Humanityin Motion

February 2011 A Publication of the Rotary Clubs of Gallatin and Park Counties Volume 4, Number 1

Service Above Self

Inside…Fix Up Festival

Love, Inc.

Eagle Mount Flag Dedication

Knox Box Project

Manhattan Rotary Has Big Impact on Community

Kandy’s Cookin’

Circle the Wagons

Dr. Jeff Strickler

Music Festival Benefits Pine Creek School

A Park For All Seasons

Fix Up FestivalService Organizations Work Hand-in-Hand to Make a Difference in Someone’s Life

worked on years ago in Texas called Christmas in April.

“I saw a lot of need for weatherization such as win-dow replacement. Also roof-ing,” Fisher says. “This project focuses on a need in the community that really speaks to people. We’ve generated a lot of support from nearly everyone we approached to help us with sponsorships, home adoption, local press and skilled labor. The project allows everyone involved to see the positive impact on our low income neighbors. And it helps the homeowners have faith in the basic good-ness of people who come to help them.”

Jim Hamilton, one of the Festival’s organizers, agrees.

“I like being part of a project that garnered so much community support in its first year,” Hamilton says. “What a testament to the community’s generosity! The homeown-ers’ heartfelt gratitude was special.”

What can others who wish to volunteer do to help the project?

“Whatever you can do, there’s a place for you on this project,” Hamilton says. “If you can organize, do carpen-try, roof, drive, pick up trash, paint, we can use you. No matter the skill, we have a job and you will still get the good feeling of seeing the folks you helped.”

Workers take a quick break for a photo opportunity.

By Lauri Olsen

When winds howl and creep around windows

and under doors, winter becomes nearly unbear-able for Bozeman’s house-bound elderly or disabled. Now, houses and hearts are warmer, thanks to the Fix Up

Festival.Organized by the Boze-

man Sunrise Rotary Club, the annual festival is a one-day event that brings together non-profit organizations and businesses in the community to do minor repairs for low income homeowners.

The Gallatin Valley New-

comer’s Club and the Ex-change Club each adopted a house in Bozeman, and the Bozeman Kiwanis did two homes in Belgrade. The Sun-rise Rotary Club repaired two Bozeman homes.

Committee Co-Chairman Cathy Fisher got the idea from a similar project she Continued page 4

Page 2 • Humanity in Motion • February 2011

The Avenues of Service

Club Servicefocuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.

Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.

Community Service covers the projects and activities the club under-takes to improve life in its community.

International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humani-tarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.

Rotary Four-Way

Test

First:Is it the truth?

Second:Is it fair to all concerned?

Third: Will it build good will and better friendships?

Fourth: Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Humanity in MotionHumanity in Motion is pub-lished 3-4 times a year by the Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Club in cooperation with the Bozeman Noon Rotary Club, the Big Sky Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Manhattan, and the Livingston Rotary Club

Our MissionHumanity in Motion is not about Rotary, it is about recognition of those indi-viduals and organizations in our community who practice the ideal of “Service Above Self.” If you know af any group or individual deserving of recognition in the greater Bozeman area, please contact us.

Printing and Distribution:Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Humanity in Motion Editorial Board:Julie KirklandMichael DoughertyLeslie Bredvik

Editor, Production and Design:Michael Dougherty

Writer:Lauri Olsen

Sponsorship Coordinator:Mike Banville

To contribute ideas for stories email:michael@ultimatepress.com

Big SkyWednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Bucks T4

46625 Gallatin Road

rotaryofbigsky.com

Bozeman NoonTuesday at 11:45 AM

Holiday Inn, 7th & I-90

bozemannoonrotary.org

Bozeman SunriseFriday at 6:45 a.m.

Holiday Inn, 7th & I-90

bozemansunriserotary.org

LivingstonTuesday at noon

Livingston Golf & Country Club

at 40 View Vista Drive

livingstonrotaryclub.org

ManhattanThursday at noon

Garden Café

107 S Broadway St

Club DirectoryRotary International: www.rotary.org

Rotary District 5390: www.montanarotary.org

By Lauri Olsen

A young mother wearing a ragged sweatshirt clutched two children as they scur-ried across a Bozeman street in sub-zero weather. The trio dodged snow drifts and braced against a bit-ing wind before entering a nearby building. Across their sanctuary’s entrance hung a ban-ner: Winter Clothing Give-Away Today.

The distribu-tion providing the family of three with warm win-ter coats, gloves, scarves and hats, was sponsored by Love, INC., a Bozeman organization helping those in need.

Love INC, short for Love in the Name of Christ, is an organization to help churches and their members assist disadvantaged people in the community. It oper-ates as a resource center or clearinghouse. All requests for assistance are referred to the sources of help, such as agencies or churches. Requests are received by phone and are screened for manageability, specificity and legitimacy. People are referred to the most appro-priate source of help.

