december 2015 montana best times

Musician is all about the bass

Food bank director fights hunger

Helping young campers

Chocolate for charity

December 2015

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December 2015 — 2

Bookshelf .................................................Page 3Opinion ....................................................Page 4 Savvy Senior ............................................Page 5Big Sky Birding .......................................Page 14

Calendar ...................................................Page 18Volunteering .............................................Page 19On the Menu ............................................1Strange But True ......................................Page 22

INSIDE

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Weather device falls from sky PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The National Weather Service says

an instrument that fell from the sky, prompting a Philadelphia bomb squad response, weighed about a pound and had been launched with a weather balloon about 165 miles away.

Mitchell Gaines, of the weather service in Mount Holly, New Jer-sey, says the instrument called a radiosonde took off from the agen-cy’s office in Sterling, Virginia. High winds carried it to Philadelphia.

Radiosondes are sent up by balloons, taking and transmitting mea-surements to their home stations as they ascend. When the balloon reaches a certain altitude it pops, and the instrument floats to the ground. It has a postage-paid mailbag inside so finders can return it.

Philly.com reports a bomb squad responded when the radio-sonde fell from the sky in northeast Philadelphia and struck a vehicle.

Board wants pet DNA to track down poopers DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — Some Florida condo owners are steam-

ing after their homeowners association asked them to submit their dog’s DNA in order to fine owners who don’t pick up after their pets.

Harbor Landing residents said they received a letter last week and some feel it’s an invasion of privacy. The letter asked resi-dents to register their dogs and cats with the association through a DNA test, citing a significant increase in the amount of animal feces found throughout the property recently, including inside the elevators.

The News Herald reports pet owners would have to pay for the DNA test, registration fee and any potential cleanup fees.

Condo officials say it’s a voluntary process and that the mea-sure is only meant to help keep the property clean.

News Lite

“SPECIAL DELUXE: A Memoir of Life & Cars”

By Neil Young • Plume (December 2015)Softcover • $18 • 383 pages • 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”

ISBN: 978-0-14-751651-0

Bookshelf

December 2015 — 3

� By Montana Best Times Staff

For all those Montana 50-plussers out there who are big Neil Young fans comes a fascinating new book by the author himself — the New York Times Bestseller “SPECIAL DELUXE: A Memoir of Life & Cars.”

Since his first hit in the late 1960s, Neil Young has been one of the most iconic, eclectic, and mysterious stars of the music world, says a news release on the book from Penguin Random House. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — as a solo performer and as a founding member of Buffalo Springfield — Young is widely regarded as one of rock and roll’s greatest song-writers and performers.

Young’s first memoir was the international bestseller “Waging Heavy Peace. Now, writing in his own unique, lyrical, and charming voice, Young returns with more indelible stories and reflections about his remarkable life and career through the lens of one of his great passions — cars.

From his Canadian boyhood through his six decades in the music business and his recent years as an environmental activist, Young chronicles how cars have been intimately intertwined with his life and his music, the release says. For the most part, they are not fancy cars, not perfect cars, expensive cars or exotic cars. Rather, Young collected cars for their uniqueness and character, with little concern for their condition, usually at dirt-cheap prices. The cars he writes about are “the cars that really had a human and enduring lifetime connection with me ... Those cars hold some of my favorite thoughts, feelings, and memories, my moments of bliss. They are things of metal, but they harbor part of my soul.” Woven through Young’s candid memoir are some of the most famous names in rock and roll, from Stephen Stills to Rod Stew-art and Bob Dylan. Far more prominent, however, are the family,friends, lesser-known musicians, engineers and producers who have been his closest companions.

He writes touchingly of family and the many wonderful dogs he has owned, including Skippy, a Labrador mix his family had when he was a small boy in Ontario; Elvis, a Tennessee bluetick coonhound; and Carl, a high-spirited Labradoodle.

Woven throughout “SPECIAL DELUXE,” the release says, are new revelations about Young’s childhood, teen years and adult life, as well as his music:

• For the first time, Young reveals the full story behind the writing of one of his most enduring songs, “Like a Hurricane.” Young also offers many new insights into the songs that were tabbed for his still unreleased album “Homegrown.”

‘SPECIAL DELUXE’: The perfect book for Neil Young fans, car lovers

• Young describes the recording of a nine-song acoustic tape dubbed “Hitchhiker” in 1976 in Malibu with David Briggs producing and actor Dean Stockwell hanging out and listening, an audience of one. Even Young’s most ardent fans have never heard about this one.

• The Sunset Strip riots between hippies and police in West Hollywood that sparked the writing of Stephen Stills’ Buffalo Springfield hit “For What It’s Worth” took place on Nov. 12, 1966, Young’s 21st birthday.

• Young offers new insights into the turmoil between his mother and father before they divorced, writing vividly about one scene in particular of Rassy, despondent over one of Scott’s discovered affairs, sitting in the driveway of their home with a big pile of 78 records, crying, taking out each one, looking at it, and then break-ing it on the pavement. • Young provides fascinating insights into his instrumental guitar work that served as the soundtrack for Jim Jarmusch’s film Dead Man. Young also writes in some detail for the first time about the still-unreleased Toast recording sessions with Crazy Horse that took place in the South of Market section of San Francisco in 2001.

“SPECIAL DELUXE” is that rare thing: a sequel to an earlier critical and popular success that is just as substantive and appeal-ing as its predecessor, the release says. Written entirely by Neil Young himself in his own singular voice, and featuring over 40 original drawings by the author, it is sure to delight readers of Waging Heavy Peace and his legions of devoted fans.

“SPECIAL DELUXE” would make an excellent Christmas gift for any Montana Neil Young fan.

December 2015 — 4

Holiday season can often have two sidesWe didn’t set out to do it, but this issue of Montana

Best Times contains stories from two opposite ends of the holiday spectrum.

On the one hand, there are upbeat articles about a group in Miles City — the Range Riders Reps — selling chocolate treats for a charitable cause (Page 6), and Help-ing Hands Food Bank Director Linda Conner’s work and community involvement (Page 10), which includes spe-cial gift boxes during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Then, on the other hand, there is a story about how to prevent seasonal depression (Page 17).

Quite a contrast. And yet, the two ends of that spec-trum so often come into play during the holiday season. While most celebrate the season with gladness, there are many people who struggle this time of year — either from simple biological causes like the lack of light that can bring depression, as described in the Page 17 story; or from loneliness, broken relationships or difficult health circumstances, which can be felt more keenly when people around you are being festive at Thanksgiv-ing and Christmas.

There are more people dealing with that downside of the holidays than you might think.

So do something this Christmas season. If you know of anyone who is not having the greatest Christmas, reach out to them in some way — a visit, a card, a phone call. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Just a kind word for someone in pain goes a long way.

And that would truly be honoring the spirit of the sea-son.

– Dwight Harriman, Montana Best Times Editor

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Dwight Harriman, Editor • Cheyenne Crooker, Designer

P.O. Box 2000, 401 S. Main St., Livingston MT 59047Tel. (406) 222-2000 or toll-free (800) 345-8412 • Fax: (406) 222-8580 E-mail: [email protected] • Subscription rate: $25/yr. Published monthly by Yellowstone Newspapers, Livingston, Montana

Opinion

Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated “Savvy Senior” information column, is a longtime advocate of senior issues. He has been featured in Time magazine; is author of “The Savvy Senior: The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens”; and is a regular contributor to the NBC “Today” show.

December 2015 — 5

How to Split Pills SafelyDear Savvy Senior,

Is pill splitting safe? I have several friends who cut their pills in half in order to save money, but I have some concerns. What can you tell me?

– Cautious Kim

Dear Kim,Pill splitting — literally cutting them in half — has become a

popular way to save on pharmaceutical costs but you need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist first, because not all pills can be split.

The reason pill splitting is such a money saver is because of a quirk in the way drugs are manufactured and priced. A pill that’s twice as strong as another may not be twice the price. In fact, it’s usually about the same price. So, buying a double-strength dose and cutting it in half may allow you to get two months worth of medicine for the price of one. But is it safe? As long as your doc-tor agrees that splitting your pills is OK for you, you learn how to do it properly, and you split only pills that can be split, there’s really no danger.

»Ask your doctorIf you’re interested in splitting your pills, talk to your doctor or

pharmacist to find out if any of the medicines you use can be safely split. It’s also important to find out whether splitting them will save you enough money to justify the hassle.

The pills that are easiest to split are those with a score down the middle. However, not every pill that’s scored is meant to be split. Pills that are most commonly split include:

• Cholesterol lowering drugs, like Crestor, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol and Zocor.

• Antidepressants, like Lexapro, Celexa, Serzone, Paxil and Zoloft.

• High blood pressure medicines such as, Accupril, Zestril, Diovan, Avapro, Norvasc, Tenormin, Toprol and Cardura.

• Erectile dysfunction pills, like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. »Use a splitterHaving the right equipment is very important too. Don’t use a

knife or scissors to cut your pills in half. It can cause you to split them unevenly resulting in two pieces with very different dosag-es, which can be dangerous. Purchase a proper pill cutter that has a cover and a V-shaped pill grip that holds the pill securely in place. You can find them at most pharmacies for $3 to $10.

