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For the first time in Big Sandy the Big Sandy Library will sponsor a lunch program that coincides with the summer reading program. Librarian Darlene Cline wrote and received a small grant from the Chouteau County Community Coalition and the Back-Pack Buddies Program which will allow the library to serve a paper sack lunch for students in the reading program. They received enough money so they can serve 60 children lunch on Thursdays at noon. There are no restrictions or income requirements. Any child wanting to be in the reading program at the...
Each Memorial Day often repeats the events of the year before. This was the second year for the MURPH Challenge but other than that it always starts with breakfast served at the Big Sandy Historical Society. Pancakes, sausage, fruit, and coffee. This is the only fund raiser for the Historical Society and the Big Sandy Museum. The breakfast is served by the committed people. They couldn't remember how many years they have been making pancakes, "probably 20"! Linda Ophus, the President of the...
Memorial Day was remembered in a unique way again this year. This is the second time the MURPH was offered in our community. "The 'MURPH' is more than just a workout, it is a tradition that helps push us, humble us, and dedicate a bit of pain and sweat to honor a man who gave everything he had." It is completed in remembrance LT. Michael P. Murphy, United States Navy (SEAL) who gave his life for his country. The Murph challenge consists of running one mile, 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, and 300...
4-H is 117 years old and the 4-H Pledge is 92 years old. "I pledge...my hands to larger service...for my club, my community, my country and my world." Allan T. Smith, Ph.D., National 4-H Program Leader/USDA compiled an interesting essay on Beyond 4-H Community Service...to Community Service Learning! He talked about the importance of children learning the "feel good" experience for service. Serving impacts kids in a positive manner by learning and genuinely choosing to help the community. The Su...
Alan Merrill, President of Montana Farmers Union, looks at the future of agriculture after talking to bank presidents, who asked to not be acknowledge admitted the future of agriculture doesn’t look promising. Alan remembered the 1970s and the 1980s and comparing them to the current farm economics. “I will try not to be negative, although it is difficult not to be. Comparing then and now makes it difficult to stay positive.” “I started full time farming in 1975 after I graduated. I decided to take a break from school and delayed getting...
Memorial Day Weekend will also be a celebration for the Virgelle Mercantile as it will be 40 years since he first opened the doors. Don told me he remembers his first customers Ruth and Angus Merrill and myself. He even remembered what we bought. While driving to Virgelle I thought of the history I had found on their web site. The town and the Mercantile were "founded in 1912 by Virgil and Ella Blankenbaker along the tracks of the Great Northern Railroad near Coal Banks Landing on the Upper...
Every school year ends on the FE Miley Extravaganza event. This year on May 23rd. Every class does something special to invite the public in to see what the teacher and the students are doing. This year was especially awarding. Every student prepared something for the public. I'll be choosing one in each class to highlight, although everyone should be recognized. Samantha Weaver, the Kindergarten teacher, prepared a Tour Through the Kindergarten National Park. As you walked into the room you...
The Big Sandy School board hired a coach for every sport for the 2019-2020 school year. There was only one applicant per coaching post for each sport. Those coaching will be Thomas Dilworth, Pioneer Boys’ Basketball, Pete Jerrel will be coaching Pioneer Girls’ Basketball, Larry Jappe will be Head Coach for the Pioneer’s Football team, Melanie Schwarzbach will once again be the Pioneer Head Track Coach, Tyler Taylor will coach Pioneer wrestling and Head Coach for the Pioneer Volleyball Team is once again Shersteen Cline. The school board also...
Jim Dumas and The Big Sandy Meat Shop has won two state awards for his beef products. The 2019 Cured Meat championship/Grand Champion for his Fresh Cased Sausage and Blue Ribbon Cheddar Brats. He also took the 2019 Cured Meat Championship Reserve Grand Champion Whole Muscle Jerky. The top six were all within one point of each other. Out of a thousand points Jim got 994, so only six points from perfect. Jim is most proud of this Reserve Champion because there was so many in the category. Jim...
Every year the Big Sandy Masons give away bikes in their Bikes for Books Program. It is a Nation-wide program that is considered one of their most successful program encouraging students to read. This year they gave away three bikes in Big Sandy alone. Students in grades 3rd, 4th, and 5th could participate in the program simply by reading a book. Every time a student read a book he/she would get a ticket and put it in the can so the lucky winners name could be drawn. So, even if they only read...
Graduation is always a wonderful time of celebration. Families come from every direction, mother's cry, memory booths for each graduate surround the walls of the gym, and of course the Pomp and Circumstance grand march. Speeches were given by Jaylyn Cline, Valedictorian, and Georgia Wortman, Salutatorian. Georgia Wortman mentioned the class has so many opportunities in the future. She gave parents, teachers, and her class mates praise and thank you's. She ended with a FFA quote "As we mingle...
My father, David J Clowes, died in 2016 at the age of 85. He did not die in the Korean War. He served as a gunner's mate on the USS Walton, serving in the Formosa Sea during the Korean War. He would often tell stories about his buddies or tell stories that were funny. One time when he had KP duty they had made a huge pot of stew. He had to carry it down below the kitchen to the Mess Deck where the sailors all waited to chew down. He had to maneuver a ladder going down and just when he started...