More than twenty dif-ferent denominations and community churches in Gallatin County are rep-

resented in Love INC. Governed by a Board of Directors selected by and from partner churches, the organization serves Gallatin County residents in need, offering help to meet physi-cal, emotional and spiritual needs. The Gallatin County Love INC, in Bozeman since 1994, is the only Love INC

in the state of Mon-tana. Nation-ally, more than 125 affiliates have been in service since

1977.Services may range

from personal help such as budgeting, to companion-ship, to assistance organiz-ing a kitchen. A volunteer may read to a visually impaired person or shovel snow from the sidewalk. Homeowners in need may have minor home repairs or firewood provided. Perhaps a young homeowner needs help learning household skills. A person confined to a rest home may desire a weekly caller. Someone dealing with a hospital stay or illness may need to have meals delivered or have pet care provided. Language translation services might be required. A released prisoner may seek guidance. Love INC works to provide such services.

“I was attracted to Love INC’s mission and the great challenge it provides to everyone involved,” says

Calendar of EventsBozeman Sunrise Club

February - May Weekly storytime reading to pre-school kids at Bozeman Children’s Museum)Weekly Tuesday weekly de-livery of Meals on Wheels to seniors in the community)May 21 - Kid’s Fishing Day at East Gallatin Recreation AreaSeptember 24 - Second annual Fix-up Festival.

Love, Inc.

Executive Director Nancy VanDyken. “I’m energized when I see people experi-encing joy from giving to others. I wanted to be in a place where I could help build opportunities and facilitate that happening, as well as providing assistance to the needy in our com-munities.”

Goods, services and financial help are provided by church volunteers and/or congregations, and the organization receives no government funds.

“My greatest satisfac-tion is volunteers, support-ers and churches which rise to the challenge,” says VanDyken. “Their generos-ity and incredible desire to help others, along with their commitment and patience, is something that may not make the evening news, but it is stunning. An amazing part of what makes Galla-tin County a good place to live is due to these unseen servants.”

Continued page 4

Page 3 • Humanity in Motion • February 2011Eagle Mount Flag Raising“All Achievements Have Their Beginning in an Idea”

Therapeutic riding has been used since the early 1950s as a tool for improv-ing the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Continued page 4

tors. Members in addition to the Mathis’ were Tim Barnrd, Sue Pederson, Larry Addink, Al Bertelsen, Kathy Dawkins, Elise Donahue, Don Hansen, Jon Hesse, Kathy Malone, Susan McGee, Anne Milner, Chris Pople, Doris Salsbury, Steve Sparks and Paul Wylie.

“We sometimes hesitated,” Barrett recalls, “but Bob and Greta are persuasive and persistent, so we held our breath and took a leap. Sure enough, each time we came to the point of no return, Bob would come up with new donors.”

At last, Eagle Mount at-tained its goals. Programs were added and facilities built. Linda Griffith was hired as Executive Director. Dona-tions rolled in. All the while, Team Mathis never stopped working.

“Bob and Greta never took any credit nor sought any ac-colades for their work,” says Barrett. “Rather, they found their satisfaction in the power of their gifts. It was a lesson to all of us of the power of faith and humility.”

Those sentiments are seconded by Bruce Thesenga, who moved to Bozeman in 2000 and met “General Bob” as a Rotary member.

“I was intrigued by him immediately because of his quiet nature, yet the attention and respect he drew from others,” Thesenga says. “Over the years my respect for him grew as I learned more about Eagle Mount and when they do. Eagle Mount started as just an idea but became their dream.”

While a great idea, The-senga points out, it Eagle Mount struggled at first to fund the programs it wanted to provide.

“There were times when Bob and Greta monetarily

supported Eagle Mount per-sonally to keep their dream alive. Through the years, the community has shown their support for the many varied programs.”

Thesenga explained his personal association with Eagle Mount. He and his wife Judy, both native Minneso-tans, had supported Eagle Mount with small donations, but rarely visited the center. That all changed nearly five years ago when Thesengar had an accident, severing his spinal cord. He became a paraplegic, and his initial recovery was very slow.

“One of my goals was to get back on a horse,” The-senga says. “Two years ago I did just that by way of Eagle Mount’s Equine Pro-gram. Many people think this program is simply leading someone around on a horse for fun. It’s way more than that. It’s the very best form of physical therapy for a person with a spinal cord injury.”

When in a wheelchair, Thesenga said, not much moves. “When I’m on a horse, my lower body via my hips moves with the horse. It re-lieves pain and improves core muscle re-development like nothing else. My life is greatly improved because of the horses, program director, and the host of dedicated volun-teers that make it all possible.”

