Humanityin Motion

February 2012 A Publication of the Rotary Clubs of Gallatin and Park Counties Volume 4, Number 4

Service Above Self

Inside…Donna Daems: A Glorious Life

Community Health Partners

Fix-Up Festival

Giving in the Gallatin

$200 Million Challenge

REACH, Inc.

Recycling in Gallatin County

Warming Center

A Glorious Life:Donna Daems

chocolate to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. With help from the local VFW and American Legion, the candy arrived in time for Christmas.

In 2007, Donna was awarded the prestigious Alexandar J. Brunett Medal for Social Justice. Prior to that she served on Judge W. Less-ley’s Youth Advisory Com-mittee as part of a superviso-ry group for detention homes and in the selection of foster care homes for youth.

Donna helped organize the Loyalty Day patriotic obser-vation on May 1 with a free spaghetti dinner.

“My motto is ‘Faith, Friends, Family’,” Donna says. “My life has been good. I’ve had adversity, I’ve had fabu-lous, I’ve lived – really lived - in this community.”

Born in Plentywood, Donna and her family moved to Bismarck when she was small.

“It was the Depression. Times were tough. My step-father wanted to relocate to Bozeman, where he did hay-ing for Ernest Monforton out at Gateway. When they had saved $11 for a train ticket, they sent for me and I moved from Bismarck to Bozeman. I started here at Holy Rosary in the sixth grade. We lived in the poorest conditions, but I never felt poor. I never felt like I wasn’t as good as somebody else.”

By Lauri Olsen

Movies and books are filled with superheroes,

those larger-than-life person-alities with special powers. Donna Daems doesn’t wear a cape and tights, but she is one of Bozeman’s superhe-roes. Dynamic, determined and devoted, Donna has the power to transform commu-nity needs into results.

“I’m not afraid to ask for money for a project,” the 84-year-old woman laughs. “One man called me ‘the Beg-gar of Bozeman’. He suggested that when I die, they can write on my tombstone, ‘She’s dead. You can finally put

your wallet away.’ He’s right. I’ll always ask.”

“I love this community. Bozeman is always giving, always sharing, always caring. You can’t live in a community and not really live in it. You have to give back. There’s where I am. At the end of each day, I look back on the day’s events and I think, have I completed what I should’ve done for the day? Have I reached out?’”

Reached out, she has. Working with the VFW and the American Legion, collect-ing funds for projects associ-ated with homeless veter-ans and with low-income families, Donna’s enthusiasm

never waivers.Part of Donna’s giving

spirit is credited to her strong faith.

“I attribute my basic life-style and understanding of life to my Catholic education. I was really caught up in a life of caring and being cared for. You accepted what they told you, you lived by their rules, and for my whole life-time, it has been the beacon that I live by. The priests and sisters were strong men and women, and I was encour-aged to be a person that probably I never would’ve been had I not been there. It’s all in the way a person accepts things. I didn’t argue with the nuns; I went along with them. If they found fault with what I did, I accepted their criticism. You can get along and learn from your experience. This is a beacon I live by. This year, I received a Christmas greeting from Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle. He said three things to remember each day are Be kind, be kind, be kind.”

Kindness is one of Donna’s many strengths. She and her group of volunteers provided 800 home-made Christmas stockings this year for low-income children. Filled with candy, cookies, and goodies, the stockings were donated to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and distributed to families.

Last year, Donna was part of a nationwide effort to send Continued page 3

Page 2 • Humanity in Motion • February 2012 Page 3 • Humanity in Motion • February 2012

The Avenues of Service

New Generationshelps develop leadership and professional skills among youth and colle-giate-aged men and women

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

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

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

Rotary Four-Way

Test

First:Is it the truth?

Second:Is it fair to all concerned?

Third: Will it build good will and better friendships?

Fourth: Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

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

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

Printing and Distribution:Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Humanity in Motion Editorial Board:Julie Kirkland, Leslie Bredvik, Debra Gill, Kandy Rose, Jerry Schilling, Shawn Hertz

Editor, Production and Design:Michael Dougherty

Writer:Lauri Olsen

Sponsorship Coordinator:Mike Banville

To contribute ideas for stories email:lauriolsen@q.com

Big SkyWednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Bucks T4

46625 Gallatin Road

rotaryofbigsky.com

Bozeman NoonTuesday at 11:45 AM

Holiday Inn, 7th & I-90

bozemannoonrotary.org

Bozeman SunriseFriday at 6:45 a.m.

Holiday Inn, 7th & I-90

bozemansunriserotary.org

LivingstonTuesday at noon

Best Western

Yellowstone Motor Inn

livingstonrotaryclub.org

ManhattanThursday at noon

Garden Café

107 S Broadway St

Club DirectoryRotary International: www.rotary.org

Rotary District 5390: www.montanarotary.org

By Lauri Olsen

The Community Health Partners (CHP) of Boze-

man, formerly known as the Gallatin Community Clinic, is part of a not-for-profit health care corporation providing high quality, cost effective care to people of all ages. Medical clinics in Belgrade, Bozeman, West Yellowstone and Livingston offer sliding scale fees based on income.

