Alberton, MT

Last night, following the Community Journalism Class at Alberton School, the Alberton Community Foundation held their regular monthly board meeting, and our plans for future were discussed.

The newsletter is taking shape, and a committee, formed to explore jointly sponsoring Railroad Day with the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce, will report back to the board during the next meeting.

Among other things, the nuts-and-bolts discussion addressed how, and when the agenda for our meetings will be distributed, the use of Robert’s Rules of Order, what the minutes of each meeting will contain, and how our committees will be formed.

We are also exploring both a technology center, and free wireless Internet.

Alberton Mayor Joe Hanson and I have discussed using the basement of the Alberton Town Office for the Tech Center, and it looks promising. Mike Lee has been looking into the Wireless Internet, and had a presentation prepared for the board, but the discussion was tabled until our next meeting so that all of the board members could participate.

One additional note: The Alberton Community Foundation has now been placed on the Alberton Town Council’s monthly agenda — quite a change from the reticent reception Horizons received when the program was presented in October of 2008…

The future is looking better all the time.

First, in the spirit of full-disclosure, it should be noted that my first contact with the Horizons Program came about through my work as a reporter/journalist for the Clark Fork Chronicle:

With that said, when the program was pitched during the Alberton Town Council meeting, in October of 2008, I listened attentively, included the program in my article, and, like Alberton Mayor Joe Hanson, maintained a large pool of personal skepticism.

The reason?

To paraphrase Mayor Joe: Many programs have come to the area with outside funding or grant money; they have paid themselves to study the situation, create reports, and write papers; and they have moved on to greener-pastures; climbed up the ladder of opportunity, created by their reports, and left nothing behind but bitterness in the hearts of those who call the area home.

It was difficult for my mind, as both resident and reporter, to believe Horizons would bring anything different to the table, but I attended the informational meeting; chose to participate; agreed to sit on the Steering Committee, and have been actively involved since that time.

This is an excerpt from, and a link to the article I wrote about the program:

More than 30 people gathered in the basement of the Alberton Methodist Church to learn about, and possibly participate in an 18-month program that will address issues of poverty in the area.
Sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF), the Horizons Program reports that: “Poverty is more than just lack of financial resources.”
Poverty is far broader than just financial, it says, and can be defined in terms of things like emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical support systems; relationships and role models; and the knowledge of hidden social class rules.
A steering committee has been chosen for the program, and “Study Circles,” to address the needs in local area, will be meeting soon.
Along with 15 other communities, Alberton will be part of Horizons Phase III, “… an 18-month program that embraces the entire community where all voices need to be heard and actively engaged in poverty reduction strategies.”
During the first meeting the presenters made a point of saying that the goal is to have voices representing a complete cross section of the community – from young to old with respect to income, race, religion or politics, with a sense of community spirit the ultimate goal.
A DVD outlining the successful implementation of the program, in both Bolder and Whitehall, was played during the first meeting, and can be made available to anyone in the area who wants more information.

With the closure of Horizons Phase III, as both participant and jaded journalist, I am taking away an enhanced awareness of the multi-faceted part poverty plays in the wellbeing of my community, and an optimistic outlook that truly surprises me.

In an effort to keep this short, I will say that as a reporter I cover a lot of events, participate in a wide variety of meetings, and I am finding that the things I’ve learned from Horizons is having an impact that reaches far beyond the projects our group has chosen – that there is now a willingness to be involved and that the need to address the issue of poverty in rural areas dominates what I bring to the table.

I see the impact of my experience influencing everything from my interviews and interaction with Senator Jon Tester, to conversations with our local officials; from the questions I’ve posed as the moderator of political debates to phone interviews of the candidates; from the Mineral County Challenge to the Montana Legacy Project, the West Valley Community Council, the Frenchtown Fire Department, the Alberton Town Council, the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, the Alberton Senior Citizens, the churches in town, individuals, and a multitude of other organizations…

The list is endless, the education appreciated, and, in my opinion, the time well spent.

Thank you.

I can truly say that I see positive changes in both my community, and my life that have come about as a direct result of the Horizons Project, and I am happy to report that, as Phase III concludes those changes will continue – the project hasn’t really ended, it’s morphed into the Alberton Community Foundation and it will be here for a long time to come.

The Alberton Community Foundation is really taking shape.

