406 Woman Summer 2025 by 406 Woman

Over 6,000 Square Feet of recycled treasures mixing old with new!

& FINE COLLECTIBLES

406 &Foodflavor

Cover Girl...

is making a name for herself as a talented songwriter and performer.

Read Cari Klepper's story about Tomara on page 8 in the Business & Health side.

Tomara

Photo by: WesTon KloefKorn

Publisher's Note

It's the height of summer in Montana, and there's a vibrant buzz everywhere you go!

Days are long and golden, filled with the promise of lakeside adventures, mountain hikes, and evenings spent under starry skies. Our incredible communities are truly shining, ready to share the unparalleled beauty and spirit of Montana with everyone who visits.

From all of us at 406 Woman Magazine, we hope this July/August issue encourages you to embrace and enjoy the magic of a Montana summer. Whether you're exploring a new trail, discovering a hidden gem in one of our charming towns, or finding inspiration within these pages, we wish you a joyful and invigorating summer!

With Gratitude, Cindy and Amanda

publisher Cindy gerrity cindy@montanasky.net

business manager daley mcdaniel daley@montanasky.net

managing editor kristen Hamilton montanakristen@gmail.com

creative & social media director amanda wilson afwphotography@me.com

photographers daley mcdaniel photography amanda wilson photography aCe photography design Sara Joy pinnell sara@mrsandmrpublishing.com

Published by Skirts Publishing six times a year

704 C East 13th St. #138 Whitefish, MT 59937 info@406woman.com

Want to know about great events, open houses, and more? Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/406 Woman

406 Woman is distributed in Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Missoula, Whitefish and every point in between.

Check out www.406woman.com for our full distribution list.

Have a great story idea or know someone that we should feature? Email us with your comments & suggestions.

Interested in increasing your business and partnering with 406 Woman? Check out www.406woman.com.

In the Kitchen with Lane

By Lane Smith

just me and my dogs silhouetted by a couple porchlights. Hardly glamorous. But incredibly peaceful and thought provoking. As I often do, I settled into one of my favorite deck chairs built by older brother, listening to the fan whir on my smoker starting up. Beyond the light afforded by porch lights it was still dark. It dawned on me (Pun intended) that what I was looking at was very much a metaphor for my time in Kila, beyond my yard, I really didn’t know as many people I should. With two dogs warming my feet and two intently staring at something walking through the yard, I returned to my childhood and remembered how my parents knew EVERYBODY.

Growing up a little farther west in Marion, my parents owned the Family Tree Inn on McGregor Lake (it’s now called the Lodge on McGregor Lake). A stately old structure that had fallen into disrepair when my father made the absurd offer of $95000 dollars to own his own “resort.” The term resort I use loosely, because we primarily fed loggers, cattle ranchers, and the beginnings of an influx of skydivers! We were hardly a destination for rest and relaxation. But this trip down memory lane is to explain how

my parents came to know EVERBODY. My father was a master host. He did Christmas eve giveaways (beneath a 20’ tree!), buried prime ribs in firepits, constructed a volleyball court where most of the players were wearing Levi’s and tattered flannels whose sleeves ended mid forearm. Was it to promote the Lodge? Yes. But my parents turned it into a master class on how to become part of a community. Travelling Pinochle Parties, pool tournaments and poker runs were way more about getting to know the community than the promotion of our humble little wayside restaurant bar. So, as my coffee cooled and the dogs stirred, I wondered how eight years had passed and this was going to be the first time I was going to get to meet some of the people beyond the edges of my yard.

Sonny from the Chopp Shoppe in Whitefish is a stud. If you haven’t gone to see him and his crew next to Alpine Market, you absolutely should. When I requested a couple pork butts and a healthy sized chuck roast for poor man’s burnt ends, I did not expect the pork shoulder roasts to be the size of basket balls and a perfectly trimmed chuck roast fit for kings table that I was now feel-

Photos of neighbors and new friends enjoying the community BBQ by Danny Jones

ing guilty about cutting into bite size cubes and cov ering them in BBQ sauce and honey. But alas, I di gress. As with anything from Sonny, they were going to be fantastic.

As the pork butts smoked, my thoughts drift ed to the modicum of memories of gatherings that my father had. How is that I remember names like Lincoln, Marlene, Sunday, Dutch and my personal favorite...Dickey Do. Those people, and dozens more, still occupy space in my mental rolodex and yet people I have lived a couple miles from are simply faces through a windshield. I guess, like everything, I could blame life, work, kids, Covid...and even social media. The dehumanizing of neighborhoods is a real thing. The other thing that was real was my growing sense of nervousness. Ya, me. Would I have enough food? How are the dogs going to react to a bunch of new people? And, most importantly, would I remember all their names???? More on that later.

Although this series has been about me in the kitchen, I actually am way more comfortable on the deck with my smoker and my flattop grill. There is a simple pleasure in the routine of checking pellets, spritzing and checking the internal temp (Although I have an app for that—seriously get a wireless thermometer.) of whatever you are smoking. And that is when the answer to my last unspoken question occurred to me and led me to how my parents ended up being an in tegral part of the community...they had a routine and they repeated it—often. They remembered names so vividly and accurately because of their commitment to community functions.

Fast forward 30 years and I ambushed some of my neighbors with the promise of food. In the great American tradition of backyard BBQ’s, I chose the aforementioned classics for the ease in pairing with a variety of potluck side dishes. My neighbors did not disappoint, several side dishes appeared and laughter and smiles filled my yard.

My day shown in these pages started at 3:30 a.m. Cup of coffee in hand, slippers on and my four dogs in tow.

Some of my readers will ask what was brought as side dishes, and more importantly recipes for the sides. I guess that was the point of this exercise, plan a neighborhood BBQ and see who, with what, shows up. My favorite was the coleslaw...

Make the time, open your home, and try not to get up at 3:00 a.m. The latter is probably the most important to a successful and memorable neighborhood potluck.

Circling back to my consternation about remembering names after the end, in an ironic twist most of those in attendance that I did not know ended up adding me on social media. So, in the end I now know a couple more faces behind the numbers on the trees, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Patience and Temperance.

Easy Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

Chickpea Salad:

1 15-oz can corn, 425 g, drained

1 15-oz can chickpeas, 425 g, drained

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

¼ cup finely chopped red onion, 40 g ½ cup chopped green onions, 50 g

½ cup chopped parsley, 40 g ½ cup crumbled feta, 80 g

Dressing:

½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 120 g

1 Tbsp lime juice, 15 mL

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp each cumin, salt, pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Salad: In a large bowl, toss together all Chickpea Salad ingredients.

Dressing: In a separate bowl, mix together all dressing ingredients.

Assemble: Drizzle over salad and toss to evenly combine. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Sonny from the Chopp Shoppe in Whitefish is a stud. If you haven’t gone to see him and his crew next to Alpine Market, you absolutely should.

Poor Man's Bourbon Burnt Ends

Ingredients

3 pounds chuck roast

2 Tbsp yellow mustard

Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub or 3 Tbsp each of coarse salt, ground black pepper, and granulated garlic

½ cup Laurie's BBQ sauce (see recipe) mixed with a ¼ cup of bourbon

¼ cup brown sugar

Directions

Preheat Preheat your smoker for indirect grilling at 275° F. Use hickory or oak wood for the most complementary smoke flavor.

Season. Slather the chuck roast with yellow mustard then season liberally on all sides with Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Smoke. When your smoker is up to temperature, place the seasoned roast on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke the roast until the internal temperature reaches 165° F (this took 5 hours on my smoker). You should have a fairly nice dark bark on the exterior of your roast at this point.

Wrap. Remove the roast from the grill and wrap it in either butcher paper or foil. Return the roast to the grill and continue smoking until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195° F (this took just over 1 hour).

Rest and cut. Remove the wrapped roast from the grill and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes and transfer to a foil baking pan.

Add sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and drizzle with most of the BBQ sauce, reserving a couple of tablespoons for later. Toss gently to coat all of the pieces in a little of the sauce.

Finish smoking. Place the pan on the grill, close the lid and cook for an additional 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cubed bits of beef are falling apart tender.

Recipe Spon S o R ed by

Laurie’s BBQ sauce

Ingredients

One small onion diced

1 tsp diced garlic

Olive oil

1 small can of Coca Cola

1 small container of ketchup

3-4 tablespoons of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt to taste

Black pepper

SPG to taste

Directions

Step 1: Heat oil in pan on medium heat add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is clear.

Step 2: add the Coca Cola and stir then add the rest of the ingredients and blend well. Cook on medium heat until boils the turn down to Low heat. Let simmer for a few hours stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Enjoy!

Bourbon Pulled Pork

Start this pulled pork recipe by trimming the pork butt of excess fat. Generously season it all over with your favorite pork rub. Let sit while you heat your smoker to 250° F.

Ingredients

1 (6-9 lb) bone-in pork butt and Honey Hog BBQ rub

Insert a leave-in meat thermometer (I use a TempSpike, I love it) into the pork butt aiming for the center and avoiding any bone. Place the pork butt fat side up directly on the grill grate and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, 3 to 5 hours. The time will vary depending on the size of the pork butt, the weather, and your grill.

Ingredients

Mix 1 ½ cups of unfiltered apple cider and ½ cup of Bourbon

On a large baking sheet, stack 4 large pieces of aluminum foil on top of each other, ensuring they are wide enough to wrap the pork butt entirely on all sides. If not, overlap the foil pieces to create a wider base. Transfer the pork butt to the center of the foil fat side up, then bring up the sides of the foil a little bit to create a boat before pouring the apple cider on top of the pork butt. Wrap the foil tightly around the pork, ensuring the tip of the meat thermometer is exposed and the cider does not escape for delicious Traeger pulled pork.

Place the foil-wrapped pork butt back on the grill fat side up and cook until the internal temperature reaches 204°F, another 3 to 4 hours.

Remove the pork from the grill. Allow the pork to rest for 45 minutes in the foil. Then, remove the pork from the foil and pour off any excess liquid into a wire mesh strainer.

Shred the meat, removing and discarding the bone (If your pork butt has one) and any excess fat. Add the separated liquid back into pork and season to taste with any additional Pork Rub.

Optionally, add Laurie's BBQ Sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce to taste. Serve on Toasted Buns!

LET'S TALK ABOUT WINE

Bigfork Liquor Barn

By Mary Wallace

believe it or not, there is an actual book by that title written by Simon Woods (found on Amazon) listed as “an easily digestible and occasionally irreverent guide to the fascinating but often confusing world of wine.” HOWEVER . . .

For today, the helpful staff at the Bigfork Liquor Barn has curated a ‘Cliff Notes’ version - including a handful of wines perfect for summer parties, lake picnics, celebrations, family gatherings, or relaxing evenings on the patio. Let’s dive in!

“I don’t know much about wine, but I know what I like.”

-Simon Woods

Tua Tua Sauvignon Blanc

Tua Tua is believed to be a magical seashell found in a small coastal village in New Zealand. It is said to represent good luck and prosperity for whoever discovers it - for local fishermen, it means a bountiful catch awaits. The children of the village, however, believe that if one whispers their deepest desire to the shell and tosses it back into the ocean, it will carry this wish to the realm of the spirits, who will undoubtedly make it come true.

Tua Tua Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Kuranui Vineyards located in Marlborough, New Zealand. Kuranui (which translates

to "great treasure" in the South Island's Māori language) is situated in the Awatere Valley, and it is one of the highest-elevation vineyards in the region.

With notes of lemon, kiwi, passion fruit, grass, and nectarine, Tua Tua is a light-bodied wine, featuring a juicy finish and tropical fruit flavors.

It has not been proven that Tua Tua Sauvignon Blanc possesses the magical properties of its namesake, but it does magically pair well with seafood, summer barbecues, grilled fish, salmon tartare, and fresh spinach and goat cheese salad.

Benvolio Italia Pinot Grigio

This 100% Pinot Grigio from Northern Italy vineyards undergoes a certified sustainable process to bring it to the table. The grapes are crushed as whole clusters and immediately pressed. The wine then enjoys a long, cool fermentation over several weeks to preserve the fruity flavors.

