally. If you are investing, make sure you have a portfolio that is diversified and in line with your goals. If you are working with an advisor, make sure you know how they are getting paid and whether or not they are receiving commissions or being incentivized by outside sources. Your advisor should function as a true fiduciary and always put your interests before their own.

Saving for a big goal like “retirement” can seem daunting, and when faced with a daunting task we often default to taking no action. The hardest part is getting started, and your efforts will pay off in time.

Get in the habit of saving. Budget it into your spending like it is a monthly obligation. After a while it becomes routine. And do it ASAP. Make sure to keep an emergency fund handy and invest any savings on top of that. The longer you let your money grow, the better off you will be.

Wealth goes beyond finances, it applies to one’s health, quality of life, and mental/emotional wellbeing. They are all interrelated.

Growing wealth is not about status, it is about independence!

Finances are often one of the most stressful parts of our lives and marriages, but they do not have to be. If you are feeling overwhelmed or like you do not have the knowledge or wherewithal to do it yourself, get a team in place. It takes a village.

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JANIEL OLSON, RBC Wealth Management Q. When it comes to women & money management, what do you think is the number one concern?

A. Women need to protect their assets. As women continue to earn money, become, at times, the main breadwinners for their families, and run their own businesses, it's vital that they take steps to protect their assets, both personal and professional.

Without an asset protection plan, a woman's wealth is vulnerable to taxes, lawsuits, accidents, and other financial risks that are part of everyday life. But women may be too busy handling their day-to-day responsibilities to take the time to implement an appropriate plan.

Q. What is one thing women often overlook when it comes to their finances?

A. Women are economic powerhouses. They earn the majority of college degrees, lead the way as business owners and entrepreneurs, oversee household purchasing decisions and control the majority of America’s wealth. Despite these gains, women still face unique challenges that make planning a priority.

Women are more likely to be living on their own. Whether through choice, divorce, or death of a spouse, more women are living on their own. This means they'll need to take sole responsibility for protecting their income and making financial decisions.

Q. When it comes to growing wealth or planning for the future, is there anything (a mindset or habit) that’s holding us back?

A. Plenty of people know less than they should but aren't willing to recognize or admit it. As a result, their portfolios suffer. Be willing to ask questions. For instance, many don’t focus on the compounding effect of investing.

Look at what happens when you invest $1,000 a month at 4% compounded growth.

• If you invest from age 55 to 65, it results in $145,000 • If you invest from age 45 to 65, it results in almost $400,000 • If you invest from age 35 to 65, it results in more than $675,000 • If you invest from age 25 to 65, it results in more than $1,145,000 Q. What’s the best bit of advice you like to give to your clients?

This year marks our 100th year in business and we’re celebrating by telling 100 stories, sharing 100 lessons, and giving 100 gifts.

Thank you for letting us serve you.

Here’s to the next 100 years.

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A. Financial planning isn’t just about how much you will or will not have in “X” years, but what you need to protect your family against the “what ifs,” whether that’s an unexpected death, illness, loss of job, or any emergency requirement for money. There are an endless number of parts of financial planning beyond savings and investing that women need to factor in.

MORGAN REIF, Edward Jones Q. Many women are concerned about planning for a comfortable retirement. How can we take the right steps?

A. When thinking about saving and investing, most people think about saving for their future retirement. But the need to save and invest doesn't end there. Throughout retirement, you'll continue to need financial strategies to make sure your money lasts. This is especially key for women, who have longer life expectancies than men. Here are some questions to consider in building a strategy for income in retirement.

How long might your retirement last?

How much do you expect to receive from Social Security?

How will you address health care and medical expenses?

Q. Why work with a financial advisor?

A. A financial advisor can bring you closer to the future you see for yourself in many ways – from creating personalized savings strategies for all your short and long-term goals, to selecting the right investment products for you, working through estate considerations, and setting up insurance protection for you and your loved ones.

But the most important benefits aren’t necessarily the details of strategies and investments. We believe the real difference is in finding a long-term, trusted partner who understands what's most important to you, and why.

No two people are the same, so your financial goals and investment strategies should be as individual as you are. By listening to your unique story, your financial advisor can help develop sound goals and strong foundational strategies to keep you on track toward your vision for the future.

Q. When should I meet with a financial advisor?

A. It's never too early to start. You may wonder if you need to be a certain age or have a certain amount of assets. But wherever you are in life, a financial advisor can help you take stock of your finances and build a strategy for all your short and longterm goals. The future always seems to catch up to us before we know it, so taking action now only helps in the long run. ✻

Grab some tomorrow and make your day before it even starts.

AVAILABLE AT PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS.

© 2020 Quality Is Our Recipe, LLC

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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Cinhange LEANING INTO

2022

WAY BACK WHEN,

before I was the spiked hot chocolate version of me that I am now, I had the opportunity to work as a car salesperson. Now, there are a lot of things I could tell you about the car business, like the old “take their keys and keep them in the office waiting for the managers offer all day” trick. It was really painful but immensely effective.

