2018 Bitterroot Senior Living

SENIOR

LIVING

october 2018

2 - Ravalli Republic, Sunday, October 28, 2018

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA

Riverside Crossing Active Adult Cooperative director Paul Travitz holds the map to the Riverside Crossing, in the Council on Aging’s new 55 plus housing cooperative. Travitz said the smallest cottage with an attached garage and amazing view of the mansion and Bitterroot Stock Farm should be completed between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Riverside housing nears completion of first cottage michelle mcconnaha Ravalli Republic

Riverside Crossing Active Adult Cooperative is Montana’s first 55 plus housing cooperative.

The goal is fostering community.

Sewer, water, roads and sidewalks are installed creating “pocket neighborhoods” in the co-operative area land that is 8.5 acres large.

Paul Travitz, executive director of the Ravalli County Council on Aging, said the land will have two buildings for assisted living and 51 cottages carefully arranged in “pocket neighborhoods” with

maintenance provided.

Travitz said that is why it was designed as a cooperative.

“People have worked all their lives, been successful, it is time for them to relax, have fun and not worry about yard work – but they can putter around out there,” he said. “We went with Ross Chapin an architect out of Langley, Washington, because he does these pocket neighborhoods and we thought this is what we’re looking for, we want that community back. These pockets bring it back with big front porches and big Dutch doors.”

The price range of each detached cottage is $250,000 to $420,000 including the share price to join the cooperative. There

Ravalli Republic, Sunday, October 28, 2018 - 3

is a monthly service fee that covers everything except internet including property tax, property insurance, gas, electricity, water, sewer, garbage, snowplowing, and lawn and home maintenance.

The development is designed to promote exercising, walking, socializing and visiting with your neighbors along the way.

“The idea of these pocket neighborhoods is everything phases into a green space,” Travitz said. “There are walking circles of paths to walk as much as you want or as little as you want, and everything brings you back home.”

The designs are complete, and the Council on Aging is looking for investors for the addition of two assisted living buildings.

“One is designed to be assisted living and one is designed to be a dementia/memory care unit,” Travitz said. “We’ve had a lot of good feedback on that. People move in and maybe the spouse MICHELLE MCCONNAHA has a memory problem, so the nearby location is perfect.”

Pouring the foundation of the second cottage, “Erin” at 1,600 square foot, is underway in There are many options with five cottage styles. Rather than the Riverside Crossing Active Adult Cooperative in Hamilton is underway. an attached garage, some cottages share a cluster garage which “That’s the idea. We have transportation, Meals on Wheels, plus also has a patio with a wood fireplace.

“We are trying to extend the season, you know it is cool tonight all our other programs. We hope to help people stay independent just by being in a community like this.” but being around a fire would be nice,” Travitz said. “There is a wood fire place and each of these pockets has a gas fire place For more information stop by the sales office in the RCEDA like a fire pit.” building, visit the Council on Aging office at 310 Old Corvallis So far, the project has two shareholders and a lot of interest Road in Hamilton or contact Travitz at 406-363-5690 or info@ravalfrom out of state. liccoa.org.

The first cottage, “Rhody” at 684 square feet with an attached garage has an open view of the west door to the Daly Mansion across 140 acres of Bitterroot Stock Farm and is still in the $250,000 range. It has a porch with flower boxes, one bedroom, a kitchen, a living room, a laundry room and shelves for a pantry.

Everything is zero step with a small ramp going to the good size garage. The garage has plenty of storage, shelves and an outlet specific for a car charger.

It should be completed before Christmas.

• Shingles • Pneumonia • Tetanus • Whooping Cough • Flu The second has a poured foundation for a larger cottage.

Monday - Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm “We are building as we sell,” Travitz said. “The council leveraged this land to do this and we’re trying not to get ahead of ourselves.”

• Administered by certified clinical pharmacists Riverside Crossing Active Adult Cooperative will have a com• Walk-ins Welcome - No Appointment necessary mon house for use by shareholders for entertaining and two com• Covered 100% by most insurances munity gardens with raised beds.

There are seven cottage designs and many initial decisions like flooring, siding, ADA accessibility, kitchen cabinet styles, paint Monday-Friday 9am-6pm colors and counter tops.

The housing is for age 55 and older.

