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Country Neighbors Winter 2021

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COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

Where’s the Beef?

CowBelles find it in local pastures, schools, fairs

The Baker CowBelles held their 60th anniversary at The Tavern in downtown Baker Jan. 7. From left to right (back row) are Pam Owens, Melanie Lund, Amber Hurley, Denise Strickland, Louise Varner, Jean Tronstad, Alexiss Miller and Vikki Taylor. In the front row are Wanda Pinnow, Toni Reetz and Sharon Gookin. PHOTOS/Brad Mosher

By Brad Mosher

bmosher@countrymedia.net

It went from being a commercial catch phrase for a national hamburger chain to being part of a presidential election.

What made an octogenarian into a global icon in 1984 was the simple phrase – “Where’s the Beef?”

Maybe Clara Peller should have asked some people in Fallon County.

It was more than 20 years earlier that a group of women created the Baker CowBelles with the mission to “do all in our power to instill in the coming generations the love of the land and of life … and be the voice of the cattle industry.”

It was organized as a non-profit group de-

signed to promote the beef industry to promote beef through education, legislation and communication.

The group celebrated its 60th anniversary in early January.

The original CowBelles from Baker actually came from a much larger area. They had people from Carlyle, Ismay and even Miles City, in addition to its core group from Baker. There were 41 original members in 19611962, with Mary Stark being the first president, Helen Stark as vice president, Pauline Melcher as secretary/treasurer and Mary Lee Brown as the reporter.

At the recent anniversary meeting, the group honored the remaining charter members – Jean Lutts, Miriam Kirschten, Jean Gonsioroski, Laura Bruha and Sharon Gookin.

According to current president LaTonne Reetz, there are about 20 active members currently in the group. Several were also members of the Montana CattleWomen. The Baker CowBelles are an affiliate member of the Montana CattleWomen and the national group, American National CattleWomen.

“We had cake and coffee (at the anniversary),” the president said.

“Our basic purpose is to promote the use of beef … to get recipes out there, teach people how to cook beef so it comes out tasty,” she said. “We are very active in the community. We serve beef at bull sales … in fact, we have one coming up in March.”

“We serve wedding receptions. We have done beef samples at Reynold’s, fashion shows and donate to organizations that serve beef,” she added, noting that the Fallon Medical Complex Foundation is another of the local organization that the group helps to support.

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COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

Current CowBelles The current group of CowBelles have members from not only Baker, but Ekalaka, Colstrip and Wibaux.

For some, being an officer is a long-term position, with Wanda Pinnow being one since 2001. In addition, she also has been a past president of Montana Cattlewomen from 2012 to 2014 and a past president (2019) of the National American Cattlewomen.

Reetz has been the president since 2017 and vice president Denice Strickland has been at that post since 2017. “It seems that once you are in, you are in for life,” Reetz said with a chuckle.

The Baker group started with a meeting Jan. 7 in 1961 and took the name of “Baker Bossy Belles.”

According to Reetz, the CowBelles remained busy, even in a year (2020) when a global pandemic swept through the state and created so many changes.

Three members traveled to the national ANCW meeting in San Antonio early in the year. In addition theyPrice donatedMatch money soGuarantee that local assisted living facilities would be able to have beef on the menu. They also donated money to the 4-H so that beef could be served at the Fallon County Fair, hostedCHECK an informational OUT OURbooth at the fair and gave a show halter to one of the PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE PROGRAM when you shop for your next set of tires. We will match any apples to apples prices of any competitor or you can receive a gift card from us.

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blue ribbon winners. “It is a nice engraved leather halter,” Reetz said.

A year earlier, in 2019, the group had joined with the Fallon Creek Cattlewomen for an “Urban meets Rural Day” at Griffin Ranch.

In 2020, there were programs which were suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic – especially at local schools. The Cheeseburger programs for the third, fourth and fifth grade students were not held because the schools were closed. “We give a cheeseburger demonstration and tell them that the cheeseburger has all the nutrients that you need in the food groups.”

The Baker Health Fair in 2020 was canceled.

“In the past, we have done chili cook-offs and beef cook-offs in the high school. Now, we partner with the Farm Bureau. In the past, we have participated in the “Trunk or Treat,” she added.

Still, Reetz said the group has been active even during the pandemic. “If they are serving beef, we will support them.”

