Articles written by zoe merrill


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  • Big Sandy Pioneer Basketball: It's Worth the Price of a Ticket

    Zoe Merrill|Jan 10, 2018

    For the most part, everyone watching a sporting event cheers for their team to win, so does everyone watching Pioneer Basketball. For the boys, it was a great win, but for me this time I went to watch it all. Really watch it. There are 34 students standing in a semi-circle singing the National Anthem in perfect harmony. That alone is worth the price of a ticket to attend the game. While the girls were being introduced they ran over and gave a high-five to Mike, a resident of Big Sandy Activities which made his entire year! That alone is worth...

  • New Year Resolutions What will yours be?

    Zoe Merrill|Jan 3, 2018

    A New Year’s resolutions are traditionally made on New Year’s Day. New Year’s Eve is considered to be the largest holiday celebrated on the earth. The first-time goals were made they were made by Babylonians making promises to their gods. The Romans started making these resolutions in the month of January. During Medieval era, it took place at the end of the Christmas season during “watchnight” services. In fact, according to the American Medical Association, approximately 40% to 50% of Americans participate in New Year’s resolution....

  • Chouteau County: A New Year, big changes

    Zoe Merrill|Jan 3, 2018

    Darin Schuster, Chouteau Country Commissioner informed me there were cuts to Chouteau County that would affect us immediately. That night the TV news confirmed what he had told me. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees local public assistance had their budget cut by $49 million. The state of Montana is closing half of its 38 Office of Public Assistance. Chouteau County is one of the offices being closed. The programs being affected are: (Snap) Supplement Nutritional...

  • 2017 Year in Review!

    Zoe Merrill and Leslie Gregory|Dec 27, 2017

    January 12-Lippard-Clawiter once again supported numerous Big Sandy projects. $10,000 to further equipment for the city parks; Big Sandy Rotary $2,500 for the youth in our community; Big Sandy Medical Center $10,000 to install new doors; Big Sandy Medical Guild $5,000 for two new geriatric beds; Big Sandy Library $25,000 continued finishes on the new building; Big Sandy Volunteer Fire Department $10,000 to update two rucks; Big Sandy Historical Society $9,000 for operating expenses; Big Sandy...

  • New Year's; Celebrate with good meals and a Safe time

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 27, 2017

    News Year Eve gives us a chance to celebrate the past year and encourages us to look forward to new beginnings. This celebration is very old, about 2500 years old. It is usually celebrated with friends and family enjoying a good meal together before staying up until after the new year starts at 12:00 AM. Pep's will be open this Sunday the 31st even though they are normally closed on Sunday's. Josh Danreuther said he plans on serving Steak and Shrimp with full meal including potatoes and sides....

  • Schwarzbach takes Mayor position

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 20, 2017

    The new, recycled, Mayor of Big Sandy is Shaud Schwarzbach. He will serve as Mayor, replacing the current Mayor Steve Stiles, who resigned due to illness. The council wants to have a Proclamation and proper acknowledgement given to Steve Stiles for his service, but that presentation will take place when Steve is healthier. In January 2018 Shaud will have served the town of Big Sandy for 18 years. Schwarzbach will serve for a two-year term, after which Shaud will retire from the city Council. The...

  • The Anderson's: An inspiration to many

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 20, 2017

    What is the impact of 23 years of service to a community? Brooke and Renee Anderson moved to Big Sandy in 1994. Their first job was working for Sheehy's before he started to work at the Mountain View Co-op. Brooke worked for Calvin Danreuther for seven years. During those years he also started his business, in 1999, which developed into J & B Contracting Company. They moved into the Ray Reichelt home in 2002. They raised all four of their children Rachel, Justin, Kate and Hannah in Big Sandy and...