Our board has five members:

Kavita Bay, Mike Lee, Richard Werst, DessyeDee Clark, and Amy Lommen, with Jim DeBree stepping up to serve as our advisor.

In addition, officers for the foundation have been elected from among the board members:

President: Amy Lommen
Vice President: Dessyedee Clark
Secretary/Treasurer: Richard Werst

Regular monthly meetings are being scheduled for the Third Thursday of every month in the Alberton Community Center.

Our official mailing address is:

Alberton Community Foundation
PO Box 25
Alberton, MT 59820

The meetings are open to the public, everyone living in the area is encouraged to participate, and a big thanks goes out to all of those whose time and effort helped take the foundation from idea to reality.

DRAFT ONE
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
Alberton Community Foundation

            These Articles of Incorporation are executed by the undersigned for the purpose of forming a Public Benefit Foundation under the Montana Nonprofit Corporation Act.

ARTICLE I

The name of this corporation shall be: “ALBERTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.”

ARTICLE II

The period of existence of this foundation shall be perpetual.

ARTICLE III

            This is a Public Benefit foundation organized exclusively for charitable, educational or scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

            Its purpose shall be to assist in the development of projects, undertakings, studies, training programs, workshops and other activities beneficial to the public interest, in cooperation and in coordination with local governmental, civic bodies and other groups, corporations or individuals to: aid, assist and foster the planning, development, and improvement of the Alberton community and surrounding area of  Mineral County Montana; to promote social welfare, relief of the unemployed or underemployed; to secure adequate housing, community facilities and other related facilities, services and conditions, economic and otherwise, conducive to the progress and general welfare of the community; to conduct research in the public interest for purposes of aiding the community by attracting new industry to the community and by encouraging the development and retention of industries within the Alberton trade area;  and to that end:

1.         To encourage and assist in the preparation of plans, surveys, studies and recommendations;

2.         To investigate and study general specific economic conditions and support activities within the community with an aim to increase economic activity, employment, tax base and opportunity
3.         To assist in finding sources of funding and financing for plant and equipment for local business concerns, either by funds solely from its source or in conjunction with the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 and other such programs, when such assistance will result in broad economic benefit to the area through job expansion or retention; to assist local businesses to expand to provide a means of livelihood and expanded job opportunities for unemployed and underemployed area residents; and to help establish new business in the area and to rehabilitate existing or former businesses that have deteriorated where it can be shown to be in the public interest and beneficial to the area’s overall economic condition.

4.         To encourage citizen participation in improvements and improvement programs and to disseminate information to the general public concerning the objectives and purposes of such programs;

5          To purchase, take, receive, lease, accept by gift, devise or bequest, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use and otherwise deal in and with real and personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated;

6.         To make contracts and incur liabilities, receive grants of money, borrow money at such rates of interest as the foundation may determine, issue its notes, bonds, and other obligations and secure any of its obligations by mortgage or pledge of all or any of its property, franchises and income;

7.         To carry on any of the foregoing activities or purposes either directly, or as agent for or with other persons, associations or corporations;

8.         To carry on any activity and to deal with and expend any such property or income there from for any of the foregoing purposes without limitation, except such limitations, if any, as may be contained in the instrument under which such property is received, the Certificate of Incorporation, the By-laws of the foundation or any other limitations as are prescribed by law, provided that no such activity shall be such as is not permitted by a foundation exempt from Federal Income Tax; under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or any corresponding future provision of the Revenue Code, and that the foundation shall not attempt to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise, nor shall it intervene in or participated in, any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, and provided further that no part of the net earnings of this foundation shall inure to the benefit of any member or private individual and no member, director or officer of the foundation shall receive any pecuniary benefit from the foundation, except such reasonable compensation as may be allowed for services actually rendered to the foundation.

9.         To have and exercise all powers necessary or convenient to affect any or all of its purposes and to have and exercise all powers granted non-profit foundations by the laws of the State of Montana.

The Alberton Community Foundation, with thanks to the Horizons Program, The Corporation for Public Newspapers, and the Clark Fork Chronicle is taking a big step towards the bringing a newsletter to life in our community.

As of April 8, 2010, eight students are enrolled in the Community Journalism Class that is being given through Alberton School’s Community Education Program.

With the production of a Community Newsletter for the area as the ultimate goal the curriculum is designed to cover all the steps, and tools that are required to take a publication from idea to hard-copy.