That won’t change regardless of the pandemic, she added, noting the group will continue to find ways to promote the use of beef.

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Safe Out Here program highlights safe tourism in eastern Montana Staff Report

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There is a long list of attractions in eastern Montana.... even though some people may Among the historic places to visit is O’Fallon Historical Museum in Baker. But the list is think there is nothing to do in small towns. large, including places like the Frontier Gateway Museum and Dinosaur and Fossil MuseThat is the focus of a promotional tourism program – while also promoting safety.

Even in the era of a global pandemic, there are some simple guidelines to follow as stated um – both in Glendive.

In addition, the tourism site has information about scenic drives. “In the Terry area, you online.

“We invite you to explore the beauty of Southeast Montana while traveling safely out will be close to the Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area, fishing, and hunting opportunities along the Yellowstone River and rock collecting for moss agate. here by: “The Circle area is noted for excellent big game hunting, and the area in the west-north•Staying home if you’re sick; west portion of the county is famous for paleontological research. The northern segment of •Following local protocols and guidelines and; the route offers excellent fishing along the Missouri River and a view of the historic Lewis •Checking before you head out, as not all services are available right now.

Your safety, as well as that of our residents, is our top priority. We can’t wait for you to and Clark Bridge over the river,” the webpage explained.

It is just part of a push for being safe in Montana called Safe Out Here Montana. see why it’s so easy to fall in love with Southeast Montana.”

Brenda Maas is Director of Marketing for Visit Southeast Montana, a regional tourism As part of the promotion, people are reminded to wear a mask in public places, maintain social distance, use hand sanitizer to wash hands, avoid touching your face and cover the organization. “We cover from Yellowstone and Golden Valley counties all the way to the South Dakota and Wyoming borders and up to Wibaux County – so it is a pretty big region,” face when coughing or sneezing.

“Montana is now open to visitors, however we ask that you follow guidelines set in place she explained in a televised interview broadcast in the fall of 2020.

The group received a federal CARES grant to put the information out to all the communiby local cities, counties and reservations as they may have different restrictions. If you are sick, please stay home as Southeast Montana will still be here in the future to welcome you. ties and promote safe tourism, she explained. “We are promoting safety,” she said, including And please remember, not all services may be open – we suggest calling ahead at this time,” online promotions at the safeoutheremt.com website Repeat Outlet • ABLE, “WeInc. have posters that we are putting out at businesses.We are trying to make it a little the website southeastmontana.com explains.

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COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

A series of large panels help tell the story of a battle between a wagon train with a military escort and the Sioux just a short distance from Rhame. The battle occurred in the late summer of 1864, during the Civil War.

Fort Dilts

Weathered site focuses on historic battle in North Dakota Staff Report

For some, it is seemingly far from sight.

A few miles north of Highway 12 and west of Rhame, a brown highway sign is all that points people to a place called Fort Dilts.

It is a place focusing on a series of skirmishes and battles that happened in southwestern North Dakota when the Civil War was drawing almost all of the attention.

The James Fisk Expedition of 1864 had followed the Gen. Sully trail along the Cannonball River and then changed course while trying to establish a shorter southern route through what was then called Indian Territory.

The goal was to reach the goldfields of Montana.

At that time, Gen. Sully was north of present-day Killdeer in an attack on a Sioux village at Killdeer Mountain. That forced survivors to head south toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. It also helped set up the confrontation near present-day Rhame.

The attack started Sept. 2 at Deep Creek

several miles north of the historical site.

Fort Dilts was named after Jefferson Dilts the scout on the Fisk wagon train which came under attack. Six soldiers provided escort to the train.

Nine members of the train would die.

Several days later, the train left poisoned bread that killed numerous Indians.

Eventually, a rescue party of about 800 soldiers arrived and returned to Fort Rice where the train had originally started from.

The saga of the battle is retold along the northern edge of the site by three tall panels just outside the boundary.

Inside, there are more.

There are six headstones to honor the members of the train that died.

There is a series of signs forming a large circle and showcases additional information about the conflict which reportedly lasted about 14 days.

The historic site was dedicated in 1932, but was not completed until 1953.

According to one of the markers along the walking circle which was where a sod fortification was built to protect members of the

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wagon train and its military escort.

The years have covered over the fortifications.