For less than $1 per day for each person served, Health CHP provide quality primary and preventive care

to low income, uninsured and underinsured individu-als and families.

Does having private insurance preclude one from using a CHP center?

“No. Many of our pa-tients have private insur-ance, Medicaid, or Medicare, and they choose us,” says CHP CEO Lander Cooney, “because of the type of respectful, patient-centered,

coordinated care we pro-vide.” CHP has just received recognition from the Na-tional Committee on Quality Assurance as a Level 3 Pa-tient Center Medical Home.

Health centers provide substantial benefits to their communities. They offer comprehensive care, includ-ing physical, mental and dental care, family planning counseling and women’s services. And they save the national health care system nearly $10 billion yearly by helping patients avoid

emergency rooms and mak-ing better use of preventive services.

What is the greatest bar-rier for people in getting health care: is it time? Lack of transportation? Money?

“Money can be a barrier,” Cooney says. “And especially in Montana, transportation and distance can be huge barriers for people to access

Calendar of EventsBozeman Sunrise Club

Weekly Tuesday weekly delivery of Meals on Wheels to seniors in the communityFebruary 23 Founders Day of Rotary (1905)April 28th Jay Owenhouse Magic Show – Brick Breeden Fieldhouse sponsored by Noon Rotary ClubApril Grade School Books given away by Sunrise Rotar-ians to all 2nd graders in local school districtsMay TBD Kids Fishing Day at East Gallatin Recreation Area – on a Saturday

Community Health Partners

healthcare. Time or work schedules can create a con-flict. Sometimes people can’t get to a doctor if a clinic is only open during the day. For this reason, CHP has evening hours at all of our medical clinics.”

Health and healthcare are two separate issues, says Cooney.

“More than 50 percent of what determines health is our behaviors, and the so-cial circumstances that influ-ence those behaviors. Where we live, work, learn and play have a huge impact on how long we live and our risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, depression and obesity.”

For this reason, CHP integrates educational pro-gramming into all they do at their clinics, because early childhood success and be-ing prepared for success in school are important factors in someone’s overall health.

“At the Livingston and West Yellowstone sites, we offer a program which includes a home visitation, support and educational programs for families with young children.”

The Community Health Partners are many people working together to make access to quality care pos-sible for everyone in Park and Gallatin Counties, says Cooney.

“They all deserve acknowl-edgement and celebration for their excellent Work. n

For more information on Com-munity Health Partners, call Clinic Manager Amy Coolidge at (406) 823-6320, or visit their website at www.chphealthmt.org

In the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors, The

Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Club conducted its second annual Bozeman Fix-Up Festival in September. Projects this year used 195 volunteers and 2,500 volunteer hours.

The project brings the community together to provide free minor repairs to low-income residents, mak-ing their homes safer, more accessible and more energy efficient. At this year’s festi-val, repairs were completed for 12 elderly or disabled, low-income homeowners in Bozeman and Belgrade.

“We added yard and garden crews from the Rocky Mountain Credit Union and Stockman bank this year,” said Nikki Naiser, co-chair of the project. “They join our other home adopters: American Federal Savings Bank, the Bozeman Kiwanis Clubs, Dovetail Construc-tion, Edward Jones Advisors, the Exchange Club, Gallatin

Donna was industrious even as a young girl. “I did the office work for the nuns at school. I really appreci-ated them; I didn’t argue with them. When I was in eighth grade, they wanted me to go into a convent, offering me an opportunity for education, but I had too many things I wanted to do. I was artistic, and I hoped to go places with my art.”

Money was scarce, and Donna helped support her family.

“While I was in high school, I worked for the Chronicle when I was 17, writing obituaries for the young men lost in the war. I never imagined it would hap-pen to me,” Donna shakes her head sadly, then continues.

“After that, I worked for the Lovelace studios. I had a scholarship to the College of Great Falls, but there was no money so I went to work full time. I went to work for Dr. Epler as his office girl.”

Saving for an educa-

Donna proud. “I have what I have be-

cause of the care and respect of the people in this commu-

Donna DaemsContinued from page 1

nity. They helped me do what I wanted to do,” she smiles. “I’ve had a glorious life.” n

Valley Newcomers Club, the firm of Galusha, Higgins and Galusha, Habitat for Human-ity, Teton Heritage Builders and Yellowstone Bank.” The businesses help organize volunteer teams and contrib-ute to the cost of materials. Seventy-five sponsors and home adopters contribute 94% of project costs through donations and in-kind contributions of labor and materials.