“Fifty-five years is young, but 15 years go by quick or if you 211 West Main, Hamilton move in at 65 or 70 there is all the programs that the Council has bitterrootdrug.com to help you stay in your cottage as long as you can,” Travitz said.

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4 - Ravalli Republic, Sunday, October 28, 2018

Golden Age Club in Hamilton offers activites michelle mcconnaha Ravalli Republic

month from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. We often have a dinner, sometimes catered, and sometimes dances. We don’t do as many evening activities as we used to because as the membership got older night time travel wasn’t easy at it used to be.”

The Golden Age Club has Pinochle card games several times each month for members – at 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays, the third Monday and the first Friday.

There is a $2 charge to play and the type of pinochle is

Golden Age Club is an organization designed for fun for members age 55 and older.

Bob Olson is the president of the current group that meets in what used to be Jefferson Elementary School gymnasium at 727 South 5th Street in Hamilton.

“Back in the mid to late 70s a group of older retired people wanted a place that they could do MICHELLE MCCONNAHA fun things,” Olson said.

Golden Age Club members and officers at their monthly planning meeting.

“I’m not sure where they first met but they had activities suitable for older people. As time called “Multi-bid” or “Race Horse.” went by they made a deal with the school district to obtain the The hall is available for members to use for personal activities. old gym.”

“We don’t allow fundraising activities, smoking or alcohol on Like most clubs, membership numbers ebb and flow and the the premises and a donation is expected from anyone who uses Golden Age Club currently has approximately 100 paid members the hall for a personal activity,” Olson said. all older than 55.

Groups rent the building for square dancing, ping-pong and “It is essentially for older and in most cases retired people,” bridge classes.

Olson said. “It takes $10 to become a member for a year and any“A lot of different groups will rent the building for a meeting one with a willingness to plan and carryout activities is welcome.” and a lot of people rent it for reunions, a memorial or birthday Formerly the club was licensed by the state to hold Bingo party,” Olson said. “It is a good sized place to have an activity. parties but now has potluck dinners, an occasionally afternoon We do require that someone renting the hall be a member of the dance, exercise classes and pinochle. club.”

At 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month the group has With nearly everyone having a cell phone, the Golden Age a business meeting to review the month and plan new activities.

Club hall has no phone. For more information call Olson for more “And have a cup of coffee and a piece of pie usually,” Olson details at 406-363-0142. If he doesn’t answer, leave a message. said. “It would be great to have more people attend these.”

“I’m a little hard to catch up with,” he said.

Visitors are always welcome as are new members, especially Kathy Garrod said she enjoys being a member of the Golden those that may think up new activities and fun things to do.

Age Club that she joined in 2003 for the dancing.

“All activities must, in a sense, be a fundraiser or it has to pay “We had dancing every Friday night but now most of the memfor its self because we do have ongoing expenses like insurance, bers from back then are featured on our memorial wall,” Garrod heat and lights and general upkeep of the building,” Olson said. said. “We’ve got a good, newly refinished, dance floor and the The Golden Age Club has exercise classes at 9 a.m. every square dance club dances here on Saturday nights. The club Monday, Wednesday and Friday. is social and a time to get together. If anyone has ideas of new activities we might like to try we’ll give it a try. We are open to “They are light exercises suitable for older people,” Olson said. “We offer a blood pressure clinic the first Wednesday of the suggestions.”

Ravalli Republic, Sunday, October 28, 2018 - 5

A partnership for community education forms michelle mcconnaha

college’s mission is countywide. If other school districts Hamilton School District is are interested we’d like to piloting contracting with the assist them as well. We’re Bitterroot College this year trying this for a year.” to run its Adult Education A new registration system program. For Hamilton for Continuing Ed has been School District taxpayers, implemented and discounts some courses are deeply disaren’t viewable on-line until counted, and some courses a student pays. The printed are free to those age 65 and catalog shows discounts. over.