The location of the 12 pound Mountain Howitzer during the battle is only marked by a sign. It was used to provide long range protection as well as use as an anti-personnel weapon.

Harsh weather damaged or destroyed

some of the signs and has made some of the stops along the trail hard to fathom.

But overall, the site marks the location of one of the largest skirmishes during Great Sioux Wars in the Civil War. For the visitors wanting to find out more about the history surrounding the battles and Fort Dilts, there is more information at the Pioneer Trails Region Museum in Bowman.

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COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

Family tradition

Jace Battest of Rhame has been competing in motocross races since he was five years old. Submitted photo

Rhame rider become motocross champion

By Brad Mosher

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bmosher@countrymedia.net It may have been almost inevitable that Jace Battest of Rhame likes motocross.

A love of motorcycles is a family trait.

His father, Marshall Battest, has been part of the Twin Butte dirt track near Bowman since 2006.

The dirt track course has been a location for South Dakota riders to visit for years because of its proximity to the Mount Rushmore state.

“We are about three hours from Rapid City … so we kind of fit right in,” Marshall Battest said recently.

For the last two years, the track has hosted competitive SDMA events.

Now, his son has taken that tradition and love of motorcycles a step further.

By the age of 10, a student at Rhame Elementary has already become a state champion.

But Jase Battest won it in South Dakota by doing well in his races on the home course in Bowman.

The young motocross rider picked up a close win after scoring 361 points in the series of competitions organized by the South Dakota Motocross Association, beating the second place rider by just seven points after nine races.

The final race of the season for Jace Battest was in September at Sturgis in South Dakota.

Jace Battest rides in the South Dakota

Motocross Association circuit, according to his father.

“We have traveled to Sturgis and Gillette, and have hosted two doubleheader races in Bowman,” his father explained.

The two weekend competitions at the Twin Buttes Motocross track just west of Bowman actually accounted for four races because they were two-day events with races both on Saturdays and Sundays.

“He accumulated points through the year in the 65B class. That’s where he got the championship,” the elder Battest explained. “There is an ‘A’ class, a ‘B’ class and a ‘C’ class. He got it in the ‘B’.

“The ‘A’ is like the pro and ‘B’ is like the intermediate. The ‘C’ would be like the novice class.”

In June, the young rider picked up a third and first on his first weekend of races at Twin Buttes.

In September, he added a second and a first on his home course.

Jace Battest also was competing in the 85B category over the summer and could be moving up to that 85cc level next season.

“He is growing up into that bike, but he still has some catching up to do.

There is a learning curve,” Marshall Battest explained. “He (Jace) finished fifth overall.”

Now 11 years old, Jace Battest picked up his award Oct. 17 in Spearfish (South Dakota).

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PAGE 7

COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021 For Jace, it has been about five years since he started riding, according to his parents. “We have actually started racing for serious points the last two years,” his father explained. The family would also go to races in Dickinson.

“His (Jace) very first race was in Dickinson.

I think he got third in the 50cc class – he was five years old at the time.”

If Jace Battest stays in the 65cc class, he will move up to the ‘A’ or pro level, according to his father. But Jace has one problem. He is still growing.

“He’s getting fairly big for it (65cc) so I am not sure if we are going to keep him in that class. We’ll probably just end up focusing on the 85cc class.”

The circuit has the family hitting the road, competing in tracks in South Dakota as well as Wyoming.

Motocross is a family pastime, with Jace Battest just being the latest to seriously take up the sport. He also has a younger sister (Halle) who rides well. “She has no interest in the racing side. It is a really great family sport and she loves to get into it and watch her big brother race,” the father said.

One thing is for certain, the family will be continuing to head over to the dirt track outside Bowman to keep practicing.

“You only get as much out of it as you put into it,” the father added.

Jace Battest of Rhame is a state champion in South Dakota after winning the recent 65B title in the South Dakota Motocross Association. Submitted photo

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COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

Bowman Lions adapted to changes caused by pandemic

By Brad Mosher

bmosher@countrymedia.net The Lions Club is a community service club with strong chapters in both Bowman and Scranton.

Part of the mission for the clubs is to hold fundraisers for people or causes in their communities and can range from helping locals with medical needs as well as blood drives.

But much of that changed in 2020 when it became the year of the pandemic in the Peace Garden State, along with the nation and the world.