For convenience, you might be tempted to split the whole bot-tle of pills at once. But it’s best to do the splitting on the day you take the first half, and then take the other half on the second day or whenever you are scheduled to take your next dose. That will help keep the drugs from deteriorating due to exposure to heat, moisture, or air. It will also help ensure that any deviation in the size of one dose is compensated in the next. It’s also important to know that pills are only safely split in half, and never into smaller portions such as into thirds or quarters.

»Don’t split theseSome pills should never be split. Drugs that are time-released

or long-lasting and tablets that contain a combination of drugs probably shouldn’t be split, because it’s difficult to ensure a prop-er amount of active ingredient in each half. Pills with a coating to protect your stomach, and pills that crumble easily or irritate your mouth shouldn’t be split either, along with chemotherapy drugs, anti-seizure medicines, birth control pills and capsules containing powders or gels.

Again, your doctor or pharmacist will know which drugs can and cannot be split. If you’re taking a medicine that can be split, you’ll need to get a prescription from your doctor for twice the dosage you need. Then you can start splitting safely, and saving.

–––––Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443,

Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

December 2015 — 6

Chocolate for charity

MT Best Times photos by Steve AllisonOn the cover: Pam Bovee, of Range Riders Reps, whips up a chocolate treat for the Range Riders Reps’ fund-raising effort. Above: Bovee dumps peanuts into warm chocolate while creating a tasty delight for the Range Riders Reps to sell.

� By Amorette Allison Montana Best Times

MILES CITY — The Range Riders Reps — the ladies auxil-iary to the Range Riders Museum members — have been around for 75 years, helping raise funds to support the muse-um. Many of those efforts have revolved around food.

The Reps most recent project, Chocolate Confectionary, which as been going on for the past several years, is no differ-ent.

The idea for Chocolate Confectionary came up at a meeting when longtime Reps member Bernice Criswell mentioned hav-ing a chocolate-only bake sale. Denise Hartse, another long-time member and former officer of the group, thought that was a great idea. Hartse was involved with the committee putting together Moonlight Madness, an October promotion for down-town.

Why not sell chocolate stuff at the Moonlight Madness?So, they did. Very successfully.The next obvious question was: Why not sell chocolate stuff

at the Christmas Stroll?While the sale itself was successful, the weather was not

always inviting and the Reps, whose current members range in age mostly from early 50s to their early 90s, weren’t that enthusiastic about sitting outside in sometimes bitterly cold weather.

Hartse, however, who was involved in lots of other organiza-tions and events, was dealing with Grounds for Change, an organization that assists local children and families with heath and dental care, educational needs, mental health, social needs and with housing when residents are facing severe financial hardship.

In 2013, Grounds for Change sponsored a Festival of Trees event in Miles City. Trees were donated and decorated by area residents, businesses and organizations, then auctioned at an event held inside the Miles City Town and Country Club.

Would the Reps be interested in being one of the vendors at the inaugural event?

Hartse said the Reps “got in on the ground floor” with the Festival of Trees, selling chocolate items at a holiday event held inside — where it is warm.

So Chocolate Confectionary, which started as a vague sug-

gestion at a meeting has turned into a substantial fundraiser for the Reps, who split their take with Grounds for a Change from Festival of Trees sale.

Items include cakes, cookies, fudge, chocolate sauce, candy and anything that can be made with chocolate. Popular items include some of the following recipes.

Chocolate Secret Nut ClustersThis extremely simple recipe can be one of the most versatile

since it only involves four ingredients, and three of them can vary.

December 2015 — 7

Pam Bovee stirs up a chocolate treat in her Miles City kitchen.

Take one bag of chocolate chips. These can be semi-sweet or milk chocolate. Take a bag of flavored chips. These can be cinnamon, peanut butter, mint or any of the available flavors. The bags should be similar in size but likely will not be identi-cal, since flavored chips are usually in bags that weigh 2 ounc-es or so less than bags of chocolate.

The traditional method involves melting the two types of chips over a double boiler. Today, most cooks take advantage of the microwave. Dump the two bags of chips in a micro-wave-safe bowl and microwave until they are melted. Which-ever method you use, take a stick of margarine and add it to the chips to help them melt smoothly.

To the melted chocolate mix, add peanuts. Or cashews. Or any nut of your choice. Or pretzels or your favorite crispy cereal. Mix the four ingredients together. Line cookie sheets with wax paper and drop by tablespoonfuls on to the wax paper.

In warm weather, the clusters have to be chilled in the fridge. Most Montana homes are cool enough in winter that they just need to be left out on the counter until they set. Over-night usually works.

Chocolate Secret Nut Clusters (the secret is the type of fla-vored chips you use; mix it up and keep friends guessing) freeze well. Quick to make, tasty to eat and you can keep friends guessing as to what the secret ingredient is.

Another embarrassingly simple recipe is:

Three-Ingredient Chocolate SaucePut it in a fancy jar with a ribbon and don’t tell the recipi-

ents it involves only three ingredients.Ingredients• 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped finely• ¼ cup heavy cream• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractInstructions to prepare with a double boiler (preferred meth-

od):• Heat a medium saucepan with 2-3 inches of water over

medium-high heat. Place a metal bowl on top of the saucepan and add the chocolate, heavy cream and vanilla extract.

• As the water simmers and turns to steam, gently stir the ingredients together as they melt. If it looks like the sauce is getting too hot, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to continue melting over the residual steam. They key is to melt the chocolate slowly.

To prepare in the microwave:• Place the chocolate, heavy cream and vanilla in a micro-

wave safe dish.• Microwave for 1 minute on medium (50 percent) power.

Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth.Notes:Feel free to substitute semi-sweet or milk chocolate in place

of the bittersweet chocolate. For a boozy twist, try swapping

out the vanilla for red wine, Chambord or Kahlua! This is also easy to multiply.

If you prefer a more syrup-like sauce, this recipe is also simple:

Four-ingredient chocolate syrup Take 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 2/3 cups white sugar, 1

1/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, sugar and water. Bring it to a boil and let boil one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

While some recipes specify “Dutch process,” it doesn’t seem to make a difference. This is more like Hershey’s syrup. Some people add a few tablespoons of milk to make it thicker. Like the other chocolate recipe, it’s easy to substitute various flavorings.

Or ... attend the Moonlight Madness or Festival of Trees in Miles City and pick up some other tasty examples of Choco-late Confectionary.

–––––Reach Amorette F. Allison at [email protected] or

(406) 234-0450.

December 2015 — 8

� By Charlie Denison Montana Best Times LEWISTOWN — “That guy knows a lot of songs.” Ask many musicians about Les LaFranier, 63, and that’s often the first thing you’ll hear. Either that or “Les can sing, man” or “He’s a killer bass play-er.” All impressions are correct. Like a one-man jukebox, LaFranier can take nearly any request that comes his way, and he can read the emotions of any Montana crowd. He reads the crowd and takes a song out of his arsenal based on their reaction to other songs. “Hey fellas, why don’t we play ‘Margaritaville’? Key of D.” I know this because I was on stage with Les playing guitar and singing along at the Eagles Club in Lewistown recently. I’ve played in a few cover bands, but never with such a virtuo-so of cover band culture. LaFranier is smooth, classy and profes-sional. Tactfully and gracefully, he’ll jump from a dance tune to a singalong. And when he sings Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” or Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” he might even make you cry.

South side star LaFranier grew up on the south side of Billings, where he start-ed learning guitar at age 12. “My uncles all played guitar,” LaFranier said. “They’d come over and have jam sessions. It was always a good time. That’s how it started.” He got hooked fast. “I didn’t plan on being a musician,” he said, “but the more I picked it up and figured things out, the more I fell in love with it. It was a release from everything. I couldn’t shake it. Still can’t.” There’s nothing he loves more, and it’s always been that way, especially once he started playing in bands at the age of 17. “I remember my first gig at the Standard Bar on Skid Row,” he said. “I got $50. That ain’t bad.” Playing with Davy Lave, LaFranier started getting to know the Billings scene well, playing regularly at the Elks, the Standard, the Hay Loft and elsewhere. “First, we were Society’s Outcast, then we switched to Tender, Love and Care,” LaFranier said of band name changes. TLC started playing the Hay Loft regularly, a place LaFranier would often go to check out other bands.

All About the BassLes LaFranier: a homegrown Montana jukebox

Photo courtesy of Vicky McCrayLes LaFranier, far left, plays a show in Utica with the Charlie Denison Band in August. The other band members, from left, are Steve Hughes, Charlie Denison, Nik Scebba and Chris Hildebrant.

Music keeps me young. It heals my soul and clears my mind. I love it, and I’m thankful I’m still able to do it.