It was during one of those sessions at Eagle Mount that Thesenga and Equine Director Maggee Harrison discussed honoring General Bob and Greta. Harrison sug-gested a flagpole at the Eagle Mount facility, dedicated to the Mathis’ and their work. Thesenga offered to take on fundraising. The Boze-man Noon Rotary kicked in money and installed the

By Lauri Olsen

Author Napoleon Hill said, “All achievements,

all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea.”

With an idea comes focus and work. Obstacles may arise. For some people, the dream persists. Within that persistence are the concepts of interest and commit-ment. An interest, however passionate, is pursued only when circumstances permit. A commitment is the process of visualizing the goal and allowing no excuses, only results.

Nearly thirty years ago, one Bozeman couple realized the need to help people with

disabilities. They dreamed of giving those people an op-portunity to ski, swim, ride horseback, and golf. Tak-ing their idea and working tirelessly with community volunteers and contributors, they saw their dream became a reality.

Bob and Greta Mathis created Eagle Mount, a non-profit organization which provides recreational and therapeutic opportunities for people with disabilities. Today, with offices in Boze-man, Billings, Great Falls and Helena, Eagle Mount has nearly 2,000 volunteers who work with more than 1,500 participants.

Bob is a former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and a four-star general with a five-star smile. Greta, who friends say sings like an angel, was a special education teacher. Both Bob and Greta have dedicated their time and resources to community service.

When Eagle Mount be-gan in1982, it grew rapidly. Bob and Greta encouraged volunteers, and worked by example. Originally a faith-based group, it was necessary for Eagle Mount to become more secular, because many foundations and other do-nors found themselves limited on what they could do with faith-based organizations. Still, Bob and Greta wanted to retain the true meaning and spirit of their vision. They prayed. They believed and trusted. They worked even harder and never waivered in their commitment, instilling confidence in the community of prospective donors.

Bob contacted his mili-tary friends for donations. Greta’s poised charm won the hearts of strangers, who then became donors. Both worked diligently, their faith and enthusiasm generating the ever-revving Mathis Machine.

It wasn’t always easy in the early days of the organi-zation.

“Things were tight enough,” says Eagle Mount board member Steve Barrett, “that we spent a good deal of time at our meetings just decid-ing what bills we’d pay and whose bill could wait another month.”

Bob and Greta kept their focus on the future of the organization. Their faith inspired the board of direc-

Page 4 • Humanity in Motion • February 2011 Continued from front page

This year’s Fix Up Festival saw more than 70 volunteers on the project, 40 sponsors, and more than 1,000 volun-teer hours invested, including the year of planning which leads up to the festival.

Organizer Nikki Naiser likes visiting with the hom-eowners at the end of the day, and seeing how grateful they are for what the group of volunteers was able to do in a single day.

“It’s very rewarding and touching,” says Naiser. “It’s a great experience I won’t for-get. What a great way to see how you can make a differ-ence in someone’s life!” n

Please contact Jim Hamilton at (406) 585-7497, or email mtsusquehanna@gmail.com, for more information on the Fix Up Festival.

off of work to go overseas. Don’t get me wrong. Mis-sions are important. But Love INC offers a way to truly serve our neighbors,” Schober says.

“Being a Love INC volun-teer gives us a tremendous opportunity to reach out and help those who are struggling,” adds Jim Good, Coordinator of Volunteers for the group. “Serving oth-ers is both rewarding and fulfilling.”

Somewhere, a young mother and her children are twice warmed: on the outside by sturdy winter clothing, and on the inside by Love, In the Name of Christ. nFor more information on Love INC please visited their website at www.loveincgc.org. Contributions may be sent to Gallatin County Love INC, PO Box 7117, Bozeman, MT 59771-7117.

Organizers Nikki Naiser and Cathy Fisher

The Knox Box ProjectBy Lauri Olsen

An emergency arises. First responders arrive on the

scene. But if the front door of the residence is locked, rescue teams face a tough choice: wasting precious minutes waiting to see if someone unlocks the door from the inside, or breaking down the door.

Now, thanks to a Rotary District grant, chronically ill or elderly persons living within the Sourdough and Rae Fire Districts may use a Knox Box, a rapid entry system that reduces response time, property damage and liability for lost keys. The $1,000 grant and an addi-tional contribution from the Bozeman Noon Rotary Club made it possible to purchase eight boxes.

The Knox Box is a small, wall-mounted safe installed at the top of the front door after the resident has placed a key and medical/caregiver information inside the box and locked it. Each fire truck carries a special secure box with a key to open the Knox Box, which in turn opens the front door of the resident requesting help. This saves precious time for responders attempting to reach a person in an emergency, prevents the front door from being dam-aged in an attempt to enter the home, and may cut losses from fire damage.