For the Bowman chapter of the Lions Club, the impact came early, according to Chuck Whitney.

“We suspended meetings at the Bowman Lodge in February and March.

When meetings resumed, we did the social distance thing as best as possible. The direct effect was more on the fund raising projects which were for the most part canceled in the early part of the year.

“While we had our 2020 Super Bowl Soup and Sandwich medical fund raiser in February, but we will not have

one this year. Our traditional “Night at the Races” is held in November and we did have an event in 2019, but canceled it for 2020.

“We tried a pancake breakfast on the opening day of Deer Rifle Season November 2019 and did not do the traditional “White Cane Day” that same morning.

“In 2020, we did not do a Pancake Breakfast, but did a greatly reduced “White Cane Day” this year,” he added.

“The number of hunters coming through the Frontier Travel Center was quite a bit less, and their generosity was outstanding. None the less, we raised about only 30% less than previous years,” Whitney said. “The staff and management of Frontier Travel have been truly amazing and we thank them for their support.”

“In December 2019, we supplied the glucose monitoring kits for the Bowman Community Health Screening.

For the same reason, it was a non event in 2020,” Whitney explained.

A blood drive scheduled in April

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was to be done at the Bowman County High School in the gym but it was closed. “We rescheduled a drive at the Four Seasons in the large hall on June 29. While we normally use either City Hall or the kitchen area, the large hall helped lessen the concerns of both the donor pool and the Vitalant staff.”

“It was very well attended. Similarly, we had another drive scheduled for Dec. 29. We rescheduled for Jan. 3. We still had 30 some appointments.”

Another victim of COVID-19 was the Mini-Triathlon in July. However, the Lions were able create a 5K walk/ fun run in mid-July.

The Lions turned a family picnic into an officer installation in July.

In a completely new service project, the club erected lights in the Frontier Park at the Southwest Healthcare Long Term Nursing Facility as well as at the Sunrise Village. “Several of our Lions put together Christmas baskets for the Residents of SWHCLT facility as well.

Due to COVID-19, our usual Christmas Giving Tree and Shoe Box Gift programs were restricted and, with the

Shoe Box, eliminated altogether,” he said.

According to Whitney, the Bowman Lions were able to adapt to the restrictions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Looking forward, there is no way to predict how long the COVID-19 pandemic will continue, nor how much our lives will permanently change to social distance things,” he said. “We are currently investigating some virtual “silent” auction” events as an avenue to raise funds, for example.

“We may be able to hold another “Haunted Hospital” this year (2021), but time will tell. Blood drives will most likely continue, but there is no way to tell now if “Night at the Races” or Community Health Screening events will be possible.”

“At this point we are able to meet in person, and we try to maintain the fellowship so noted in Lions meetings.

The need for Community Service has most definitely not gone away, but our obligations are perhaps more challenging to meet,” he added.

Scranton Lions adapt to meet COVID-19 challenges

By Brad Mosher

bmosher@countrymedia.net

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The Scranton Lions found a simple way to bring their Burger in the Park events up to new COVID-19 standards in 2020.

They traded the beans, cole slaw and condiments for bags of chips along with the small ketchup and mustard packages.

They served the meals in take away containers and provided curbside pick up.

But those were not the only changes for the Scranton chapter.

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COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

SCRANTON LIONS

FROM PAGE 8

Murray Park in Scranton got a holiday upgrade with new Christmas decorations which remain through the end of January. PHOTO/Brad Mosher

The home for the summer series of Burgers in the Park has been changed with a new building. “They actually tore down our building over in the park and enlarged where the tables are. They like doubled the area and put a bigger building up,” Scranton Lions Club President Lori Jenkins said.

“We are going to be serving out of the new one (building) this summer. That will be a definite change in a good way. We’ll be able to feed more people and have the tables spread out more,” she said.

As the club adapted to new COVID-19 guidelines during the past summer, they made additional changes. “We had the to-go boxes if people wanted to take them home to eat. We all had masks and gloves on like we needed to do. We tried to do what we could. Everything was prepackaged …except the burgers in the box,” she explained.

“We adapted to our meal menu to accommodate the ‘no touching’ of the food except for putting the burgers in the to-go box. They were all covered.

“So we adapted to it (COVID-19) and it worked pretty good. We had a good summer. We got lots of support and we plan to do it again next summer … with the new building,” she said. “It (the building) has at least doubled in size.”