– Les LaFranier

December 2015 — 9

That’s where he met lead guitar player Kevin Kemp in 1981. He was instantly blown away. “I ended up stealing him from his other band,” LaFranier said. “I asked him if he’d play with us, and I’m very thankful he did. We still play together to this day. He’s taught me so much through the years, and we’ve had great times.” By this time, LaFranier had switched from guitar to bass after being in a band with two guitar players for a few years. He enjoyed the openness of it and providing the solid rhythm for the group. He does more than hold down the rhythm, however. He is not afraid to do some slap bass and throw in some tasty grooves. He does this without overplaying. Instead, he does it to enhance the song and make the band better. When Kemp joined the band, TLC took off, opening for Rare Earth, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Lacy J. Dalton, Jerry Jeff Walker and others. “We really gained a following and had some real tight harmo-nies locked down,” LaFranier said. “It was around this time we decided to hit the road. We wanted to break new ground.” Before embarking on their journey, Kemp and LaFranier changed the name of their group to Mustache Pete, a name that still resonates around Montana today. “I remember Mustache Pete,” people tell Les at his shows to this day. “You guys were great.” For 13 years, Kemp, LaFranier and an assorted list of drum-mers — including Sammy Paul Lozano and Scott Roberts — played the road, venturing through Wyoming, North Dakota, Ida-ho and all over Montana.

Finding a home One of Les’s favorite places to play was the Bar 19 in Lewis-town. “It was always packed, people were on the dance floor and management treated us well,” Les said. “I also just really liked the town. I used to tell Kevin, ‘You know, I think I’m going to retire here,’ but I never really thought I would.” LaFranier said he always appreciated the beauty of central Montana and always felt at home there. He also fell in love with a woman at the Bar19. Tired of the road, LaFranier settled down, got married and took a job working for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, sticking with it until he was eligible to retire after 15 years. But by no means did LaFranier even think about retiring from music. “I never will,” he said.

A true professional After decades of playing, the thrill is far from gone for LaFra-nier. At 63, he shows no signs of slowing down, even with diabe-tes and a desire to get to bed earlier than he did in his rowdier days. Today, LaFranier is strictly about the music. The scene is not what it used to be for him, but the music remains his muse. He is especially passionate about playing now after his wife passed away in February last year from an incurable brain tumor. They were married 17 years. But instead of letting life get him down, LaFranier let’s the music set him free. It releases his sorrow and brings him joy. “Music keeps me young,” LaFranier said. “It heals my soul and clears my mind. I love it, and I’m thankful I’m still able to do it.” LaFranier’s music is also a release for others, as people in the audience — new fans and old fans — enjoy hearing him.

How could they not? He’s a natural, singing with passion and playing bass with tenacity and flair. And he always delivers what the people want to hear. “Let’s give them some Creedence,” Les said between songs at the Eagles. “Lodi in G.” Les is on top of it: a leader, a listener and a heck of a player. “I’m all about the bass,” he joked. “No treble.” –––– Reach Charlie Denison at [email protected] or (406) 535-3401.

Photo courtesy of Les LaFranier Les LaFranier, right, with longtime friend and guitarist Kev-in Kemp and drummer Sammy Paul Lozano is pictured in a Mustache Pete band photo in 1994.

December 2015 — 10

� By Levi Flinn Montana Best Times

HARDIN – According to retired nurse Linda Conner, hun-ger is a growing problem in Big Horn County and needs to be addressed.

For the last two years, Linda Conner has been working in Hardin as director for the Helping Hands Food Bank. At age 61, Conner says she is just inspired to help people who need it most.

“We’re not just giving out food — we’re trying to help people find the resources they need,” Conner said. “We’re always look-ing for new ways to work in the community.”

Keeping busyAs director of Helping Hands Food Bank, Conner manages

three major food programs: the Emergency Food Box, the Senior Box and the Holiday Box. These pro-grams help hungry senior citizens and families that are in need of a meal.

Conner stays active, working with-in the local community to get word out for the food need. She is respon-sible for recruiting and training food bank volunteers as well as maintain-ing standards in practice so the facili-ty can remain a member of the Mon-tana State Food Network. The last time the Hardin food bank was sur-veyed by MSFN, they received a 44 out of 45 grade.

Conner organizes community activ-ities such as the Harvest Hoe-down, flea market, Fill A Chevy program, special gift boxes for Christ-mas and Thanksgiving, and the Easter bake sale. She also works closely with board members, organizations and local businesses to collect items and monthly donations.

“One of the nice things about this job is the variety of things you get to do,” Conner said. “It’s not just the individual coming in that we’re helping. It’s the grandchildren or grandparents behind that person, too.”

Assistant Director Sam Laci joined the food bank in June 2014

after working more that 30 years for Hostess Brands. “Linda is great to work for,” Laci said. “She knows her job.”

By the numbersBy being a member of the Montana State Food Network, the

Hardin food bank is granted monthly shipments of food at no cost.

“This program is great for networking,” Conner said, “but we don’t get a lot of food from them.”

With the demand continuing to increase, the bank has taken responsibility of buying most of the food that is distributed to those who have signed up. Conner estimates that 85 percent of the emergency box food is purchased by the food bank.

To offset the financial burden, Con-ner plans to arrange more fundraising events.

This year, the 12th annual Harvest Hoe-down on Oct. 10 raised over $8,000. Conner hopes to find addi-tional sponsors like Town Pump, who will match $10,000 if the food bank can reach that amount of raised funds.

“Food prices are high and people need help,” she said, “and the gener-

osity of our community, I find very amazing.” In 2014, the food bank gave out 67,243 pounds from the

acquired 68,334 pounds of food and recorded 1,143.5 hours of volunteer work for the year. Conner and Laci are the only part-time employees; volunteers perform every other duty.

Conner plans to do more work that involves children and schools. A current option is the Backpack Program, which pro-vides students free food on weekends in addition to school days.

Photo by Levi FlinnHelping Hands Food Bank Director Linda Conner laughs as she stands near shelves of food and soda at Helping Hands. Conner has led the food bank in Hardin since October 2013.

We’re not just giving

out food — we’re

trying to help people find

the resources they need.– Linda Conner, Helping Hands

Food Bank Director

Fighting hunger


Photo by Levi FlinnHelping Hands Food Bank volunteer Nick Miller holds a stack of canned peaches near a column of notes designating portion sizes for the organization’s customers. In 2014, the food bank gave out 67,243 pounds of food with 1,143.5 hours of volunteer work.

Decades of serviceA native of Delaware, Conner discovered a government job

opening for a nurse at Indian Health Services in Crow Agency. She then moved west in 1980 and for a few years found a home in Dayton, Wyoming — a one-hour commute from Crow Agency. Sixteen years later in 1996, she purchased a home in Hardin — less than 15 minutes from Crow Agency — and has now lived in the town for nearly 20 years.

After 30 years of service at IHS, in 2010, Conner retired from being a nurse.

Conner said she still wanted to do something that helped peo-ple in need. In 2013, the opportunity to direct the food bank appeared after former Director Randy Schoppe stepped down and, Conner said, being “young, retired and ambitious,” she took the position.

Conner credits being a nurse in the local area for knowing the needs of the community.

“From working here, I’ve got to know a lot more people,” she said.

Conner is a mother of two and a proud grandmother of a 6-year-old granddaughter and an 8-year-old grandson. She plans to continue her work and help those who have the most trouble with hunger.

–––––Reach Levi Flinn at [email protected] or (406)

665-1008.

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Mascot costume turns up unharmed CASTLETON, Vt. (AP) — A university in Vermont says the

costume for its green-caped Spartan mascot has been found unharmed in the football stadium after it was reported miss-ing.

A spokesman for Castleton University says Sparty’s costume was found during an inspection of Spartan Stadium.

The costume disappeared from the Student Government Asso-ciation offices between late September and the middle of Octo-ber.

The association bought the mascot for $1,700 last year to replace one that was showing its wear.

University spokesman Jeff Weld said that the school suspects that “Sparty just needed a break” after entertaining more than 6,000 people on homecoming weekend in late September.

Armed couple gets upper hand on burglar ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque couple

turned the tables on a burglar caught loading their belongings into his car.

Albuquerque police spokesman Tanner Tixier says officers were called about a possible burglary.

What they found was a 70-year-old man and his 66-year-old wife both pointing guns at 26-year-old Aaron Lujan.

Tixier says the husband observed Lujan putting a generator, power tools and other items of his into an SUV.

The man says he confronted Lujan but was ignored.The husband then grabbed his shotgun while his wife took a

handgun and both held Lujan at gunpoint until authorities arrived. No one was injured.

News Lite


� By Eleanor Guerrero Montana Best Times

RED LODGE — Giving is not just for Christmas. Sometimes it is simply giving your own unique gifts to others whenever they are in need.

“I started coming to the Billings Lions Club Charles Campbell Children’s Camp in 1995,” said Barbara Leggate, 66, as she looked around the vast playground of the Beartooth Mountains spread out around the camp south of Red Lodge.

She comes to the summer camp in Montana from Colorado every year.

Roots lead to involvementBarbara got involved indirectly through her Scouting back-

ground in Colorado, where she was a Girl Scout leader and area coordinator.

She learned about the Charles Campbell Children’s Camp through a friend — who later became her husband, Warren.

“Warren, invited me to go to camp,” Barbara said. “We had both been volunteers with Girl and Boy Scouts. When asked what we did on vacation, we both said that we volunteered at and/or led Scout camps.”