  • Christmas Eve Services at local churches

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 20, 2017

    The Christmas Eve Services, in Big Sandy, for you to choose from are: The Catholic Church is having three candle light local Christmas Eve services; Big Sandy at 6; Box Elder at 8; and Rocky Boy at 10:00. Christ Lutheran will have a candle lit service starting at 5:30 with special music. Big Sandy Community Church of God will have a candle light service at 6 p.m. with Pastor Erik Sietsma preaching from Mathew. Grace Lutheran is also having a candle light service starting at 5:00 with lots of special music. Pastor Rich Jespersen will be...

  • Christmas Joy comes to Big Sandy Activities

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 20, 2017

    While seeing Christmas through the eyes of the clients of Big Sandy Activities you once again discover the magic of the season. We discover we can celebrate life in the smallest things and find real joy in the process. On every other Monday Sister Kathleen, Connie Green, and LeRita McKeever from Saint Margaret Mary's Catholic Church come and lead the individuals with a fun and interactive bible study at the BSA center. The individuals role play the lesson at least three times, before they get...

  • Big Sandy Students making music

    Zoe Merrill and Amanda Robinson|Dec 13, 2017

    The Big Sandy music program has grown to 30 students in band and 43 in choir. There were 8 students chosen from Big Sandy for the North Central Honor Band and Choir that took place on Nov. 27 and 28 at Choteau High School. The students had to submit an audition along with an application. The band students had to play two scales, a chromatic scale, an expressive etude, and a technical etude. The choir students had to sing two scales, an arpeggio exercise, and the first verse of America, all...

  • With Our Eye on The Arts

    Zoe Merrill and Amanda Robinson|Dec 13, 2017

    With the success of the Christmas Stroll and raising funds for the Elaine Courtnage Scholarship for the Arts or Nursing. It's a great time to look at the value of the arts and the continued development of the Art Program at Big Sandy High School. Besides the fact of course that the arts help teach creativity it might surprise you to learn it has been proven to improve academic performance. It also develops better motor skills and decision-making skills. While participating in the arts you must...

  • Big Sandy shares some of their Christmas Memories

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 13, 2017

    Jessica Roth was reading Christmas books to our most treasured members of our community. It was a relaxing moment. Muriel Silvan was listening, sitting in the TV room at the medical center, she looked so much like her mother Stella Lund, I smiled because I hadn't thought of Stella for years. She wanted to talk about her memories of sitting by a Christmas tree watching the candles burn. I could picture her there with Elmer and Stella Lund. They'd sit by the tree watching the flames dance until th...

  • A tribute to Elaine Courtnage: A Wonderful Life

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 6, 2017

    There is a core group of people representing the Chamber of Commerce who are responsible for the entire celebration of the Christmas stroll, but for Tracy Schuster, a member of the committee, this Christmas stroll was missing a huge piece of the celebration, an Elaine Courtnage designed Christmas stroll button. Facing this first Christmas without Elaine's design for the stroll, meant just one thing for Tracy, find every button Elaine ever designed, which was 17 years. It took one month to find...

  • Maybe Christmas is More; Bear Paw Coffee Opens for Stroll

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 6, 2017

    While Robin Pearson was driving to the Bear Paw Coffee Shop and Deli he was thanking the Lord for giving him the idea to find volunteers to work at the Coffee Shop and Deli, allowing it to be open for the Christmas Stroll. Kind of like farmers finishing the combining when a neighbor needs help. Community supporting community. Neighbors helping neighbors. Robin said there were three key elements that he knew he would need in order to make a volunteer crew work. First Steve and Cherie Stiles...

  • Big Sandy Activities set to hold Open House

    Zoe Merrill|Dec 6, 2017

    Big Sandy Activities is holding an Open House December 14th between 1-4 PM. It will be held at the new Day Program Building. There will be treats and drinks and an opportunity to tour the new facility. Big Sandy has been looking forward to the day, when all the construction issues were fixed and they could finally welcome in the community. The individuals served at BSA are excited to have the public in. Lorrie Merrill, Executive Director, said, “It’s been a long and frustrating process, but currently everything seems to be working. We had moi...