The 2012 budget for home repairs is $27,600, an aver-age of $2,300 per project. Donations are processed through the Rotary District 5390 Foundation, a 501.c (3) organization.

“They sure helped me,” said one recipient of the fes-tival’s work. “God bless those folks that took their time to help me.” n

For more information, visit www.fixupfestival.com. Donations may be sent to Fix-Up Festival, Boze-man Sunrise Rotary Club, PO Box 6091, Bozeman, MT 59771.

Fix-up Festival

tion wasn’t easy, but Donna managed to eke out a year’s tuition at Montana State Col-lege. Also attending MSC was a boy with whom Donna had attended Holy Rosary. It was Thomas Daems.

“We married when he was a junior. This was in 1949, when the next depression era was. The men had come back from the war, settled in. They were looking for jobs that would give them perma-nency. Many of them had left before they were 18 years old, so they had no experience in life, in settling in a commu-nity. They had to learn to live. Then my husband joined the Air Force.”

Soon afterwards the Ko-rean War began, and Thomas was called to duty.

“I was eight months pregnant with our first child when my husband left for Korea. Then he came back, and we went to Nevada where he was a pilot and instructor. The last week we were there, he took off but then the plane crashed. It was 1955, and I was 27 years old. I was left with a five-year-old and a two-year old and a baby on the way.” Donna’s voice softens as she adds, “My doctor asked me not to travel for my husband’s fu-neral. So an old family friend, Senator Mike Mansfield, arranged for the service at Arlington National Cemetery. He sent me pictures of the funeral.”

Always patriotic, Donna turned her grief into resolve. “My husband’s older broth-ers had served in World War II and in Korea. My husband had flown 76 missions in Ko-rea. Now, I’ve spent most of my life encouraging women whose husbands were in the service, to be a good wife to a serviceman who was no longer there.”

After Thomas’ death, Donna and her young family

left Nevada and returned to Bozeman.

“I came back here to with our two girls and had our third child. I settled in. I promised myself I’d stay home until my baby was in kindergarten, so I did odd jobs to help support us. It was tough, but I did it. I didn’t demand much. I made clothing for the children. I didn’t have a tough life, I re-ally didn’t. But I sorely missed my husband. We loved each other, we respected each other, we took care of each other.”

Raising three daughters as a single mom was both re-warding and time-consuming.

“I’ve spent so many hours riding around the state of Montana in a cold school bus. I was always chosen to be a chaperone for one of my daughters’ school trips be-cause the school figured they could depend on me to do it. I didn’t have a husband at home that I had to cook for, so I chaperoned often.”

Now a grandmother to 12 grandchildren, Donna looks forward to their visits as well as to projects she has in store for herself.

“Writing,” she says with enthusiasm. “ I love writ-ing! Right now I’m working on a book about the bells of Bozeman. School bells, church bells. Where have they all gone? I’ve been doing research for about a year and the Pioneer Museum and the library are helping me.”

Donna offers advice to people who wish to become involved in a community project.

“Pick the one you’ll be loyal to. I don’t care about people whose names are on the stationery as officers; I care about the people who will actually do the work. Give it your all.”

It is the sense of commu-nity in Bozeman that makes

Page 5 • Humanity in Motion • February 2012Page 4 • Humanity in Motion • February 2012

This is important,” the nineteen-year-old man

whispered. He scowled at the test page in front of him and prepared to circle the correct response. “I have to know this.”

Frowning with concen-tration, he clamped his lips together and shook his head confidently. Pencil went to paper, and he circled a picture of a soup ladle.

To most individuals, a ladle is easily identifiable. To a developmentally disabled person, however, knowing the correct name and proposed use of kitchen utensils can present a challenge. Learn-ing independent living skills assures a smoother transition into every day life and work situations.

Helping provide guidance and support to those aspiring to learn these skills are the dedicated staff and volunteers of Reach, Inc. This non-profit organization, which began operating in 1974, provides assistance for adults with developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, physical disabilities including mobility, visual and communication impairments, and traumatic head injuries in the Galla-tin Valley. The organization provides a range of services

Experience Rotary

Rotary membership gives men and women a

rewarding opportunity to help communities locally and internationally.

Rotary clubs are autono-mous and meet weekly for fellowship and to determine their own service projects based on community needs and the talents and inter-ests of their members. Clubs often team up with clubs in other countries to carry out international service projects, enhancing members’ personal and professional development and advancing world peace.

Rotary clubs are non-reli-gious, nonpolitical, and open to men and women of every race, culture, and creed. To learn more about the Rotary experience, visit www.rotary.org or contact a Rotary club in your community.

including residential, voca-tional and transportation. Residentially, Reach offers two group homes for people with low self-help skills and multiple disabilities. Two regular adult group homes assist people needing 24-hour supervision. There is also supported living, both facility based and community based. Vocationally, Reach offers a Work Center that provides both supported employment and vocational rehabilitation services. The organization’s mission is to empower adults with disabilities whom they serve to attain their individ-ual potential and aspirations. Reach is about living in the ordinary ways that make ex-traordinary progress, growth and meaning. Independence is gained through work and self-sufficiency.