She and Warren are both retired and live in Louisville, Colora-do, when they aren’t working at the camp in Montana. They have four children and five grandchildren.

Warren grew up in Billings. Like Barbara, his roots led to his continuing connection with the camp — his father, Justy Barbara, was a Lions Club member in Billings as well as a Boy Scout leader.

“As a youth, Warren and his family were involved as Lions Club members at the (Charles Campbell Children’s) camp” Bar-bara said.

“In fact,” she explained, “they helped build some of the ‘new-er’ cabins in the late 1950s.”

Helping kids with special needs“My first year at camp was great fun,” said Barbara. “The scen-

ery was awesome. I didn’t know what to expect with the kids who had special needs. I soon found out that they are just kids.

They were having an awesome time at camp.”Barbara was called “Jingles” so she would not be confused

with another volunteer named Barbara. “I have a lanyard with 20 friendship bells on it that I wear at

camp,” Barbara explained. “Each friendship bell was from a dif-ferent camp or unit event that I participated in.”

She literally made music as she walked.Barbara helped them play games, go fishing, swimming and

hiking and did camp crafts. “Doing these activities involved adapting traditional camp

activities to meet the special needs of campers,” she said.For example, hiking involved pushing some of the campers in

wheelchairs up the trails. “On one occasion, a camper said hiking was hard and I said,

‘Yes, but you got to ride in the wheelchair.” The youngster informed her the wheelchair did not have shock

Giving Senior finds fulfillment helping young campers

in needLovetheGiftof

Photo by Eleanor GuerreroBarbara Leggate is a volunteer to special needs kids high in the Beartooths.


Photo by Eleanor GuerreroBarbara Leggate is pictured with a group of young campers at the Billings Lions Club Charles Campbell Children’s Camp.

absorbers, so she felt all the bumps, “That remark opened my eyes,” Barbara said.When asked what motivated her she said, “Seeing the smiles

on the campers’ faces and seeing the fun they are having is what makes volunteering at the camp wonderful.”

The kids’ creativity at camp this year has surprised her. “One camper could not use his hands, so he painted using a pen-

cil and brush in his mouth,” she said of a crafts time creating art for an “Under the Sea” theme. “His artistic talent is impressive!”

For another craft, they made “fish” out of plastic soda bottles and then raced them in a rain gutter filled with water.

“We worked at trying to figure out the right combination of baking soda and vinegar to get them to move and stay upright,” Barbara said. “We had some engineers as counselors and staff, so it was fun experimenting. One of the campers wanted to take his fish back to his cabin and make modifications and run it the next day.”

Warren went fishing and swimming with campers.“Since he is a fisherman, this was a great fit for him,” said Bar-

bara. “He helped get the fish off the hooks after the campers caught the fish.”

Barbara and Warren are the dishwashers for the camp — no small task.

“That’s three meals a day of dishes, and all the pots and pans that are used to create the meals,” Barbara said. “There is a com-mercial dishwasher that we use, but we have to get the dishes loaded and ready to go. Although other younger staff volunteered to help with the dishes, we feel this is something that we can con-tribute, since pushing wheelchairs is getting harder for us to do. We leave that for the younger counselors and staff.”

Counselors are invaluableThe camp is fortunate to have a lot of young volunteers to men-

tor their peers. Barbara said she enjoys them as well. “It is great fun to work with the younger volunteers from age

15 and up,” she said. “They bring a great deal of enthusiasm, energy, ideas and fun to the camp. They are very helpful to the campers.”

She recognizes how invaluable they are to the campers. “If it weren’t for them, there would be no camp,” Barbara not-

ed. “The cabin counselors work one on one with campers 24/7. They provide the daily care for the campers.”

One of the unique characteristics of this camp is the bonds forged in the wilderness between the campers and their counsel-ors.

“Both counselors and staff develop relationships that continue after camp and from year to year,” Barbara said.

The counselors are carefully trained. “The staff is there to support and work with the younger volun-

teers,” she said.As a result, said Barbara, “Both the kids and the counselors

really grow from this experience. They develop confidence.”

Comforting kidsCrucially, “the campers also feel like they belong and are not

different and can do things they couldn’t do at home,” she said. “Just like any kids, going to camp, it’s scary the first time. What is going to happen? Will I be OK? Will I be homesick?”

She said there was a first-time camper who wanted to come but was not too sure. His mother was not too sure, either — “It is hard for parents to leave their child,” Barbara explained.

But he did come, and the counselors in his cabin welcomed him, played with him and comforted him.

“ I made friends with him as well,” Barbara said. “By dinner he

See RSVP, Page 20


EDITOR'S NOTE: Terry McEneaney is ornithologist emeritus for Yellowstone Nation-al Park, and is the author of three books: “Birding Montana,” “Birds of Yellowstone,” and “The Uncommon Loon.” He has been watching birds for 50 years and is one of Montana’s most experi-enced birders.

Altitudinal migration

BirdingBig Sky

We all have experienced bird migration to some degree or another, whether of geese or raptors migrating overhead head-ing south in the fall and north in the spring. And most people have a general understanding of bird migration. In simple terms, what exactly is bird migration? It is the movement of a bird or bird species from a summer or breeding range to a winter range or wintering area, and return (to and from), with no specific or an unspecified distance required. And the second most asked question is, why do birds migrate? Birds mainly migrate due to food and food availability, which often-times is influenced by climate or weather changes/conditions. But trust me, bird migration is a very complex subject, and will remain to some degree one of the

greatest mysteries in the natural history world.

The bird migration we are most familiar with involves movement on a linear hori-zontal plane, which is classical latitudinal migration. The Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) best exemplifies a latitudinal migrant, because it feeds on grasshoppers and small mammals and breeds on the grasslands of western North America, and spends its winters on the pampas or wet grasslands of Argentina feeding on locusts.

Yet in many of the mountainous regions of the world, birds can also migrate eleva-tionally (on a more vertical elevational plane), thus the term “altitudinal migra-tion.” This phenomenon is quite common in many tropical mountainous species in the Andes of South America and the

Himalayas of Asia, but is poorly under-stood with far less species in the more temperate mountainous regions of North America such as we find in Montana and Wyoming. What is presented herein, is new information on altitudinal bird migra-tion based on over four decades of person-al field observation and experience.

If you research the range distribution of the Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) you will find it appears to be a local resi-dent and non-migratory. Yet in Yellow-stone, some Mountain Chickadees drop down substantially in elevation in winter, some flocks not much in elevation, and in some localities not at all. In essence, it really depends on the elevation, the severi-ty of the winter, and the availability of food.

Some birds migrate up and down instead of north and south

Photo by Dave Menke/courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Mountain Chickadee is a classic example of an elevational, or altitudinal, migrant.


More short stories from “Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experiences of a Yellowstone Ornithologist,” will be featured in forthcoming issues of Montana Best Times. In the meantime, enjoy Montana birds! And the Best of Big Sky Birding to you!

Bird watching questions may be sent to Terry McEneaney by writing to 1215 Lolo St., Missoula, MT 59802; emailing [email protected]; or visiting www.yellowstonewildlifeguides.com or www.ravenidiot.com. If questions are mailed, include a phone number at which you can be reached.

The American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) on a distribution map also appears to be a local resident and non-migratory, even though it oftentimes is an altitudinal migrant with an “oscillating” twist. At low elevations, dippers can have as many as two nesting attempts/two broods per year and at higher elevations one nesting attempt/one brood per year. But once nesting is over, the majority of dippers migrate up in elevation following fast-slowing streams, when food is more available in July and August. And that is why you find dippers on high mountain alpine lakes in the summer. As it gets colder and winter approaches, food resources diminish and dippers are forced to migrate downstream. When terribly frigidly cold temperatures hit the mountains, dippers descend to fast mov-ing open waters with an abundance of submerged aquatic insects. Dippers essentially winter near these open bodies of water.

The Dusky Grouse, formerly called the Blue Grouse (Den-dragapus obscurus), on a range map is also depicted as a local resident and non-migratory, yet it is essentially a “reverse altitu-dinal migrant.” The Dusky Grouse can be found year-round and regularly on mountain ridges. In the summer, their diet is com-posed of insects, grubs and soft plant parts. In the winter, their diet changes to conifer nuts and grass/wildflower seed heads. When heavy, deep winter snows or snowstorms appear, the Dusky Grouse does something unusual and frequents tree cano-pies and becomes essentially arboreal. They can also migrate up in elevation to timberline and high, wind-exposed mountain ridg-es, to take advantage of wind-hardened ground and snow and/or trees free of fresh snow, thus exposing conifer seeds/nuts, hence the term “reverse altitudinal migrant.”

Lastly, most people are familiar with the White-tailed Ptarmi-gan (Lagopus leucura). This is the smallest or most diminutive of the grouse species. This species is unique in that it is a brown and white color in the summer to blend into the fast-changing vegeta-tion colors of the alpine, and turns white in the winter to blend in with the snow and ice. Just so you know, on a range map this bird is also considered a local resident and non-migratory and, by the way, is not found in Yellowstone National Park. Yet this bird is found in the alpine meadows, snowfields and glaciers of the rocky, high alpine regions of Glacier National Park and the Mis-sion Mountains of Montana.