“The numbers were down a little, but actually it was a pretty good summer for us, considering what we had to go through. I feel the next year will be the same.”

Jenkins said that she expects that an all-school reunion planned for the summer will have an impact.

“By June, hopefully everyone will have their shots and we won’t have to have our masks any more. I don’t know how it is going to be but we still plan to do it (Burgers in the Park) no matter what,” she said.

The Burgers in the Park, which starts in June, is the main fundraiser for local scholarships, she explained. “If anybody is in need, we have to do benefits, but luckily we haven’t had to do any benefits because those would be tough to do too.”

However, the club may do a benefit in the near future to help pay for the new structure that is in Murray Park and will provide a place for the Lions to serve their meals. “It is a city shelter, but the Lions are going to help them pay for it and put money towards it,” she said.

One idea for a pancake breakfast may be on hold for a while. “I don’t know if we can really gather in a building yet. So that (pancake breakfast) is on hold. But, we do want to do a benefit for the shelter.”

The Scranton Lions are planning for another blood drive in March at the community center.

The club also decorated Murray Park for the Christmas season for the first time. “Scranton City purchased the lights and we put them up for them.

We decided to leave them up until the end of January. I wasn’t quite ready to get rid of my Christmas lights yet,” Jenkins explained, with a chuckle.

Among the club’s ongoing projects is sponsoring service dogs. The group recently added a third dog to the training program. “Winston and Cheyenne have gone through training. We just found a new white Lab puppy that will be going into training.”

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PAGE 10

COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

A good livestock guardian dog

By Michael Millward,

Fallon and Carter Counties Extension Agent

I grew up on a sheep operation with around 1,200 head of ewes. After leaving the area and going to school I started to learn more about the problems that livestock operations have with predation of their livestock. I found that of my fellow students in the Animals Science and Wildlife Biology programs who had a similar experience as me and had seen an established pack of livestock guardian dogs at work. Saw far fewer problems with predation of their livestock than those that had seen ineffective guardian dogs or that had not used guardian dogs at all.

In a study done by Jeffrey S. Green et al 1984, “Livestock-Guarding Dogs for Predator Control: Cost, Benefits, and Practicality” it was found that livestock guardian dogs were an effective means of preventing predation on

Sheep operations across the US and Canada, but not in every case. Some of the Ranchers in the study reported that their guardian dogs had little or no effect on the predation of their livestock and others reported that the guardian dogs made the situation worse and were themselves killing livestock. In contrast, some of the other ranchers reported that the guardian dogs had made a huge difference and were very happy with the dog’s work. Which begs the question: How can a livestock producer achieve the goal of having a good working pack of livestock guardian dogs?

First, we need to establish what a good livestock guardian dog is.

•A good livestock guardian dog does not hurt or kill any livestock •Actively moves around and through the herd patrolling for potential problems.

•They do not leave the herd alone.

•Is cost-effective or in other words, the

dogs earn their keep •Improves grazing efficiency of the livestock •Prevents predators from killing livestock Now that we have established what a good livestock guardian dog is. How do we get one that helps and not one that makes the situation worse? Research indicates that ¾ of livestock guardian dogs will become effective or “good livestock guardian dogs”. These dogs need to be treated and trained differently than a pet or a herding dog. The dog must establish a bond similar to the one that you might have with your pet dog only with the sheep or the livestock that it will be expected to guard. Otherwise, it will likely not guard them in the way that you would like. These dogs should come from parents that have been successful in becoming a “good livestock guardian” and be a breed of dog with a history of guarding livestock successfully. They need to be left with the livestock from a young age in a situation where they will be most likely to establish a strong bond, such as a small pen, and then

gradually moved into larger and larger areas.

Perhaps the best way to achieve the goal of having an established pack of “good livestock guardian dogs” is having an older dog that is already a “good livestock guardian dog”.

Make sure that your pack of dogs is made up of several different age groups. An established pack will reduce the effort/time that you will need to put into training a “good livestock guardian dog” the younger dogs will learn a lot from the older ones. That does not mean you will not still need to put in some time with each dog. If you are not careful that each dog has a good working relationship with you. You could find yourself in a situation where you will not be able to catch the dog when it comes time to adjust or put a new collar on or take the dog to the vet for medical care. A good guardian dog can be an invaluable asset on any ranching operation but each is an investment and will likely not be of much value if you simply purchase the dog and don’t invest the time into training it properly.