All of Reach’s clients work. About 80% have jobs in the community; the rest are employed at the Work Center doing various production and small assembly tasks. Com-munity businesses who em-ploy Reach workers include the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce, the Ridge Athletic Club, Wal-Mart, Sacks of Boz-eman, Bozeman Inn, Montana Ale Works, and Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.

“We are a large employer with 110 staff members and 98 clients who work both in the community and in our work center,” says Executive Director Robert Tallon. “We provide services 24/7, 365 days of the year.”

More than half of Reach’s funding comes from a contract with the State of Montana, through which they are reimbursed on an hourly basis to provide cli-ent services. The rest of their funding comes from profit from the Work Center, private donations and client group home fees.

“The biggest misconception about Reach,” says Tallon, “is that it is fully funded by the government and therefore doesn’t need donations. Be-tween July 1 and November 30 this year, Reach lost over $89,000 on its contract with the State due to the level of reimbursement granted by the last legislature. We are only able to keep our doors open through fundraisers and donations.”

Tallon came to Reach 26 years ago, hoping he could make a positive impact on clients’ lives and to grow Reach into a quality organi-zation.

What does Tallon see as

Rotary clubs worldwide meet US$200 million fundraising challenge

Rotary International has succeeded in meeting the Bill & Melinda Gates

Foundation’s US$200 million match in funding for polio eradication, raising more than $202.6 million as of 17 January.

The fundraising milestone was reached in response to $355 million in challenge grants awarded to The Rotary Foundation by the Gates Foundation. All funds have been earmarked to support polio immuni-zation activities in affected countries where the vaccine-preventable disease continues to paralyze children.

“In recognition of Rotary’s great work, and to inspire Rotarians in the future, the [Gates] foundation is committing an ad-ditional $50 million to extend our partner-ship,” said Jeff Raikes, chief executive officer of the Gates Foundation. “Rotary started the global fight against polio, and contin-ues to set the tone for private fundraising, grassroots engagement, and maintaining polio at the top of the agenda with key policymakers.”

Since 1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99 percent, from about 350,000 cases annually to fewer than 650 cases reported so far for 2011. The wild poliovirus is now endemic in only four countries: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. However, India on 13 Janu-ary marked a full calendar year without a

case, paving the way for its removal from the endemic list.

But other countries also remain at risk for polio cases imported from the endemic countries. In Africa in 2011, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had significant outbreaks. Also in 2011, a small cluster of polio cases in China, which had been polio-free for a decade, was traced to Pakistan.

To date, Rotarians worldwide have con-tributed more than $1 billion toward the eradication of polio, a cause Rotary took on in 1985. In 1988, the World Health Or-ganization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention joined Rotary as spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. More recently, the Gates Foundation has become a major supporter. In 2007, the Gates Foun-dation gave Rotary a $100 million chal-lenge grant for polio eradication, increasing it to $355 million in 2009. Rotary agreed to raise $200 million in matching funds by 30 June 2012.

Reaching children with the oral polio vaccine in the disease’s remaining strong-holds is labor- and resource-intensive due to a host of challenges, including poor in-frastructure, geographical isolation, armed conflict, and cultural misunderstanding about the eradication campaign. n

By Lauri Olsen

Former First Lady Barbara Bush once said, “Some

people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life’s blood. But everyone has something to give.”

Few communities reflect a generosity of spirit more than the Gallatin Valley area. Whether through corpo-rate or family foundations, through organizations, or as individuals, the people of the Gallatin Valley and surround-ing area are extraordinarily giving. Bozeman has dozens of fraternal, religious and nonprofit organizations, and thousands of generous indi-viduals and groups.

Contributors have en-riched the cultural life of the community and continue to benefit both local residents and visitors to our area.

The world-class Museum of the Rockies shows what hometown generosity can ac-complish. Through the gener-osity of foundation funding, a planetarium was built. Young museum visitors were invited to participate in hands-on experiments and explore in the children’s discovery room, donated by a community leader and her family. As more donations were re-ceived, the museum housed more exhibits and offered additional resources. Plaques acknowledging donors grace walls in the museum’s recep-tion area.

The Intermountain Opera began when patrons of the art brought La Traviata to Bozeman in 1979. As opera grew into a second season, and then a third, donors

contributed money, endless hours of work, and hous-ing for performers to ensure that it would continue in the Gallatin Valley. Organizations and individuals donated to the Intermountain Opera As-sociation, whose committee workers and board members are all volunteers.