This bird is in essence a “gradual minimal altitudinal migrant.” Surprisingly, instead of remaining in the high alpine snows/gla-ciers all winter, this bird species actually migrates downslope to slightly lower elevations in search of large tracts of exposed wil-low buds and/or deciduous trees/shrubs. It is in these exposed willow bud stands above snow that ptarmigan are allowed to sur-vive and feed regularly in the winter. When the snows melt and the alpine areas start to open up in June, the White-tailed Ptarmi-gan migrates upslope to feed on wildflower seed heads and alpine insects, thus completing this very unusual bird migration cycle.

The next time you think of bird migration, hopefully you will recall it can be a very difficult subject. However, it is my sincere desire you will remember the complex details of this article and formulate a better understanding of altitudinal bird migration.

Shown are other examples of birds that practice altitudinal migration, from top: American Dipper, Dusky Grouse and White-tailed Ptarmigan. Photos by Terry McEneaney


� By Deke Farrow The Modesto Bee/TNS

MODESTO, Calif. — For one genera-tion that grew up in Modesto, the question long has been, “Where were you in ’62?” But for another, slightly younger group of people, the more relevant query is, “Were you in movie heaven in ’77?”

That’s when Modesto native George Lucas, at the time best known for his hometown-set, coming-of-age comedy, “American Graffiti,” released “Star Wars.” And that’s all it was called then: “Star Wars.” The opening crawl didn’t feature the subtitle “Episode IV: A New Hope.” That was added with the film’s April 1981 theatrical rerelease.

No, to us teenagers who saw it at the Briggsmore Theater on McHenry Avenue that spring ... and summer, fall and winter, it was just a really cool sci-fi movie made by a guy from Modesto. And the only “name” actors in it, Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing, weren’t even much known to the young audience.

But what grabbed us — and never let go — was the opening scene of that huge star destroyer pursuing a rebel blockade runner above the planet Tatooine. We’d never seen anything like it. No one had.

The special effects blew us away, of course. Heck, they reshaped the movie industry. But we loved the story, too. We felt the heat of anger when Darth Vader menaced Princess Leia (we were immedi-ately smitten with her, even two movies before the famous metallic bikini) with the interrogation droid, we shared Luke’s thrill when she gave him a kiss on the cheek “for luck,” and the sting he felt when Han Solo showed an interest in her. (We had no inkling Luke and Leia would turn out to be the twin children of Darth Vader.)

When it was over, we wanted to watch it again, immediately. Perhaps we did, as those were the days you could sit in the theater and simply wait for the movie to start again, if it wasn’t sold out. Certainly we made several repeat visits back to the one theater showing the movie, bringing along friends and family members who we simply could not believe hadn’t seen it yet.

Our rock ‘n’ roll record collections — in my circle, that meant Kiss, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Elton John and the like —

grew to include what for many of us was our first orchestral album: John Williams’ stirring “Star Wars” score.

Needing more “Star Wars,” I bought the $1.95 paperback novel by Lucas, subtitled “From the Adventures of Luke Skywalk-er” and including several pages of color photos from the movie. I still have it. Still have a Rolling Stone magazine from August ‘77 with Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie on the cover, too, because I never throw anything away.

My close friend and Beyer classmate Neil Meininger and I biked to a local mov-ie memorabilia shop — I believe the long-gone place was called Hollywood Collect-ibles — where for just $5 we bought the “Star Wars” movie poster. I immediately posted the 27-by-41-inch folded “one sheet” on my bedroom wall. It has thumb-tack holes and tape marks on the corners, so I’m not sure which I used first.

I finally framed it years ago, and over time, it’s had a special spot in all the plac-es I lived, from off-campus dorm rooms to apartments to the homes my wife and chil-dren and I have shared.

I fell hard into the Lucas moneymaking machine; the soundtrack, poster, a few comic books and T-shirts were just the start. Until “Star Wars” and its sequels and prequels, I was ignorant of the existence of anything called an “action figure.” But thanks to Kenner and later Hasbro, I slow-

ly built armies of light- and dark-side characters and vehicles.

Until a recent move, I didn’t even give my two sons much say in how their bed-room was decorated: poster on the walls, spaceships hanging by fishing line from the ceiling, small and 12-inch action fig-ures on shelves on the walls. They’re good boys, though, and I’d like to think they felt Dad’s collection was a neat thing to have.

Now, in our new home, my sweet wife has pretty much turned over the upstairs family room to my arrested-development tastes, so Luke, Darth, Leia, Obi-wan, Boba Fett, R2-D2, C-3PO and dozens of others are hanging out there.

That’s not to say she feels The Force. She couldn’t tell you a TIE fighter from an X-wing.

Recently, we were in a Kohl’s, and you couldn’t swing a Jawa without hitting a “Star Wars” display of toys, banks, alarm clocks, clothing, bedding and so much more. There were characters from the original trilogy, the three prequels and the newest release, “Episode VII –The Force Awakens.”

After passing probably our fifth or sixth such array of merchandise, she said, “Wow, they have a lot of ‘Star Wars’ stuff.” And then she added, and I kid you not, “Is there a movie coming out?”

There was a strong disturbance in The Force.

A long time ago … a kid got swept into the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy, never to emerge again

Photo by Joan Barnett Lee/Modesto Bee/TNSModesto Bee staff writer Deke Farrow is pictured at the Modesto Bee photo studio with his Star Wars memorabilia, Nov. 5.


� Prevention magazine/TNSIf your smile seems to be drooping along with the temps, it’s

probably not your imagination. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a reaction to reduced sunlight, affects up to 20 percent of Americans — and three quarters of those affected are women. Lethargy, overeating, and being bummed can spell disaster for your health. But you can beat it. Here’s how:

n Take a sunny strollGo walking in a winter wonderland! Sunlight-drenched strolls

help clear your SAD symptoms by giving you a boost of vitamin D, which most of our bodies are craving (especially in gray weather). D deficiency has also been linked to an increase in headaches in the fall and winter, say researchers in a Journal of Headache and Pain study.

n Shed some lightThe dark gloom of winter dampens your body’s production of

serotonin, a mood-regulating neurotransmitter. Rejuvenate your sero-tonin stores with a light box that features blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). They’re more stimulating and produce less glare than white light boxes. For a simpler fix, open up the blinds! Just make sure you’re limiting your bright light exposure to the morning hours. Lots of light late in the day can mess with your circadian sleep cycles.

n Burn calories for warmthWe know it’s tempting, but resist the urge to hibernate until

spring. A study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center found women moved the least in December, January, and February, burning 10 percent fewer calories than they do in summer. Exer-cise is an established blues-beater. So move your body more, and your head (and heart) will thank you.

n Pump up your produceThe secret to happiness may be at the end of your fork. Com-

pared to people who eat few fruits and veggies, those who go big on produce are less likely to be anxious or depressed, or to suffer from other mental disorders, according to one study of 80,000 people. The more produce people ate, the happier they were.

n Consider chamomileIf your mood needs to be soothed, consider a chamomile sup-

plement. A University of Pennsylvania study found chamomile supplements significantly ease anxiety symptoms. (Just check with your doc before starting any new supplement.)

n Try a festive hobbyGet excited about winter by taking up a seasonal hobby, says

psychologist Elizabeth R. Lombardo, PhD, author of the book “A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness”. Having something fun to look forward to will help elevate your mood during the cold-weather doldrums.

n Lend a helping handLook for volunteer opportunities where you can make a differ-

ence, Dr. Lombardo suggests. Collect coats for the homeless, conduct a toy drive for needy children, or spend time volunteer-ing at an animal shelter during the holiday rush. Philanthropic work is a well-documented mood improver, she says.

n SAD-proof your surroundingsYou may not be able to control the weather around you, but

you can control your own environment, says psychotherapist and wellness expert Jenny Giblin. Simple switches like painting your walls a brighter or lighter color, buying colorful office sup-plies, hanging cheerful or inspiring artwork, and changing the background of your computer to a beach scene can lift your spirits.

––––For more great health tips, pick up a copy of Prevention maga-

zine, visit www.prevention.com, or follow us @PreventionMag.