Clark said the system is a Hamilton Superintendent work in progress and regTom Korst explained that all istration glitches should be Montana School Districts MICHELLE MCCONNAHA smoothed out by spring Hamilton Superintendent Tom Korst and Bitterroot College Director Victoria Clark have created a semester. can use funds from permispartnership for the education of the community. sive levies to help students As a guess, Clark said that get their HiSET (High School probably 50 percent of stuEquivalency Test, formerly called GED) and to help their commudents are age 65 and older. nities with Life Long Learning with a range from personal enrichContinuing Ed Enrollment at Bitterroot College is up 75 percent ment to workforce training. from last fall but it isn’t clear if the students are due to Hamilton “It is based on community’s needs and preferences and I saw High Adult Ed students. some redundancies with Bitterroot College offerings,” Korst said.

Korst said the Hamilton School District wants to show a partner“Bitterroot College is built for Adult Ed, they are on the cutting ship with Bitterroot College. edge of what is needed for the workforce.”

“It makes more sense - they have the system in place,” he said.

He said he contacted Bitterroot College Director Victoria Clark “We’re not competing. We want to show a continuation of educato create a partnership. tion. We’re all this together to give the community good service.”

“Tory is always excited to do something innovative, she took Clark said having Hamilton High School classroom space allows this on and I’m happy that they are doing it,” He said. the college program to expand.

Bitterroot College is hiring and coordinating instructors, and an “We were out of space,” she said. “It has enable us to continue Adult Ed Coordinator, and the two entities are sharing spaces as to grow whether or not Hamilton is sponsoring the class. It is nice some of the classes are taught in each location. to have the community see their space, it is really a win.”

Most Adult Ed classes are for students age 18 and older.

Korst and Clark said the offering has been a quiet success.

“There are some exceptions,” Korst said. “The levy helps “It’s going to only get better,” Korst said. subsidize some instruction and provides more opportunities.

Clark said the collaboration and partnership has really worked The seniors are subsidized, it is something we owe back to our well for the College. seniors. It is something we’ve always done, thanking them for all “The Hamilton School District has been willing to take on innothey’ve done for our community.” vation,” Clark said. “There have been some hiccups but we’re figBitterroot College is working on the fee structure. uring it out. We’re all here for the community and the students.”

“Initially, we thought it would be the same throughout Ravalli The Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program will pay for some County,” Clark said. “It was tricky to get those numbers to work. continuing education courses for eligible veterans. Call Lori Borth Hamilton has been running an effective Adult Ed program for a at 800-356-VETS (8387) to determine your VUB eligibility then call number of years at a substantially discounted rate.” the Bitterroot College at 406-375-0100 for registration assistance.

The cost of classes is still a topic of conversation and ongoing Register for HHS Adult Ed classes and Bitterroot College detailed analysis.

Continuing Education classes 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through “It is evolving and we want to hear from people,” Clark said. “It Friday at 406-375-0100, go online to www.umt.edu/bitterroot-colwould be great to have a single price for the whole county; the lege/ or visit in person at 103 South 9th Street, Hamilton.

Ravalli Republic

6 - Ravalli Republic, Sunday, October 28, 2018

Bitterroot public library offers lifelong learning

By Nansu Roddy, Adult Programming Librarian

The Bitterroot Public Library provides a safe, comfortable and inviting setting for senior members of our community to relax and enjoy lifelong learning programs and activities. In addition to the more traditional reading services we focus on engaging senior citizens to participate in lifelong learning endeavors, sharing the experience with others and having a great time. All of our programs are free and open to the public. Our facility is handicapped accessible. Tea and coffee are served at most of our programs.

Each month the Bitterroot Public Library, with the family of MICHELLE MCCONNAHA Marjorie A. Crawford, is pleased to sponsor a literature seminar, The Coloring Club for Grown-ups meets from 10 a.m. to noon every Tuesday, in the 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., in the meeting library room. meeting room or upstairs, in the Bitterroot Public Library. Coloring pages and colored pencils are provided.

Lectures are given by Chapter One Book Store owner Shawn Wathen.

“There are so many fabulous writers that wright in languages “I’ve been doing this 18 years,” Wathen said. “Marge asked me other than English,” Wathen said. “Being able to sample those in to take it over when she retired and moved away.” translation gives us a more diverse picture of the world. I usually His focus is on literature in translation and this season books do fiction and I always do one book of non-fiction to shake things cover six female authors from five continents to provide a wider perspective. up.”

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The classes in the literature seminar stand alone and just showing up at any class is acceptable.