Benvolio Pinot Grigio is a dry, crisp, and full-bodied wine, characterized by refreshing acidity and a clean finish. With hints of lychee, almond, and lemon zest, it produces notes of green apple, pear, and lime.

Pairing suggestions include Caprese salad, lemon garlic shrimp linguine, a cheese platter featuring Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and creamy Gorgonzola cheese, and a lemon sorbet topped with a fresh berry compote for dessert.

Alliance Pinot Noir

The winemakers at the Stroller Family Estate and Chehalem are at it again, bringing together two of the world’s most acclaimed grapes grown in the regions of Oregon and California to craft a wine of superior quality at an approachable price.

Brimming with aromas of fresh raspberries and strawberries, their Alliance Pinot Noir opens to a soft, elegant palate layered with bright cherry notes, plush tannins, and a hint of moderately toasted oak. The finish is smooth, round, and en tirely satisfying.

Alliance Pinot Noir is a ‘go-to’ for a relaxed Thurs day evening—especially when paired with smoky barbecue chicken.

Poggo Vignoso Chianti D.O.C.G.

This Chianti is an Italian red wine produced in the Chianti region of central Tuscany, principally from the Sangiovese grape. (In Italian wine, DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, which translates to "Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin.") Produced by Brunello, winemaker Luca Brunelli has crafted an everyday Chianti that is surprisingly flavorful. A bright ruby red, Chianti D.O.C.G. boasts hints of Marasca cherry and clove, with dark floral overtones and distant balsamic notes. It has a nice, balanced, and easy-drinking fin-

This delicious Chianti is a tribute to Tuscany, pairing well with pizza, a caprese-inspired baguette with balsamic drizzle, nearly any spaghetti recipe, or a classic

If you already know what you like, just remember that when the heat is on, opt for light, refreshing wines - perfect for summer gatherings that bring out the best in every warm-weather celebration. Just serve them at the right temp—and enjoy. Cheers!

Ask the Butcher

Possibly the finest preserved seafood in the world. Exceptional quality fish and shellfish caught in Spanish waters are chargrilled over Holm oak, then canned in an outstanding Arbequina EVOO by people that know their stuff.

Several varieties to samplesardines in escabeche, smoked sardine tails, smoked albacore tuna and razor clams.

By Leslie Budewitz

Stopping To Smell The Lavender

Lilacs. Roses. Peonies. Lily of the Valley. - Lavender.

You know it’s summer in Montana, whether you garden or not, when you walk down the street and you’re greeted by a familiar scent. Or you suddenly start thinking about your third-grade teacher and can’t imagine why—until you realize you’ve just brushed against a lavender plant in full bloom. She always wore lavender and one year at Christmas you gave her a jar of lavender sugar scrub you made with your mother and she told you it was the best present any student ever gave her.

Memory and scent are closely linked. Everyone has a story of a smell triggering a memory—yours may be bubbling up right now. It’s a recurrent theme in my Spice Shop mysteries, light-hearted mysteries set in Seattle’s famed Pike Place Market, where Pepper Reece sells spice and solves crime. In Lavender Lies Bleeding (9th in the series, coming July 15), Pepper talks with a customer about that connection.

“Why is it,” a customer asked me, “that I can smell a spice and find myself remembering something I hadn’t thought of in years? It happens so fast. I don’t even have time to think ‘oh, nutmeg. My grandmother used to sprinkle that on her eggnog at Christmas.’”

“Memory and smell are closely related,” I replied. “They’re located in the same part of the brain. The theory is that early humans relied heavily on taste and smell to tell them whether something was safe to eat, so their brains developed a memory bank of smells to guide them.”

She spooned a few lavender buds into her palm from the wooden display bowl and gave them a good sniff. “I’m not getting much.”

“Crush them lightly.” I mimed swirling the fingertips of one hand against my other palm. “To release the oils. Some spices announce themselves. Paprika, for example. You open the jar and you know it. Others, like lavender or rose petals, work their way into your consciousness more slowly, from your nose or your tongue. But once they’re there, you don’t want them to leave.”

These days, we rely on our senses of smell for all kinds of things. As Pepper notes, we often think of lavender for its scent, and might be surprised to discover how sparkly and refreshing it is in food and drink. I created this lavender goat cheese for Pepper’s regular movie night with her girlfriends—and I’m sure it will be a hit in your house as well.

Lavender Goat Cheese Spread

Perfect on crackers or toasted slices of baguette—or serve a dollop on top of egg-filled crepes or an omelet. It’s addictive—put a bowl on your charcuterie tray at your next gathering and watch it disappear!

10 ounce log of plain goat cheese

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh or ½ teaspoon dried lavender buds

lavender flowers for garnish (optional)

Place the goat cheese in a bowl to soften, about 30 minutes. If the lavender is fresh, chop it; if dried, grind it a bit in a mortar and pestle.

Add the honey and lavender to the softened goat cheese and blend thoroughly with an immersion blender or a small food processor 3-5 minutes, until smooth. Thin if necessary with a few drops of milk or half and half.

Transfer to a small serving bowl and garnish with lavender flowers.

Serve with crackers or slices of baguette. Leftovers can be refrigerated, covered, and kept up to 2 days.

Memory and scent are closely linked. Everyone has a story of a smell triggering a memory—yours may be bubbling up right now.

Lavender Sugar Scrub

Nothing says “relax” quite like lavender in the bath! Unless there’s a killer outside. If you’d like a more invigorating scrub, use peppermint oil instead of the lavender and skip the flower buds.

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup granulated sugar plus more if needed

1/4 teaspoon (about 20-25 drops) lavender essential oil

1 teaspoon or more dried lavender buds

In a wide-mouth glass jar, mix coconut oil, sugar, essential oil, and flower buds; no need to melt the coconut oil first, as stirring will liquify it enough to mix with the sugar. If the mixture is too thin for your liking, add more sugar. Store in a closed container; keeps as long as you need it.

Use in the bath or shower on your elbows, feet, or other rough spots to exfoliate and moisturize.

You can buy culinary grade lavender from a reputable spice dealer or at any of the lavender farms in the valley. If you grow your own, even better! Just make sure it’s grown without herbicides or pesticides; harvest when no more than half the buds are open, in the morning before the heat of the day releases the oils.

In Lavender Lies Bleeding, Pepper lends a sympathetic ear when vandals destroy the greenhouse at friend Liz Giacometti’s lavender farm. But then Liz is killed, and Pepper digs in to solve the crimes. As her questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Find Lavender Lies Bleeding wherever you buy books. In the Flathead Valley, look for it at Bookworks in Whitefish, Barnes & Noble and The Bookshelf in Kalispell, and Bigfork Art & Cultural Center and Electric Avenue Gifts in Bigfork. Join Leslie for launch parties and signings— see the list on her website, LeslieBudewitz.com—and at the Bigfork Festival of the Arts on August 2-3.

Leslie Budewitz tells stories about women’s lives, seasoned with friendship, food, a dash of history, and a heaping spoonful of mystery. She writes the Spice Shop mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market and the Food Lovers' Village mysteries set in a fictional version of Bigfork, Montana, where she lives. Her newest books are Lavender Lies Bleeding and All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection , historical short fiction set in Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody suspense set in Montana and the Northwest. Find her books in print, ebook, and audio across the US and Canada, wherever you buy books.

6, 2024

Erin John &

July

- Photos by Megan Fetters Creative

Gallatin River Hideaway, Bozeman, MT

John just has this love for life that I find so inspiring. There’s seriously never a dull moment with him - he makes my life so much more spontaneous.

Tell us about you…

We are both from Kalispell, MT originally. However, although going to the same school for much of our childhood, we never officially met until college in Bozeman, MT (which is where we eventually got married!). Now, we live in Denver, CO where John works in Digital Marketing Sales and Erin works in Tax Accounting as a CPA. We both believe in working to live and try our best to make the most of our personal lives outside of our office jobs - concerts, sports, weekend trips in the mountains, traveling, visiting family, you name it!

Erin – What is the trait that you most admire in John?

John just has this love for life that I find so inspiring. There’s seriously never a dull moment with him - he makes my life so much more spontaneous, hilarious, and enriching and he gives me

John has spent many summers fly fishing on the Gallatin River, and we both love spending time together in nature - especially the area on and surrounding the Gallatin. It was truly the perfect spot for us.

some much needed perspective when I find myself worrying too much. I’ve always said that he knows when to be serious, but he never takes life too seriously, and that’s one of my favorite things about him.

John – When did you realize you wanted to get married to Erin?

When I met Erin, I fell for her hard. It took me a while to get her attention back, but I was persistent that we should get to know each other. It was only the second month of us seeing each other that I told my best friend that I was in love with Erin McHugh. I knew it then.

Why did you choose the venue where you got married?

We chose Gallatin River Hideaway because Bozeman holds a special place in our hearts and our relationship - it’s where we met, fell in love, and hope to return someday! John has spent many

summers fly fishing on the Gallatin River, and we both love spending time together in nature - especially the area on and surrounding the Gallatin. It was truly the perfect spot for us.

Erin – What did you enjoy most during your wedding day?

I don’t know how to choose - we honestly just had a blast. The most special part of the day was probably our private vows to each other by the river; it was a perfect moment for just the two of us right before the ceremony when the anticipation was still building. We both love being around and celebrating with our people, so I’m so happy we reserved a time for just the two of us before the party started! That being said, the party afterward was a very close second.

John – What is your favorite activity to do as a couple?

Erin and I are really good at road tripping. Some would call us experts.

Wedding Details…

Venue gallatin river

Hideaway

Caterer

Jill Flores & Hartman

Family - Jill is the executive Chef at mSu and luckily for me, my aunt! my mom’s side of the family are all incredibly talented cooks & we were so lucky to have them cater our wedding. everyone helped out in their own way and the food was incredible!

Cake/Dessert

mary Spridgeon - also my aunt! like i said, we are so lucky to have such talented and supportive women in the family who generously offered their talents for our wedding. Her husband (my uncle) randy also provided delicious coffee for after dinner & dessert!

Music Joe’s dJ

Dress

luv bridaldenver, Co

Tuxes/Suits indochino, various

Rings element 79denver, Co

Flowers poppy & pine Floral (libby Clark)

Bar Service

montana mobile bars

Video daniel temme

Hair & Makeup

bridal Hair by victoria, Capelli's Salon & Spa

(lily Helland mua)

The Classic Keepsake

This inspired design combines a love of Whitefish, Montana, with quality craftsmanship and fine jewelry. Whitefish is a special place to locals and visitors alike, and with THE FISH necklace, you can carry a piece of this remarkable community wherever you go. And what better way than by wearing the symbol of Whitefish so near to your heart.

Going to the Sun Gallery

Proudly Presents

July 18 and 19 2025

Photography artist Jason Bishop

Here is my conversation with Tomara….

What ties you to Montana and the Flathead Valley?

I’ve been spending summers in the Flathead Valley since I was a little girl, visiting my family’s fourth-generation farm. After many years living in Denver and Los Angeles, I decided it was time to come home. Two years ago, I relocated full-time to Montana and now run Chuck’s Cherries, our family farm on Finley Point on Flathead Lake and focus on my creative process with my song writing.

When did you first realize you had musical talent?

I’ve always known I had a love for music, but I was too shy to share it at first. That changed when I was 12 and signed up for an open-mic night in Pinedale, Wyoming—where I spent

Behind the Curtain of Songwritera

Tomara

with local songwriter

Songwriters have a unique and profound impact on culture—often more than people realize—because their work shapes the fabric of society in powerful ways. They are original artists, and it is their ability to share their life experiences through writing and musical expression that sets the stage for the songs we hear on the radio. They are not only musicians – they are storytellers by nature!

Tomara is one of those musicians who can tell a story of an experience she has had in a poetic format that could one day be a #1 hit song. And she resides here Montana and shares her original work all over the Flathead Valley and beyond.

my winters growing up. That moment gave me the courage to start sharing my voice.