“I feel more secure, know-ing the box is there,” says one Sourdough resident who participates in the Knox Box project. “I can keep my front door locked for privacy, but I know that if anything should happen, emergency crew members could get to

me without having to take an ax to the door. That little box has brought me real peace of mind.” n

#Sourdough/Rae Fire District resi-dents interested in obtaining a Knox Box should call the fire department at (406) 586-3770.

Continued from page 3

Continued from page 2

flagpole, which was dedicated in November.

“It is a very small way to say thank you to a really great couple who has done so much for others,” says Thesenga. “The flagpole and plaque will be there long after we’re all gone. Many years from now, we want Bob and Greta to be remembered every day for what they have done.”

Bob and Greta Mathis had an idea. They worked hard, they inspired others, and they kept their faith in each other and in their dream. Today, Eagle Mount exists because of an idea and the dedication of two extraordinary people who dared to dream.

A simple device that saves prop-erty and lives.

Last year, more than 9,000 needs were met by the or-ganization. Love INC, when fully utilized by a partner church, mobilizes its people into action and service.

Chiara Schober, who works with the program, derives satisfaction from the huge impact made on the community by volunteering just a few hours a week.

“You don’t have to round up a mission team and raise travel funds and take time

Manhattan Rotary Has Big Impact on CommunityBy Lauri Olsen

Thanksgiving Dinner

Sometimes a ladle can hold more than turkey stuffing

or gravy.“We thought a Thanksgiv-

ing dinner would be a good way to help the community,” says Manhattan School Superintendent Jerry Pease. “The economy is affecting the community. Everyone should have a good meal on turkey day.”

Over one hundred serv-ings were dished out, and conversation flowed freely. The room was filled with grownups enjoying camara-derie and sipping coffee while kids worked off energy with their friends.

Jon Sutton, fresh from his stint in the Manhattan Chris-tian High School production of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, regaled diners with a song.

“All kinds of people come,” said one of the dinner’s coor-dinator, Patty Hebner. “It’s all about community.”

Andy and Katie Powner, who recently moved to Man-hattan from Washington with their two young sons, found the dinner a great oppor-tunity to meet others in the community.

“We don’t have any family in the state,” Katie said. Look-ing about the dining room brimming with hospitality, she smiled. “This is our family now.”

Veteran’s Day

President Ronald Reagan once said, “We will always

remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we will always be free.”

That freedom, pride and remembrance were celebrated on Thursday, November 11, when the American Legion Post 87 and the Manhattan Rotary Club held a recogni-tion ceremony for all Gallatin Valley veterans. Each veteran was asked to provide a brief synopsis of his/her military service, and those comments were read during the cer-emony.

The American Legion con-ducted the event’s registration and opened the ceremony. That organization also pre-sented a POW/MIA table, to help remember our veterans who have not returned from service.

Ashton Carrier held the large crowd spellbound with his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.

Continued page 6

Page 5 • Humanity in Motion • February 2011Kandy’s Cookin’Profiles of Rotarians in Action

By Lauri Olsen

An old nursery rhyme tells us that Tuesday’s child is

full of grace. What Bozeman resident Kandy Rose does on Tuesday nights is full of grace and good taste.

On those evenings, Kandy cooks dinner for firefighters at the Sourdough Fire Station. Armed with her crock-pot, luscious homemade desserts and her ever-present ebullient smile, Kandy dispenses equal parts food, encouragement and friendship.

“These volunteers of Sour-dough and Rae Fire Depart-ments train together for 4-5 hours every Tuesday night to keep their professional skills at a high level. I started taking cookies or pies for them to enjoy after training,” Kandy explains. “I soon realized that many come straight to the station from their jobs or

school and after such hard work training, they’re hun-gry for ‘real’ food. So, about five years ago, the depart-ment agreed to supply the ingredients and I volunteered to make dinner for them each week. I saw right away how much they appreciate a home-cooked meal.”

What sorts of dishes com-prise a typical Tuesday night menu at the station?

“They really like meat and potatoes!” Kandy says the firefighters also enjoy chili, soups, meat loaf, casseroles and stews, salads and all types of pies, cakes and cook-ies.

The number of firefight-ers varies with the season, with more volunteers serving during the school year. At present, Kandy is preparing dinner for 30-35 hungry vol-unteers each week, delivering food around 7:00 p.m. for

their dinner, which comes after training is completed and may not be served until 10:30.

It’s a big job and everyone helps.

“Our volunteer firefighters are great about cleaning the kitchen after dinners. We use disposable crock pot liners, so the firefighters don’t have to scrub pots at midnight when they’re done.”