The Bozeman Symphony thrives in the community, thanks in part to business owners and individual do-nors. Symphony underwriters listed on the organization’s website number nearly 100. Montana Shakespeare in the Park, the Bozeman Art Walk, the Sweet Pea Festival and Music on Main are just a few of the offerings that Bozeman enjoys each year, thanks to contributions of money and volunteers’ time.

Another area of philan-thropy in the Gallatin Valley deals with human services. A new psychiatric facility was desperately needed and now, thanks to a $500,000 grant from a Bozeman family’s foundation, Bozeman has an inpatient treatment facility and mental health campus.

Contributions have helped fund Montana Public Broad-casting, and the Ellen Theater restoration. Monies from a foundation purchased CPR and first aid training equip-ment for Reach, Inc.

The Emerson Art Center, once a schoolhouse facing demolition, was resurrected as a vital part of downtown Bozeman’s landscape, thanks to patrons who recognized the importance of a cultural center.

Many of the names on contributors’ lists to Bozeman projects are familiar; some are not. In addition to the huge

corporate and private foun-dations that help this com-munity perform its charitable and community develop-ment work are individuals whose contributions may be less glorious monetarily but equally noble philosophi-cally. These include the school children of Bozeman, who collected for the Pennies for Peace program. And the contributors who drop their extra change into collection boxes in stores for the Heart of the Valley animal shel-ter or for special needs – a family grounded by medical expenses or displaced by a house fire.

Giving in the Gallatin

Kudos to those shoppers whose budgets were already stretched to the maximum but still donated to the an-nual Toys for Tots drive or to the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. Thanks go to the blood donors at Red Cross draw-ings. Or perhaps it is the biker who undertook the task of getting bike racks placed in downtown Bozeman. Some-times, the contributors are MSU students who gather non-perishable food for the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, or local hair stylists who volunteer their extra time giving shampoos and do’s at local rest homes. Bozemanites

donate hair to Locks of Love, to be made into wigs for can-cer treatment patients. One particularly selfless Bozeman native is a kidney donor and has helped countless other friends in need. Gallatin Quilt Guild members piece together quilts for elderly people in as-sisted living facilities around the valley.

Giving, whether measured by dollar signs, volunteer hours or simply a smile, makes the Gallatin Valley a place to treasure. It is the essence of people helping people. It makes this place home. Everyone has some-thing to give. n

REACH, Inc.From Ordinary days to Extraordinary Lives Reach’s greatest strength?

“That’s the high quality of individualized support that we provide our clients. Our staff members are caring, creative problem solvers who are enthusiastic about making a difference in peoples’ lives every day that they come to work.”

Reach accepts donations of cash, in-kind contributions, as well as stocks, bonds and other property. The organiza-tion holds a number of fund-raisers throughout the year and work with individual donors to support particular projects.

The Bozeman community has been generous in help-ing Reach meet many of its needs. The organization’s newest residential facility for clients is at 434 North Tracy. This new apartment houses six adults. The building, a gift from Tim and Mary Barnard, is dedicated to the memory of Dan Lund. CPR and first aid training needs were funded with a grant from the Gil-housen Family Foundation which also helped Reach to purchase much-needed computers. Apostrophe magazine featured Macy’s ads using four local Reach clients recently, providing both funds and publicity to the organization. The Montana Department of Transporta-tion Transit Capital Assistance program has afforded the organization a new 10-pas-senger van to replace a ve-hicle in Reach’s fleet that has well over 100,000 miles on it. Reach will need to supply a local match of 13.42% of the cost, or $6,739.

What are Reach’s goals for 2012?

“We’d like to increase com-munity job placements for our clients,” says Tallon. “We

want to increase our focus on healthy lifestyles for the people we serve. Of course we want to raise enough money to offset losses in our state contract for services. And we’d like to begin a capi-tal campaign to replace one of our residences.”

“It’s a good organization,” says one Reach volunteer. “It helps each client turn ordi-nary days into extraordinary lives.”

For donations to Reach, Inc., or

to learn more about their services, visit their offices at 322 Gallatin Park Drive, Bozeman, call (406) 587-1271, or contact by email at staff@reach inc.org.

Page 7 • Humanity in Motion • February 2012Page 6 • Humanity in Motion • February 2012

By Lauri Olsen

Look around you. See that elderly man in the suit across the street? How about the young mom scurrying into the store with a little kid hanging on each hand? And that tall girl in the floppy-eared ski hat and down jack-et? They all have something in common: each of them creates nearly 4.7 pounds of waste every day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Aluminum and steel cans, paper products and wrap-pings, plastic and cardboard packaging, and glass bottles all clog our landfills. Add to that used appliances, com-puters, car tires, and building materials.

