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By Zoe Merrill I was finally able to attend a Big Sandy swim meet. Being there reminded me of how much fun they are to watch. The sport is more than the development of athletes; it is also about families playing together with other families around the state. The swim team was in Conrad last weekend, with a huge park surrounding the outdoor pool. The weather was perfect, the pool warm, and the swimmers worked hard competing. There were 10 teams at this swim meet, including Big Sandy. They...
The Big Sandy Library has been buzzing with excitement this summer, with a multitude of kids and adults enthusiastically participating in our reading program. Although I'm a bit late to share the news, the first three weeks were a whirlwind of adventure, with activities centered around the enchanting worlds of Wonderland, Narnia, and the Hobbit. We've got something for everyone, with children's activities at 1:00 on Mondays and 11:00 on Tuesdays, followed by a delightful story time on...
I have always known who Barb Ophus was, but I have enjoyed getting to know her better when we eat lunch at the Big Sandy Senior Center. She has 11 children. She lost a child, Lacee. Shane is the oldest, and Clete is the youngest of 10 children. She lost one grandchild, Laynee, leaving her with 30 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. Barb was born in Havre. "I started teaching right after I graduated from college, with my bachelor's from Northern in those days. I graduated in the evening and...
Christain News Letter available. So why Uplifting? It’s simple. Augustine of Hippo wrote, “The Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot!” For several years, I have been living a dull/gray Christian experience for the most part. In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster wrote, “In the spiritual life, only one thing will produce genuine joy, and that is obedience.” Writing a devotional book/newsletter has been in my heart for years—YEARS! John 15:11 says, “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy...
Mark Umfleet, the 2021 Country Gospel Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year, will be in concert Friday Evening, June 21, at 7:00 pm at the Big Paul Williams Memorial Park. In Box Elder at the Joe Rosette Memorial Park on Sat, June 22, at 2:00 pm, and in Havre at Pepin Park, 520 4yh Street, Sunday, June 23, at 12:00 noon. The concert is free, but donations are accepted. Consider bringing your own chairs. Mark was born in South Dakota but grew up in Montana. He attended grade school in Miles City but moved to Helena at Capitol High during...
A June 14th political meet and greet with Tim Sheehy, candidate for U.S. Senator, was at Big Sandy's The Mint. It was a good turnout, but The Mint was not full. He went around the room completely, shaking everyone's hands before he spoke for about 20 minutes. Tim answered a few questions before he left for Fort Benton. I asked him for a quick statement, and he said, "You bet! America is at a crossroads between open border inflation, interest rates, and foreign policy disasters. We have to make s...
(Editor's note: This took place one month ago, but for those participating, an article they can cut out and place in a scrapbook is important.) On May 13, the piano students of Nona Danreuther, Dianna Keane, Marla Ray, and Susie Sant gave a piano recital at the Christ Lutheran Church. Parker Yirsa played Home on the Range, a duet with Marla and Valse Scherzo. Bridger Keane played Mist on the Lake. Peyton Sant played Do You Ears Hang Low. Georgia Silvan played Puff, the Magic Dragon. Kennedy...
Father's Day is a relatively new holiday. The first time it was held was in June 1910, but it wasn't officially recognized as a holiday until 1972 by then-President Nixon. This last Sunday, fathers were celebrated. My challenge to everyone is to make it a week-long celebration. My father worked hard but knew how to rest. He laughed easily, especially at the practical jokes he played on others, and loved solitude and peace at his Fort Peck cabin. A smile came across my face when I remembered he...
The Mountaineer is 114 years old and faces changes, which should be evident to all. The Havre Daily/Chronicle has decided it will no longer print the Big Sandy Mountaineer nor, for that matter, its own paper. It will be outsourced as well. Bozeman will be printing the Mountaineer at almost two times the cost I previously paid. We still need to find out the timeline, but we hope it will be similar to what we are doing now. The format has changed because of the paper's size, so please be patient w...
Of all patriotic holidays, Memorial Day is the most powerful for me. A veteran came up to me at the program and asked why more people didn't come. He was hurt and said, "I guess I'm just old fashion." There is just something about this holiday that brings tears to my eyes. The first stop is the breakfast put on by the Big Sandy Historical Society. It's a great breakfast, and everyone can sit around and visit while waiting for the parade. Every year, the parade is getting better. I remember...
Well, school is out for the summer. Do you know what that officially means? Swimming is back! I wanted to start this year’s swim season with something different. I was visiting with someone recently about how excited I was to be able to keep up with the swimmers and how their times change for the season as they get better. That individual said they don’t read the articles or attend any meets because they don’t understand swimming. I decided to break down a few things before I give you the results of the Big Sandy swim team’s weekend in Shelby....
Barb Martin from Big Sandy and Dan Wilkins presented a program to the Big Sandy students called Pull Your Share. It is designed to teach what a Knapweed looks like and encourage students to pull the weed before it forms seeds. The program hopes to have teachers and their classes adopt sites that are infested with noxious weeds. When pulling weeds, wear gloves, pull close to the ground, and remove as much root as possible. If the weeds are pulled before seed heads have formed, it is ok to leave the pulled weeds. If seed heads have formed, it is...
One of my favorite activities at the FE Miley Elementary School is the end-of-year Extravaganza, held on May 23rd. The kindergarten class theme was "Travels to Antarctica." Teacher Samantha Weaver said, "We collaborated with Connie Reichel when she went to Antarctica. So it was perfect. They just had a great time, and we learned a lot. I learned a lot." A study of four different Penguins on display was excellent, and a few of the students let me take their pictures once they had their penguin...