Kandy saw the need for her efforts soon after moving to Bozeman in June of 2000. The vivacious whirlwind of energy had been involved in business and local govern-ment in Texas and didn’t see any reason to slow down when she hit Montana and settled in to stay.

“I called the Sourdough Fire Chief and asked how I could help. My first jobs included organizing the fire district into Neighborhood Networks, establishing a Community Emergency Re-sponse Team (CERT), starting a quarterly newsletter,

helping to launch our website, preparing Firefighter

Care Kits and being a “go-fer” when they needed food during a wild land fire or other emergency. This year I was elected as a trustee for Sourdough Fire District.”

What drives Kandy to contribute her time and tal-ents to the cooking project?

“I believe in giving back to my community. Even though I can’t fight fires or respond to an emergency, I can show my support for these won-derful volunteers.”

Asked what advice Kandy would give people interested in helping with commu-nity events, she is quick to respond.

“People have different talents and interests. There are many ways to volunteer in your fire department or community. Figure out what you’re good at and go for it! You’ll do good for others, and undoubtedly find it very rewarding as well. I surely have!” n

Kandy Rose and the Sourdough and Rae Fire Department crew

Circle the WagonsBy Lauri Olsen

A wagon ride and chili feed fundraising event enjoyed

by Rotarians and their guests has benefitted Bozeman’s middle school students.

This year’s Rotary Round-up was a modification of a twenty-year event known as Rotary Express, in which Rotarians carried mail over the Bozeman pass. Fewer participants and more diffi-culty obtaining horses for the Rotary Express had caused club members to rethink and then reinvent the fundraiser. More people participated in the Roundup, which promises to become an annual event.

The festivities were held at the Broken Hart Ranch, and monies raised were earmarked for the Chief Joseph and Sacajewea Middle Schools’ needy student funds. The money provides scholar-ships for school and commu-nity activities, purchase eye glasses, clothing, school sup-plies and other special needs. These needs may include paying for sports physicals, cab fare to transport parents to student-led conferences,

dental work, and haircuts.“It’s our goal that all

children be given the same opportunities for success,” says Brian Ayers, who is the middle school’s Assistant Principal as well as a Boze-man Noon Rotary member. “Through the support of the Bozeman Rotarians, we’re able to guarantee that no stu-dent is left out due to a lack of financial resources.”

One of the CJMS students, says Ayers, sent him a hand-written thank you note after she received a scholarship as a result of work of Rotary.

As for the Roundup itself, people have a fun time while contributing to a worthy cause. “The feedback is extremely positive,” Ayers reports, “and it raised several thousand dollars. Rotarians Jennifer Royston and Nick Davis are largely responsible for organizing and coordinat-ing this successful event.”

When the wagons circle, students learn more than just where financial aid comes from. They learn a valuable lesson about helping one’s community and having fun doing it. n

Page 6 • Humanity in Motion • February 2011

By Lauri Olsen

Thirty years ago, when Helena Rotarian Ed Jasmin

asked Dr. Jeff Strickler to join the club, Jeff said yes.

“I was impressed by the fellowship,” Jeff says, “and by the fact that the Rotary Club espoused “Service Above Self”.

When he left Helena, Jeff knew he wanted to stay in Rotary. He soon joined the Rotary Club of Big Sky.

“As a group, we’ve been able to achieve much more for our community - both locally and internationally - than could be done as an indi-vidual,” Jeff says.

The son of a Minneapolis surgeon, Jeff attended Car-leton College. He earned his MD at the University of Min-nesota and did his pediatric residency at Stanford Univer-sity. After a two-year assign-ment with the Air Force in Alaska, the family moved to Helena, where Jeff practiced pediatrics for 30 years.

Jeff credits much of his success in life to Karen, his wife of 44 years. Together, they have two children. Their son lives and works in Boze-man; their daughter works in Edinburgh, Scotland.

“We also have four grand-

children,” Jeff says proudly, “and a self-centered, stuck-up cat whom we spoil outra-geously.”

Jeff is thankful for his 30 years in Rotary, and for the opportunity to be involved

in many worthwhile activities.

“I was president of the Helena club, Assis-tant District Governor, and then Governor of District 530.”

In ad-dition, Jeff chaired the District Youth Exchange program in the 1980s,

served as Polio Eradication chair during the first fund-raising drive, was an instruc-tor at the Leadership Acad-emy, and currently serves as manager for the District Risk Management (Abuse/Harass-ment).

When asked his favorite Rotary project, Jeff talks about the eradication of polio. “As a pediatrician, polio was natu-rally part of my business. I don’t know how many polio vaccine doses I’ve given over the years - tens of thousands. I’m fortunate to have never seen a case of polio. However, I had friends growing up who had been paralyzed by the disease. I remember my parents being terrified when a neighbor boy across the hall in our apartment com-plex died of it. Now I have

friends developing post-polio syndrome. The efforts of Rotary International have helped bring about an almost 99% reduction in polio cases, and have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and crip-pling cases of this disease.”