With lower prices and rapidly changing technol-ogy, computers, cell phones

and television sets now have shorter life spans and the amount of used electronics being discarded each year is growing exponentially. Certain components of elec-tronic products may contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium, depending on their condition and density. Without proper disposal, these can pollute water and air resources.

Recycling is one power-ful affirmative step in land stewardship and the Gallatin

Valley area is fortunate to have a number of options in recycling waste management. A number of community minded businesses and the Gallatin Solid Waste Manage-ment District are helping to make recycling in the area both convenient and consis-tent with national standards of disposition.

Certain rules govern recy-cling programs. Plastic bottles, cups and tubs, for example, should be emptied and flat-tened, with lids discarded. Plastic bags, pill bottles, pack-ing peanuts and other Styro-foam cannot be accepted.

Most cardboard boxes and packaging can be flattened and put in a recycling bin. However, food-contaminated containers such as pizza boxes or wax coated materi-als such as half-gallon milk

cartons or juice boxes cannot be ac-cepted in the bins. Brown bags are ac-ceptable.

News-paper and inserts, maga-zines, phone

books, junk mail, catalogs, cereal boxes,

office paper, wrapping paper, tissue, shredded paper and paperback books are ac-cepted in paper recycling bins, but neon paper or fiber that doesn’t tear cannot be recycled.

Aluminum and steel cans are accepted, and it is suggested that all cans be crushed.

Batteries, light bulbs, aerosol cans, toxic waste, cans of paint and wire hang-ers require special recycling techniques.

Columbine Culberg, Direc-tor of Environmental and Community Affairs for the Montana Import Group of Bozeman, oversees the recy-cling program for that orga-nization. Five bins for public use in recycling cardboard, paper, plastic, aluminum and steel are furnished at the auto dealership on East Frontage Road, Bozeman.

“We recycle everything we can in our business,” says Culberg. “Recycling and being better for our environment and community is an inte-gral piece of our corporate philosophy. We offer recycling to our customers and com-munity members to make it easier for them to be bet-ter for the environment too. The program has been up and running for almost two years now. As a business, we recycle more than what goes into the bins. We recycle bat-teries, oil, and tires. If folks are interested in recycling more than the bins provide, and we can help, we’d love to.”

Other local businesses are helping with recycling efforts as well. Bins are at Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Safeway, Home Depot and outside the dog park on the corner of Ellis Road and Highland Boulevard. Pacific Steel and Recycling has bins and also buys cans and scrap metal. Cell phone recycle boxes are at Longfellow Elementary School, Staples, and Cellular Plus. Rechargeable batteries may be left at Batteries Plus, Battery solutions, Belgrade True Value, Gallatin Wireless, Home Depot, J&S Electronics, Kenyon Noble, Radio Shack and Lowe’s. Computers and accessories may be recycled at Staples or Office Depot.

Montana State University recycles and also offers bins for public use behind Lang-

Warming CenterRecycling

ford Hall. Pack Tech accepts used clean cardboard, pack-ing peanuts, bubble wrap and Styrofoam. River Rock has bins at the Village Center, and the Big Sky Town Center also offers bins for public use. In Three Forks, recycling bins are at 150 E. Railroad Av-enue. Belgrade recycling bins are on Madison Avenue at Janet, and Manhattan’s Valley Improvement Center has bins. In Gallatin Gateway, bins are located at the Community Center. Allied Waste, J&K Recyclers and Triple R waste management companies offer curbside recycling for a fee.

One item not currently being accepted at recycling bins is glass, due to market conditions and shipping and handling costs. Dave Leveritt of Four Corners Recycling provides bins on Earth Day for glass collection. Livingston hopes for a grant to buy a glass pulverizer, which would afford the opportunity even-tually to use recycled glass for road bases and landscaping.

The recycling effort in the United States is successful and is an on-going effort of management and education. The amount of recycling in 2007 saved the energy equiv-alent of 10.7 billion gallons of gasoline and prevented the release of carbon dioxide of approximately 35 million cars.

“We can tell the recycling program is working,” says MIG’s Culberg, “because of the amount of recycling that ends up in our bins and it isn’t all ours.” n

For more information on recy-cling in the Gallatin Valley area, please contact the Gallatin county Solid Waste Management District at 582-2493 or visit www.gallatin.mt.gov/recycling.

By Lauri Olsen

Winter nights under Montana’s glorious skies can be a stargazer’s delight and a night skier’s dream. But if you are homeless and lack-ing adequate winter clothing, nighttime can mean shrieking winds and teeth-numbing cold. Huddling beneath a tree in a city parking lot or under a highway bypass offers little protection. Curling up on the seat of an unlocked car shel-ters a body from some of the wind, but frost still slithers through, leaving icy cold and pain in its wake.