“You don’t have to join,” Wathen said. “Just pick up a book and read it ahead of time because I will spoil the ending. We talk in depth about the book – its themes, what the author is trying to do, at least my interpretation of what the author is trying to do.

You can come to one or all.”

The first class was Oct. 2 and covered Farewell Damascus by Ghada Samman.

Upcoming seminar presentations include Nov. 6 - Secondhand Time by Svetlana Alexievichg; Jan. 8 - The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector; Feb. 5 - The Expedition to the Baobab Tree by Wilma Stockenstrom, March 5 - The Tongue’s Blood Does Not Run Dry by Assia Djebar; and April 2 - Faces in the Crowd by Valeria Luiselli.

Wathen said literature seminars have been happening for decades as Crawford wanted to stay engaged in the literary world.

“She got this amazing following of very smart, almost exclusively women,” he said. “The people that attend are wickedsmart and they come from a variety of experiences and all have something to add.”

Books are available at Chapter One Book Store and a limited number of copies will be available at the library.

At the Bitterroot Public Library, some of our adult programs are ongoing and meet regularly. Newcomers are always welcome at any of our programs regardless of knowledge base or competency. “Beginners” are a great example of engaging in lifelong learning. Where do you start? At the beginning!

All classes and programs are always open to the public and always free.

Writers Group meets from 6:30 – 8 p.m. every other Tuesday in the meeting room, with the next meeting Oct. 9. Socrates Café meets from 7 to 9 p.m. every other Tuesday as well in the meeting room, with the next meeting on Oct. 16. Coloring Club for Grown-ups meets from 10 a.m. to noon every Tuesday, in the meeting room or upstairs.

Brown Bag It Book Club meets from noon to 1 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month unless otherwise stated. The selection for Nov. 29 is Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right by Jane Mayer and Dec. 13 is a potluck and book selection for 2019.

Watch the best rock climbing screening of 2018 sponsored by Patagonia. The library is the first in the state to be showing “REEL ROCK 13” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, in the meeting room. Come early to get a good seat.

Yoga Basics is being offered from 11 a.m. to noon Nov. 12, 19, 26 and Dec. 3 in the meeting room with Pam Watts. Stay healthy and happy as the days grow shorter. Please preregister.

Vivian Yang will teach Origami Flower Folding from 5:30 to 7

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA

Shawn Wathen, owner of Chapter One Book Store, (standing right) presented information on Farewell Damascus by Ghada Samman, Oct. 2, as part of the Marjorie A. Crawford lecture series at the Bitterroot Public Library. The series continues with a lecture each month.

p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the meeting room. Stop in to see the beautiful little samples on the Adult Programming flier display board. Please preregister.

For additional information regarding adult programs please contact me, Nansu Roddy, Adult Programming Librarian, at the Bitterroot Public Library, 306 State Street, in Hamilton or call 406363-1670.

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Valley senior centers provide meals and more michelle mcconnaha Ravalli Republic

Senior Centers around the Bitterroot Valley provide social opportunities and meals to the community. From Darby to Florence the Ravalli Council on Aging works to insure nutritional meals are available. The cost of a meal at each center is $3.50 for over age 60 and $6 for under age 60 for a fresh salad bar, a home cooked supper and dessert. The Ravalli Council on Aging Hamilton kitchen also cooks for Darby, the kitchen at the Victor Senior Center cooks for Victor and Florence and the Stevensville kitchen serves Stevensville area seniors.

Darby Silver Tops President Lowell Baltz (406-821-3095) said they meet at the Darby Club House.

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA “The Darby Club House was built in 90 or 91 but the Darby Silver Tops Rolland Thomas praises the cooking skills of Patti Pape at the Hamilton Senior Center. has been going on forever,”Baltz said. “We usually participate in local projects like the library, the Darby Trail, the food bank and the museum, it’s a The center has 62 members and a full schedule of activities: men’s and social function.” women’s coffee times, bridge, bingo, pinochle and P-keno.

The dues cost $6 a year and there are 40 members.

Victor Alcoholic Anonymous meets at 4 p.m., Sundays, everyone welKayla Paddock, Nutrition Supervisor at Ravalli County Council on Aging, come. said the Hamilton kitchen makes noon meals for the Darby group the first The Victor Senior Center has room for 70 people and is available for rent four Thursdays of every month unless there is a government holiday. at $15 per hour with a $60 cleaning deposit.