Tell us about the songwriting process and what it means to you…

My songwriting is an organic, effortless process that flows directly from my heart and life experiences. It usually begins in silence—just me alone with my thoughts. Writing songs is my therapy. I often prefer to write a song before trying to explain my feelings out loud. It becomes my internal voice expressing what I might not be able to say otherwise.

How are you inspired to write a song?

I am inspired by life experiences; good times, hard times, and what’s happening in the world around me. I travel often for work and always request a window seat, with most of my songs inspired when I’m looking out the window, feeling a moment of stillness. All of

my other song ideas are a couple words spoken aloud in beautiful moments, that I take and make into an entire story, with melodies and instruments wrapped around it. I am an introvert behind the pen, and extrovert on the stage.

If you could write a song with any artist(s), who would it be? Or, which artist would you love to have cut one of your songs?

I’d be honored to write a song with Bonnie Raitt, Marcus King, or—if she were still with us—the legendary Aretha Franklin. I deeply respect their artistry and musicianship.

First and foremost, I want me - Tomara - to cut my songs. As a songwriter, I’d love to have Bonnie Raitt or Jamey Johnson cut one of my songs. Their voices carry such soul and authenticity, which really aligns with my writing style.

Interview

Tomara by Cari Klepper, Whitefish Songwriter Festival producer

My greatest goal is to inspire others through my lyrics. To use my talents in helping people get through life changing moments and prevent individuals from feeling alone in all the daily challenges or obstacles we face.

Do you spend time in Nashville?

Yes, I spend a lot of time in Nashville, but I’ve chosen not to live there full-time. I find that I’m much more creatively inspired here in the Flathead Valley. When I do go to Nashville, it’s my “get-shit-done” time— where I focus on the business side of music

and connect with the industry in ways that aren’t possible from Montana.

Talk about participation in the songwriter festival in Whitefish last year and more.

I played in several “rounds” at the festival last year, collaborating with local songwrit ers and musicians, which provided a unique and enriching experience. The abundance of talented songwriters and musicians in Montana and the Flathead Valley is over whelming and the opportunity to share original music in various venues around Whitefish is a dream come true. It’s my fa vorite experience of the year - focusing on songwriting rather than performing as an artist. And the audience at the festival is the best. They truly want to hear our songs and stories and give the songwriters atten tion and appreciation that we never receive in a regular gig.

Do you have any new songs you want to talk about?

in your musical career?

I am working on a new album, writing songs between Nashville and Montana, with the first song "Work the Flirt" set to be released in July. I will be performing these new songs at the Whitefish Songwriter Festival in September. I am also working on putting a band together, including Alec Lehrman (lead guitarist), Alex Gorchesky (bass player), and Chris Thigpen (drummer), who are based in LA and New York.

My greatest goal is to inspire others through my lyrics. To use my talents in helping people get through life changing moments and prevent individuals from feeling alone in all the daily challenges or obstacles we face. My motto has always been ‘one fan at a time, changing one life at a time.’ Aside from that, winning a Grammy or CMA would be a dream come true, along with a headlining tour!

Tomara will be one of 20 songwriters performing at the Whitefish Songwriter Festival September 19 – 21, 2025 in downtown Whitefish.

HITMAKE r LINE UP FO r THE WHITEFISH SONGW r ITE r FESTIVAL 2025

Get ready for the Whitefish Songwriter Festival, September 19–21 — an unforgettable celebration of songwriting magic! Immerse yourself in three incredible days as we bring six hit songwriters from n ashville alongside 14 talented local and regional artists to the coolest venues in downtown Whitefish — from intimate restaurants and eclectic bars to charming theaters and even our most iconic record store – Slow Burn Records!

You’ll hear the stories behind the songs and the hits you know and love — and some that are on the radio right now — cuts performed and recorded by superstars like Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Trisha Yearwood, Ella Langley, Eddie Rabbitt, Dr. Hook, Jon Pardi, Lee Ann Womack, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, George Jones, Julio Iglesias, Conway Twitty, Elvis Costello, Blake Shelton, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs, Miranda Lambert , and so many more!

This is your chance to experience the heartbeat of country and Americana — up close and personal — at one of the most unique songwriter festivals. Don’t miss a moment of this one-of-a-kind weekend!

Local and regional artists include Natalie & Kyle Archer, Kalyn Beasley, Hannah Belle, Big Sky City Lights, Sterling Drake, Tommy Edwards, Jess Jocoy, Haley Johnsen, Hannah King, Rylee Mix, Mike Murray, Halladay Quist, and Tomara!

Songwriter Line-up

E VEN St EVENS

“I Love a Rainy Night”

Recorded by Eddie Rabbitt #1 Country and Hot 100 in 1981.

“Drivin’ My Life Away”

Recorded by Eddie Rabbitt

#1 Billboard Hot Country in 1980.

“When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman”

Recorded by dr. Hook. #6 Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.

K At Higgi NS

“Knowing You”

Recorded by Kenny Chesney. #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay in 2021.

“The Painter”

Recorded by Cody Johnson. #1 on Country Radio in 2024.

“Mexico”

Recorded by Carrie underwood

Featured on Underwood’s 2015 album

“Honky Tonk Hardwood Floors” Recorded by Cody Johnson #14 Country Airplay in 2022.

“Sounds Like the Radio” Recorded by Zach top #15 Country Airplay in 2024.

“Pretty Dang Good”

Recorded by tracy Lawrence. Opening track on Tracy Lawrence’s Out Here In It in 2024.

B R i CE LON g

"Nothing On But the Radio"

Recorded by gary Allan #1 Billboard Hot Country Songs in 2005.

"Heartache on the Dance Floor"

Recorded by Jon Pardi. Top 5 hit in 2017.

"Like a Cowboy"

“I’ll Never Love Again”

Get tickets at www.whitefishsongwriterfest.org. If you want to sponsor, contact Cari Klepper at cari@whitefishsongwriterfest.org.

The Whitefish Songwriter Festival is a 501(c)3 organization that celebrates the art of songwriting and brings great music to Whitefish and the Flathead Valley.

gRAMM y Wi NNER

Recorded by aga & Bradley Cooper

2020 Grammy winner Best Song Written for Visual Media

“You Look Like You Love Me”

Recorded by Ella Langley (feat. Riley green). Hit #1 on Country Airplay in 2024.

Musical Event of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards. 2025 ACM Award for Single of the Year.

“4x4xU”

Recorded by Lainey Wilson

#4 Billboard Country Airplay in 2025.

Recorded by Randy Houser. CMA nomination for Song of the Year in 2015.

M ARLA C ANNON-gOO d MAN

“The Fool”

Recorded by Lee Ann Womack

Top 5 Billboard Hot Country Songs in 1997.

“Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)”

Recorded by Rodney Atkins

#1 Billboard Hot Country Song in 2008.

“Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo”

Recorded by tracy Byrd

#1 Billboard Hot Country Songs in 2002.

If you’ve been around the Flathead for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of McGough. Maybe you’ve seen an advertisement of a beautiful person adorned in jewelry smiling out at you on a billboard. Or it’s the glittery engagement ring that suddenly appeared on your friend’s hand, or a beautiful necklace you receive for a graduation gift. Maybe your grandmother’s stunning brooch was bought there years ago when she was a young woman. Or you’ve caught an advertisement while cracking open the latest issue of 406 Woman magazine. Whatever the case, McGough has been a business that lasts.

Of course, that’s been in no small part due to the people that run it. Since its opening in 1989 by Sam McGough, (though called Tomahawk Trading Co. then) the store has been a family run business for nearly 40 years.

Enter Stacey Franklin and Andrea Rutar, the daughter and granddaughter of Sam, now the former and current owner respectively of Mc-

The Family Heirloom McGough & Company

By Rachael Seymour

There has been a lot of growth and a lot of change in the Flathead Valley, especially in the past few years. Whitefish in particular has had a whirlwind of activity with new businesses exploding this way and that, with many others quietly closing up shop after years of service. However, there are some businesses that have stood the test of time, adapting with the changes. One in particular is McGough & Company, a premier jewelry store located in downtown Whitefish.

Gough & Company. As of 2025, Andrea’s been running the show, making her the third generation to own and operate the store.

In the beginning, how they got started in the business was similar and simple enough. Both grew up with the store already infused with their life; it only made sense that both had their first jobs at McGough, whether they wanted to or not more or less. “When your family owns a business, that kind of becomes your first job!” Andrea jokes.

Stacey’s journey started shortly after returning to Whitefish from Arizona and was offered a spot working for her dad. She agreed, thinking it would only be temporary while she looked for another job. The temporary stint ended up being 34 years of working with her family, wonderful customers and beautiful pieces of jewelry. In

2017, her parents retired, selling the store to her. In the first era of McGough & Company, a lot of their revenue was based in silver, turquoise and the iconic Montana sapphire. It’s what helped get them on the map. Along with that, they also sold paintings, Native American jewelry and some even candles.

During the beginning of her time as owner though, Stacey saw how things were beginning to turn and change in Whitefish. She noticed more and more stores selling similar products and she didn’t want to compete; she wanted the store to be unique. Stacey decided she wanted to focus more on fine jewelry and create a more elegant look for the store. An excellent call, as many folks come in to see the high-quality pieces and warm yet classy atmosphere of McGough. The store thrived under Stacey’s care; she made sure to take care of everyone and know their experience there matters. Even when there was conflict, Stacey would strive, often relying on her faith at times, to find a good solution.

Photos by Amanda Wilson

Andrea Rutar and Stacey Franklin

“Proud of my parents starting it, proud of where they were able to take it, and ended up in life. Proud to be able to take over the store they put so much hard work and love to. And extremely proud to hand it over to my daughter!”

“It was in my personality to make sure a customer was happy no matter what…that they were important to us and we cared about them!”

It was a key belief of hers even when working on the floor, and it was something she was good at. “Sometimes you only get 5 to 10 minutes to interact with people and make a connection… You have to remember, this may be your only time to represent yourself. To make someone feel special and wanted.”

In 2025, Stacey began to slow down, feeling satisfied with where she was with the store. She believed she took it as far as she could go and was ready to retire. At this time her daughter Andrea was now working there as well, prepping for the change. It was something that had been in the works for years: In 2021, she came into the fold after leaving a job she hated and filled in the spot of an employee who just quit. Shortly after though, Stacy came to her asking if, at the end of one year of working at the store, she’d be interested in buying it from her. So, one year of working and getting familiar with everything went by and Andrea decided to go for it. She then spent the next two years learning the business from her mom and building relationships with customers while getting her degree in gemology.

Then, in the spring of 2025, Stacey sold the store to Andrea. It was the changing of the guard and she became the newest and current owner of McGough & Company.

While her mother had the idea to upscale the store, Andrea wants to maintain what her mom built, then slowly expand it and approach bolder angles.

“I want to move it a little more into community outreach and make it a little more fun…. So when the young professionals come in, they can feel comfortable buying a nice necklace. I want to have the fun million-dollar pieces and bring more bold pieces in while still making sure that when you come in you can say ‘You know what? I’m 25 now and I deserve something nice, let

me buy myself a nice birthday present’; you can walk out and feel like you have something nice.” She’s looking to bring bigger, bolder pieces, the kind that will draw the eye, but still wants to keep the warmth and welcoming feeling of McGough.

“Everybody’s welcome, all the time,” she states. ‘We don’t care where you came from or what you look like. It doesn’t matter if you have a $100 budget or a $5,000 budget, we want to do our best to make sure you feel welcome and cared about and just as important as anybody else who walks into the store… We’re not going to treat anybody differently, so come in with your paint-stained clothes, your gym clothes, we’ll love you just the same.”

In a time where legacy businesses are getting harder to find, Stacey and Andrea understand how blessed they are to be a part of one. Stacey is unbelievably happy and proud at how things have turned out. She said, “Proud of my parents starting it, proud of where they were able to take it, and ended up in life. Proud to be able to take over the store they put so much hard work and love to. And extremely proud to hand it over to my daughter!”

Stacey no longer fully lives in Montana but splits her time between here and in Oklahoma with her husband. When here though, she spends her time hiking mountains and spending time with her family. Particularly Beaux, Andrea’s son and the newest addition to the family. When I get introduced to him, I’m greeted with giant brown eyes and an even bigger, joyful smile.