YV W CO LUMIST

written by KAREN GROSZ

I also learned that if you give a customer a lollipop, they’ll buy the car without too much banter. The lollipop lulls them into sweet gooey kids who always wanted a new car.

What I didn’t know, when I signed onto the role, was that I’d not only learn just about everything I needed to know about humans, I’d learn a lot of things about me, as well.

Like, I don’t always pay attention to the details. Take for instance the time that I took the would-be customers on a test drive only to discover they were dropping off a bag of drugs and running from the police. Yes, I was still sitting in the backseat talking about the car, when the police lights flashed, and the doors flew open.

I also — and this was an insight I didn’t really expect — don’t like change. OK, OK, I really do like change, but only, and this is very important, if I initiate it. If you and I are going to dinner, I may change the location six times even when we are on the way because inspiration, or a commercial, gave me a better idea. If, however, I am on the way with the target loaded into Google Maps, and you change the location, or heavens forbid, the time, well, I turn into madam cranky pants. A lollipop won’t solve it.

I discovered this while going through a corporate training.

When we came to the question about who on the team was the most vibrant, the entire team pointed to me, and I, as if to prove the point, glowed and took a bow. When the trainer

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asked who was the least likely to accept a policy change everyone again pointed at me. I was flabbergasted.

I loved change. I argued just a bit, but they were heartless and unrelenting, accusing me of being scary when it came to telling me about any changes that had been made while I was out of the building. Are you kidding?! Me? The vibrant one? I had a new haircut, we’d recently moved to a house I liked, we ate at the latest and greatest restaurants that I diligently discovered … oh, yeah … I liked change … that I initiated. Ouch.

I paid attention to that lesson, and have tried to be more open-minded about changes, but really, if I have decided how things are going to go, where we are going to sit, and whether or not we are staying to the end, isn’t it just easier to go along with my plans? Kidding aside, it is by leaning into change — both those that are my idea and those that aren’t — that has provided me with the most growth, the biggest opportunities, and the chance to live a life of wonder and grace. Adapting to change gives me, and the people I coach, strength.

So, here we are, day 9,287 of a pandemic, a pandemic that has rocked my world, and I would assume yours, with changes to just about every facet of our lives. Businesses have closed, events have morphed into new, changed-up versions of what they once were, and casual family dinners often contain the need to change the subject of conversation because no one agrees on what is right and what is wrong in a Covid world.

But in this, especially as we tumble and bumble to 2022, is the opportunity to change.

We can change where we work, how we work, where we go and don’t go, who we listen to, and who we spend our

hase mber nals ana. orial ring

— Karen Grosz 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 precious to love.btime i l l i n gwith, s s tubecause, d i ot h e a tin r ea.cCovid o m world, we are given, under

everything else, the chance to stop, for a moment or a 10-day quarantine, and think about who we are, really, and who we want FRinge FestivaL to be, really, going forward.

Venture Theatre presents its Fringe Festival, January 18th-19th and

This gift of change at times has felt forced upon us and, as I used 25th-26th.The festival features four nights of shows featuring local to do, we’ve fought it so very hard, with temper tantrums and and regional performing artistswe’ve of allspun types into including dance, standup silent treatments.

As a result, miserly, miserable comedy, of theater improv,Inone act plays, musicals, performance versions ourselves. other moments — the moments art, I spoken and of puppetry.v n titu rhas e t hbeen e a t r ethe .o rtrue g gift of hope youword/poetry, will have more in 2022 e— change, made with contemplation, insights and joyous discovery souL s tReet d anCe of new things that we truly enjoy.

This high energy show comes to the Alberta Bair Theater on January

a new eracoaching in dance, I 19th oftenand ask presents groups that I am to while come pushing up with the oneartistic true boundaries Soul Street more concerts consist of a mix thing we canofallstreet agreedance. on, and recently than one group hasof movement thatwon’t will keep you2021, at the edge of for your seat.

The music said that 2022 be like nor 2019 that matter, and Iis have to agree. willelectric be a different, because marches on as combined withItan mix ranging fromtime hip-hop to classical. does andwill ourmake needyou as humans to keep enjoyaudiences our world.

It’s ascience, show that laugh and of all ages

In 2022, let’s change into new improved versions of ourselves.

Let’s lean into things that make us feel safe, things that make us laugh, and things that make us better humans for those around us. Let’s mourn our losses, walk away from our dramas, and live our lives as if they are the only lives we have to live, because, and I’m pretty sure you understand this about now, they are the only lives we have to live, and we can, no matter what, enjoy them.

In 2022, our vacations might be staycations, our dinners out might be on our patio, in the snow, with candles to warm our fingers and a nip of gin to make us grin, but, and this is what I want you to hear, 2022 can be our year, no matter what changes we didn’t want to have thrown at us, because we are the women who read YVW, and we know a thing or two about changing the world. We are strong. We can pivot. And we can, by damn, be whomever we want to be. ✻

entertained.