But, Jeff reminds people, polio still exists.

“Now present in only 4 countries, we’re close to eliminating this disease from the face of the earth. To have had a hand in this effort gives me great satisfaction.”

Rotary’s lessons have been instilled in Jeff Strick-ler. “Rotary has taught me, more than anything else, the power of group effort in the service to our communities. Our communities give us so much. As citizens, we really should give back whatever we can. Each person can do whatever he or she can to create great results. The sat-isfaction of seeing the results more than makes up for the effort we put in. There’s really nothing we cannot do if we are dedicated to service and work together.” n

Dr. Jeff StricklerProfiles of Rotarians in Action

Presentation of the armed forces flags was accompanied by music from Paul Hetu. Belgrade resident Mervyn Gunderson, of the Montana American Legion national ex-ecutive committee, delivered a rousing speech.

Amid tablefuls of refresh-ments served by Rotary members, veterans mingled, shared memories, and re-membered with respect their comrades who were not there to commemorate the day. n

By Lauri Olsen

It was sunshine, showers, spruce, and song. As the

first annual Paradise Val-ley Music Festival drew to a close at Luccock Park Camp south of Livingston, attendees were jubilant, musicians were tired, and quality education in Montana scored financially.

The Pine Creek School, nestled in the bucolic Paradise Valley, has a staff of less than ten. It provides a kindergarten through eighth grade education system with specialists in guidance, library, music, health enhancement and a gifted/talented pro-gram. The Paradise Valley Music Festival’s proceeds help support those programs.

Guest host Rich Hall and his alter-ego, Otis Lee Cren-shaw, welcomed festival-goers, who enjoyed ten hours of music. Mandolinist/com-poser David Grisman and his back-up boys mesmerized the crowd, pickin’ perennial fa-vorite Pigeon Roost and vari-ous other selections of ‘dawg funk’. An acoustic innovator, New Jersey native Grisman has recorded and produced music with The Grateful Dead, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and John Sebastian.

James McMurtry’s child-hood heroes, Johnny Cash and Roy Acuff, influenced the singer/songwriter’s style. As he took to the stage, Mc-Murtry grinned as crowds hollered out for his ballad of star-crossed lovers Ruby and Carlos. The Austin-based art-ist, whose storytelling talents

may have been inherited from his father, famed novel-ist Larry McMurtry, kept festival-goers entertained with his powerful guitar rock.

Singer/songwriter Ben Bul-lington, a physician formerly based on the Northern Chey-enne Reservation, entertained with his romantic ballads and

intro-spective musical poetry. A constant crowd-pleaser, Bul-lington’s well-crafted

acoustic offerings delighted festival goers.

Other musical groups completed the well-rounded offerings and kept the pace going throughout the day.

The event’s success wasn’t just in the fantastic music and its financial contribution to the Pine Creek School. Its organization was stellar. Karst Stages delivered festival-goers quickly and safely up the winding mountain road. Or-ganizer Joanne Gardener saw to it that a variety of vendors showcased their wares. Secu-rity and comfort of attendees at the family-friendly event reigned supreme.

“What an awesome blow-out,” one audience member grinned. “This is what music is about.”

What the Paradise Val-ley Music Festival was about was music and living the dream. Thanks to the Festi-val’s success and through its donations, future generations of students at the Pine Creek School will enjoy the op-portunity to live the dream too. n

Music Festival Benefits Pine Creek School

Continued from page 4

“Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte

Page 7 • Humanity in Motion • February 2011A Park For All SeasonsImprovements on the East Gallatin Recreation Area

By Lauri Olsen

Picture a leisurely lunch on a sun-drenched plaza.

Down the beach, volleyball players dive and spike in a sand-carpeted court. Rock climbers pull themselves up a nearby climbing wall. Chil-dren frolic in the water. It all seems like California dreamin’.

But now it’s winter. Those lunch-loving folks on the plaza are bundled in cross-country ski gear or snow-shoe garb, sip-ping hot choco-late. Ice-skaters have replaced swimmers. Rock climbers still scale the wall, impervious to the cold.

Seasons cycle and at the East Gallatin Recreation Area, the good times continue. Thanks to a dedicated group

of community leaders, im-provements at the Bozeman fun spot have increased the potential uses of this already-popular place.

“We’ve brought the existing sand volleyball courts up to regulation size and configura-tion,” says Rotary member Doug Chandler of recent improvements to the area. “The concession stand has been finished and equipped

for use. We’ve built benches for the dressing rooms.”