Editor's Note: We will be profiling 3 seniors. Here is the first. "You are at the end of your senior year." Grace Finke is the only child of Linda and Fred Finke and according to them she has always wanted to go to school, except starting this January she's been ready to move on. When asked what the highlights were of her 12 years of school here she said, "I think spending time together as a community would be the highlight. Attending football games and basketball games which really brought the...
Chouteau County Cancer Support Group is made up of cancer survivors and Trish Eklunds, from Geraldine, who was a hospice social worker. It was formed 19 years ago. They have a board comprised of six people that meet once a month. According to Trish they try to have other activity, presentation or education opportunities around the county. They recently meet with Rotary in Big Sandy to make connections with the Big Sandy community. The three ladies presenting were cancer survivors and there was...
When you think of Mother’s Day and what you do for Mother’s Day it usually doesn’t included tractor work. Driving long hours trying to get caught up with the spring’s late start. You think of flowers and homemade cards. It doesn’t matter how old we are, or if our mother has been gone a long time, we think of our mother and wish our best friend was still present. But rural life sometimes just means special days, even Mother’s Day, is placed on hold. There is no other holiday more emotional as Mother’s Day because a mother’s heart is so imp...
The Big Sandy High School awards assembly was held on May 7. A large potluck was set up on three table, and it was almost all eaten by the end of the night. Years ago, when my own children went to Big Sandy High School there was award banquets all through-out the year, celebrating each sport season. Now they holdit on one night and all awards and scholarships are presented. The evening started with Jessica Jaramillo, BSHS art teacher, presenting the new members of the National Honor Society...
The senior class is on their Senior Trip, their last class trip. They flew to Los Angles. Those class trips start young in Big Sandy. On May 2nd, Kindergarten teacher Samantha Weaver informed me the "Kindergarten through 3rd grade attended a field trip to Fort Benton. K-3 were guided through the Interpretative Center. They saw very interesting animal mounts and learned pioneer period history. The students participated in a discussion on animal furs and skulls. Students in 2nd and 3rd also toured...
This year's theme for Nursing home week is "Live Soulfully." There is no question that the Big Sandy Nursing Home lives up to the theme. They do everything that helps seniors to live fulfilled lives. What is important is the nursing care, activities, meals, physical therapy, a religious connection, and hospice care, or special care for dementia patients. They ask what makes them happy. They ask themselves how they can achieve "happy minds and healthy souls." Every day, staff at the nursing home...
It's National Teacher Appreciation Day May 7th and it's getting close to the end of the year. In a state where teachers are paid the lowest of all 50 states, a verbal recognition of their efforts is extremely important. Every one of the teachers in Big Sandy deserve a thank you from all of us. When I researched how to thank a teacher one site said, to give a thank you with an apple. The next said teachers were tired of apples. Clearly it isn't the apple, it's the appreciation you sincerely...
It was a windy day, like most spring track meets. I saw him coming down the cement stairs from the track field. I asked him if he likes track. He said, "Yes. I run the 100 and the hurdles." Although I learned later, he's never runs the hurdles but wanted to and on that day, he was going to get a chance to. He just loves being a part of a team and playing sports. His skill levels will not make him a winner, but he loves the camaraderie like sitting with friends on the bus and running in the same...
According to Mayor Shaud Schwarzbach they have about 1,000 linear feet to go before they are finished. When the lines are completed all projects around Big Sandy have been accomplished. If you take a moment to look at the ditches being dug you find it interesting to observe the difference from all the old pipes and the new pipes. If you haven't look yet, carefully observe the ditches. The large steel sledge placed in the ditch is there to protect the workers from the dirt collapsing upon them. I...
It's time once again for Hudson Baumgarn, son of Colby and Rachael Baumgarn, to have his third open heart surgery at the age of four. Hudson has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and without medicines and the series of three surgeries to rebuild the heart, babies with HLHS won't survive. The left side of the heart can't be fixed so the goal of the surgeries is to rebuild parts of the heart and redirect the way blood flows. The third surgery in the series for Hudson is called the Fontan Proc...
It was one of those excellent days. Shane Ophus was joining his auctioneer brothers in Helena to do a fund raiser for Jack Racicot, who was an intern on the senate floor and in a serious snowboarding accident on February 16, 2019 smashing his C5 vertebrae and was paralyzed from the neck down. After arriving at the Capital building, they were informed the plan for the day had changed. They were first going to meet with Mike Cooney Lieutenant Governor, in his office. It was there they learned that...
The first play that the Big Sandy Theater brought to town, Bedtime Stories (as Told by Our Dad) (Who Messed Them UP) written by Ed Monk, was an enormous success. The play was easy to hear and easier to follow. It was funny and every single actor knew their lines. You could see that they enjoyed the play themselves. Classical music played while we found our seats and waited for Bedtime Stories to start. My granddaughter who was sitting next to me said, "it's 6:01 they're late." But then the...
Dorothea Merrill has waited two years to be a part of the state champion Big Sandy Barracudas swim team. Registration is now opened for this year's team. You must be five years of age and able to swim the length of the swimming pool before you can join the team. The registration fee is $50 per swimmer or for a family there is a $125 cap. There is also the cost of a summer swimming pass to the Big Sandy Pool, which will be $60 for a single pass and $100 for a family pass. You must also buy a...