This year's 2024 graduates wanted to have the shortest graduation in Big Sandy's history, and it was. It only lasted 30 minutes, but it fit this class. Dan Schrock, Big Sandy Superintendent, welcomed family and friends. His welcome was the only speaker besides the Salutatorian and the Valedictorian. Dan said, "Distinguished guests, and most importantly, graduates. Today marks a significant milestone in your journey to you, your hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to excellence.'...
Chouteau County Sheriff Vern Burdick, a man of unwavering dedication, will be retiring in January 2025. His commitment to the community is evident in the way he always looks me right in my eyes and says "ma'am" when answering my questions. This respect he shows is a testament to his 30 years of service, 19 years as Sheriff and 11 years as a deputy, which he will complete on January 3, 2025. "I grew up in Nebraska but landed here with my family in 1993." Chouteau County was where he started his...
By Zoe Merrill The new Big Sandy clinic is getting nearer to opening. It's been a nightmare to receive the parts needed for opening. Ron Weins, CEO of Big Sandy Medical Center, said, "We are working on all the cabling for the building. Cabling, like for phones and computers, all that kind of stuff. Some of it's wireless because that connection between our two buildings will be wireless, but hopefully, it will get done next week." He isn't saying when the open house will take place because...
We have a new medical provider at Big Sandy. Introducing Joe Epperson, who has jumped right in because he just moved in here last week, and before the boxes were unpacked, he helped with branding. Joe is married to Tenley Keller. Joe and Tenley will be living with her parents, Demrec and Harvey, Keller 14 miles from town. Joe starts working at the Medical Center on May 10th as a physician assistant, certified (PA-C). He is a healthcare professional trained to diagnose and treat illness as well a...
The Big News from the Medical Center is we have a new medical provider; Joe Epperson PA-C. He will be starting May 10. Be watching for a complete introduction in a future Mountaineer. The Jason DeShaw concert “Serenity in the Storm.” He is a national award-winning speaker and singer/songwriter who shares his journey with mental illness and addictions and was coming to Big Sandy on April 26, 2024. He called and canceled the event because he was so sick with the flu. However, because the food was almost prepared the Medical Center decided to go...
I was taking garbage to the garbage bins in Big Sandy. This time, instead of just throwing the garbage bag, I looked at the garbage and thought about how I never think often enough about this issue of waste. I just dump. That is when I remembered reading about the theme for Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics. We just take our garbage to the bins. It’s staggering to think about the sheer volume of waste we generate. The largest portion of our garbage is food, with a mind-boggling 38-40% of the food we purchase ends up in the trash. Equally a...
This weekend, I was again reminded of the value of a person's life at a funeral and realized I must express what made it so incredible. First, Don Heikkila was an incredible man. Second, his family was incredible-one in a million-and third, his staff were incredible as well. What makes for an incredible life? Don Heikkilla was born with Cerebral Palsy and Mental Retardation, so his life was not easy. He was always required to use a wheelchair. At the age of twelve, he was moved into an...
Kyle Danreuther and his wife Jasmine live in "grandma and grandpa's, Charles and Janet Danreuther" place west of Big Sandy. Their daughter, Willa, is three years old. Kyle graduated from Big Sandy High School in 2007. So, twenty years ago, he participated in everything Big Sandy offered. He loved school here. Kyle said, "I just knew the position needed to be filled, and I wanted to help if I could. I wanted to help make good decisions for the community and the school." He becomes a school board...
Brad Moore, Chairman of the Big Sandy Education Foundation, announced the winners of the Foundation logo contest. He mentioned the Foundation has given Big Sandy education over $100,000 since its formation. While the Foundation worked with First Bank and the Big Sandy Rotary on the Backpack Project last August, they realized they needed a logo. They contacted Jessie Jaramillo, Big Sandy High School's art teacher, and asked her for help. She had her students design a logo for the Foundation. The...
Lisa Darlington mentioned on her Facebook page, “We have been hesitant to post about our events over the weekend. Saturday morning, Dana and I were sorting cows when I came across a fresh, dead calf. All that was left was his head. After endless, sleepless nights, this was gut-wrenching to find. He was our second calf born this spring, so a big, healthy steer calf. I set about taking as many pictures as I could and gathering what evidence we could find.” “Upon investigation from UJSDA Montana Wildlife Services, it was determined to be a confi...
The Big Sandy Medical Center held its monthly Board Meeting on April 18. The financial report was given, and it boils down to: "We bring in more money than we spend." Also, the draft Form 990 was reviewed. All nonprofits must send in a Form 990. It’s a very "robust report." The report also includes all "community-centered activities. “The report wants to show what a worthy nonprofit we are.” There are 18 long-term residents and five swing beds. Ron Weins gave his CEO Report: The CMS recertification survey has been completed, and the follow-up w...
The primary order of business at the Big Sandy City Council Meeting was the removal of Big Sandy’s Old Hotel downtown, which was built in 1916. It is full of asbestos, and the discussion was on removing it. Granite Peak Environment, LLC provided three alternatives to the Bear Paw Development Corporation, which has written and received a grant for its removal. Bear Paw has asked the city to provide in-kind services. There are three alternatives. One is to do nothing; the other two discuss the best time to remove the asbestos: Alternative 2...