She said almost 45 people attend the meals at the Darby Club House.

Fawcett said donations are welcome because the center no longer “It is awesome that we doubled the number from when I started a year receives grants. The center remodeled their kitchen three years ago and ago, which was 20,” Paddock said. “We are always willing to accept more will soon begin offering Bingo every other Saturday with their new bingo people. I am making sure people are eating healthy.” board.

At the Victor Senior Center, 246 5th Street, (406-642-3320) Albert “It is automatic, automated, LED, and all that good stuff,” Fawcett said.

Fawcett is president, treasurer and does maintenance.

“It should be, it cost $3,000. Bingo is a hot thing with 25-40 people on “We have a very friendly atmosphere, everyone is friends and people Tuesday nights.” hang around,” Fawcett said.

The Hamilton Senior Center, 820 N 4th Street, is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dues cost $5 a year and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. five Monday through Friday, 406-363-5181. days a week.

President Connie Litvin said everyone is welcome.

“People can sign up for Meals on Wheels,” Fawcett said. “We average “You do not have to join to participate in our meals,” Litvin said. “They 20 people for lunch, but it can vary from five to 30, so you never know.” are always delicious and we have live music.”

Lunch is served 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Usually 60 people attend the lunches prepared by Chef Patti Pape.

“This is more like a dinner,” Litvin said. “Patti does a good job and is our only paid position.”

Everyone is invited to the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and a pie auction that happens sometime before the Thanksgiving dinner.

We sell whole pies!

Dues are $12 a year per person, January to January, and there are many activities to choose from including bridge, pinochle, Western Line dancing, clogging and a monthly flea market.

The center makes money through rentals of their Bitterroot Room for graduation parties, church services, wedding receptions and dinners. It fits Hours: 6am-10pm • Open 7 days a week • 500 S First, Hamilton 100 people and has a stage and a small kitchen.

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Ravalli Republic, Sunday, October 28, 2018 - 9

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The center has four computers free to use, lots of books, live music every lunch, a table of puzzles and silent auction items. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) tax help is available.

“Members receive a monthly newsletter, currently we send out 210 newsletters, sponsors pay $75 a year to be in our newsletters,” Litvin said. “A Rapp Foundation grant helped with repairing the kitchen floor, people donate for our projects and now we are winterizing.”

Nancy Everard is president of the Stevensville Senior Center (406-777-5681) at 100 Mission Street. Membership costs $5 per year and the center has almost 200 members. Anyone can join at age 55 and do any of the activities, only members age 60 and over can vote.

Everard said the center has exercise, pinochle, bridge and a monthly birthday dinner with a blood pressure clinic by Valley Drug.

Community members can play bridge or pinochle whether they are members or not.

Other groups regularly use the center like the Sapphire Quilt Guild, a church group and fiddlers.

“We also rent our buildings to organizations,” Everard said. “We have a seating capacity of 125 and are often used for memorial services and birthday receptions.”

The activities have a small fee to cover insurance, heats and lights.

“Donations are always welcome,” Everard said. “We have AARP tax help February, March and half of April. We do the Creamery Picnic and are thinking about adding “Painting with Sue” and cribbage.”

Healthy noon meals are served at Senior Centers around the Bitterroot Valley.

Every weekday, lunch is at 11:30 a.m.

MICHELLE MCCONNAHA

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MICHELLE MCCONNAHA

Rolland Thomas praises the cooking skills of Patti Pape at the Hamilton Senior Center.

“We have a white elephant table that brings in extra money to support the center,” Everard said.

“We have a good atmosphere, good cooks and a friendly group. We do have a sense of humor, we do have problems but that’s life.”

“Our kitchen is especially busy on Friday because they have to send out frozen meals for them to have on the weekend,” Everard said.

“They serve a lot of Meals on Wheels, nearly 100 meals each week. We have volunteers that take the meals.”

The center is closed on some holidays.

In Florence, meals are brought from the Victor Senior Center kitchen to the Florence Fire Hall every Monday at 11:30 a.m.

Paddock said that on average 20 people attend the meals.