Last year, the Greater Gallatin Homeless Action Coalition addressed this issue by helping to create the Boze-man Warming Center, housed on the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. Sponsored in part by the non-profit Hu-man Resource Development Council and other commu-nity partners and supported by private donations, the warming center provides a safe space to individuals and families against winter’s sub-zero temperatures. Guests have a reprieve from the weather: a good night’s rest.

From Thanksgiving through March, the center - now in its second season of operation - is open from 7:00 p.m. through 7:00 a.m. seven days a week, including holidays. The facility can host up to 24 people each night. Volunteers assist on-site staff in logging guests, maintain-ing site control, offering conversation and helping out as needed to keep the place warm and secure.

Kim Wattam, coordinator of the center since its incep-

tion, provided a tour of the meticulously clean no-frills facility, pointing out the sturdy bunk beds in both the women’s quarters and in the men’s area. “These beds were built by volunteers, with wood donated by Simkins-Hallin Lumber. And since last year, we’ve added running water. That’s a real improve-ment. Last year, the most people we had in one night was 18 people. We max out at 24.”

Although the center has not yet had families use their facility, Wat-tam said they can host people with children. “So far, it’s been mostly single men who’ve come here.”

The center provides far more than sanctuary from the elements. Helping guests with various resources are a skilled team of volunteers who work in coordination with Jill Brodin and Jennifer Collins of the Drop-In Center at the Gallatin Valley Mental Health Campus; Stepha-nie Gray, Director of Youth Development, Gallatin Hu-man Resource Development Council; and Gallatin County Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Kopp.

“I just help set the stan-dards to create a warm, safe place for people to come to,” says Wattam modestly. He gestures to committee mem-bers around the table and says, “What these people do is amazing.”

When guests arrive at the warming center, Wattam says, he asks what circumstances brought them there, and

what the next step should be in helping them so they can step out the next morning with a better focus. He treats guests with empathy and dignity.

“The sheriff’s office sup-ports me in coming here,” says Deputy Sheriff Kopp. His inclusion on the commit-tee is due both to his official capacity and to his personal commitment towards help-ing people. The creation of the warming center has freed county resources and allows

law enforce-ment to work more directly with homeless people.

“Sometimes people just reach tough times in their lives. Some-

times they just fall on bad times. Not everyone has a supportive family or the re-sources to go to college.” says Brodin. “Not everyone has insurance, or a warm place to sleep at night. We just want to make sure that everyone who needs extra help, whether it’s finding a home, getting a warm meal during the day, or somebody helping them fill out paper work, will find that help.”

Bringing the dream of the warming center to fruition was a challenge, the commit-tee admits. Before it opened, misconceptions about the proposed center swarmed about like a Montana bliz-zard.

It’ll bring more of those people to the community, it was feared.

The fact is, of the 36 guests who’ve stayed at the center thus far this year, 21 are Gall-atin County residents: people already in the community. Relationship or roommate problems may lead one to seek refuge for just a night.

College students who’ve obtained a ride back to Boze-man may arrive too early to have their designated semes-ter housing available. Fire or other structural damages to a home may leave people with-out adequate housing for one or two nights. Few are tran-sients; most are people for whom a set of circumstances has rendered them needing assistance for a night.

Another misconception is that the warming center is tax-supported.“We rely on private donations for our support,” Wattam explained.

“It is community funded. And what’s more,” Gray adds, “it’s not foundation fund-ing. It is individuals in the community, writing a check for $10 or $100. It’s a lot of community members giving little amounts of money that makes this happen.”

A further misconception is that people will come and live at the warming center rather than trying to find housing in the community.

“The warming center is not a homeless shelter,” Wat-tam points out. It does not provide long term housing. It offers a safe, clean, warm bed for one or two nights, to get out of the cold. Resource people work with the guests to secure other housing op-tions.

Another misconception, says Brodin, is that places like the warming center are a filthy mess. As one looks around the spotless warm-ing center, organized and tidy, that myth is dispelled. Health regulations are met, cleanli-ness expectations are ex-ceeded. Order prevails. “The guests at the warming center want to help. Every morn-ing, they are cleaning, asking to do chores, wanting to give back. The men who are stay-ing here are helping make this place work.”

Deputy Sheriff Kopp

knows that some people thought a facility like the warming center would be a place with no rules, filled with creepy men. “We need people to know that the Bozeman Warming Center is well organized, that it’s well structured, and that it is accommodating to females and families. This is a clean place, a safe place.” Nearly ten percent of the center’s guests are military veterans.

Wattam said the center staff, volunteers and guests appreciate the cooperation and good relationship with both the Bozeman City Police and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s office. “People know it’s a safe place.”

“This is a place,” Gray adds, “where people are ready to get help. If people want to change, they can come here and get resources to help make that change, no matter what it is. Maybe they say, ‘I’m ready to start spend-ing my money on a house now’ or ‘I’m ready to face the problem that’s been dragging me down.’ It’s a place where you can get resources to fa-cilitate making a life change.”