How to prevent seasonal depression

One way to combat seasonal depression is by basking in a light box that features blue LEDs. Photo courtesy Fotolia/TNS

C A L E N D A R—� December ongoing events

• • Brian Paulsen Art Flashbax’s, through Jan. 29, Dawson Community College Gal-lery, Glendive

• • Montana Tannenbaum, Montana His-torical Society, through Dec. 31, Helena

• • Seeing Red Exhibit, through Dec. 23, Red Lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge

• • Christmas for the Critters, through Dec. 31, Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone

—� Thursday, December 3

• • Christmas Stroll, 3-5 p.m., downtown Gardiner

• • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, through Dec. 6, First Presbyterian Church, Miles City

—� Friday, December 4

• • Hometown Holidays Lighted Parade, 6 p.m., Big Timber

• • Winter Fair, through Dec. 5, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings

• • Holiday Stroll, 5-8 p.m., downtown Liv-ingston

• • Tom Foolery Musical, through Dec. 6, Blue Slipper Theater, Livingston

• • Milk and Cookies with Santa, Holy Rosary Healthcare, 3-5 p.m., Miles City

• • Christmas Stroll, 5-8 p.m., downtown Miles City

• • Barn Players, Inc. “The Best Christ-mas Pageant Ever” 7:30 p.m., Presbyterian Church, Miles City

• • Christmas Stroll, through Dec. 5, down-town Red Lodge

—� Saturday, December 5

• • Laurel High School Winter Formal, 9 p.m., Laurel

• • North Pole Adventure Train, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Lewistown

• •Christmas Concert Music with the

Stars, 7 p.m., Grace Bible Church, Miles City

• • Miles City Woman’s Club Children's Christmas Store, 9 a.m.-noon, Custer County District High School Multipurpose rooms, Miles City

• • Pool and Dart Tournament Toys for Tots Benefit, Miles City

—� Sunday, December 6

• • 29th annual Christmas to Remember Parade and all-day events, Laurel

• • Barn Players, Inc. “The Best Christ-mas Pageant Ever” 3 p.m., Presbyterian Church, Miles City

—� Tuesday, December 8

• • Terrific Tuesday Christmas Card Run, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Terry


• • 1st Winter Art Walk, 6-9 p.m., Down-town Bozeman

• • North Pole Adventure Train, Fri. and Sat. 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., through Dec. 19, Lewistown

• • Holiday Vaudeville Extravaganza, through Dec. 20, Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, Livingston


• • Bozeman Symphony: Holiday on Broadway, through Dec. 13, Willson Audi-torium, Bozeman

• • Bells of the Bridgers Christmas Con-cert, Dec. 17, First Presbyterian Church, Bozeman

• • Firefighters Toy Dance, Eagles Lodge, Miles City

—� Sunday, December 13

• • Retired and Seniors Volunteer Pro-gram Holiday Open House, 9:30-11 a.m., Sleep Inn & Suites South Haynes

Avenue, Miles City


• Terrific Tuesday, Chamber Chili Feed from 5-7 p.m., Terry

—� Monday, December 14

• • Laurel High School Choir Concert, 7 p.m., High School Auditorium, Laurel

—� Thursday, December 17

• • Rodeo Run Sled Dog Races, through Dec. 19, West Yellowstone


• • Yellowstone Ballet 25th Annual The Nutcracker, 4 p.m., through Dec. 20, Will-son Auditorium, Bozeman

• • Winter Farmers Market, through April 16, Emerson Center Ballroom, Boze-man

• • 3rd Annual Winter Wonderland, Glen-dive

• • Journey to the North Pole, 1 p.m., Helena Ice Arena, Helena

• • Kids ’n’ Snow weekend, through Dec. 20, downtown West Yellowstone

•

—� Monday, December 21

• • Terrific Monday, 6 p.m., Live Nativity in downtown Terry


• • Terrific Tuesday Stocking Stuffer Night, businesses open until 7 p.m., Terry


• • Livingston Community Christmas Dinner, noon-2 p.m., Park County Fair-grounds, Livingston

December 2015 —18

December2015


Custer & Rosebud counties- AARP Tax Assistance program: Volun-

teers needed.- CNADA: Needs a volunteer to answer

phones and other receptionist duties. You choose the hours and days.

- Clinic Ambassador: Need volunteer to greet patients and visitors, providing direc-tions and more, two locations.

- Custer County Food Bank: Volunteer assistants needed for 8 a.m-1:30 p.m., Mon-days, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to process donations, stock shelves and more.

- DAV van: Drivers needed to provide transportation to veterans to medical appointments.

- Eagles Manor: Volunteer exercise class leader needed, 1-2 days a week, you pick the days and the exercise for residents.

- Historic Miles City Academy: Urgently need volunteers at the thrift store and in other ways.

- Miles City Soup Kitchen: Needs servers and greeters Monday-Friday; pick a day of the week you would like to serve.

- Relay for Life: Popcorn popper needed one day per week, two hours in the morn-ing, at MCC.

- St. Vincent DePaul: Volunteers to assist in several different capacities.

- VA Activities: Urgent need for someone to help with activities. Application packet available at VA Activities Director’s Office.

- WaterWorks Art Museum: Volunteer receptionists needed, 2 hour shifts Tues-days-Sundays; a volunteer also needed in cataloging the art collection, one to assist with historic research of the permanent art collection, and a volunteer to assist in kids classes when scheduled.

If you are interested in these or other vol-unteer opportunities please contact: Betty Vail, RSVP Director; 210 Winchester Ave. #413, Miles City, MT 59301; phone (406) 234-0505; email: [email protected].

Fergus & Judith Basin counties- America Reads: Recruiting volunteers

to read with elementary students.- Art Center: In need of volunteers on

Saturdays.- Boys and Girls Club: In need of a vol-

unteer to wash and fold kitchen laundry in their home; detergent is provided.

- Central Montana Fairgrounds: Seeking clerical support.

- Community Cupboard (Food Bank): Volunteers are needed to help any week mornings as well as with deliveries.

- Council on Aging: Volunteers needed to assist at the daily Grubstakes meal and with clerical help during the busy lunch hour.

- Library: Volunteer help always appre-

ciated. - Office of Veterans Affairs: Seeking

clerical support.- ROWL (Recycle Our Waste Lewis-

town): Looking for volunteers to join teams baling recyclables

- Treasure Depot: Thrift store needs vol-unteers to sort, hang clothes and put other items on display for sale.

- RSVP always has various needs for your skills and volunteer services in our community.

- Current RSVP volunteers are encour-aged to turn in your hours each month; your contribution to the community is greatly appreciated!

Contact: RSVP Volunteer Coordinator Sara Wald, 404 W. Broadway, Wells Fargo Bank building, (upstairs), Lewistown, MT 59457; phone (406) 535-0077; email: [email protected].

Gallatin County- American Cancer Society-Road to

Recovery: Drivers needed for patients receiving treatments from their home to the hospital

- American Red Cross Blood Drive: Two volunteer opportunities available: an ambassador needed to welcome, greet, thank and provide overview for blood donors; and phone team volunteers needed to remind, recruit or thank blood donors. Excellent customer service skills needed, training will be provided, flexible schedule.

- Befrienders: Befriend a senior; visit on a regular weekly basis.

- Belgrade Senior Center: Meals on Wheels needs regular and substitute drivers Monday–Friday, to deliver meals to seniors before noon.

- Big Brothers Big Sisters: Be a positive role model for only a few hours each week.

- Bozeman and Belgrade Sacks Thrift Stores: Need volunteers 2-3 hour shifts on any day, Monday–Saturday 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

- Bozeman Deaconess Hospital: Volun-teers needed for the information desks in the Atrium and the Perk, 8 a.m.-noon, noon- 4 p.m.

- Bozeman Senior Center Foot Clinic: Retired or nearly retired nurses are urgently needed, 2 days a month, either 4 or 8 hour shifts.

- Cancer Support Community: Volunteer receptionist needed for the last two Tues-days of the month from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The position would be shared with another vol-unteer so there could be flexibility in how the Tuesdays are divided.

- Galavan: Volunteer drivers need-ed Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CDL

required and Galavan will assist you in obtaining one. Volunteers also needed to make reminder calls and confirm rides for the following day. Volunteers also needed for morning dispatch. These responsibilities include receiving phone calls/messages and getting information from clients and facili-tating the transfer of information to staff as required.

- Gallatin Rest Home: Volunteers wanted for visiting the residents, sharing your knowledge of a craft, playing cards or read-ing to a resident.

- Gallatin Valley Food Bank: Volunteers needed to deliver commodities to seniors in their homes once a month. Deliveries in Belgrade are especially needed.

- HRDC: Receptionist needed to help during the lunch hour and during some staff meetings and training. Main duties include answering a multi-line phone and help with walk-ins.

- HRDC Housing Department Ready to Rent: Curriculum for families and individu-als who have rental barriers such as lack of poor rental history, property upkeep, renter responsibilities, landlord/tenant communi-cation and financial priorities.

- Habitat for Humanity Restore: Bel-grade store needs volunteers for general help, sorting donations and assisting cus-tomers.

- Heart of The Valley: Compassionate volunteers especially needed to love, play with and cuddle cats.

- Help Center: Computer literate volun-teer interested in entering data into a social services database. Also volunteers needed to make phone calls to different agencies/programs to make sure database is up to date and make safety calls to home bound seniors.

- Jessie Wilber Gallery at The Emerson: Volunteers needed on Wednesdays, Thurs-days, and Fridays to greet people at the main desk, answer questions and keep track of the number of visitors.

- Museum of the Rockies: Variety of opportunities available such as helping in the gift shop and more.

- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to quilt, knit, crochet and embroider hats for chemo patients, baby blankets and other handmade goods once a week (can work from home). Items are on sale in our store in the RSVP office at the Senior Center. *Donated yarn needed for the quilting, knitting and cro-cheting projects.

