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Kristie Rutledge is a certified LPA (Lay Pastoral Associate) and serves the Christ Lutheran Church. Kristie is one of those wonderfully blessed individuals who the Lord touched as a young child. She said, “I would say faithful family (is the reason she knows the Lord.) I was born and raised in a First Communion, confirmation, and youth group, attending multiple Lutheran churches, but my family never went to church. They made it available. I was to be baptized, and I don’t remember if they sai...
I have been the owner of the Big Sandy Mountaineer for six years, during which time I have learned a great deal about myself and our community. I love being a part of you all. I loved writing, although I believe you will find the new owners are better at writing than I am. Big Sandy Pharmacy, owned by Danielle and Daniel Weaver, has supported me by placing ads in the paper during those years, and now they have stepped up to ensure Big Sandy will have a newspaper in the future. I hope you all...
I love stained glass, so I'm excited to see a store in Big Sandy! The name of Lisa Myers's business is Glass Candy. "I did stained glass in high school, which was a really long time ago." We both laughed. "I used all my graduation money and bought all the supplies to do stained glass, along with a bunch of glass. I probably did three or four things with it after high school, and then I did maybe a couple of things in my early 20s." However, after that, everything was put in a box and moved with...
By Zoe Merrill I was a student at the University of California, Davis. I was a political science major and was expecting to go to law school. I had even teamed up with a couple of other people to start a pre-law club at UC Davis. UC Davis has about 18,000 undergraduate students, which is very large, and they were beginning a law school." Another law school was at Berkeley. "That's where I was headed, but my personal life was a wreck. I was doing well as a student. I ended up graduating with...
Jason Cook is the Project Lead of the Spring Wheat Breeding and Genetics Program. He is also an Assistant Professor at MSU Bozeman. He is the son of Kenyon and the late Kathleen Cook of Big Sandy. Jason is a graduate of Big Sandy in 1996. Jason told me, "I went to Bozeman for my undergrad degree. And my master's degree. Then I went to Wisconsin for my PhD." He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Missouri. "I went to North Carolina State, in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was...
At the monthly meeting of the Big Sandy City Council, the Sheriff of Chouteau County, Justin Smith, introduced Ryan Clark, the new Chouteau County Deputy, who will be patrolling Big Sandy. The sheriff reported that there were 105 sheriff calls last month from the Big Sandy Area. Two deputies were always present for Homecoming. Last month, there were 18 patrols in the Big Sandy Area. There are currently seven open criminal cases in Big Sandy. Also, the new deputy has logged 41 traffic citations....
This year was the 15th year of the annual skate park. As always, people from all over the world were here. I visited with two from Brazil and from around the states. This year, I wanted to focus on the youth, as the hype should be about what it's doing for our children. After all, that is why Jeff Ament built it in the first place. So I spent time visiting with Big Sandy's guest about why it was important for our children. It was interesting to talk to skateboard experts. It was very clear why...
On Thursday, the 17th, Corey Kop, owner of Spruce and Steel Music in Havre, Montana, will host a concert and fundraiser for Chris Myer's Rock School. Chris told me Corey has a nice little music store. "He's been doing a backyard concert series, and this one will help support Rock School." Chris said, "I think Nathan and I are both going to play a little bit, and Cory is going to play. I might have the other three Shiver Brains kids play some acoustic stuff because it's in the backyard." Corey...
One of my favorite people, Doris Gullickson, is still rocking life. Her resilience and determination are truly inspiring. Despite the challenges, she's found a way to continue her work outside, even in a wheelchair. Doris's love for the outdoors and her positive spirit are unwavering. She's a testament to the fact that with the right support, anything is possible. Doris received a track wheelchair for the summer. Cutting Fences Foundation is a 501c (3) nonprofit organization serving farmers,...
I found the following definition for freedom. “Freedom, at its core, is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrances. It often encompasses both individual liberty and collective rights, and can be understood as the absence of constraints or the ability to make choices without undue restrictions. Ultimately, freedom allows individuals to pursue their own paths, express their beliefs, and shape their destinies.” Our rights are found in the Bill of Rights. “These include freedom of religion, speech, press, assem...
As my retirement approaches quickly, I want to write a series of articles about the people in our community who are invaluable. I decided to introduce the pastors of our community first. Erik Sietsema, currently serving as the pastor of the Big Sandy Community Church of God, has been a guiding light for many in our community. Erik said, "I became a Christian. I committed to follow Jesus for the rest of my life when I was maybe 15." He wasn't sure of the age. "It's hard to remember, it's a long...
I'm not from Big Sandy. Yes, I have lived here for 53 years, but Homecoming is for those who grew up here, making lifelong friends from childhood. However, I enjoyed Homecoming this year. I spent my time taking pictures of the evenst and listening to conversations. I'm sorry I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. It's hard not to hear conversations. Genuine laughter, hugs galore. Even the kids of former residents talked to me about how they were enjoying the weekend. Big Sandy folks, you did an...
Brittany Richard, Big Sandy's head volleyball coach, recently held a summer volleyball camp. I went over to the big sandy gym to watch the enthusiasm. The camp was held one week before homecoming. There were 23 second through sixth graders present and 17 seventh through 12th graders. Brittany was happy with the turnout, "I am, especially with that younger group. That's a lot of kids. We're missing quite a few of our high school kids." She acknowledges it happens with summer. "It makes a big...