“We would love to have more people so anyone willing to give it a try is welcome, it is an awesome thing to do,” Paddock said. “Everyone is always welcome to just show up. We usually have more than enough food but if they want they could call the Victor Senior Center at 406-6423320 just to be sure.”

Contact each center directly for activity times and days.

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Planning helps stretch your food dollars By: Katelyn Andersen Montana State University Extension

The price of gas is increasing the cost of everything, but not the paycheck. There are several basic necessities and food is probably the most important component of life. Food prices continue to increase and how can the budget pay food plus rent, gas and everything else?

From December 2016 to December 2017, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 1.6 percent for food. This is higher than the trend from December 2015 to 2016, which had a -.2 percent change from 2014-2015.

The CPI is calculated by the Economic Research Service through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. CPI measures the average change in prices paid over time and helps Americans calculate inflation but is not specific for every region or city.

In order for families to help make ends meet, there are some simple steps to stretch food dollars. Surprisingly, the food shopping is only one of the six steps.

Step One: Check Cupboards and Coupons. Before going to the grocery store, check your cupboards for food on hand. Look at the food fliers to see what meals can be created from the sales. Combine food on sale plus the food in your cupboard to provide nutritious meals.

Step Two: Plan the Meals. Believe it or not, planning meals helps reduce excess purchases of food that goes uneaten and increase healthy meals. Plan meals for the family using a calendar method, write down the main dish and sides on each day of the week. Create time for plan-overs, or leftovers using creativity. Make sure you have a balance of the food pyramid: fruits, veggies, grains, milk, meats and beans. Ask your friends for new recipe ideas. Every family has different ways of preparing food and may use different spice combinations. The change in flavors can make food fun and exciting.

Step Three: Write a Grocery List. After you figure out each meal plan, add up and calculate how much food is needed for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. A simple, easy trick is to write down the sale price from the flier next to the food on the grocery list.

Step Four: Get Ready. Yes, you must prep yourself before going to the store. Gathering up your grocery list and coupons are a portion of prepping. The other portion is prepping mentally and physically for the trip.

Avoid going shopping when you are tired, hungry or rushed. If possible, try

to go by yourself. The less people throwing impulse buys in the shopping cart, the more money you will save.

Step Five: At the Store. The key to saving money is getting in and getting out as soon as possible. Grocery stores are designed to make money by attracting consumers to purchase items that they did not plan to buy, hence the term “impulse buys.” Buy only what is on the list, except when items that you typically purchase are on sale.

Buy something new - check different brands to make sure you are getting the best deal using unit pricing. People tend to purchase items that their family purchased when they were children but perhaps it’s time for a change. Use the unit price of items to make sure you are getting the best deal possible. Also, look above and below eye level to find lower prices.

Step Six: At home. Handle and store food properly to reduce food waste. Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees or less; your freezer should be zero degrees or less. Wash your hands, kitchen surfaces, fruits and veggies. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your shopping cart and fridge. Don’t forget to cook foods to the proper temperature and store leftovers within two hours of cooking. Another idea is share meals with friends or neighbors either by hosting dinners with each or swapping meals for the freezer. It always seems like food taste better when made by someone else!

Planning can help to save money on your food bill but planning can only go so far. Many families and individuals can qualify for financial assistance to supplement the food budget. Contact the Offices of Public Assistance at 406-363-1944 or 310 N. 3rd Street, Hamilton.

MSU Extension also provides a free, nine-week class called Eating Smart, Being Active for adults to help stretch food dollars. Contact the Ravalli County office to sign up for the next series.

Questions or comments can be directed to MSU/Ravalli Co. Extension, 215 S. 4th Street Ste G, Hamilton, MT 59840, 406-375-6611. If you are interested in attending or hosting an educational workshop on this topic, please contact the office.

Katelyn Andersen, M.S., is an Associate Professor for Montana State University Extension. She serves as the 4-H/Youth Development and Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent for Ravalli County.

Information referenced from USDA: Food CPI, Prices and Expenditures; and University of Wisconsin Extension: Shopping Tips for Stretching your Food Dollars.

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Clinic hours: Mon - Thurs 8am - 5pm, Fri 8 am - noon

Phone: 406 361 7680 312 Fairgrounds Road Hamilton