“He’s the real boss of the place!” Andrea laughs. He seemed to think so too; he babbles and squeals along with his mom, making sure his thoughts on the store were heard too. Andrea hopes he or a future sibling will want to inherit the store themselves, making a 4th generation at the store. While that won’t be for some time now, it’s a lovely thought.

I ask her what legacy means to her, Andrea sighs and says, “Just continuing on the good things. The two generations before left big shoes for me to fill. You hear about the kindness, the love, the welcoming. Just continuing on with those expectations. They set me up for huge success. My grandparents created generational relationships, and mom created this beautiful store with all the upgrades. Now it’s my turn to put my spin on it and see what I can do.”

Andrea’s son, Beaux

FLiPPiNg tHE SWitCH

In the months after Bobby died, Carli and her mother, Beth McBride, had been searching for ways they could move from anguish to action in his name. Carli’s idea was to spread awareness about doing the right thing by leaving a ‘thank you’ in the form of a free specialty coffee drink gift card on the windshield of each car they found in the bar parking lot. She used her own money to purchase a handful of coffee cards and left them on cars with a heartfelt note that first weekend. It felt like she had flipped the switch on the drunk driving conversation.

“It’s an effort to raise awareness and inject a little positivity into the drunk driving conversation. Rewarding those who are doing the right feels magical,” said Carli. “It is not that the small gift of a coffee card is a huge deal. It is just a token gift but the impact of the awareness that is spread is the secret sauce. The positivity needs to be at least as LOUD as the bad news.”

“It was important to us to take judgment and shaming out of the equation and find a way

Montana Bar Fairies

Encouraging The Right Thing One Coffee Card At A Time

By Mary Wallace

Photos provided by Montana Bar Fairies

devastated by the loss of her beloved brother Bobby, Carli Seymour was out driving in the early hours one Sunday morning when she noticed them…Cars left overnight in the parking lot of a local bar. “it brought me to tears, and i wished i could think of a way to thank those people who left their car and had called for a sober ride home,” said Carli Seymour, “if more people made the right choice, maybe Bobby wouldn’t have lost his life from a drunk driver.” the thought stayed with her, and Montana Bar Fairies was conceived.

to incentivize instead of criticize. What if we could normalize people not getting drunk? What if we could normalize people doing the right thing by planning for a sober ride? What if more people didn’t have to die?”

BOBBy dEWBRE

“Bobby did all the right things,” Carli recalls. “He was funny, he was focused, he was a lifty at Whitefish Mountain Resort. He was charming and charismatic - deeply likeable. He was training in the welding program at FVCC with a goal of having a welding career on staff at Big Mountain (as he called it). it was his favorite place in the world.”

And he was responsible when he chose to celebrate his 21st birthday at a bar by arranging for a sober ride home. Unfortunately, the driver who hit him as he was crossing the road to get to his sober ride was at nearly twice the legal limit, and it was that awful decision that took Bobby’s life.

“After having done this for several months, we know that we are here because there is a need,” says Carli. The Montana Bar Fairies have begun tracking the number of cars at bars they find each Saturday night and posting that info on their Facebook page. It fluctuates, but numbers have steadily increased, so their message is reaching the people they are targeting. They are also tracking reported DUI activity in Flathead County. In May 2024, there were 13 suspected DUI fatalities, according to news reports in Montana. In May 2025, again, according to news reports, there were only three. They are hopeful that those numbers will continue to decrease and/or remain steady.

“But we couldn’t do this without the local support and encouragement we’ve received,” said Carli. “The Blue Moon is a yearly sponsor. Local coffee shops (Florence Coffee and Copper Mountain) have sponsored many, many, MANY gift cards. Local individuals have personally contributed anywhere from $5 to $100 at a time. Each coffee gift card is accompanied by a small business-sized card featuring a story about a person who was

Beth McBride, Founder (Left) and Patricia Hinchey, Bozeman Director (Right)

killed by a drunk driver. That message alone is so powerful.”

New Bar Fairy volunteers are stepping up week after week (at 6 am!) to help spread the love for those who choose to do the right thing.

AdVOCAtiNg FOR BOBBy’S LAW

While Bobby’s family feels some empathy for the impaired driver who took his life, make no mistake. . . it is important for families to get some justice. People who are repeat DUI offenders are a detriment to society.

The impaired driver, that fateful night, was only charged with two misdemeanors for the incident and received the maximum sentence of 18 months. Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner sited the requirement to prove negligence as the reason against pursuing stronger felony charges. While the driver boasted a blood alcohol content of 0.20, he had reportedly followed all traffic laws leading up to the incident.

It just seemed to unbelievably wrong,” said Bobby’s mother, Beth McBride. “How can a reading of 0.20 blood alcohol not be considered morally and inherently negligent?”

She held several long discussions with the county attorney, and while he commiserated with her, he said he was tasked with abiding by the letter of the law in these cases, and he reiterated that he had brought the strongest

Each coffee gift card is accompanied by a small business-sized card featuring a story about a person who was killed by a drunk driver. That message alone is so powerful.

charge possible against the driver under current Montana law. He then challenged her to change the law regarding DUI fatalities.

Montana had the worst dui fatality rate in the nation in 2024. Her initial research revealed that no significant dui laws had been changed since 2003, and she decided to take up the challenge. it turns out that introducing legislation during a legislative session is no easy feat. Montana citizens cannot introduce a bill; only legislators can.

When House Representative Braxton Mitchell, who grew up in Bobby’s neighborhood, called for a moment of silence on the House floor in the opening days of this year’s session, Beth took the opportunity to approach him about her idea to change the DUI laws in Montana. Braxton suggested she start by submitting a Legislative Concept Letter form.

Crafting the wording on the form required a fair amount of research. She needed to consider other similar bills that have been introduced and failed in previous Montana legislative sessions. There were also state budget considerations - how much would this bill ultimately cost law enforcement and the Department of Corrections? How many more DUI arrests would be affected by this bill? What should the sentencing parameters be?

Once the request form was submitted and the bill was introduced in the House by Braxton Mitchell, Beth and Carli relentlessly stayed on top of it throughout the entire legislative session. There were so many supporters who traveled to Helena every time a hearing on the bill was held. There was a tremendous amount of support in so many other ways! Many testified either in person or remotely. A local screen printing shop donated sweatshirts so that the number of supporters of Bobby’s Law made a huge visual impact on the floor.

Under Bobby’s Law, any driver involved in a traffic fatality can be charged with a felony if their blood alcohol content is equal to or above 0.16, regardless of whether they otherwise acted negligently. Offenders face a state prison term of between three and 30 years, and a fine between $10,000 and $50,000 or both. Gov. Greg Gianforte put Bobby’s Law on the books by signing it on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

AWARENESS iS KEy

In addition to their Coffee Card campaign, Montana Bar Fairies is committed to being present where it matters most. They have been hosting their own awareness and fundraising events and they’ve held pop-ups at major drinking events to promote responsible choices, encourage safe rides home, and honor those who’ve been lost. Carli and her volunteer Bar Fairies crew gave away over 100 gift cards to designated drivers and people who made a

Bobby Dewbre, just weeks from his death, snowboarding at Whitefish Mountain Resort

“There are not enough officers to enforce drunk driving laws in our state,” said Carli. “We need the communities to take action.”

plan for a sober ride during local events like the Whitefish Winter Carnival and the Bigfork Brewfest. “We also handed out disposable breathalyzers at these events,” said Beth McBride, “and many revelers who were pretty sure they were ‘fine’ have been surprised to discover they blew over the legal limit.”

A gROWiNg MOVEMENt

The Montana Bar Fairies' effort to spread awareness and positivity around drunk driving conversation is growing! The concept has already spurred sister Bar Fairy groups in Bozeman, Missoula, Polson, and Great Falls, with Butte launching in July, and it has even spread to neighboring Washington state. “There are not enough officers to enforce drunk driving laws in our state,” said Carli. “We need the communities to take action.”

How can people join the conversation? Here is what Carli wants people to remember:

When it comes to decisions about driving drunk

• PLAN for a ride

• ACCEPT a ride when offered

• TAKE THE KEYS of someone who should not be driving. PLEASE! It is worth the awkward moment. Do the right thing!

• Embrace the Sober Curious conceptIt’s a movement whose time has come.

What is Sober Curious? People are starting to re-evaluate their relationship with alcohol. Many well-meaning abstainers might find that they can still enjoy zero-proof beer, wine, and cocktails while doing whatever they might normally enjoy a drink, at the bar, at a party, at a concert, floating the river. in many cases, the flavor and mouthfeel are there. Others are finding that they can cut their alcohol consumption in half (by switching every other drink or mixing regular and zero-proof spirits 50:50).

Local producers and servers are also joining the sober curious movement. Imagine Nation Brewing Co. in Missoula has two non-alcoholic beer varieties. Haskill Creek Functional Beverages out of Whitefish are one of several zero-proof spirits that can realistically be substituted (in whole or by half) of their full-proof counterparts in popular cocktail recipes. Carli was even delighted to find zero-proof options at a recent wedding from “Hold My Bar” - a mobile bar catering truck.

Want to get involved or donate? Visit montanabarfairies.org. Montana Bar Fairies is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

Carli and her family dearly miss Bobby. They mostly let their fun memories shine through, keeping them motivated to spread the word about doing the right thing. “It’s definitely bittersweet and also a labor of love,” says Carli.

Beth McBride at Imagine Nation Brewing in Missoula, photo by Carli Seymour

Carli Seymour at parade, photo by Gavin Fulton

Traversing Ridgelines The Stories They Tell Glacier Distilling Company

Written by Melissa Rees

i grew up along a dirt road in a small town in southern Montana. the closest stoplight was over 50 miles away, bison roamed our streets and we never had snow days. Not once. i suppose you could say that ridgelines were imprinted on me from the day i was born, but the thirst for them didn’t really set in until my 20’s. Seasonal work quickly brought me to Whitefish and glacier National Park, which ended up being the first area that truly felt like home. While my drive to explore different places took me elsewhere, i have always returned to the Flathead. there are some places that just call to your soul, you know?

I remember visiting Glacier Distilling Company the first summer they were open which was coincidentally my first season spent in the Flathead valley. A first glimpse of that big red barn on the side of the road with a sign that reads “whiskey” and you know this place has a story to tell. Place it at the foot of a national park and you have yourself something special.

For anyone who has visited this area of Montana, you are familiar with the stunning blue waters of the Flathead rivers, the drastic peaks, the alpine lakes with snow cascading into them and the wildflowers that bring this vibrant place an extra shake of color. It is the kind of place that captures your heart and a place that begs a certain kind of person to stay. Resilience comes to mind. You have to truly love the land, to your core, in order to make a life here. Summer months are short and fleeting, mud season is deep and sometimes endless and the winters here are hard, long and unforgiving. Yet the connection that this land fosters can call to you. Winter storms can hole you up for days along Highway 2, leaving a lot

Author Melissa Rees roaming through the mountains.

of room for dreaming. Sometimes, as is the case with Glacier Distilling Company, these long winter nights of dreaming and scheming can lead to something much greater and so very real.

glacier distilling Company was created and is still driven by people who love this little slice of Montana, by people who dare to dream and by people who truly care about connecting with others. this comes through in their spirits, in their tasting room and in the backstory of why the heck we are all here in the first place.

It feels like many of the people of the greater Glacier area are looking for a sense of placeconnection. Whether that is to the land, a community or our work this purpose is ingrained in our DNA. We all crave it in some capacity. Some of us still trend towards a more nomadic way of life. This can manifest as moving every six months for seasonal work, setting out on a seven-day river trip,

or venturing to the mountains for the weekend. Through this time spent in movement outside, we have an opportunity to connect with the land. To truly drop in and experience the stories it has to tell.