- Seniors: You may qualify for $192-$600 a years for grocery and food assis-tance. Call Mary at 333-2537 or 333-2883.

- Three Forks Food Bank: Volunteer needed on Mondays and/or Thursdays to help with administrative duties, including

Below is a list of volunteer openings available through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in communities across southern Montana. To learn more about RSVP, call (800) 424-8867 or TTY (800) 833-3722; or log on to www. seniorcorps.org.

RSVP


answer phones and questions, some paper and computer work. They will train.

- Your unique skills and interests are needed, without making a long-term com-mitment, in a variety of ongoing, special, one-time events.

Contact: Debi Casagranda, RSVP Pro-gram Coordinator, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman, MT 59715; phone (406) 587-5444; fax (406) 582 8499; email: [email protected].

Musselshell, Golden Valley & Petroleum counties

- Central Grade School: Needs volunteer tutors to encourage children with their read-ing skills in the America Reads program. Also volunteers needed to assist younger students with lunch, clear tables and serve from the salad bar.

- Food Bank: Distribute food commodi-ties to seniors and others in the community; help unload the truck as needed.

- Nursing Home: Piano players and sing-ers needed on Fridays to entertain residents, also assistant needed in activities for resi-dents to enrich supported lifestyle.

- Senior Bus: Volunteers to pickup folks who are unable to drive themselves.

- Senior Center: Volunteers are needed to provide meals, clean up in the dining room and/or keep records; meal provided.

- Tax aide: Assist low income individuals and senior citizens with tax filing. No expe-rience necessary, training is provided and begins soon.

- RSVP offers maximum flexibility and

choice to its volunteers as it matches the personal interests and skills of older Ameri-cans with opportunities to serve their com-munities. You choose how and where to serve. Volunteering is an opportunity to learn new skills, make friends and connect with your community.

Contact: Shelley Halvorson, South Cen-tral MT RSVP, 315 1/2 Main St., Ste. #1, Roundup, MT 59072; phone (406) 323-1403; fax (406) 323-4403; email: [email protected] ; Facebook: South Central MT RSVP.

Park County- Big Brothers Big Sisters: Mentor and

positive role models to a boy or girl needed, one hour a week.

- Fix-It-Brigade: Needs volunteers of all ages and skill levels for 2 hour tasks, on your schedule, to help seniors or veterans with small home repairs and chores, such as changing a light bulb, mending a fence, cleaning up a yard.

- Loaves and Fishes: Volunteers needed to prepare dinner meal on Wednesday nights.

- Main Streeter Thrift Store: Someone who enjoys working with the public, greet customers, ring up purchases, label and hang clothes and accept donations. Volun-teer 4 hours a week and get 50 percent off your purchases.

- Meals on Wheels: Always need substi-tute drivers to deliver meals to seniors in their home.

- RSVP: Need compassionate compan-

ions to give caregivers a break in their home on a regular basis playing games, going out to lunch or just sitting and visit-ing with someone.

- RSVP: Has many one-time events, including mailings and fundraising events that require volunteers. Your unique skills and interests are needed, without making a long-term commitment, in a variety of on-going and special one-time events.

- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to knit and crochet caps and scarves for each child at Head Start this winter, also as gifts for children of prenatal classes, and baby hats and afghan’s for the hospital newborns; Sewers needed to make simple pillowcases for our soldiers overseas, Thursdays, 1-2 p.m. at the Senior Center.

- Senior Center: Need volunteers, Tues-days, 1 p.m., to cut unsold clothing into rags to be sold for proceeds to the center.

- Seniors: You may qualify for $192-$600 a years for grocery and food assis-tance. Call Mary at 333-2537 or 333-2883.

- Stafford Animal Shelter: Kindhearted volunteers needed to socialize cats and kit-tens, and to walk the dogs.

- Transportation: Drivers needed to help patients keep their doctor appointment in Livingston and Bozeman. Some gas reim-bursement may be provided.

- Yellowstone Gateway Museum: has a need for help with the museum in general from front desk to organizing items.

Contact: Deb Downs, Program Coordi-nator, 111 So. 2nd St., Livingston, MT 59047; phone (406) 222-2281; email: [email protected].

Rent Based on Income, HUD 202 PRACLive On-Site Community AdministratorFree Laundry • On-Site ParkingMailboxes on PremisesElectric, Gas, Water, Sewer, & Trash Included in Rent

Community Room Available for Social Gatherings & Meetings

Accepting Applications for Independent Seniors

Great News for Seniors 62 yrs of Age & Older!COMFORTABLE & AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS

Call (406) 248-9117 • 1439 Main Street • Billings, MT

was fitting in and had big smiles. He was always eager to partici-pate and show me his latest creation. The smile on his face when I saw him was wonderful.”

Some of her contribution is intangible. “I comforted kids,” she said. “Sometimes it is just being there

with them, giving a simple hug, acknowledging a fear or concern, encouraging them. Then it is redirecting them to another activity and not dwelling on missing mom.”

She takes pride in her age and the unique gifts it enables her to share.

“As an older volunteer, I can be the ‘grandma,’” she said.

Get involvedBarbara encourages every senior to think about sharing their

time with those in need. “I am 66 years young. I would highly recommend volunteer-

ing,” she said. “How often do we get to go to summer camp at our age?”

Barbara has spent her career working with young people.“I graduated from Boulder High School and the University of

Colorado with a degree in Elementary Education,” she said. “I continued my career in the Office of the Registrar at the Universi-ty of Colorado. I moved to the University of Colorado Law School as the Law School Registrar and retired from that posi-tion. I thoroughly enjoyed my career. I enjoyed the students and

getting to know them and help and encourage them.”She sees the camp as a natural fit for her, but said everyone has

something to give that kids need in the camp. “There are many tasks to do, such as being the nurse or assist-

ing the nurse, doing dishes, helping with crafts, helping with food preparation, helping with fishing or hiking, and maybe leading games or songs and skits at campfire. It can be for a day or for the whole week.”

–––––Reach Eleanor Guerrero at [email protected] or

(406) 446-2222.

Gift of love, from Page 13


No-alcohol Wassail8 cups apple cider2 cups orange juice1/2 cup lemon juice4 whole cinnamon sticks12 whole cloves, or 1 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon ground ginger1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in large pan. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Traditional Wassail4 small apples1 c. sugar1 medium orange13 whole cloves2 quarts hard apple cider1/2 c. brandy1 tbsp. powdered ginger

1 tsp. grated nutmeg6 allspice berries2 cinnamon sticks6 large eggs, separatedToast, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Scoop out cores of apples without fully penetrating apples with a melon baller. Fill each apple with one tablespoon sugar. Place apples on baking sheet. Stuff orange with 13 cloves and place on baking sheet. Bake apples and orange 40 minutes. While apples and orange bake, pour apple cider and brandy into heavy-bottomed stock pot. Heat over moderately low heat. Whisk in powdered ginger and grated nutmeg. Do not bring wassail to boil. Put allspice and cinnamon in small cheesecloth square and tie ends together. Float this spice sachet in wassail as it warms. Beat egg yolks until light in color and set aside. In separate bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg yolks into whites. Temper eggs by slowly pouring half cup wassail into eggs. Remove spice sachet from wassail and pour in tempered eggs. Transfer to punch bowl. Float baked apples and oranges in wassail and serve by the mug, topping each mug with a small slice of toast.

With Jim Durfey

You’ve heard that song many times. But how did the term originate and how did wassailing become a part of the holidays?

Your Best Times recipe contributor did some research on the subject.

One theory about how the drink wassail became a holiday staple involves a king and a young woman who served him spiced wine. When she handed him the glass of wine, she said, “Lavert King, was hail!”

The king was struck by her beauty and was instantly infatu-ated with her. From that day on, it was a common practice for the first embiber at a banquet to say, “was hail” as a toast. The person who drinks next would say, “Drink hail!” The “was hail”

evolved into wassail.Around 1600, it was a popular prac-

tice to bring bowls of warm wassail house to house. Payment was often expected.

Wassail has become a popular beverage for many modern families. One financial institution in Livingston serves it to their customers every holiday season.

Most batches of wassail are made without alcohol. But the traditional wassail includes hard cider and brandy. Listed below are two recipes — one without alcohol and one with alcohol. The latter version is made with eggs, so it could be called a nog.

Here we come a-wassailingAmong the leaves so green; Here we come a-wand’ringSo fair to be seen.

Love and joy come to you, And to you your wassail too; And God bless you and send you a happy New Year.

Get into the

Wassail Tradition

On the Menu


By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, Ph.D.Send STRANGE questions to brothers Bill and Rich at [email protected]

What is the world’s

Q. Of the world’s deadly creatures, which should you fear the most? A. Contrary to popular belief, sharks — though scary — killed only three people worldwide in 2014. Dogs, on the other hand, kill more than 60,000 people a year, with rabid dogs being especial killers in Asia and Africa, according to the World Health Organization and others, as reported in Time magazine. Deer can be fatal when they run in front of motor vehicles, which they do at a rate of 100 a year. Elephants take a human toll of nearly 300 annually; crocodiles, 1,000; snakes, 94,000. Also making the list are mosquitoes, whose diseases kill an estimated 755,000 every year. “Hoping to stop the spread of deadly diseases, scientists in Florida plan to release millions of genetically modified male mosquitoes engineered to keep their partners from producing offspring,” says the magazine. But “from car accidents to murder, humans kill more humans each year than any animal does — approximately 1.6 million.”