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Stop in or give Parker a call at 406-778-2929

COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021 Casey and Ryan Varner and Jason Coulter took 2nd place with 4 coyotes.

Mark Ferrel and Kris Keller took 1st place with 8 coyotes.

Andrew Cathey, Josh Hodge and Joe Brown took the Big Dog prize at 38 pounds.

Dave and Shawn Wiseman took the Little Dog prize at 20 pounds.

7th Annual SE Montana Coyote Calling Contest Thirty-eight teams participated in the 7th Annual SE Montana Coyote Calling Contest. Forty coyotes in total were taken. The weather was warm and windy making conditions less then favorable for the hunt.

PAGE 11 Josh Kratzke, Seth and Todd Barkley took 3rd place with 3 coyotes.

PAGE 12

COUNTRY NEIGHBORS | WINTER 2021

Rural Montana gets re-Imagined with virtual seminar

By Brad Mosher

bmosher@countrymedia.net

Baker was just one of a group of small towns in rural Montana which banded together in a virtual seminar in the final months of 2020.

A series of online meetings were held several months ago in the Exhibit Hall at the Fallon County Fairgrounds.

The goal was to provide rural communities with opportunities to imagine a positive vision for the future of the rural communities, according to a spokeswoman for Reimagining Rural.

It was a part of a statewide initiative formed between MSU Extension, Montana

Community Foundation, Burton K. Wheeler Center and the Montana Governor’s Office on Rural Development, in order to start a statewide conversation on building a future for the small towns in the state.

There were more than a dozen other communities also connected by teleconferencing for one of the Reimagining Rural discussions in September, according to Beth Epley of the Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation “This was a joint effort between Eastern Plains and Montana State Fallon and Carter County Extension,” she explained.

One of the speakers said that statistically approximately 31 percent moved into rural

areas for a job, while 25 percent had lived previously in that or a similar rural area. In addition, he said that according to his research about 75 percent of the people moving into rural areas have household incomes of more than $50,000 a year and that 47 percent have children in the household.

There also is a big transition coming soon, guest speaker Ben Winchester talk ing by computer from his home added. “Seventy-five percent of rural homeowners are Baby Boomers and older. Thirty percent are 70 years old and older,” he said, noting that within the next decade or so there will be a transition to new and younger owners.

Part of his presentation was on what he

calls a “brain gain” of people between the ages of 30 and 49 years old in rural areas and the social and economic opportunities that creates in the rural regions of the Midwest.

A trained rural sociologist, Winchester admitted that he has been studying small towns in the Midwest for more than 20 years.

Winchester stresses the need for the economic development in the rural sections of the west to help create environments that give newcomers and others a chance to start careers, pursuing new skills and have more chances to succeed and prosper.

“No rural community is immune to people moving in,” he said Another guest speaker at the series of virtual meetings stressed simple solutions.

For Becky McCray, the Idea Friendly method she promotes for helping to save small towns can be as simple as cleaning your own sidewalk.

She recalled that the community started something with just one person announcing that she would clean her sidewalk. It was expanded and even became a “hashtag” locally.

McCray admits and even stresses that the changes have to come in small steps. “You have to start with tiny, easy-to-do steps.

That’s how we get things moving,” she explains in her online presentations.

According to McCray, the same things that make rural communities challenging can also be turned into positives. However, the communities need to be looking forward to spark a revolution of renewal locally, she explains.

The “Idea Friendly” premise is to first gather a crowd, then build connections and then start taking small steps.

According to Epley, the sessions were also recorded and can be found online. “There is a Reimagining Rural MT facebook group. If you go to that group, you will be able to see it (sessions) first hand.”

Epley said one of the things she saw promoted in the sessions was to not overwhelm the people when getting started on an idea.

“They can be a part and buy in … in some way that is meaningful and makes their community better.

“Take small steps. Small steps still lead somewhere,” she explained. “I really liked how we don’t necessarily do things to attract new people to your community... but to add value and to appreciate the people that are here. Make it better for the people that are here because we have really great neighbors.”

It is simple, she added. “We deserve to have a really great town.”

Among the suggestions provided by the local residents who attended the session included developing small pocket parks or green areas around town.