I have found that, at the end of the day, the conversations we share while sipping a craft whiskey makes the flavors that much more real. I am convinced that storytelling is another faction of life we crave as humans. As a sales representative for Glacier Distilling, I spend a lot of my time talking about this beautiful landscape and sharing stories of my time here. I can’t quite put into words the expression on someone’s face when they sip something and know that the flavor they get in Bearproof is entirely wild Montana huckleberry or that our Logan Pass Single Malt is a 100% Montana made product, starting with the grain and ending at our distillery. This satisfaction, understanding and connection that people crave and get to have with the land by coming together around something so foundational is unmatched and, quite honestly, my greatest joy in this work.

I have found that, at the end of the day, the conversations we share while sipping a craft whiskey makes the flavors that much more real.

t he most frequent thing i say at tasting events is “ t he distillers make my job wildly easy; the spirits are so beautiful that they speak for themselves. i don’t really have to work hard to sell them. So instead, i get to spend my time sharing stores and connecting with others.” For me, it comes back to a sense of place and connection to the land that quite literally flows through our spirits.

Glacier Distilling does an incredible job of painting a picture of the place these spirits come from. The amount of passion, care and effort put into this company from the ground up is singular. From Montana grain sourcing, to honey from a local apiary, to using only wild foraged huckleberries in their products (no added sugars or flavors here folks!) I find what I hold dear and important is reflected in their process. It comes as no surprise that these spirits leave a lasting impression on

Being solo in the mountains are some of my most cherished times. While I love those moments, there is nothing quite like sipping from a flask at the top of a mountain with a dear friend. Just sitting in awe of this place we get to call home. It quenches my thirst almost as much as traversing those rocky spines.

I still wander those long dirt roads and those ridgelines still call to me. Home just looks a little more like glacial silt, jagged peaks and larches lining the hillsides.

profile} G LAc I er dI st ILLI n G c ompA

By Jessa Ash

Mid-Year Money Check

Why July Is the Perfect Time to Rethink Your Finances

We’re officially halfway through the year—and just like that, the long summer days start ticking down toward autumn. Between weekend barbecues, road trips, and soaking in Montana’s beauty, it’s easy to push financial reviews aside. But June and July aren't just about sunshine—they’re also prime time to reflect on where you’ve been and realign where you're headed. Especially when it comes to your money.

At Fischer Investment Strategies, we believe financial health is a form of self-care—and midyear is your golden opportunity to check in, catch up, and course-correct before the holiday rush distracts you. Whether you're nearing retirement or just now figuring out what a Roth conversion is, this is the moment to hit pause and get intentional.

Why a Mid- y ear r evie W Matters

Think of your finances like a GPS. If you never check your route, a small detour can turn into a full-blown rerouting. A mid-year review helps you ask: “Am I on track with my savings goals? Has anything in my life changed that affects my spending, taxes, or investing?”

Here are just a few reasons it matters now:

• You're still early enough to make changes that impact your 2025 outcome

• You have updated data—six months of real spending, saving, and earning to learn from

• You can fine-tune before Q4 hits with school, holidays, and year-end planning

1. Evaluate Your Spending vs. Budget

Even if you started the year with a fresh budget spreadsheet and good intentions, reality often paints a different picture. Inflation, one-time expenses, and lifestyle creep can quietly push you off course.

Now’s the time to:

• Compare actual spending to your budget by category (groceries, travel, subscriptions)

• Identify high-leak areas that can be dialed down

• Reset priorities: If you’ve overspent in one area but underspent in another, can you shift focus?

Not sure how to analyze it? Tools like RightCapital or Mint can auto-categorize expenses and show trends—FIS can help interpret the insights and suggest action steps.

2. Check Your Emergency Fund and Cash Position

Has your emergency fund been untouched this year—or did a new roof or car repair eat into it? Make sure you’ve still got 3–6 months of essential expenses set aside in liquid savings. And if you’ve been keeping too much cash on hand, it might be time to shift some into a higher-yield strategy.

We often recommend laddering CDs or using money market funds that align with your risk tolerance and time horizon. Leaving money idle in a checking account might feel safe, but it also means you’re losing ground to inflation.

3. Update Your Goals (and Celebrate Progress)

This is the perfect moment to revisit the goals you set in January and—if you’re like most people—forgot by February.

Ask yourself:

• Have my priorities shifted (career change, family planning, buying property)?

• Am I making progress toward big goals like retirement, debt payoff, or travel?

• What can I celebrate about my progress so far?

Photo by Rusty Cash

At FIS, we help clients tie their financial plans to life goals that actually mean something—so you stay motivated and confident, not just focused on numbers.

4. r eview r etirement Contributions

Are you on track to maximize your 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, or SEP IRA contributions? 2025 contribution limits are generous—and if you’ve got room to increase your monthly savings now, it’ll be much easier than scrambling to catch up in December.

401(k): Up to $23,500, plus $7,500 or $11,250 for catch-up depending on age

SIMPLE IRA: $16,500 with catch-up up to $5,250

SEP IRA: Up to 25% of compensation or $70,000

FIS can run a retirement readiness analysis that shows how even small increases now can supercharge your long-term results.

5. Tax Planning Isn’t Just for April

You’ve got a rare window right now—half the year gone, half the year ahead—to pivot tax strategies based on what’s already happened.

Here are a few mid-year tax tips:

• Bump up retirement contributions to lower taxable income

• Explore donor-advised funds if you're planning charitable gifts

• Check your withholdings or estimated payments to avoid surprises

• Consider whether a Roth Conversion strategy would benefit you

Many of our clients find that proactive tax planning mid-year results in more control—and often less stress—when tax season rolls around.

6. Insurance & Estate Plan Checkup

Have there been major life changes this year— marriage, divorce, new home, new baby? That’s your cue to revisit:

• Beneficiaries on IRAs, 401(k)s, and life insurance policies

• Adequacy of life and disability insurance

• Your will, power of attorney, and health care directive

These are areas that tend to collect dust, but they’re vital to a resilient financial foundation.

FIS collaborates with estate attorneys and insurance experts to ensure your coverage and documentation reflect your current life and intentions.

7. r ebalance Your Investment Portfolio

The markets have done what markets do— fluctuated. Has that changed your asset mix? Has your portfolio drifted from your original targets?

Rebalancing ensures your risk exposure is in line with your comfort and goals. It’s also an opportunity to harvest any gains or losses for tax purposes, especially in taxable accounts.

We use tools like iRebal and Riskalyze to monitor client allocations and recommend evidence-based adjustments—so you’re not reacting emotionally but responding strategically.

How Fischer Investment Strategies Helps Mid-Year Planners

Financial planning is not a once-a-year event—it’s a conversation that evolves with you. Whether you’re managing a family budget, building a business, or charting an early retirement path, a mid-year review puts you in the driver’s seat.

We offer:

• Comprehensive mid-year reviews for individuals and couples

• Cash flow analysis and goal alignment

• Portfolio stress testing for multiple market scenarios

• Tax strategy mapping for year-end moves

• Retirement savings calibration based on updated income and expenses

Your Future Self Will Thank You

It’s easy to let the months pass by on autopilot—but powerful change happens in the quiet middle. Just like Montana’s wildflowers bloom in July, your finances can flourish when given a little sunlight and attention.

Set aside an hour this month to review, reflect, and realign. Better yet, let us walk through it with you.

Schedule your complimentary mid-year check-in at fisfp.com or call us at 406-212-1983.

Jessa Ash, Registered Investment Advisor Fischer Investment Strategies 406-212-1983 - jessa@fisfp.com

When it came time for the countdown, the fish began to sink on unseen suspension wires as onlookers excitedly counted down the last moments of 2024. When the clock struck midnight, the fish stopped just above the Firebrand's door and an explosion of lights and smoke filled the air as everyone cheered. It was a fun, unique sight to behold and a great new way to welcome a new year into existence. But if you weren’t there, such as a certain writer for example (who was actually pretty nearby, getting her dance on at The Northern) don’t worry; this was just the latest of the Firebrand General Manager Angela Gulick's many ideas on how to make the hotel a quality experience.

She shows me the video of the drop in her office; her shelves are covered in pictures of friends and family, with the occasional hospitality award propped up next to them. Next to us is the famous fish itself; a creation of Angela’s own making, as one of her favorite hobbies is metal work.

All in a Day’s Work Meet Angela Gulick

If you were in Downtown Whitefish during New Year’s Eve of 2025, it’s possible you saw a small crowd gathered around The Firebrand Hotel entrance, looking up into the air with excitement. And if you were near that crowd and happened to look up with them, you’d definitely see what the fuss was about: An 8 feet long fish, created out of metal wiring, reflective beads and flashing LED lights hung suspended over the entrance. Smoke from a nearby machine billowed out around the sculpture, giving it an extra flare.

“I really didn’t want to release balloons this year, it’s so much work blowing them (the balloons) up” as she beams at the sculpture. While being a new endeavor, it’s also a small tribute to her home, Pennsylvania. There, it’s a more popular tradition for towns to create sculptures of something that represents them and “drop it” in a similar fashion during the final countdown. While Angela brainstormed what to create for the town of Whitefish, the answer was pretty obvious.

The Firebrand itself is one of several relatively new establishments in Whitefish and Angela sits at the helm as the GM. With its distinctly dark wood and stone appearance and its high-end yet intimate vibe, it has quickly become another jewel in the town’s crown, and Angela has been here for the whole ride .

The energy that Angela wants to bring is fun. She considers one of her best strengths moving with the trends and the tide of what’s next in hospitality.

“I like to keep learning. I like to keep the door open to new ideas and concepts. When you walk in the door and you’re running a hotel, things change and you have to keep adapting.”

Among those many things that change are the people, the staff in particular. As the very essence of the Firebrand, Angela works to make sure that they’re heard and taken care of. Every day, she starts her morning checking in with the different departments to see how they’re doing. She tells me about past experiences with bad bosses and their desire to keep the line between employee and boss firmly in the sand. Angela wants to be different and tries to keep up with her employees and what’s going on in their lives beyond work. “I always make sure that

By Rachael Seymour

Photo by Amanda Wilson Photography

The energy that Angela wants to bring is fun. She considers one of her best strengths moving with the trends and the tide of what’s next in hospitality.

my door is open…I understand, ‘Yes you’re here, but what’re you doing later, what’re you doing when you get out of here?’ I want to encourage that it’s not all about work; it’s about that balance of life.”

Sure, there’s always going to be a bad day or two, but she wants them to feel in those moments they're all still in this together. And in the hustle and bustle of working in a hotel in a resort town, things can be dead one week and utter chaos the next. In times like this, it’s necessary to remember to keep going, while still working together as a team. “I always try to put a positive spin on it; like if the power goes then it’s like ‘ok, we’re going back to the way I used to do it: paper and pen!’” she states. But in these more challenging times, Angela relies on the classic phrase: The show goes on. “Whatever happens. Our guests need a place to stay; they need something to eat. The show goes on.”

Before all of this, Angela worked for corporate hotels in cities where the harshness of the business world leached through the atmosphere. It’s tough to be friendly and welcoming and serve others when they’re consumed with the stress of their work.

“The valley has absolutely changed me from a professional standpoint.” Here, working in the tourism industry where customers are

here for vacation, things slowed down a bit, including Angela herself for the most part. “I’ve been told I still talk pretty fast!” she joked. “Here, it’s much more about looking out and enjoying the mountains, breathing clean fresh air, and enjoying that when you walk through the grocery store, people say hi to you whether you know them or not.”

It’s also a personal joy for Angela to watch the effect take hold of her guests. To watch them come in with a fast and blustery attitude, but leave in a calm, easygoing state. She knows it’s a job well done.

Since moving out from Pennsylvania, Angela embraced Montana fully and its wilderness, particularly hunting. In the fall she loves bird and big game hunting, she’s captain of the Kalispell Chapter of the Women's Shooting Sports Association: a woman only trap shooting league, and a FWP (Fish Wildlife & Parks) certified bow hunter safety instructor. In the winter, more than likely, you can find her in her shop; welding her next creation.

