Columbus, MT

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By Jamie Spainhower
Prevention Specialist
Stillwater Community Coalition

The Columbus Youth In Action Program continues to grow week by week. In just the last few weeks, four new students have joined the program, and with two months of school left we hope for more. The enrollment is now up to 21.

So far in March we have done several projects, including clay formations, Leprechaun traps (no one caught any of the slippery little guys, but there was plenty of evidence they were there with candy and gold dust left behind) and had a field trip to the Stillwater County Library.

In April, we will be working on some science projects, and building robots that are programmable. We will also hit the outdoors and do some fun activities I learned during the ROPES training course. They have already done some of the trust and relationship building projects from this great program and enjoyed themselves while learning.

They’ve also learned about how to protect themselves from bullies, and cause and effect for the actions now, and in the future by what choices they make.

Constance Smith comes monthly to work with them in the theatrical arts, and their favorite crafts involve lots of paint, glue, feathers, beads and anything else they can put together.

The kids range from first through fourth grades, and more are welcome. As always, the volunteers who help each day are invaluable, and the program would not be possible without them: Karen, Barb, Bev, Katie, Constance and Mary are the best!

At present we are trying to find funding to keep the program going next year, opening it to all students first through sixth grade.

The group meets Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the Columbus Evangelical Church from after school until 5:30 p.m. For more information, to become a volunteer or to enroll kids in the program contact the Stillwater Community Coalition at 322-5228 or 321-4031, or email j.spainhower@stillwatercoalition.org.

Afterschool participants are learning to make decisions by using challenges in the form of games.

The Youth in Action Afterschool Program has been quite involved since the beginning of the year, meeting Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The program is currently being coordinated by Jamie Spainhower of the Stillwater Community Coalition. Two times a week 17 students participate enrichment activities and one day a week drug prevention curriculum is used. Barb Peterson volunteers every day. Other regular volunteers include Mary Kroll, Katy Matovich, Bev Nisley, and Sande Seibert. More volunteers are needed. Please contact Jamie at 322-5228.

Resource persons also work with the afterschool participants. Students have learned about Northern Ireland from Christine Haaland, former Stillwater 4-Her, when she shared her International 4-H Youth Exchange experience in Northern Ireland for six weeks in the summer of 2008. Karen Tyra, Stillwater County Extension Agent, has worked with them on topics such as proper hand washing, preparing simple snacks and those that require parents’ help. She also helped them learn how to set the table and how to have proper table etiquette for the spaghetti dinner they held for their parents on February 26. They have also been learning about aspects of theatre from Constance Smith once a month. Constance worked with the students to perform for their parents at the spaghetti dinner held on February 26.

Christine Haaland shares about her 6-week experience in Northern Ireland during the summer of 2008.

Youth in Action students show off their mini pizzas

Afterschool students learn about table etiquette and how to set the table

By Jamie Spainhower
Prevention Specialist/Program Coordinator
Stillwater Community Coalition

The Youth in Action After School Program is off to a flying start!

There are 16 students participating and they are having a good time. During the two hours they are there, they do homework, work on arts and crafts, read, and have special speakers come in to talk and show them new things.

Barb Peterson, who volunteers every day, started the kids off with making nametags, and with her help the kids showed their individuality with stickers, markers and brightly colored paper. There have also been lessons about self-esteem and how to express their feelings through art. Painting day is at the top of the list for crafts, as they learn while they play.

Several of the students have shown an interest in music, and have learned several songs on the piano.

Karen Tyra, Stillwater County Extension Agent, came on January 12 to teach students how to wash their hands to keep germs away, using “fake” germs and showing them with a black light where “germs” were left. It was a great hit. On January 15 they made their own easy snacks.

The staff is all volunteers, and more are needed to keep the project going, as we are picking up at least one new child a day.

The program is open to second, third and fourth graders in Columbus, and is held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the Columbus Evangelical Church, which graciously offered space for the program. For more information, or to register your child, call Jamie at the Stillwater Community Coalition at 322-5228, or email j.spainhower@stillwatercoalition.org.

Students making hurry-up nachos during the afterschool program

Youth in Action, the afterschool program which had its beginnings in the Columbus Horizons Grant, has been preparing volunteers for the opening on January 5.

On December 5, volunteers were offered a CPR course taught by Woody Hover at the Columbus Fire Hall. Youth development was the topic of the volunteer orientation on December 16.