The crown jewel in this past year’s

improve-ments

to the area is the new plaza next to the warming house. Nearly one thousand hours of volunteer time went into building and landscaping the plaza. A $34,000 parks improvement grant from the

City of Bozeman helped get the $90,000 project started. Donations of time, materials, money and equipment rolled in from Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Club members, City of Bozeman, Allied Engineering, Gallatin Wastewater Services, Swanson Construction, the Gianforte Family, and the Cat Rental Store. Significant

contributions also came from ABC Rental, Cashman Nurs-ery and Nancy Chandler.

The improvement proj-ect was a cooperative effort, with the City of Bozeman allowing flexibility in design modifications as the project progressed.

“We knew we wanted a retaining wall and berms around the plaza, but we didn’t really know the exact shape and materials for it until we shopped for a few alternatives,” Chandler admits. “W. J. Woodland gave us a great deal on some beautiful rock for the retaining walls, which would otherwise have been made of concrete block.

Kanta Products gave us an excellent discount on beauti-ful paver blocks which al-lowed us to enlarge the plaza. Knife River gave us a scream-ing deal on the fine volleyball court sand which allowed us to enlarge the buffers around the volleyball courts. With these contributions, we ended up with a really beautiful project and kept within our available cash budget.”

The City of Bozeman

Park Department has been a great partner, Chandler reports. “They’re as excited as we are about the park, and of course they provide the maintenance, oversight and significant contributions of money and ideas to our project. We’ve developed a great working relationship with them over the years, and have a great synergy to get things done at the park.”

The new plaza is part of the area’s long-term expan-sion plan. “We have big visions for that patio and hope that it’ll provide the main funding mechanism to keep improving the park,” Chandler says. “We visualize

the plaza filled with classy concrete tables, umbrellas and benches, perhaps music, beach rentals.”

There is still time to con-tribute to the building, plaza and volleyball court projects. The front of the building will have permanent inscribed bricks and a granite plaque naming major contributors.

The latest improvements to the recreation area weren’t just work; the project was also fun for the volunteers.

“Our core volunteers were worn out by the end of sum-mer,” Chandler says, “but with each evening or weekend spent there, our appreciation for the place and our excite-ment for the project grew. It’s such a pleasant place to be - the facilities, the people, the patio, the grass, the trees, the lake. It made it an easy and fun place to spend time.”

Asked what he derived from the project, Doug Chan-dler responds with enthusi-asm. “I’ve always treasured public wild lands, but never thought I’d get this deep into a city park. This park is pleasant, fun and accessible to a huge number of people. Swimming pools can be expensive for many families to go to very often. The beach here is great, free, and well used in the summer.”

Now, snow covers the new plaza and the volleyball courts await a chinook wind to uncover the sand. An echo of laughing children splash-ing at water’s edge carries on the frost-filled air. The East Gallatin Recreation Area has truly become a park for all seasons. n

To contribute to the East Gallatin Recreation Area improvement fund, please call Doug Chandler at Allied Engineering, phone 406-582-0221.

Patio next to the new restrooms/changing rooms and concession stand.

Patio overlooking the refinished volleyball courts and new climbing rock.

New climbing boulder.

Allied Engineering Services, Inc.

32 Discovery WayBozeman • 582-0221alliedengineering.com

Providing quality civil engineer-ing, geotechnical engineering and surveying services.

Doug ChandlerBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Edward Jones1800 W. Koch, Suite 10Bozeman •587-5457edwardjones.com

Financial advice to help you reach your goals for retire-ment and education.

Jim HamiltonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

First Interstate Bank202 W. Main St.Bozeman • 556-4900

Scott Levandowski, Bozeman Noon RotaryEmmett HaslerBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Galusha, Higgins & Galusha, PC

777 E. Main, Ste. 201Bozeman • 586-2386ghg-cpa.com

A professional corporation of certified public accountants and advisors.

Gayle Hokansen,Bozeman Sunrise Rotary

CS and Company1351 Stoneridge Dr. #CBozeman • 587-5457csandcompany.com

Full service accounting and management consulting.

Catherine Simonson,Bozeman Sunrise Rotary

The Inn at Willow CreekP.O. Box 255Willow Creek, MT 59760285-6930theinnatwillowcreek.com

Inn, events center and weddings

Wayne JohnsonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply

2275 N. 7th Ave.Bozeman • 586-8466murdochs.com

Has everything you need from name-brand boots & clothing to tools & pet supplies.

Mary Kay YeleyBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Hample and Peck Financial Planning

300 N. Willson, Suite 202BBozeman • 587-4300thetrustpeople.com

20 years of financial planning, managing trusts & investments

Stephen R. HampleBozeman Sunrise Rotary

MSU Alumni Association1501 S. 11th St.Bozeman • 994-2401alumni.montana.edu

A great community of citizens and volunteers

Jaynee Drange Groseth, Bozeman Noon Rotary

Bozeman Daily Chronicle2820 W. CollegeBozeman • 587-4491dailychronicle.com

News, advertising and infor-mation.