When looking toward the near future, Angela thinks about adjustments of the hotel’s inner mechanisms: A change to the breakfast menu, recruiting new staff for the summer and greeting returning employees. But her thoughts also fall back to New Year’s Eve

to 2025, with the Firebrand in its epicenter. Maybe that involves another fish, a bigger and better one, counting down the final moments again. Maybe it’s another light show, one that can be seen from Kalispell like they had last time. Or even a performance like the time she hired acrobats to perform a circus act in the lobby during the Winter Carnival. Whatever the case, it’s just one of many projects Angela has in mind to keep transforming the Firebrand into an amazing experience for everyone.

Photo by Amanda Wilson Photography

She fondly recalls watching her father with his old school photography hobby. She loved learning the ins and outs of the darkroom with him. Photography has always been important to her, but she didn’t start out to become a photographer.

Her husband, Alex, grew up in the Soviet Union, specifically in Kharkiv, which is now part of Ukraine. His family immigrated to the United States in 1992. Rita met Alex while on vacation in a little town on the Black Sea. They spent three days together before he had to return to London, where he worked at the time. They communicated through email and letters the whole time they were apart, and then Alex proposed marriage to Rita and her 5-year-old daughter, Sasha and they were married eight months later in 2000. It was fortunate that Rita was accustomed to moving around, as they lived London for several months, followed by a stint in India, and then returned to London, where their son, Peter, was born. When he was 5 months old, they moved to the United States. Despite her limited command of the English language, she enrolled in Seton Hall University and earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy.

Rita received her first real camera, from her husband in 2010. It was a fancy one, a Nikon

Two Suitcases Full of Memories

Rita Romayev, Lost Creek Photography

Written by Mary Wallace

Rita Romayev was born a Soviet Union citizen while her family was stationed in East Germany. Because her dad was a military doctor, they moved around during her childhood…. a LOT. They moved five times before she finished elementary school and lived in different parts of Russia, including (but not limited to) Kazakhstan, Crimea, and Siberia. She learned to be okay with all the different cultures. With every move, there were always the two old, treasured suitcases full of family photo albums and a beloved family pet to give her a sense of home. “The images were more than just pictures,” she says, “they were our story. Our memories.” Every time she looked at them, she sensed the connection and emotional bonds of her ancestors and her family near and far.

D90, with a single lens, and she was surprised how much she enjoyed experimenting with it. One day, a friend who volunteered at an animal shelter rehabilitating some of the more difficult dogs asked her to come in and take photos of the animals when they were ready for adoption. And just like that, she became more intentional with her photography, and Lost Creek Photography was born.

Rita specializes in pet and landscape photography, combining her love for animals with the beauty of the outdoors. She thrives on creativity and embraces each unique setting, adapting to natural conditions and personalities to reveal the beauty that already exists. Her goal is simple but powerful: to create timeless memories of beloved pets—and often their humans—captured in the environments they love most.

From her volunteer work photographing adoptable shelter pets in their most uncertain moments at the Northwest Montana Humane Society, she understands that she only has a few minutes to establish a kind of trust with each animal she encounters. She knows that dogs, for

instance, do not like us to stare directly into their eyes. She can tell if an animal is depressed or full of anxiety, and it is her job to establish a connection, find the right angle and the right lens for the camera to make them feel comfortable, and capture their true joy and emotions. Her goal is always the same: to capture each animal’s spirit and personality in a way that helps them be seen, loved, and adopted. She is there nearly every Wednesday doing adoptable pet photos, and it feels like Christmas to her every time.

Because sometimes one photograph can change everything, Rita has organized a fundraiser for the Humane Society and this year was the second annual pet calendar contest—a heartwarming community fundraiser that, with the help of many generous supporters, has raised over $10,000 to support shelter pets.

Rita is passionate about printed photos, thanks to the long-cherished moments spent looking through her two suitcases. She recalled the moment that she realized her family’s aging English Mastiff, Ash, might be close to the time for them to say goodbye. He wandered near and nuzzled close to her, and then he lay down companionably. Her heart full of bittersweet memories, she watched him for a bit, and he gazed up, giv-

ing her a look that let her know he thought so too, and that it would be okay. She realized she wanted to capture that moment and found her camera nearby. She tearily snapped a photo of that moment. That printed photograph is one of her most cherished possessions.

From the moment they come bounding into our lives—bringing slobbery kisses, fur-covered joy, and unconditional love—pets change us in ways we could never imagine. And when it's time to say that final goodbye, Rita hopes her work can help families celebrate the joy their animal has brought into their lives and honor the memories in their hearts.

As a certified Grief Coach for Pet Loss, Rita also offers Rainbow Sessions for families preparing to say goodbye to their beloved furry companions when time may be short. These sessions are designed to create final, beautiful memories and include emotional support, not only during the session but also before and after as they navigate the journey of saying goodbye.

Alongside her photography, Rita co-leads a free monthly support group with Kimberly Fisher of Earthly Insights and Dr. Heather of Flathead Veterinary Wellness & Rehabilitation.

“I believe pet photography is not a luxury,” says r ita, “It’s a way to preserve love. To celebrate life. And to create something tangible that people can hold onto long after the fur has settled.”

This group was created for pet owners who are caring for senior animals or grieving a recent loss of a pet. They offer a space for emotional support, gentle guidance, and healing— because no one should walk that path alone.

“I believe pet photography is not a luxury,” says Rita, “It’s a way to preserve love. To celebrate life. And to create something tangible that people can hold onto long after the fur has settled.”

For this reason, Rita always encourages her clients to consider investing in at least one or two professionally crafted, high-quality printed products that preserve their most precious memories for generations. Digital photos are great, but how many of us have hundreds of pet photos stored on our phones? And how often do we go back and truly experience those im ages? Printed photos are safe and tangible, and when created with a hand-painted texture on the specialty canvas offered exclusively to her clients, Lost Creek Photography photos become legacy pieces.

Rita lives in the West Valley with her husband, Alex, their menagerie of pets - three dogs: Roma, a 10-year-old rescue pit mix, Julie, a 9-year-old German shepherd, and Mishka (which means Lit tle Bear in Russian), a Great Pyrenees mix. They also have two cats, Zuk and June. Their kids, Pe ter and Sasha live in Kalispell now, as well.

Many things make Rita’s heart sing: Being out in nature. Sunrise… Sunset. Spending time with animals and seeing their unabashed joy and ability to be in the moment. Walking bare

foot in the snow - a truly invigorating experience that makes you feel so completely alive.

As for her Bucket List - “I think I am living my bucket list,” she says. “I get to wake up in the mountains and go take photos of pets every single day. My dream job!” Otherwise, she would like to travel a bit, see her parents and sister (who still live in Russia), and lastly, she wants to have an opportunity to capture that one perfect photo that she can see so clearly in her mind's eye. Alex & Rita make a pilgrimage to Yellowstone Park every year for Rita’s birthday (usually in late February/Early March), and while she has taken many beautiful photos of bison in the snow, she is hoping to capture that one elusive snow-covered bison that truly captures

Rita’s advice? Those who live in the past often ten feel anxious. So her advice is to live in the moment, be present, and embrace every bit of

When Shawn headed off to college, she didn’t really have nursing on her mind. After serving as the first female student athletic trainer for her high school (for track, volleyball, football, & basketball), she knew she was interested in doing something in the medical field - perhaps a psychologist or pharmacist? However, following in her mother’s footsteps, her interests eventually shifted toward nursing, and the next thing she knew, she had earned her LPN license.

Because Shawn’s dad was a forester, they moved around a lot, living in nine different places before she was in 6th grade. Her mom was a nurse practitioner who likely inspired Shawn’s life decisions in multiple ways. Her mother’s dedication to her medical career, all while caring for three children, being a homemaker, and raising a garden, as well as chickens, rabbits, dogs, and horses, was just a matter of course during Shawn’s formative years.

It may be why, as Shawn shared all of the details of her own journey so matter-of-factly, she seemed to find nothing all that remarkableeven when relating how she, as a young mom,

Meet Shawn Shanahan, APRN-WHNP-BC , RDMS, WHE, CGCP,

CMP

Written by Mary Wallace

Shawn Shanahan has so many letters behind her name that one is rather compelled to google it. So, i did and here goes…Shawn Shanahan, Advanced Practice RN-Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (Board Certified), Registered diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Wholistic Health Educator, Certified geriatric Care Professional, Certified Menopause Practitioner. (Whew!)

juggled university, medical training, a nursing career, serving on various medical boards, and teaching nursing at two community colleges, all while raising two sons…Total powerhouse!

After earning her nursing degree from the University of Utah in 1986, Shawn’s journey to women’s healthcare began when, as a preceptee, and then employee at the Flathead County Health Department, she stepped in as a substitute in their Family Planning Department and fell into an opportunity to return to school to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Harbor UCLA. She returned to Montana long enough to fulfill her work requirement for the Health Department, and then she transferred back to Nevada, where she earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Nevada - Reno in 1993.

Montana was where her heart was, so she returned once more, working for Dr. Perry Birky’s practice, then at Northwest Women’s Healthcare, again at the Flathead County Health Department, and at Greater Valley Health Center before joining Kalispell OB/GYN in March of 2021.

Shawn’s practice today is primarily focused on providing comprehensive women’s healthcare tailored to each individual woman. She specializes in gynecology - including infertility, urinary incontinence, menopause issues, prolapse management, and abnormal bleeding.

Many post-menopausal women experience a drop in estrogen levels that can significantly impact their bone health, cardiovascular health, and overall well-being. Additionally, some medications can affect women’s balance and risk of falls. Shawn considers these things as part of the care she provides for her patients.

Shawn’s approach is decidedly holistic; she has worked hard to integrate conventional and alternative modalities into her practice. She has studied chiropractic care, acupuncture, touch therapy, massage therapy, and Chinese herbal medicine techniques - not so much to practice them, but to know when an alternative method might be best for her patients.

After 40 years in nursing, Shawn is delighted to find that she is caring for multiple generations of the same family. It is always a joy when a patient says, “You took care of my mom (or my grandma).”

Shawn is passionate about her philosophy that her patients are humans, not just their diagnosis. Looking at the whole patient gives her an opportunity to consider all factors affecting a female’s health - lifestyle factors, such as diet, exercise, and smoking habits, or socioeconomic factors such as their access to healthcare, their social support system, and if their living and working environments are safe for them at whatever their stage of life.

Shawn is paying it forward by working as a preceptor for various student health care professionals in her clinic, providing them with practical experience. Students used to be assigned for a whole semester but now are rotated in and out for a few days or a week at a time. She has always been passionate about mentoring the next generation of medical professionals, to the extent that she often used her vacation leave to teach at the Great Basin Community College and Salish & Kootenai College nursing programs.

After 40 years in nursing, Shawn is delighted to find that she is caring for multiple generations of the same family. It is always a joy when a patient says, “You took care of my mom (or my grandma).”

She is grateful to work alongside like-minded practitioners at Kalispell OB/GYN, all of whom share her focus on providing comfortable care for women. She loves that the spalike atmosphere at their clinic immediately feels nurturing and calming.

She shares that many patients mistakenly feel that any self-care (including healthcare) is an indulgence because they don’t really feel they can take the time for it, but at Kalispell OB/ GYN it is most definitely treated as a necessity. Shawn endeavors to empower her patients to pause, breathe, and reclaim time and wellness for themselves, which is truly the best way they can continue to care for others.

Shawn and her husband of 43 years moved to Montana 39 years ago, raising two sons She, too, has chickens and enjoys gardening. She loves horseback riding and being in nature. Her favorite hobby is hiking, and what she cher ishes most of all is the time spent with her first grandchild while looking forward to wel coming a new one on the way. Her bucket list includes hiking the Chinese Wall trail in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Gunsight Pass in Glacier Park. And most importantly, devel oping meaningful relationships with those grandchildren.

Something that not many people know about Shawn is that she and her husband also own a property management business. She has served on numerous committees, including the Montana State Family Planning Advisory Committee.

Any advice for our readers?

Keeping yourself and your family healthy in the modern world takes Awareness.

Awareness of what’s in our food, air and water. Awareness of how to detect and avoid the upstream causes of disease. Awareness of the true Pillars of Health.