Registration forms have gone out to families through the Columbus School. The afterschool program is being designed for youth from grades 2 through 4 and will be held at the Columbus Evangelical Church, which is allowing YIA to use their facility free of charge. January 5, 2009, is the target starting date for the program.

Youth in Action (YIA), the afterschool program in Columbus, is on its way to becoming a reality! With the hard work of the Stillwater Community Coalition and some very committed individuals, the program is hoping to begin January 5th 2009. It will be available on Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5:30 PM at the Evangelical Church for 2nd through 4th grades. This program is being run by volunteers at this time until funding can be secured for paid staff. The YIA program has received some start-up funds from the Columbus Horizons Committee, the Stillwater Community Coalition, the Stillwater Tobacco Use Prevention Program and a very generous grant from the Columbus Community Foundation. The Stillwater Community Coalition will be managing the afterschool program, which was first determined to be a priority for the Columbus community through the Columbus Horizons Grant Study Circles on poverty early in 2007 and was reiterated as a priority in the LeadershipPlenty® classes held in the spring of 2007. The Stillwater Community Coalition is very grateful for the community support and looks forward to a very successful program.

Why an after school program is important for our youth?

Bored kids can engage in some weird behavior. They talk to their socks, dance with their cats; squish their faces against windowpanes–or worse. That’s the funny side, but on the serious side, kids can engage in very risky behaviors such as experimenting with alcohol and/or drugs. The average age reported by youth in Stillwater County for having their first drink of alcohol at approximately age 11. But children attending after school programs have better, more constructive, educational and fun things to do.

The main area of concern is safety; studies show the hours between 3 and 6 PM are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex according to the CDC(2/08). Montana is the first in the nation for youth deaths due to suicide, binge drinking and substance abuse. But you can help lower these statistics and be an important part of a child’s life by volunteering to help with the afterschool program “Youth in Action.”

Afterschool programs can–and do–play an important role in promoting healthy lifestyles for youth. We are still looking for anyone interested in helping with this program! There are many areas that you can volunteer your time and effort:

• Crafts/art enrichment activities
• Homework help
• Computer lab
• Serving snacks
• Fundraising
• Help coordinating guest speakers and activities
• Administrative help- sign in sign out, records etc.

If you are interested, please contact the Stillwater Community Coalition at 322-5228 for more information.

–Article written by Joey Blankenship

Columbus Horizon’s Program presented Kid’s Club Childcare Center with a $1500 check. Kid’s Club Childcare Center is a non-profit entity in the Columbus Community providing daycare and childcare services. In the past, Kid’s Club has utilized outside food services to provide for the children. When the entity parted from the Stillwater Community Hospital, the food program became costly. Providing quality childcare and preschool services at an affordable rate is a priority for this non-profit childcare Center. The remodel of the facility, to include a kitchen, became a necessity for the Center to provide their own meals to the children. The assistance from Horizons and many other gracious donors of labor and supplies kept affordable, quality childcare service a reality. The funding responsibility for the remodel of the Center was not a burden to the families that utilize the Center. The staff at the Center is now able to prepare and serve meals and a much lower cost than the contracted program was able to provide.

One of the largest successes of the Horizons Steering Committee was the creation of the Columbus Community Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is “to promote philanthropy, receive and administer charitable gifts and invest in programs that improve quality of life by building a permanent endowment perpetuating the vitality of the community.” Through generous donations from the community the Foundation was born.

The benefits of this Foundation can already be seen in Columbus. They have recently provided the money necessary to purchase a refrigerator at Kids’ Club Daycare. The Foundation is a project that will continue to grow and help the community for years to come.

Newspaper articles about the Foundation can be found at both the Stillwater County News and Billings Gazette websites, respectively:

Foundation helps Columbus in wide variety of ways

Everybody can be a philanthropist

Sue Geraghty and Heidi Claunch receive the grant to finish the Kids’ Club kitchen project

Read the rest of this entry »

Horizons is a community leadership program aimed at reducing poverty in rural communities of fewer than 5,000 that have experienced significant decline or demographic change. The program’s goal is to help communities understand poverty, help them commit to action to change it and then bring about lasting change in their community. It is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation and delivered by Montana State University Extension. The program functions as a 18 month program and features five segments: Spotlights, Study Circles, LeadershipPlenty, Community Visioning, and Community Coaching and Action.