Collins said that some people on the north end of Bozeman felt warming center guests might go into the neighbor and do damage or steal. “It was the fear of chaos resulting from people gather-ing in one place,” Collins said. It didn’t happen. The guests respect the center and the surrounding neighborhood.

Wattam derives great satisfaction from his job. “At 2:00 a.m., when I make my rounds, I might have one man out here in the lobby who has insomnia, and we break out a game of chess. Or when I check the men’s quar-ters and hear snores, I know we have that many individu-als who aren’t outdoors try-ing to sleep in the cold. That’s

There are a number of recycle bins throughout the Gallatin Valley.

the biggest satisfaction on a nightly basis. The most over-all satisfaction is that seven of the individuals we helped this year have their own homes now. That’s why we’re here.”

The center relies on com-munity involvement for financial support, volunteers, and encouragement. Monday through Friday of each week, the Salvation Army offers guests of the Warming Center free breakfast. Volunteers supply rides for guests who need to obtain medical as-sistance, help guests complete paperwork, and offer moral support and encouragement.

Two six hour shifts each day – the first from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and the second from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. – are covered by a paid super-visor who is assisted by at least one volunteer for each shift. Laundry services are provided by volunteer staff.

The center’s goal is for continued funding. Donations of money, materials, supplies and volunteer time are always welcome.

“We need what every home needs,” Wattam says. “Paper towels, sanitary wipes, hand soap, large trash bags, pillows, blankets. Help with laundry. Volunteers to go through our orientation session so they can put in a shift, or part of a shift. We need people to sit and talk to our guests, or play cards with them. Just to let them know they matter.” Training for vol-unteers is held every Tuesday at the center at 8:00 p.m.

Wattam looks around the lobby and smiles with determination. “We’re making a positive difference in this community. We’re helping people.” nFor more information, call Befrienders at (406) 522-8169, or visit their website at www.BefriendersBozeman.org

Allied Engineering Services, Inc.

32 Discovery WayBozeman • 582-0221alliedengineering.com

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

Doug ChandlerBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Offering financial solutions specifically designed for you.

Jim HamiltonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Scott Levandowski, Bozeman Noon RotaryEmmett HaslerBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Galusha, Higgins & Galusha, PC

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

A professional corporation of certified public accountants and advisors.

Gayle Hokansen,Bozeman Sunrise Rotary

CS and Company1351 Stoneridge Dr. #CBozeman • 586-9337csandcompany.com

Full service tax, accounting and management consulting.

Catherine Simonson,Bozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Inn, events center and weddings

Wayne JohnsonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply

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

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

Mary Kay YeleyBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Hample and Peck Financial Planning

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

20 years of financial planning, managing trusts & investments

Stephen R. HampleBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

A great community of citizens and volunteers

Jaynee Drange Groseth, Bozeman Noon Rotary

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

News, advertising and infor-mation.

Stephanie Pressley, Bozeman Noon Rotary

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

Independent insurance agency

Bill PriceBozeman Noon RotaryClaire Nixon Big Sky Rotary

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

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

Scott HoltonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Family owned funeral and cremation services and pre-arrangement services

Irene Dahl, Bozeman Noon RotaryMark PetersonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

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

Glenn BellBig Sky Rotary

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

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

Pat PattersonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Break!! MagazineBozeman • 585-0237ultimatemontana.com/break

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

Michael Dougherty

AllTrips55 Candlelight Dr.Bozeman • 388-0455alltrips.com

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

Mike BanvilleBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Wholesale and retail petroleum products

Doug AlexanderBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Contractor, Builder and Remodeling Services for Residential and Commercial applications

Tom SwansonBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

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

Julie KirklandBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

Legal services

Luke FoustBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

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

Livingston’s Ace Hardware

1106 W. Park StreetLivingston • 222-0202 LivingstonAceHardware.com

Open 7 days per week for all your paint and hardware needs.

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

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

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

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

Ric TiemansBozeman Noon Rotary

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

Proud to Host Sunrise Rotary and other groups in the Valley

Tim KuhlmanBozeman Sunrise Rotary

American Federal Savings Bank

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

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

Lee OldenburgerBozeman Sunrise Rotary

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

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

Cathy FisherBozeman Sunrise Rotary

Individual ContributorsSunrise RotaryNikki NaiserLinda ReynoldsEsther SchwierKurt BuchlBruce RraymondChris MehlDuane CarltonGay Hovey

Noon RotaryGene RennerFred TraegerLesley BredvikRobin and Darrel ChoateLee Fisher, MDDr. & Mrs Emery FieldSteve GarciaBruce ThesengaRobyn Ehrlenbush

Livingston RotaryBuzz MuellerChris WisteySara-Jane DanaherCyndy Rigler

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

Our Sponsors