Recorded in Montana & hosted by two medical providers who bring their expertise in Functional Medicine to everyday families.

“Good health is one of life’s most important attributes,” says Shawn. “As my patients have shown me, people with disabilities or chronic illnesses can still have a fulfilling life. Health is a lifestyle.”

And lastly, “Just as they tell you on any commercial airline flight - put on your own mask before helping others - women need to take care of their own health in order to be their best to care for their families.”

Co-hosts Brittany Coburn, NP-C, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of experience, and Dr. Tom Flass, MD, a board-certified Pediatrician and Gastroenterologist specializing in nutrition and integrative medicine, lead conversations designed to inform and empower. real-world, science-backed health information in a warm and relatable format.

Actionable insights on health topics ranging from nutrition, supplements, sleep and gut issues, mental wellness, and women’s health.

Shawn and her family in the early days

Aesthetics and Beyond Fraxel Laser Benefits

As all of us age, we all start to notice some subtle skin changes in texture, color, and wrinkling over time. Taking charge of your skin care routine with minimally invasive techniques is a great way to improve those age-related changes that can affect everything from our skin’s health to our self-confidence.

Preventative maintenance is one of the most effective advances in non-surgical skin care.

Using a non-ablative skin laser, such as a Fraxel laser, targets microscopic areas of the skin to create a controlled inflammatory process to build collagen, reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone and texture, and even prevent progression of small problematic skin lesions, such as actinic keratoses, into cancers.

Written by Dr. Courtney Austin, MD

Fraxel lasers are also shown to help with post acne scarring, facial scars, melasma, and rosacea associated skin changes. Significant success has been seen in reducing problematic hyperpigmentation, commonly referred to as age spots or sunspots. These spots are specifically targeted by fractional lasers to enhance skin turnover, and literally “wipe off” days after the laser treatment.

Fractional laser treatment most importantly can delay the desire for more invasive surgical treatments in the future, such as facelifts. When used preventatively, with regular treatments, it can preserve skin’s youthful appearance with very minimal downtime.

For patients who are seeking a more natural appearance, a Fraxel laser treatment can give you the wrinkle reduction and fullness in a softer way than can be obtained from

fillers and more invasive procedures, such as lower facelifts.

As with any medical aesthetic procedure, it is important to have a good team caring for your skin, including trained laser and medical professionals who are able to assess your skin’s potential with these types of treatments.

Dr. Courtney Austin, MD

Patient received 1 Fraxel Dual Treatment treated for pigment, deep wrinkles and overall resurfacing. She plans to receive a second treatment in the fall.

Fraxel Laser Treatment - Skin Revolution

What is Fraxel Laser Treatment?

Fraxel is a non-invasive laser therapy that targets aging and sun-damaged skin, promoting collagen production and skin rejuvenation. The Fraxel creates microscopic columns to penetrate deep into the skin, stimulating collagen production and resurfacing the top layer of the skin.

What does the Fraxel actually treat?

Fraxel is your go-to for:

- Fine lines and wrinkles

- Sun damage and dark spots

- Acne scars

- Melasma and uneven pigmentation

- Overall texture - smoother skin, smaller pores, the works

Is the treatment painful?

It can cause discomfort, but numbing cream is used to ease the pain. The sensation ranges from a warm prickly feeling to a light sunburn sensation. It’s not a massage or facial but is easily tolerated by most individuals.

Is it just for the face?

Nope, it's versatile! Fraxel can be used on various body parts, including the neck, chest, and hands.

Who isn't a good candidate?

People with active skin infections, certain skin conditions, and pregnant women.

What is the standard healing time after a Fraxel treatment?

Typically, after Fraxel treatment, healing time ranges from a few days to a week. Expect redness, swelling, and a rough “sandpaper" feel for about 3-7 days depending on the intensity of the treatment. Makeup can usually be worn after 2-3 days. Most people can resume normal activities within a few days, with full recovery in about a week.

How many treatments are needed?

One Fraxel session can without a doubt make a difference, but usually 3 to 5 sessions, spaced about 4 weeks apart, give the best results.

Fraxel healing timeline:

Day 1: Skin may appear red and feel like a sunburn. Swelling is common.

Days 2-3: Redness fades, but skin may darken and feel tighter. Minimal flaking could start.

Days 3-5: Skin begins to peel, revealing fresh, rejuvenated layers underneath.

Days 6-7: Peeling subsides. Most of the redness and swelling should be gone.

Week 2-4: Skin continues to improve in texture and tone. Full results can be appreciated as collagen remodeling takes place.

glacier Med Spa 1111 Baker Ave, Whitefish MT

2302 US Hwy 2 E, Kalispell MT

Leslie Lovelady, Family Nurse Practitioner, FNP

Sage Griffin, Certified Laser Technician

By Dr. Tom Flass and Brittany Coburn NP-C

The Hidden Pillars of Health

How Mental Health, Connection, and Community Shape Our Wellbeing

In our pursuit of optimal health, we often focus intensely on diet and exercise while overlooking equally crucial factors: our stress levels, mental wellbeing, and social connections. As healthcare providers who have witnessed the profound impact these elements have on patients' health, we have come to recognize them as foundational pillars that can either strengthen or undermine our physical health. Let's explore how these interconnected aspects influence our wellbeing and what practical steps we can take to nurture them.

The Silent Health Disruptor: Chronic Stress

Our bodies are designed to handle short bursts of stress—the kind that helped our ancestors escape predators or respond to immediate threats. This acute stress (typically lasting minutes to days) is adaptive and necessary for survival. However, when stress persists beyond this timeframe, it begins to wreak havoc on our bodies. Chronic stress keeps our bodies in a perpetual "fight or flight" mode, flooding our systems with stress hormones like cortisol. Over time, this imbalance can:

• Disrupt sleep patterns

• Weaken immune function

• Increase inflammation throughout the body

• Impair digestion and nutrient absorption

• Contribute to insulin resistance and blood sugar issues

• Impair brain function, memory and energy levels

• Accelerate aging at the cellular level

One useful way to measure how well your body is handling stress is through heart rate variability (HRV) which measures the variation in time between successive heartbeats. Higher HRV indicates a balanced nervous system with good parasympa-

thetic (vagal) tone reflecting adequate "rest and digest" activity, while lower HRV indicates excessive “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system activity that can reflect health issues ranging from fatigue and burnout, to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Properly supporting the Six Pillars of Health (discussed in earlier episodes of The Aware Families Podcast) typically results in a higher HRV.

Mental Health: The Foundation of Overall Health

For too long, healthcare has treated mental and physical health as separate domains. However, mounting evidence shows they're inseparable interconnected aspects of our wellbeing. "There really is no health without mental health," as we often say in functional medicine. The statistics are sobering:

• Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide

• One in five adults in the U.S. develop major depressive disorder and/or anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.

• Almost half of medical visits are for stress, anxiety and depression related issues.

What many don't realize is how profoundly mental health affects physical health. Depression and anxiety aren't just "all in your head"—they manifest throughout the body, influencing everything from immune function to gut health to cardiovascular risk. Childhood experiences and trauma play a particularly important role in lifelong health. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire assesses traumatic experiences before age 18, and research shows that 64% of adults report at least one ACE, with 1 in 6 experiencing four or more. These early experiences are linked to long-term health issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, heart disease, and even early death without the proper treatment by a therapist experienced in trauma therapy.

Conversely, poor physical health (especially metabolic health) contributes to a number of mental health disorders. Metabolic psychiatry is a growing field that emphasizes the role of dysfunctional mitochondria and metabolism in mental health issues. Harvard psychiatrist Chris Palmer helped kickstart this field with his 2022 book “Brain Energy”.

The Healing Power of Human Connection

Humans are inherently social creatures. Our need for connection isn't a luxury—it's a biological necessity hardwired into our DNA through millions of years of evolution. As Sebastian Junger explores in his book "Tribe," humans have an evolutionary need to belong and contribute to something larger than ourselves. When we lack meaningful connections, our health suffers in measurable ways. The famed psychologist Maslow's hierarchy of needs states that after basic physical needs like food, water, and safety are met, the next level is love and belonging. Research published by the National Academy of Sciences and by the CDC shows that social isolation increases:

• All-cause mortality (death from any cause)

• Risk of cardiovascular disease

• Susceptibility to infectious illness

• Cognitive decline

An epidemic of loneliness: The prevalence of loneliness is striking: 33% of adults aged 50-80 report lacking companionship, and 29% experience social isolation. 1 in 3 teens report feelings of chronic loneliness. No doubt this is contributing to poor health.

Finding Purpose:

The Missing Health Ingredient

Beyond basic social connections lies something even more powerful for health: a sense of purpose. Purpose can be defined as having a central life direction and belief in the value of one's activities. Re-

search consistently shows that people with a strong sense of purpose experience better physical health, greater longevity, and lower risk of all-cause mortality. Purpose acts as a buffer against the negative health effects of stress and isolation. It increases resilience, reduces perceived stress, and helps people find meaning even after traumatic experiences.

The Interconnected Web

What makes these pillars of health so powerful is how they reinforce each other. Chronic stress can worsen mental health conditions, which in turn can lead to social withdrawal and isolation. Conversely, strong social connections can buffer against stress and improve mental health outcomes. Consider how these elements interact:

• Stress triggers inflammation, which is linked to depression

• Depression often leads to social withdrawal

• Social isolation increases stress hormones

• Lack of purpose amplifies the negative effects of all these factors

Addressing any one of these areas often creates positive ripple effects throughout the entire system.

Practical Steps for

Building r esilience

Managing Stress

• Practice deep breathing exercises or meditation for even 5-10 minutes daily

• Spend time in nature—AKA "forest bathing"

• Exercise! Physical activity is a pow erful stress buster and antidepres sant, especially when combined with good sleep and a clean diet.

• Consider tracking your HRV with devices like Oura ring, Whoop or Morpheus to understand your body's stress response and how lifestyle fac tors influence HRV.

Supporting Mental Health

• Ensure adequate intake of nutri ents linked to mental health, including protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, zinc, and the active forms of B vitamins

• Reduce exposure to environmental toxins that can affect brain function

Building Community and Connection

• Schedule regular family meals without digital distractions

• Volunteer for causes you care about—helping others improves your own wellbeing

• Join community/peer groups aligned with your interests

• Consider pet ownership, which research shows can increase feelings of connection

Cultivating Purpose

• Identify your personal strengths and how they can benefit others

• Create opportunities to share your knowledge and skills with younger generations (mentorship)

• Combine purpose-driven activities with other health pillars, such as volunteering for outdoor conservation projects

The Path Forward

By addressing stress, nurturing mental health, fostering community connections, and finding purpose, we create a foundation for lasting health that no pill or procedure can provide. Small changes can yield significant benefits. You don't need to overhaul your entire life at once—start with one area that resonates with you. Re

• Prioritize quality sleep! Essential for emotional regulation and brain function.

• Consider professional support— therapy isn't just for crisis situations but should be preventative as well and is a must for those with history of ACEs.

cine Associates of Montana where they blend their backgrounds in western medicine with Functional and Integrative medicine to provide more comprehensive care. They host “The Aware Families Podcast” which takes a familycentered functional medicine lens to modern healthcare. They offer comprehensive health and metabolic assessments for those looking to develop a roadmap to better overall health. www.functionalmedassociates.com.

Q&A wiTH Amy Mazzarisi Logan Health

How long have you been with the A.L.E. r .T. program?

I am fortunate to say that I am going on seven years with A.L.E.R.T. with a total of 21 years of pre-hospital experience.

What is your background?