We can choose, as I used to, to fight the changes 2022 brings, or we can fire up our pivot points, of which our bodies have many, and pivot them.Rt We can change who we want to be, how a with ConCe FoR theinto w hoLe FamiLy we want to show up for those around us, and where, as I often Billings Symphony Concert January 26thrules. at the do, we want to go topresents dinner.its WeFamily are living in aon time without Alberta Bair Theater.

Four time Grammy nominees, “Trout Fishing OK, there are lots of rules, but as far as who we can and can’t be, in America,” alongtowith the Billings Symphony. well, welcomewill theperform opportunity change!

Everything is upTrout for Fishing in America is a musical duo which performs folk and renegotiation right now. It’s a Covid world and, it’s time rock to stop children’s being stuck.music. b i l l i n g s s y m p h o n y.c o m

KAREN GROSZ, writer Growing up in the shadow of Mt. Rushmore gave Karen an appreciation of high ideals. Living in Alaska for 25 years gave her a frontier spirit. Life in Montana finds her building community. A selfdescribed "multipotentialite," she loves coaching others with her business, Canvas Creek Team Building.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?

ls e

Karen Grosz and YVW have joined forces to

EMPOWER YOU to take that step with an online class that takes you through the process of

WRITING A BOOK.

rd

FOR MORE INFO DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013

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k

Writer’s

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ub Cl

YELLOWSTONEVALLEYWOMAN.COM |

YELLOWSTONEVALLEYWOMAN.COM/WRITERS-CLUB

oo

ly in na’s 4thorg

Let’s lean into thi n gs that make u s feel safe, t hings that make u s lau gh , a n d things t hat make u s b etter hu ma n s fo r those aro un d u s.& the Bea st Beauty

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reycliff Mill

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RESTORING HERITAGE for the FUTURE:

written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

STANDING MAJESTICALLY next to the gray-tinted cliffs

near Big Timber sits a gristmill rich with historic charm. The renewed 1874 mill sits inside a 262-year-old Dutch timber-frame barn that made its way cross country from the hills of South Carolina.

Today, the Greycliff Mill is home to the handiwork of Avery Brandstad and Rachel Lindsay. The two are now using the space to honor the craft of handmade foods and wares.

Matt Brandstadt came to Montana to live near his father, who relocated to the Big Timber area in 2017. Matt, who was born in Montrose, Colorado, grew up in New Mexico, finally settling in Texas near Waco. Right after high school, he went to work for Heritage Restorations, of which he is now a co-owner, establishing a presence in Montana.

Over the 20 years he’s worked for the company, he’s helped install timber-frame projects in China, Australia and New Zealand. His most memorable experience was “raising a frame in downtown Yokohama Japan,” one of Japan’s most populous cities.

Spending five summers on his father’s ranch with his family sparked the dream of living under the Big Sky. “I always wanted to move here,” Avery, Matt’s wife, says. Matt

and his son spent eight months building their house, and in May, the rest of the family moved here, planting themselves in the new home built on 200 acres.

Bimonthly farm-totable dinners are offered, and quickly sell out because of their popularity.

As the oldest child in a family of five boys and four girls growing up outside of Dallas, Avery says, “I was the second mom.” The responsibilities she undertook as a girl carry over to her life now. Matt and Avery married in 2005 and now have four children ranging in age from 4 to 15.

In cooking for her family, she says, “I cook whatever we have to cook.” The rhythm of her speech picks up as she continues: “I cook Greek. Then American, beef tenderloin or filet mignon.”

Then she jumps to using garlic butter for grilling the meats and then talks of, “homemade sourdough crackers. We will get those on the shelves to sell.”

Along with homeschooling her children she is making jams, preserves and pie filling to sell along with soaps.

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“My mother used to make soap,” she says.

From the milk of a Jersey cow named Piper, she’s also producing mozzarella, yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese curds. A new cheese cave is also in the works.

“We are building a 32-by-72-foot greenhouse with a six-foot drop,” Matt says. Geothermal features will help pump warm water through pipes into the growing area. A tunnel is planned between the greenhouse to a cheese-aging cave.

“It is a full life,” Avery says. “It is a busy life.

But we’re surrounded by a great support group,” including Elisha Sherman, manager of Greycliff Mill. Bimonthly farm-to-table dinners are offered, and quickly sell out because of their popularity. Once again, she talks excitedly of the opportunity for them to share nourishment with guests. Each dinner carries a theme.

“We have served food from India – Indian buttered chicken and masala. Mexican – wheat tortillas and beef fajitas.” For the holidays, the Thanksgiving-themed dinner brought farm-raised turkey to the table, and prime rib with sweet potato rolls for Christmas.