As I have gotten older, my energy levels have depleted. I’m sure it’s due to getting older, but also my own poor choices in terms of what I eat and what I don’t do in terms of exercise. I’ve drank energy drinks, just hoping to find one that isn’t bad for me. Energy drinks have been around for centuries and have continued to gain popularity over the years. What started as a medicinal tonic approach to an energy boost for the working class has evolved into a morning, afternoon, and evening ritual every bit as crowd-pleasing and relied upon as y...
Doug Giebel, a dedicated collector, has spent a decade amassing a diverse array of historically significant items. His Big Sandy Cultural Museum, housed in the town's iconic big store, is a testament to his eclectic tastes. As he shared his knowledge and showed me clear photographs, Doug pointed out, "This is our most historic and important building. It was built by McNamara and Marlowe, the two ranchers who started the town. When the railroad came through, they shipped their sheep and cattle....
The homecoming committee is doing a great job, and Rotary wanted to help in any way they could to make it a success. Interviewing Shon Tester, he said, The Homecoming Committee and Rotary are getting along fantastically. They have always done so, and Rotary has assisted the Homecoming Committee with the flowers on Main Street, which look amazing. During Homecoming, “We are also featuring our restoration of the 59 Willys truck. On Main Street, we will have a 16-foot by 32-foot tent that will house everything Rotary right in front of Courtney a...
Memorial Day always makes me cry! I even saw a veteran break down and cry and another veteran comforting him. I have noticed that each year more people come home to honor those who passed away, serving our country, in our community. A breakfast is served by the Big Sandy Historical Society at the Big Sandy Museum followed by a parade. This year's parade was the best yet, with numerous old vehicle. After the parade a program was held at the Big Sandy Highschool. Diana LaBuda, Bob Quinn, and...
American Legion Post has two scholarships every year for our children within the school district. One is the rhetorical which is on the constitution that they have to write a speech the other is to prepare the essay which took first place. Severin Heimbigner, son of Conrad and Lianna Heimbigner won and earned a $1,000 scholarship. Diana Labuda read the winning essay, at the Memorial Day Program. "The Vietnam War era was an intense time in our country's history. There was a very binary outlook...
My sister, Dena, did many, many hours of research for the Mountaineer. In my mind, she's phenomenal. She told me, "I enjoyed researching Chouteau County Sheriffs so much because I've always loved history. I don't mean the history people get in high school or grade school that turned them off from history. I mean the kind of stuff that explains why that street is named what it is and why that road has a certain name? Who are the people behind that name who lived there?" "When you like history,...
Graduation and another new start have come and gone. The day was full of memories and excitement for the future! Loved ones from all over the nation and home, small-town best friends, came together to celebrate the Class of 2025. The class asked Shon Tester to speak to them. He said, "Through my experiences, every graduation speech, college or high school, is essentially the same. They're just worded differently with someone's personal twist. So what can I say to you, in the seven minutes allott...
Big Sandy Art was on full display at the Big Sandy Museum. I loved the opportunity to bid and win a gardening basket and still supported the art show. Dan Schrock, Superintendent of Big Sandy Schools, said, " I think if you look at all the efforts of the kids that have participated and entered their work in this show, it just speaks to the trajectory of our art program, and that's a really positive thing. We are incredibly fortunate to have Miss Jay. She is a rock star and has elevated this...
I want to encourage any family to join the swim team. For the older kids, it's a wonderful way to get in excellent shape for fall sports. For younger swimmers, it's one of the best ways to develop confidence! The friends they make all over the state encourage them to be confident socially. So, it's something to do all summer long: getting stronger, building self-esteem, and building confidence. You aren't required to go to every meet, but you'll want to. You will only be required to attend two....
Charlotte Danreuther sent the following information. "We just had our end-of-the-season pool tournament for our Big Sandy VNEA league. It was a double elimination, and the top 6 players got payouts. All four tables in town were utilized in the 2 day event. Ryan Pansch was undefeated and took first place, winning $200. Chad Cook worked hard to get to the final match, winning second place with $150. Charlotte Danreuther came in third with $125. Walt Sivertsen got 4th place, taking home $100. Ron...
Physically besides water and air, humans also need food, shelter, and sleep to survive. These are considered basic needs; without them, survival is impossible.” I have realized that these five components of physical life are the same ones we need for a spiritual life. Therefore, these will be the subject for the following five weeks. In the beginning, after the Lord formed us from clay, he breathed life into us (Genesis 2:7). The Spirit of God gave us life from the beginning! Without him, we cannot breathe spiritually. “In scripture, the Hol...
A new exciting fund raiser by the Big Sandy Rotary is nearing it's deput. I had a nice conversation with Shon Tester, who is spearheading this exciting new Willys truck! Someone here will win it! Shon told me, "Steve Klanick purchased the1959 Willys Brand New. In 2001, Blaine Opus bought it; after that, Deb and Dave Louvar owned it and generously gave it to Rotary." Shon has restored other cars, and Deb had originally called to see if he wanted it for his own collection of antique cars. "She...