My background has been so wonderfully diverse and yet the trajectory prepared me so well for the role I am in today. Initially my path was as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with experience in community mental health, school related programs, direct work with families/teenagers, as well as emergency mental health assessment/intervention. I combined a lot of experiential components into my work in wilderness settings and therefore it made sense that I obtain my wilderness first responder. I began volunteering with search and rescue. This progressed into obtaining my EMT and volunteering within my community, developing a deeper passion for wilderness medicine. I began teaching for AERIE School of Backcountry Medicine, during that period I had an opportunity to work with teenagers in Yellowstone National Park further investing into all things wilderness, and wilderness medicine related. I eventually obtained my Paramedic and critical care paramedic certification that led me back to Yellowstone National Park where I was blessed with the opportunity to work there both as a paramedic, and an educator parkwide. I had such amazing instructors and role models throughout all of my training, of whom many were nurses. Nursing was an organic next step honoring my background in mental health while combining my love of medicine. During this period of time, I became a volunteer ski patroller and would participate in ride alongs with the St. Patrick's Hospital Flight program. The very moment we lifted off the roof at St. Patrick’s it solidified every fiber of my being to strive and become worthy of being a flight clinician. In the interim I continued to provide education, work as an emergency room and as an intensive care nurse. When I felt that I had enough experience/ training I applied to be part of the A.L.E.R.T. flight program and eventually was very fortunate and humbled to be granted the opportunity. I realized the more I know the less I do and am so excited to be continually learning and challenged.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I am part of an amazing team. A flight/dispatch consists of my flight partners who are exceptionally trained paramedic/s and pilot/s (total of three). When we are dispatched to a call, we formulate a plan of action that includes all aspects from weather considerations, time of day, length of transport that we will have with the patient, aviation safety, the nature of illness and/or trauma along with the everyday processes of incorporating the most up to date standards of care, and protocols. A lot of downtime will be spent continually educating to keep up a multitude of certifications and gear preparation in general.

What makes A.L.E. r .T. special?

Without a doubt the legacy. The manner in which A.L.E.R.T was started from a horribly tragic logging accident involving a young man (Dennis Buck), to Clyde Smith who leveraged his own logging company to support that cause. The oldest rural program in the country. It is an honor bestowed to keep that legacy alive now for all that has given to the program over the 50 years, into the next 50, and beyond.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

My team. That includes not only everyone within A.L.E.R.T but ALL the first responders I interface with during calls, to hospital staff both here and all over Montana.

How do you like to spend your free time outside of work?

Achieving balance (hopefully). Spending time with friends/family and as much time (throughout all seasons) in our shared Montana wilderness.

Brought to you by

Fifty Years in Flight

By Christopher Leopold

Celebrating the womenA.L.E.R.T.’scarrying

mission forward

On September 25, 2025, Logan Health’s A.L.E.R.T. program will mark 50 years of service in northwest Montana. After a young logger died in the backcountry in 1975, A.L.E.R.T. was created to help prevent future tragedies. The program became just the second hospital-based flight program in the country — and the first in rural America. Now, with over 21,000 dispatches and thousands of lives saved, it stands as one of the most respected air ambulance programs in the country.

From the very beginning, women have helped shape A.L.E.R.T.’s mission, and they continue to carry it forward today. In those early years, Logan Health Medical Center (then Kalispell General Hospital) didn’t have a dedicated flight crew. Nurses worked out of their hospital units and were pulled as needed. “Back then we flew traumas out of the ER and cardiac cases out of the ICU,” said Ginny Eacker, who served as a flight nurse from 1981 to 1997.

Hospital-based flight programs were still a new concept, and rural EMS infrastructure was limited. Most surrounding communities didn’t yet have paramedics, so A.L.E.R.T. was often the only source of advanced care on the scene. “There weren’t a lot of protocols at the time, so we just had to figure it out,” Ginny said. “But we had a great team, and we all supported each other.” Crews relied on their clinical instincts, adaptability, and teamwork to navigate complex situations in remote environments.

That combination of courage and collaboration became the blueprint for the crews who followed.

Among those was Amy Vanterpool, who served on the team from 2000 to 2011, which included a tenure as chief flight nurse. “You don’t really know the effect a call can have on someone in the moment,” said Vanterpool, who now serves as Logan Health’s Chief Nursing Officer. “But it certainly stays with people.” She recalls a physician from Polson who recognized her from a flight over a decade earlier, a moment when she and her team brought a sense of calm and clarity during a critical situation. Amy didn’t remember the specific call, but he did, and it made all the difference to that community.

Over the years, A.L.E.R.T. has evolved from a singlehelicopter operation into a fully integrated transport system, with a fixed-wing aircraft, ground ambulances, and a dedicated pediatric team. The program now has a dedicated crew on call 24/7,

365 days a year, ready to respond at a moment’s notice. A.L.E.R.T. operates as a fully embedded department of Logan Health Medical Center, drawing on a wide network of specialty resources to deliver rapid care when it matters most.

Among those leading the charge today are several women. They are highly trained, deeply committed professionals who carry on the legacy of those who came before them. With a diverse range of medical backgrounds, they bring a unique mix of lifesaving experience to meet the demands of modern air medical support.

Nurses Amy Mazzarisi and Anaka Broste bring diverse backgrounds in emergency and critical care to the A.L.E.R.T. team. Mazzarisi joined in 2019 with a 20-year career that began in clinical social work and evolved through roles as a volunteer EMT, wilderness first responder, and search and rescue and ski patrol team member. She later became a nurse, working in both ICU and emergency settings.

Front row L-R: Jennifer Trawick, Anaka Broste, Jordanna Munsell, Michelle Brighting

Back row L-R: Laurel Smart, Amy Mazzarisi, Stacy Verhoeven, Dr. Jennifer Gemmill, Angela Mielke, Amy Vanterpool.

Broste, who joined in 2021, grew up in Kalispell and remembers seeing the A.L.E.R.T. helicopter fly over her house en route to Libby. After gaining experience in emergency nursing and working in critical access hospitals in Alaska, she returned home to serve the community that shaped her. “It’s a real honor to serve the community I grew up in,” she said. “My family is here, and that makes this work even more meaningful.”

Flight medics also serve a critical role on every mission, working side by side with nurses to provide rapid, advanced care in the field. Laurel Smart, the program’s first female medic, joined A.L.E.R.T. in 2003 after a career in wilderness rescue with the National Park Service. With over two decades on the team, she remains a steady and experienced leader to her colleagues. Michelle Brighting joined in 2023, bringing more than a decade of experience in firefighting and EMS. She became a paramedic in 2011 and saw flight as the next step in a career built on frontline service.

The A.L.E.R.T. Neonatal/Pediatric Flight Team serves as a direct extension of Logan Health Children’s, which opened in 2019 and offers the most pediatric subspecialties in the state. The team plays an essential role in transporting critically ill or injured children from across the region to a top-tier care center that keeps them close to home.

Pediatric flight nurses Stacy Verhoeven, Jordanna Munsell, and Jennifer Trawick all serve on this team. Verhoeven, who joined in 2024, fulfilled a longtime goal of working in flight. She brought years of NICU experience, both in clinical and leadership roles, most recently in Bozeman. Munsell, who grew up in Kalispell, joined in 2023. As a licensed private pilot, she combined her two biggest interests— flight and nursing—to support patients in high-stakes, in-transit care. Trawick joined A.L.E.R.T. in 2021

after working in pediatric care in North Carolina and Washington, D.C., including on the transport team at Children’s National. “I love being the best part of someone’s worst day,” she said. “Whether it’s a premature birth or an accident, we work to turn it into a better outcome.”

While the clinical crew is the face of each mission, essential support comes from behind the scenes. Angela Mielke joined Logan Health in 2013 to help develop a centralized communications center and became A.L.E.R.T.’s FAA Agent of Service in 2016. She now oversees outreach flights, logistics, and coordination—ensuring that every mission is managed efficiently from the ground up.

Providing clinical oversight and medical guidance to the team is Dr. Jennifer Gemmill, an emergency physician who became A.L.E.R.T.’s medical director in 2023. Dr. Gemmill works closely with the flight crew to support protocols and provide clinical input in the field. “These teams never know what they’re flying into,” she said. “But they always figure it out. It’s an incredible group of professionals, and I’m proud to support them.”

A.L.E.R.T. is now a team of more than 40 members—pilots, nurses, medics, mechanics, dispatchers, and support staff—ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Their work doesn’t just save lives. It binds communities together, offering hope when it’s needed most.

That mission has carried the team through five decades of growth, across thousands of calls and has affected countless lives. It’s a mission built on trust, skill, and a shared belief that geography should never be a barrier to care. And at the heart of that work, for 50 years and counting, are women who never stopped answering the call.

By Dr. John F. Miller DDS

HOUSE rULES

Hello Hello everybody. i t’s summertime in Northwest Montana which is quite spectacular as you all know. t here is a palpable energy shift that one feels when summer arrives. Mostly for the better with the exception of the traffic in Whitefish. i don’t even try to turn left out of the Smile Montana lot. Right, left, left, left, & another right is what the locals call a “Whitefish left” in the summer.

I will never complain however. I have spent time in the Flathead for the last 34 summers with the last 15 as a resident (I would never make the mistake of calling myself a local... again), and I love it more and more every summer. And Fall, and Winter, and Spring for that matter. I especially cherish watching my four children grow up here with all this place has to offer people of every age.

As I sit down and type out these words my ears are still ringing from our Independence Day celebration and I would just like to publicly inform the reader that I really love this country. Like a lot!! I hope to always recognize how lucky I was to be born when and where I was. So, God Bless the USA and God Bless Montana because they sure have blessed me and mine in my 44 years.

In one of my favorite movies of all time, The Matrix, Morpheus explains to Neo that the matrix coding has rules. He then adds that

some of these rules can be bent, while some of them can be broken. In our house, rules that get bent, tweaked, invented, or broken are referred to as House Rules.

We play a lot of games as a family and we come up with a lot of house rules. For example, when we play monopoly (a game everyone knows) we do not use $1’s and $5’s but instead round everything to the tens. We also randomly deal out three properties to every player prior to starting based on their roll of a dice. The railroads and utilities are not included in this. This not only makes things a little fairer, but it greatly speeds up the game and allows for trading to begin immediately.

All of us, whether we know it or not, are living our lives under the general umbrella of society’s rules and norms, but our individual spice is our personal “house rules” we’ve tweaked as we play this game called life. The

little quirks and routines that are unique to us. And in this information age with social media and influencers we are bombarded with everyone else’s house rules except they are called “hacks,” or “style,” or “routines.” For better or for worse.

It would make sense that some of these make their way into the art and practice of dentistry. Or more accurately, the oral hygiene practices of humans. Then they show up in my day-to-day practice as an oral health care provider. Examples would include brushing with charcoal, oil pulling with coconut oil, the ongoing debate over fluoride, holistic dentistry and the use of non-metal implants, etc.

When presented with these questions or concerns I always start with the foundational principles of oral hygiene which is brushing and flossing. Sorry, brushing and flossing effectively. If you are brushing and

- SMILE MONTANA

All of us, whether we know it or not, are living our lives under the general umbrella of society’s rules and norms, but our individual spice is our personal “house rules” we’ve tweaked as we play this game called life.

flossing like your dentist wants you to, you can combat a lot of bad nutritional habits. Want to oil pull? Go right ahead, but it is not a replacement for brushing and flossing.

I have the opportunity to do 8 to12 dental check-ups every day in my dental practice. Occasionally I get to check on a mouth that has never had a cavity. I know this because they don’t have any dental restorations, aka fillings and crowns. They have healthy naturally white teeth due to their meticulous habits and diet. I love wrapping up my exam and telling them, “You have amazing teeth. I wish I had your teeth. Whatever you are doing, keep it up because it’s working.” In other words, whatever oral hygiene “house rules” they have, if any, are working and can you tell me what they are?

Spending time explaining the foundational rules of oral hygiene to one of these “unicorn” patients is akin to giv ing Michael Jordan tips on dribbling a basketball or Michael Phelps (are Michaels the best at everything?) advice on his freestyle from. I’m not there to go over the rules of oral hygiene with them. They obviously know the rules.

What am I really trying to say here? I think it is for you to do you. You know what you like and if it’s a net benefit, lean into it and don’t worry about society. This world is full of contrasting personalities. Morning People and Night Owls. Introverts and Extroverts. Country and Rock & Roll. Am I talking about my marriage?

I guess I’ll end by quoting the great Sheryl Crow, “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.” Unless it gives you cavities. Get out there and enjoy summer it the best place to enjoy it. With a SMILE of course.