“We look at what we have in raw ingredients,” Elisha says. His talents were honed while working for a catering company in Texas, along with a stint cooking for President George W. Bush, eventually relocating from Texas to manage the Big Timber Bakery in 2016.

Take your business to the next level At RBC Wealth Management, we help you invest in yourself, your employees and your community by delivering financial products, resources and strategies to help you and your business thrive.

Call today for a complimentary consultation.

Elisha grinds the wheat used in Rachel Lindsay’s bagels. The 14-foot-diameter iron water wheel is propelled by spring water coming from three ponds on property. The water is held in a cistern for better regulation of water pressure used to rotate the grinding wheel. Finding the perfect grind is “by trial and error.” While processing upwards of 30 pounds of flour a day from hard winter red wheat, the speed of the grinder is fine-tuned to changes in humidity and temperature.

Janiel Olson Financial Advisor 404 North 31th Street, Suite 300 Billings, MT 59101 (406) 255-8732 | janiel.olson@rbc.com

Investment and insurance products: • Not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency • Not a deposit of, or guaranteed by, the bank or an affiliate of the bank • May lose value © 2021 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.

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Olson_Biz owner_AD_KC_FINAL.indd 9021-BL-02592_Janiel YVW MAGAZINE

1

“We are looking for high-quality ingredients.

We don’t want something that is mass produced,” Matt says. “We do not want feedlot-raised cows. We want grass fed, 100 percent of their lives.”

10/12/21 11:27 AM

“The fresh ground flour is fluffier,” baker Rachel Lindsay says. “When flour sits longer, it doesn’t have much life to it.”

As a native of New Jersey, Rachel was familiar with New York bagels. “I found a few recipes and tweaked them,” she says.

“I absolutely love baking. Baking is an art.”

When it comes to bagels, she adds, “it is

Elisha grinds the wheat used in Rachel's bagels.

Avery is making jams, preserves and pie filling to sell along with soaps.

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best to know and feel.” She kneads and then boils her bagels in water before baking. She concentrates on producing bagels and has trained Anna Diaz to bake other items such as coffee cakes and cinnamon rolls.

“My dad loved desserts. My mother brought me cookbooks when I was a young teenager,” Rachel says. “I learned to bake lemon meringue pies, apple turnovers and made puff pastry.

Mom enrolled me in a class in Austin, Texas, where I learned to decorate wedding cakes.”

If you go to the mill and sense a kind of family, you’re perceptive.

“We’re an agricultural-based community,” Rachel says. “We feel strong ties to the land.” Priding themselves in being able to lend a hand to fellow neighbors, the spirit of hospitality continues at Greycliff Mill for all who visit.

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“I mostly love meeting new people,” Rachel says, “talking with locals and people coming from far off.”

To visit the Greycliff Mill, take the Bridger Creek Road exit coming from the east on I-90, and exit at Greycliff while traveling from the west. Grab an espresso and a pastry at a seat by the highceiling windows on glass-topped wine barrels under wagonwheel chandeliers. Your spirit, just like this old structure, will be forever restored. ✻

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE

at one of Greycliff Mill’s upcoming farm-to-table dinners or make reservations to stay on site at their 1870 restored cabin, visit greycliffmill.com.

Le Creuset Pasta Bowls (Set of 4) White $64.00 Mason Cash Leaf Bowls (Set of 3) $14.95

New Year

GRAIN BOWL

What better way to celebrate the New Year than with color, flavor, and health? vinaigrettes - the more flavor the better!

Grain Bowls don’t really require a recipe they’re more of a method that results in a one bowl meal that’s both delicious and healthful.

Here are our suggestions:

TOP WITH VEGETABLES: roasted vegetables, steamed kale, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, grilled corn, whatever you like!

FOR THE BASE: Farro, quinoa, white rice, brown rice, barley, oatmeal, soba or rice noodles, or cauliflower rice

TOP IT ALL OFF WITH YOUR FAVORITES: sesame seeds, scallions, feta, chopped nuts, dried fruit, pomegranate seeds, hot sauce.

CHOOSE A PROTEIN: seared steak, grilled chicken breast, steamed shrimp, fish, fried/poached/soft-boiled eggs, or beans of all kinds

HERE’S HOW WE MADE OUR GRAIN BOWL: to a base of white rice and baby kale, we added roasted butternut squash,

MAKE A SAUCE: pestos, tapenades,

406-534-8427

|

110 N 29TH ST

turmeric roasted cauliflower, pickled shallots, Black Butte Chickpeas, crumbled feta, sliced radishes and carrots, pomegranate seeds, and a tangy tahini dressing (1 cup tahini mixed with 1/2 cup male syrup, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper).