Q. In our multi-cultural world, find-ing our way through the maze of “prop-er” table manners can at times be tricky. Now imagine you’ve time trav-eled back to the past to attend a dinner party — in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, Bedouin camps and others. What rules do you need to know?

A. Since in ancient Greece napkins haven’t yet been invented, you should “wipe your greasy hands with a piece of bread — called apomagdalia,” reports Mental Floss magazine. Then throw it on the floor, along with any other scraps, for the dogs. In ancient Rome, you’ll also be eating with your hands, but custom says to “keep your pinkie and ring finger clean.” And no need to search for a rest-

room since a chamber pot is provided at the table.

At a Bedouin camp, before and after eating rub your hands in the sand outside the tent. And “if bread falls to the floor, call the five-second rule: Pick it up, kiss it, raise it to your forehead.” Had enough after-dinner coffee? Merely shake the cup or your host will serve you more.

At a feast at a Viking village, be pre-pared for an embroidered white tablecloth laid, and since forks haven’t yet been introduced, a sharp knife for eating will suffice. Be advised too that unless you’re sick or old, passing on the drinking horn is considered rude.

Finally a few tips on meat-eating in medieval France: Swear before carving into it, then toss the bones onto the floor, watching where you throw them, of course. And for a final bit of advice from Erasmus of Rotterdam: “If it is possible to withdraw, [farting] should be done alone. But if not... let a cough hide the sound.

Q. From a New Scientist magazine reader: Are there flock-hunting birds of prey comparable to land mammals like wolves and lions hunting in packs? A. Actually, yes. Harris’s hawks typically hunt in family groups of five or six, ambushing prey by chasing it into a group of waiting birds, answers magazine reader David Ridpath of Gloucestershire, UK. Being gregarious, the hawks are used in falconry, breeding relatively easily in captivity and learning to attack a variety of game. Now another perspective: On her farm in Western Australia, Anna Butcher witnessed wedge-tailed eagles working in pairs to stalk wild ducklings, and especially at lambing time, she observed crows standing apart from a ewe and

young lamb and quickly attacking if the two became separated. Also, dozens of crows “chased small mobs of ewes and young lambs in open paddocks, trying to separate them and attacking any lambs that lag behind.” As Butcher wonders, “Is this why a group is called ‘a murder of crows’”?

Q. Forget Einstein’s relativity, spe-cial or general. What did this cosmo-logical guru have to say that would likely knock you for a loop? Do you have TIME for this one? A. Lovely lyricisms surround the mys-tical notion of time, such as Henry David Thoreau’s “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.” But perhaps nothing is stranger than the words of Albert Einstein, who maintained that “time is just another dimension of the universe and that its passage is an illu-sion, suggesting that past, present and future coexist simultaneously,” says edi-tor-in-chief Stephen George of Discover magazine. In essence, then, there is no difference between the past and the future as both are set in stone. Don’t even ask what this notion does to birthdays, anni-versaries, deadlines?

As George quips, “If time is an illusion I suppose that would mean that Einstein really didn’t come up with this idea 110 years ago — he’s coming up with it at the same time I’m writing about it, and at the same time that George Ellis, a conscien-tious cosmologist, is disputing that self-same view of the universe.” Specifically, Ellis holds that it is dangerous to suppose that the future is set in stone because it robs us of our free will and moral account-ability.

deadliest creature?

Crossword


Managing YourInsurance Moves

Article Series

R e a d M o r e a t d a r n i e l l e . c o m

I N S U R A N C E A G E N C Y

DARNIELLE

Transportation Network Companies-TNC’s“Triggering Property Insurance Coverage—Maybe!”Insuring the BossThe Bakken and Workers’ Compensation Coverage

1320 28th Street WestBillings, MT 59101

call us: (406) 652-4180visit us online: darnielle.com

By guest blogger Dennis P. Gambill, Insurance Litigation Consultant.

Across1 Musical group founded by

a Civil War vet11 Some email attachments15 Symbol for the NFL's

Bears16 1970 Kinks hit17 School uniform part dat-

ing to the 1800s18 Presently19 Strip lighting20 Partly roasted treat21 Consequences of too

many blows22 Wing it24 Larger-than-life types26 Big name in investment

banking30 King of pop31 IRA components34 Complex pipes36 Pitch37 Civil Rights Memorial

architect38 Tahrir Square city39 1979 Pa. newsmaker40 Altar on high41 "Happening Now" airer43 Lotion letters44 Italian road

46 Peabody Essex Museum city

48 Course outlines50 Seat of Greene County,

Ohio54 Long haul55 Do away with59 Low spots60 Taunt61 Like emus63 Positive assertion64 Ownership issue65 Red Rose66 Home safety

feature

Down1 Lake __ Vista2 Didn't sit

around3 String holder4 __ elbow5 Tolkien mon-

ster6 Base figs.7 Where to get a

date8 Vigeland

Museum city9 Bit of wisdom

10 Predator known for its piercing call

11 Certain metalworker12 Five-time 1960s Emmy-

winning actor13 Outdoor security item14 Literally, "without lines"23 Crotchety remark25 Atmosphere makeup27 Florida surfing mecca28 Fake29 Potato __

31 Museum visit, perhaps32 Traditional Cajun dish33 Warned, in a way35 Neighborhood41 Rx overseer42 "I can remember when

the air was clean and __ was dirty": George Burns

45 Ethylene, for one47 Legendary speller?49 Cry of domination51 Dark times abroad

52 Novelist Calvino53 Longtime Moore co-

star56 Completely lost57 Fantasy player's con-

cern58 Stumbles, say62 Bolted down

Q. “It ain’t just for fancy folks in top hats,” writes Foster Kamer in Mental Floss magazine. But it costs $50-$70 for 50 grams, or about $500-$700 per pound. What is it? A. Caviar, or unfertilized salt-cured fish eggs from different species of sturgeon. This “hoity-toity” stuff wasn’t always quite the delicacy it is today, Foster says. Actually, caviar was an everyday snack and an American export in the early 20th century, with the Hudson and Delaware Rivers two of the world’s biggest

caviar-producers. “As Josh Russ Tupper of New York’s iconic Russ & Daughters appetizing shop explains, ‘Salted caviar was so prevalent, it was sitting on bars like peanuts.’ (Like peanuts, the salt helped encourage drinkers to keep drinking.)” Since most caviar is harvested by killing the fish, overfishing in the U.S. severely curtailed domestic supplies and made imported caviar more expensive. How expensive? According to the Food Republic website, “the most expensive caviar on record is from a 100-year-old fish Almas caviar, from the eggs of 60 to 100-year-old Iranian beluga sturgeon, clocking in at roughly $35,000 per kilo ($1,000/ounce).”

Q. While life without physical pain may sound ideal, in fact it can be an even bigger pain. How so? A. Consider the people whose sense of touch is disturbed so badly that they feel no physical pain, a condition caused by a mutation of the gene SCN9A, says David Linden in his book “Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart and Mind,” as reviewed by Katie Burke in American Scientist magazine. Often they don’t live beyond their teen years, as cuts and scrapes go unnoticed and lead to serious infection. “Even fatal injuries cannot be felt”: In one tragic case, a “fear-less” child trying to impress some friends jumped off a building, got up and walked away. He died later that day from internal bleeding he could not feel. A very different disorder of this genetic mutation “can result in pain-sensing neurons ‘like machine guns with a hair-trigger...’ Even mild stimuli can initiate bouts of agonizing pain.” These sufferers, though, can live long, full lives, unlike their pain-free brethren.

Billings • Bozeman • Miles City • Glendive

1 (800) 340-3720

National Board Certified in Hearing Instruments Science 30 years Experience in the Hearing Aid Industry.

Sleigh bells ring... can you hear them?How well will you hear the sweet holiday sounds at this year’s choir concert? When your family and friends gather for a festive dinner, will you be able to follow the lively dinner-table conversation?

Don’t miss a minute of joy this holiday season!We understand how challenging hearing problems can be for people. Every day we see people leaning forward, heads cocked and even cupping their ears - struggling to hear. As hearing care professionals, we help people find solutions for better hear-ing so they don’t miss out on the joy of the holiday season. (Or the rest of the year!) The best way to reassure yourself that you are not missing special moments this season is to get a comprehensive hearing exam and consultation at Miracle-Ear.

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*ME200 not included **Hearing aids do not restore natural hearing. Individual experiences vary depending on severity of hearing loss, accuracy of evaluation, proper fit, and ability to adapt to amplification. Our hearing test and video otoscopic inspection are always free. Hearing test is an audiometric test to determine proper amplification needs only. These are not medical exams or diagnoses nor are they intended to replace a physician’s care. If you suspect a medical problem, please seek treatment from your doctor.

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