Stephanie Pressley, Bozeman Noon Rotary

First West Insurance1905 Stadium Dr.Bozeman • 587-51111stwestinsurance.com

Independent insurance agency

Bill PriceBozeman Noon RotaryClare Nixon Big Sky Rotary

Coffee Break MagazineBozeman • 585-0237snurl.com/coffeebreakonline

No news is good news. It’s all about fun!

Michael Dougherty, Bozeman Sunrise Rotary

Rudd and Co. CPAs3825 Valley Commons Dr. # 2Bozeman • 585-3393Ruddco.com

Accounting, tax, audit, technol-ogy and consulting.

Scott HoltonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Dahl Funeral Chapel300 Highland Blvd.Bozeman • 586-5298Dahlcares.com

Family owned funeral and cremation services and pre-arrangement services

Irene Dahl, Bozeman Noon RotaryMark PetersonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Faithful Street Inn120 N. Faithful StW. Yellowstone • 646-1010faithfulstreetinn.com

Providing high quality cabin lodging for groups and families in West Yellowstone, Montana.

Glenn BellBig Sky Rotary

Northwestern Energy40 E. BroadwayButte • 582-4637northwesternenergy.com

One of the largest providers of electricity and natural gas in the Midwest and Northwest

Pat PattersonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Vertical Media55 Candlelight Dr.Bozeman • 388-0455verticalmedia.com

Engaging and timely travel inPublishers of the AllTrips.com family of travel planning directories

Mike BanvilleBozeman Sunrise Rotary

MSU AthleticsMontana State UniversityBozeman • 994-4221msubobcats.com

A proud athletic heritage and proven record of academic excellence.

Peter Fields, Bozeman Sunrise Rotary

Story Distributing300 E. Griffin Dr.Bozeman • 587-0702

Wholesale and retail petroleum products

Doug AlexanderBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Swanson Construction501 E. Peach St. Unit G&H, Bozeman • 587 8200 swansonconstruct@bresnan.net

Contractor, Builder and Remodeling Services for Residential and Commercial applications

Tom SwansonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Huntington Hotel Group205 Haggerty Lane #130 Bozeman • 582 7396hhgdallas.com

Providing accounting and management to the hospitality industry across the U.S.

Julie KirklandBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Foust Law Office 1043 Stoneridge #2 Bozeman • 587 3720 foustlaw.net

Legal services

Luke FoustBozeman Sunrise Rotary

First Security Bank208 E. Main St. Bozeman • 585 3800 ourbank.com

Success Together - For More than 90 yearsBruce Gerlach Bozeman Sunrise RotaryRon FarmerBozeman Noon RotaryJon AyresBozeman Sunrise RotaryMichael ClarkBozeman Noon Rotary

Stifel Nicolaus875 Harmon Stream Blvd Suite 200. Bozeman • 556-4406 fhhwealthmanagement.com

We provide guidance and confidence to people on their most important financial deci-sions. Shawn M. HertzBozeman Noon Rotary

J & H Inc.203 Haggerty LaneBozeman • 586-3103 jhoe.com

Integrated Document Man-agement, Workforce Manage-ment, Copies & Fax

Ric TiemansBozeman Noon Rotary

Holiday Inn Bozeman5 Baxter Lane Bozeman • 587-4561 hibozeman.com

Proud to Host Sunrise Rotary and other groups in the Valley

Tim KuhlmanBozeman Sunrise Rotary

American Federal Savings Bank

1455 W. Oak St. Bozeman • 587-7711 amfedsb.com

A full-service community bank with your best interest in mind.

Lee OldenburgerBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Neuro Rehab Associates2135 Charlotte St. Ste 3 Bozeman • 586-8030 neurorehab.health.officelive.com

Providing speech & occupa-tional therapy to people with neurological deficits

Cathy FisherBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Individual ContributorsSunrise RotaryNikki NaiserLinda ReynoldsEsther SchwierKurt BuchlBruce RraymondChris MehlDuane CarltonGay Hovey

Noon RotaryGene RennerFred TraegerLesley BredvikRobin and Darrel ChoateLee Fisher, MDDr. & Mrs Emery FieldSteve GarciaBruce Thesenga 581-6230Robyn Ehrlenbush

These businesses and individuals are committed to community service and support the recognition of those who demonstrate “Service Above Self.” To join them in helping us recognize the good works in our community contact Michael Dougherty at 580-8018 or email michael@ultimatepress.com

Our Sponsors