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OXO GOOD GRIPS 3-IN-1 AVOCADO SLICER “No one wants to end up with avocado hands,” Marguerite says. “This slices, de-pits and creates perfectly even slices to put on your favorite slice of toast.” Oftentimes, trying to remove the seed with a chef knife can be dangerous. The blades in this pitter makes for safe removal of the seed. Use this tool to help make Super Bowl guacamole.

ools ight R T THE

FOR THE JOB

WHAT YOU NEED TO COOK UP NEW FLAVORS IN THE NEW YEAR written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

AFTER HOLIDAY FEASTING and indulging, our bodies welcome foods that renew and refresh.

We turn to vegetables, fruits and legumes, embracing more simplicity. Preparing raw ingredients requires more care. There’s slicing, chopping and, at times, more cooking time compared to processed or pre-prepared foods.

Marguerite Jodry, owner of Zest, the kitchen and cookware store located downtown, suggests five tools that will help with healthier eating and easier preparation of those deliciously fresh home-cooked meals. ✻

LÉUKÉ SILICON MUFFIN CUPS and OXO GOOD GRIPS PRECISION BATTER DISPENSER The silicon cups make for easier release of eggs, cake and other baked goods while the dispenser allows more precise division of the eggs in this recipe. It’s also perfect for pancake or cake batter.

“This is perfect for a grab and go breakfast,” Marguerite says. “Egg cups have been all the rage. People always want to know how to make the eggs found at the chain coffee shop.”

For a batch, Jodry recommends beating up one dozen eggs in the dispenser and seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper. Line the cups with thinly sliced prosciutto and sprinkle in some crumbled feta cheese. Dispense eggs into cups and bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Marguerite recommends removing the cooled eggs from the cups and wrapping them in plastic wrap to keep in the freezer for up to a month or in the refrigerator for one week. To reheat, cook frozen eggs in the microwave for 50 to 60 seconds and refrigerate eggs for about 15 seconds.

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MASONTOPS COMPLETE STARTER KIT NUTRIBULLET

“This is perfect for making morning smoothies,” Marguerite says. The compact mini blender also makes smoothies, soups, dips and sauces. “If you are on the healthy band wagon, this is for you. Make dressings, small batches of hummus, pureed soups and pesto.”

This kit comes with two sprouting lids and two sprouting seed packages – Crunch Bean Mix and Sandwich Booster Mix. Mason jars, with their clear walls, let light pass through for optimal growth, and can be sterilized in the dishwasher between sprouting batches.

NORDICWARE EXTRA LARGE OVEN CRISPING BAKING TRAY “I love this, especially for big families,” Marguerite says. “The tray fits into a standard size oven. This is perfect for a busy family who wants to cook once to feed for several days.” For the aluminum tray with a carbon steel rack, Marguerite shared this one pan salmon, green bean and new potato dinner.

Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Toss ½ pound halved new potatoes with olive oil, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Spread potatoes onto the rack and bake for 25 minutes or until brown. Push potatoes onto one side. Toss green beans with olive oil, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Add to rack along with four one-third-pound salmon filets brushed with olive and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

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STEWS BREWS and

TA ST E OF T HE VAL LEY

written by KAY ERICKSON photography by LOVELY HITCHCOCK

HEARTY, SLOW COOKED & SAVORY WITH PERFECT BEER PAIRINGS

IT’S A TIME TO HUNKER DOWN.

The first few months of the New year typically bring gray skies, colder temperatures, gusty winds and snow.

Why not warm a fire, pick up a good book and simmer a pot of stew in the kitchen and let those wafting aromas warm our psyches and stomachs?

My “hunker down” go-to is my mother’s Old-Fashioned Beef Stew. It was how she neutralized winters in northern Illinois. Over the years, I’ve updated it a bit to suit my family’s changing tastes.

Another of my warm the body and soul recipes is my Favorite Lamb Stew, which has remained unchanged over the years (do not meddle with perfection) other than substituting mini

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potatoes or baby potatoes of various colors for cubed red potatoes.

Both are sure to cure the winter blues, especially when paired with a good brew. For suggestions, I turned to Uberbrew’s Mark Hastings, Director of Brewing Operations for his suggested brews to pair with each stew. He chose The Bruce, Uberbrew’s awarding winning Scotch ale, and the Annual Anniversary Release Baltic Porter served at the By All Means Tap Room.

So, when Montana’s winter weather is starting to get the better of you, look to a good fire, a good book and a pot of stew, inviting you and your family to relax, knowing that spring will come eventually.

Enjoy! ✻

old fashioned

beef stew

2 lbs. of beef cut into 1-inch cubes (you can use stew meat, but I prefer to use top or bottom round) 2 T. grapeseed oil 2 c. low sodium beef broth 1 t. Worcestershire sauce 1 clove garlic minced 1 onion, diced 2 bay leaves ½ T. kosher salt 1 t. granulated sugar ½ t. paprika ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper Dash of ground allspice 6 carrots, peeled and sliced in ½-inch slices 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices 1 small turnip, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes 3 T. flour INSTRUCTIONS In a Dutch oven, brown the beef in the grapeseed oil over medium heat. Remove the meat and add the onion and garlic until soft, making sure not to burn the garlic. Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Add the beef broth and the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt, sugar, paprika, black pepper, and allspice. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally to keep meat from sticking. Add the vegetables and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Slowly blend 1/3 cup of cold water into the 3 tablespoons of flour until smooth. Slowly stir into the hot stew mixture. Cook and stir until bubbly and then simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.