Alta Pruyn, Richard Werst, and Amy Lommen

Thank You to all Mineral County Residents who donated to Partnership Health Center through Alberton’s Walk for Awareness

We want to thank all who participated in the Walk for Awareness in Alberton on October 24th and donated to Partnership Health Center’s Breast and Cervical Health Program. Our program provides breast and cervical screenings for low income women. Your generous contributions will be used to provide many breast and cervical cancer screenings for women in need from your communities. With these funds we will screen women who would otherwise go without these important screenings without our help.

Thank you Mineral County Residents!

Alta Pruyn

Here is a link to a copy of the original PDF
mineral-letter-to-editor.pdf

Avon Outreach Worker
Partnership Health Center

Submitted by Laura Acker

The Alberton Community Food Pantry opened June 10th. This would not have come to pass, however, without the dedication of local citizens and beyond.
There are so many people and organizations supporting us that it is difficult to know where to start.
Laura Acker and Kristi Thisselle attended meetings held by Horizons Program that were meant to identify local needs in Mineral County. Working with Horizons, they realized the Alberton area probably needed a community food pantry.
Next they enlisted the help of a number of people in and around Alberton to work with them – our board members( Laura Acker, Pat Darne, Linda Gardner, Cora Howe, Ronie Johnson, Dani Sacks, and Kristi Thisselle.) and volunteers. After a number of meetings and guidance from the Montana Food Bank Network, we approached Frenchtown Rural Fire District about using the room at the back of their Alberton station. Not only did they agree; they brought it up to the standards required by MFBN.
From then on, it was like the domino effect,
Montana Food Bank Network and Megan Hill taught and mentored us early on.
Van and Jeanne Wolverton gave us our first shelves.
Monte Dolack donated the strong shelving units from his warehouse and volunteers labored to remove them from the warehouse, transport, and then set them up again in our building
Our first freezers came from Bob Guckenberg and Willie Wheeler.
Unloading our delivery trucks takes some strong backs and early rising: Laura Acker, Dick and Pat Darne, Lee and Ronie Johnson, Fred Knight, Kristi Thisselle, and Robert Tweten are often there to lend a hand.
We appreciate the support we received from Mineral County Extension Office and Horizons for helping us with our mass mailings and initial publicity.
St. Albert’s, United Methodist, Community, and High Country Cowboy churches members have regularly donated money and food in the fight against hunger. ACFP is truly a community effort – by and for the greater Alberton community.
The Washington Foundation provided grant money that is so necessary.
Alberton’s Helping Hands assisted and mentored us through the formation process, as well as monetarily.
The Alberton Seniors’ Center collected donations on behalf of ACFP.
The most rewarding help has been from community members who have donated both monetarily and with gifts of food. Local summer gardens and orchards provided a wealth of fresh produce and we were excited to have an abundance of healthy food to give our clients.
Our board members and volunteers are invaluable and the Alberton Community Food Pantry could not have opened, nor could it have stayed open, without the time and energy and dedication of each and every one.

Submitted by Amy Lommen

Alberton hosted the first Breast Cancer Walk for Awareness on October 24th, 2009. We had over 100 registrants! The weather was cold and windy, but spirits were warm and high as we trekked on through for a good cause. Through registration fees and a silent auction we were able to raise over two thousand dollars for the Montana Breast and Cervical Program. This money has been designated to help with prevention awareness and will go to people who need financial assistance with mammograms. All participants left the walk with a tote bag filled with educational information about the importance of early detection, and contact information about local resources involving breast cancer awareness and detection. We also had a chili feed afterwards. It was a huge success and brought a great cause to Alberton.

A special thanks to all who helped make this happen:

Kirsten Locke, Director of Nursing at Mineral Community Hospital, Superior, MT
Mineral Community Hospital Foundation, Superior, MT
Jim DeBree of Mineral County Extension Office/Horizons, Superior, MT
Char Houska, Breast Care Coordinator at Saint Patrick Hospital, Missoula, MT
Faux Pink, Missoula, MT
Peak Performance, Missoula, MT
Alta Pruyn of Montana Breast and Cervical Program, Missoula, MT
Advanced Imaging, Missoula, MT
KPAX news station, Missoula, MT
Richard Werst of Clark Fork Chronicle and Horizons, Alberton, MT
Michael Moore of Missoulian, Missoula, MT
Chicks-N-Chaps, Missoula, MT
Alberton Horizons, Alberton, MT

*And all others who made donations for our silent auctions!