Columbus is located between the Yellowstone River and Interstate 90 in South Central Montana and is the county seat of Stillwater County. The community originated as a stagecoach station along the Yellowstone Trail, and today is a prominently agricultural and recreational area.

Demographic information about Columbus, according to the US Census Bureau:

• Population has increased by 10.5% from 1,748 in 2000 to 1,931 in 2006

• Median age is 38.3 years

• Largest age category is 40-44 years at 8.5%; Smallest category is 65-69 years

• 96.6% White, 1.7% Two or More Races, 1.3% American Indian or Alaskan Native, <1% Black or African American, Asian and Other

• Largest industry is Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting and Mining

• 37% of residents over 25 have a high school degree; 28% have some college education in 1999, 14% of individuals in Columbus earned income below the poverty level. More facts about poverty in Columbus, according to the US Census Bureau:

• 68% of individuals and 44% of households earn less than $30K

• Per Capita Income is $17,689

• Income bracket with the largest number (12%) of households is “less than $10,000”

• 17% of individuals under 18 and 16% over 65 live below the poverty line, compared to 13% and 9% respectively in Montana

• 15% of woman live below the poverty line

• Unemployment rate in Stillwater County is 2.8% (2007)

Columbus has been active in the Horizons program and is making great strides to reduce poverty in the community. The Horizons Steering Committee gathered input from the community to determine the most important issues within infrastructure and services, economic development, community involvement, youth and school, and beautification.

After the community established the top priorities the following vision statement was developed during community visioning.

“Columbus is a safe, progressive community that values its people and honors and preserves its history. Its character is reflected in its active community involvement, youth development, and the support of a self-sustaining business environment. Columbus is a place where all community members can thrive, prosper, and grow.”

One of the first actions that was taken by the Horizons Beautification Committee was to repaint the sign into Columbus and plant flowers near to provide a warm welcome to visitors. The Committee also renovated an old message sign by a local park. The Beautification projects have given the community a sense of pride.

A focus of the Horizons Steering Committee was the creation of the Columbus Community Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is “to promote philanthropy, receive and administer charitable gifts and invest in programs that improve quality of life by building a permanent endowment perpetuating the vitality of the community.” Through generous donations from the community the Foundation was born.

The town of Columbus is part of the Montana Main Street Program. The program provides resources for economic revitalization in downtown areas. In Columbus, the program is focused on a vacant lot from a fire. The Horizons Beautification Committee decided to partner with the Main Street Program so both programs can work together and double their efforts.

Through Horizons, community members focused on the idea of becoming a self sufficient community. One way of doing this was through the creation of the local farmer’s market. The purpose of the farmer’s market is to give the community a tool to become self sufficient and buy locally. The market was originally held only in August, but was extended due to its wide success. The 2008 Farmer’s Market was kicked off by Montana’s Governor Brian Schweitzer on July 24th and will run through mid-September.

Many rural communities also lack the resources to provide educational opportunities to individuals who wish to further their skills. Several guests were invited to Columbus to provide information and training to community members. Guests included Marsha Geotting who spoke on real estate planning, and Paul Lachapelle who talked about becoming an efficient and confident board member. These educational opportunities give residents tools to better themselves and become a more efficient community leader.

Youth have also been a focus in the Horizons program and involved in the entire process by serving as Study Circle facilitators and writing on the blog. The Columbus Mentoring Committee has been hard at work to develop an afterschool program. Committee members worked with the school system to distribute surveys, attended a conference and worked on finding a suitable location. With lots of work and dedication, the new program will start this fall.

Horizons has made a huge difference in Columbus. According to the blog, Horizons and its activities not only brought together Columbus but also surrounding areas. The blog attributes the most important accomplishment of Horizons is the “unification of a community.”

Horizons Communities:
Anaconda
Big Timber
Boulder
Brockway
Columbus
Crow Agency
Culbertson
Forsyth
Harlowton
Melstone
Roundup
Scobey
Terry
Whitehall
White Sulphur Springs
Wibaux

The Farmers’ Market this summer has so far been a great success. Not only is it a place to shop, but also a place to eat, socialize, and listen to the musicians.

In one of the earlier weeks it was estimated that there were from 275 to 300 people there, which was about the same as each week last year. There have been 24 sellers so far this market, with a few more joining later on, which meets the highest point for number of sellers for last year.