NOTE A loaf of crusty bread is my favorite to serve with this stew. It’s great for sopping up the broth.

BREW FOR THE STEW Baltic Porter (Annual Anniversary release). This brew offers flavors of caramelized sugar, cocoa powder and dark fruit.

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my favorite

lamb stew

INSTRUCTIONS

1T. grapeseed oil

Coat the lamb cubes in flour. In a Dutch oven, brown the meat in the grapeseed oil. Add the 3 cups of beef broth, garlic, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat is almost tender. Add the carrots, onion, potatoes and basil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the peas and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and/or pepper as need.

3 c. low sodium beef broth

NOTE

1 clove of garlic, minced

With lamb stew, I like to serve a softer bread, like biscuits or croissants.

2 lbs. boneless lamb cut into 1-inch cubes (I use boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder)

2 t. kosher salt 1/4 t. black pepper 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 3 mini red or golden potatoes, peeled and cubed ½ t. dried basil, crushed 1-10 oz. pkg frozen peas (fresh baby peas are also divine) 2 T. chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste

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BREW FOR THE STEW The Bruce is a Scotch ale with notes of caramel, roast barley, plum and fig.

KAY ERICKSON, writer Kay has spent her professional career in public relations and broadcast news, currently at Yellowstone Public Radio. Her journalism degree is from Northern Illinois University. Her passions include her family, sports and food. Her mom and an aunt taught her the finer points of cooking and instilled a love of good food and family mealtime.

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102

JAZZ UP YOUR WALLS

Create textile wall art for under 20 bucks

106

A FRESH NEW FACE

After 37 years, a remodel breathes new life into this multi-generational home JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

101

YOUR WALLS CREATE TEXTILE WALL ART FOR UNDER 20 BUCKS

LOOK WH AT W E FOU ND

written by RACHEL JENNINGS photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN

p U z z a J

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WINTER DOLDRUMS HAVE YOU DOWN? Here’s an easy winter project to jazz up your living space for under $20.

Normally, textile wall art costs a pretty penny, but you can make your own and customize it to fit you and your home style.

Head to your favorite thrift store and start looking for inexpensive wall art.

Don't look at the pictures or at the colors. The art itself doesn't matter. Look instead for a nice frame that’s the right scale for the area you plan to hang your DIY art.

While you’re at the thrift store, check out fabric or material. The thrift store often has great finds. I chose to look for something with a unique texture. Look for vintage T-shirts, curtains, bathmats, blankets, tablecloths, whatever you find interesting.

Just remember the size of the frame should be comparable to the amount of fabric.

Begin by taking apart the frame. Flip it over. If there is a paper backing, use a sharp knife or razor blade to carefully slice and remove it. From here, bend back the staples holding in the artwork by using a screwdriver. Remove the art and glass, setting everything aside.

Wipe down the frame, cleaning to remove any grime. Spray paint the frame and let it dry. I chose a mat black paint for my frame.

Now it’s time to paint the artwork. I chose a bright white because I thought it would complement my textile, but I could also have used a deep blue, black or even a shade of mustard yellow. Spray several light coats, letting them dry in between. You will want a solid color without any variations of shade.

While everything is drying, clean the glass. I'm always surprised how dirty the glass can be. Be careful, the edges of the glass can be sharp. We will use the glass as a kind of template to figure out the size and area we want to use of the textile we chose. Choose an interesting spot of your textile, even if there is a thin spot, a rip or an unraveled edge. Use it.

For my textile, I loved the space where two lines appeared next to a flower. I chose to cut the lines off center and cut off just a touch of the flower. I started by marking the area and then cut. Using the glass as your guide, you can see what you’re cutting and if you have the right scale. Don’t forget to cut your textile two inches less than the frame all the way around. This will create a dead space that looks like your textile is floating on a matted area.

When cutting, I didn’t want a straight line. If the fabric allows, you can even try ripping it for extra interest. Be brave!

textile

What you wil l need...

• Ne w or vinta

ge

• Old inexpensive tewaxtill lea rt (think thrift store ) • Spray glue • Spray paint • Masking tape • Screwdriver

onto it. You might want to set it down prior to gluing just to get a visual on where it might fit best. Once you’ve found the right spot, turn the textile over and spray the back with spray adhesive.

Quickly flip it over and set it in place. You will have a couple seconds to move things around before the glue sets. Once in place, press down firmly.

Now let's assemble your work of art. Start by placing the glass (cleaned of fingerprints or smudges), the art and then the backing.

Bend the staples back to hold your art in place and use masking tape to secure the edges in place. Flip over and admire your work.

I've seen art like this in catalogs and online for hundreds of dollars. This art fits you, your family and your home. It won't be found in anyone else’s home. It's unique to you which makes it a fun way to give your home a custom created showpiece for less than $20. ✻

RACHEL JENNINGS, writer Rachel is a self described "Junker," who not only loves all things old, but LOVES the challenge of trying to make something new out of each find.

While she is a Hair Stylist by day, in her off time you can often find her covered in paint, trying to repurpose something she's found.

Now, gather the freshly spray painted matting, and spray glue your JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

103

Perfectly

Pella Window & Doors • 406.656.1516

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Beautiful

A fresh7 NEW FACE AFTER 37 YEARS, A REMODEL BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO THIS MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOME written by JULIE KOERBER photography by BY DANIEL SULLIVAN 106

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7

ROSE LARSEN, with

her husband, Lloyd, and two teenage kids, Justin and Jennifer, first stepped first stepped inside her home back in 1985. She never imagined then that the ranch style home, with its cedar siding and divided rooms, would one day undergo a dramatic transformation. Nor did she imagine that it would become a haven for not only her children but her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

“This is home for me,” she says as she looks around her new space with its modern farmhouse JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

107

flair.

Wh e n s h e a n d h e r h u s b a n d , Lloyd, first moved into the house nestled near the Yellowstone Country Club, each part of the home had its own use.

“There were so many separate rooms,” says daughter Jennifer N i e t o . “ We h a d t h e d i n i n g room. We had the eating area, we had the kitchen, we had the family room — and they were all separated by walls or that gigantic fireplace.”

Smack dab in the middle of the home sat a large rock-covered fireplace that broke off sight lines to nearly every part of the main 108

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724 1st Ave North | Billings, MT | (406) 245-6981

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floor.

“We’d have Christmas or Sunday dinners and everyone was in a separate room,” Jennifer says.

Close to nine years ago, Jennifer and her husband Steve decided to move from California — where they’d been raising their four kids — back to Jennifer’s roots in Billings. After failing to find a home they loved, “Grandma Rose” suggested that the family move in with her.

“I was alone for quite a while in the house,” Rose says. “I was ready to have a roommate or two or three or six.” Lloyd had passed away in 2006.

While the home was certainly large enough to accommodate the entire family, Jennifer and her mom both agreed it could use a facelift to give everyone their own space.

Before the remodel, in 2020, Jennifer’s teenage daughters, Lileigh and Marleigh, camped out in the basement living area.

They had their own areas but no walls to give them privacy. That’s all changed.

To get ready, the mother-daughter duo

became glued to DIY cable channels.

Jennifer created Pinterest pages to keep track of ideas.

“Those two were like teammates. They went a good five years watching DIY shows. It was always ‘Move That Bus’ or flip it or list it and all those shows,” Jennifer’s husband Steve says with a chuckle. “Once they got started, they took all that knowledge and morphed it into this.” Rose adds, “We watched a lot of ‘Fixer Upper.’”

Tucked near the home’s dining space is what Jennifer and Rose call their inspiration, an heirloom china cabinet that’s been fully refinished, thanks to Nicole Eplin of Chipped & Bliss.

“This was my grandparents’ cabinet from the farm,” Rose says.

“I remember in 1952 or ’53, when I first remember going to the ranch and seeing it in the kitchen when we went to dinner.” At that time, it was finished in a glossy black paint.

When Lloyd and Rose acquired it,

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THIS WAS MY GRANDPARENTS’ CABINET FROM THE FARM. I REMEMBER IN 1952 OR ’53, WHEN I FIRST REMEMBER GOING TO THE RANCH AND SEEING IT IN THE KITCHEN WHEN WE WENT TO DINNER. — Rose Larsen

Lloyd spent hours upon hours stripping it down to reveal the natural cherry wood. “The fact that I had it repainted black, I am sure my dad is laughing at me,” Jennifer says.

Not far from the china cabinet sits a 10-foot-long farm table that at Thanksgiving had 14 people perched around it. Rose not only had Jennifer, Steve and their extended family but Rose’s son, Justin, his wife Tracy plus their daughter and her family.

Having a space to sit together was all thanks to the handiwork of Jake Hamrell of Teton Trading.

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This table crafted from Douglas Fir lumber harvested from Lewistown features an espresso finish on the top and an eye-catching whitewashed effect on the base. The family spotted Jake’s handiwork at a show at the Metra and loved his style. He loves that his work is uniting family.

“Especially during Covid, people are starting to

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THE ISLAND IS SO LARGE, EIGHT PEOPLE CAN EASILY FIT AROUND IT.

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realize that it is nice to be together at a big table with their family and have everyone together,” Jake says.

It’s safe to say it took a major feat of engineering to reconfigure the home.

Two and a half walls, some of which were bearing walls, were torn down.

The fireplace was demolished and an 18-foot beam was installed to hold up the roof. Today that beam is a focal point, stained a rustic brown that pops against the home’s white walls.

“We both decided that we wanted a modern farmhouse look,” Jennifer says of the house’s design. Everywhere you look you see crisp white features with bold black accents.

Interior designer Anne Murphy of Timesquare Furniture helped Jennifer and Rose put the finishing touches on the home’s décor. She started by creating a gallery wall devoted to the ones they love. At the center of all the family photos sits a sign that reads “This is Us,” hand painted by Jennifer’s daughter, Marleigh.

“I was amazed at her talent and how quickly she does it,” Anne says. “It 116

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HOME LOAN SOLUTIONS • Purchasing • Refinancing • Building • Remodeling

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wasn’t produced on a machine. It was produced by the granddaughter. It’s personal.”

The gallery wall hangs in what’s now the office. This space used to be a formal sitting room that might have seen traffic once a year during the holidays. At the center of the room sits a rustic game table that now plays host to the family’s competitive cribbage games on Sunday nights.

“It wasn’t used before and now they love it,” Anne says.

“To have that much square footage and to make it a space they want to use is great.”

Even with the home’s spacious, open design, the kitchen is still the heart of it all. Angie Mills of Beyond the Box loved creating something that Jennifer, who does most of the cooking, would love.

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“There’s a lot of prep and storage space,” Angie says right off the bat. “It’s far more convenient, isn’t it?” she adds looking at Jennifer who nods. “Remodels can be

your comfort your way.

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challenging, but the transformation of this space was amazing.”

The white shaker cabinets offer roll-out trays. The 12-foot island covered in Silestone Quartz holds not only to a sink for easy access but a roll-out microwave drawer that the family has come to love.

“I made monster cookies the other day and I had all my big, huge pans out. The cookies were out cooling and I only used half the counter,” Jennifer says. “It was fantastic.” The island is so large, eight people can easily fit around it.

Right behind the island sits a professional-quality freestanding Z-line stove. It has six burners with a skillet in the middle and a double oven to help feed her large family. Above it is a custombuilt hood draped in shiplap with a rustic wood edge to mimic the look of the fireplace.

Just a few steps away through 8-foot-tall sliding barn doors, the family was able to add square footage for both a laundry and powder room. While shelves in the garage used to hold extra pantry items, the family added a walk-in pantry complete with a coffee bar. It’s plumbed with a pot filler faucet to make filling the coffee maker a breeze.

While the interior of the house has given the family a new focus, the exterior remodel was just as dramatic. The front entry, with its robin egg blue double French doors makes a bold statement. The old deck was torn down to build a deck out of composite material, adding 380 square feet that the family couldn’t love more.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

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“What better view would you love to have sitting out there in the evening with a glass of wine and a sunset?” Rose says.

A second set of French doors off the dining room leads to the space and frames the area beautifully.

“Originally, this home had great bones, but it definitely was not designed to be used as a multi-generational home,” says Aaron Reay, owner of 406 Windows. “Nowadays on these 1950s ranchers, it’s very common to tear down walls, throw up a beam and execute the open concept layout. These customers had bigger dreams.” Aaron says it was evident the whole mission wasn’t just aesthetics. It was to create connection.

“This family will continue to grow and this remodel will be a catalyst.”

All in all, it took five months to wrap up the interior portion of the home’s remodel.

The exterior took another four months. The result is what Jennifer calls her family’s “dream home.”

“I don’t ever want to leave,” Jennifer says. “I would rather have my friends come over, sit on the patio and have a glass of wine. It’s so nice to be here.” After living in the home for 37 years, Rose couldn’t agree more. ✻ 120

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new listing

new listing

1941 FOREST PARK

1740 IRIS LANE

new listing Under Contract

sold

sold

6150 SAM SNEAD

new listing

6429 SIGNAL PEAK AVE

5623 GRAND AVE

TUMBLEWEED LOTS

new listing

new listing Under Contract

new listing

Under Contract

new listing

1505 6TH ST W

sold

5539 FRONTIER #3

5220 PRYOR MTN VIEW DR

sold

4112 YARD OFFICE

sold

6735 COVE CREEK

sold

291 MONTCLAIR

4406 RIO VISTA

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3116 8TH AVE N

fantastic experience! This is the second time we’ve worked with them and they’re always consistent with high-quality service. Team Hanel brings a level of professionalism, teamwork and detail that made the process of selling our home very smooth. When my wife and I had questions, they were always very responsive and thorough in

Working with Team Hanel was a

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expertise and guidance. Thank you, Tom,

Robin & Korinne for being there for us at every stage of the process, you all are Top Notch and we love you guys!!

— Jeff and Darci Giffin and family

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TOM HANEL ROBIN HANEL 406-690-4448 406-860-6181 Tom@TomHanel.com

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