Eureka Seeds of Hope Community Garden  

The Tobacco Valley Community Development Council, Eureka Area Chamber of Commerce,  Montana State University Extension, Eureka Rural Development Partners and the Lincoln County Fair Board combined their talents and support to initiate and support the development of a local community garden. The community garden committee operates under the auspices of the MSU Extension Office and the Community Development Council, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.  The community garden committee are volunteer Master Gardeners who have years of gardening experience. Volunteers accomplished all required work to fence in and build 33 raised beds along with a butterfly garden.  The garden has partnered with local nursery owners who provide starter plants and with the owners of a local organic farm, Ten Lakes Farm, who advise the garden committee regarding sustainable organic practices.

The goals for the garden are to improve access to affordable and healthy food; promote healthy food practices and active lifestyles; promote well-being and reduce health issues; provide a venue and opportunity for citizens to learn how to grow their own food in an organic and sustainable manner; reconnect the community with the importance of agricultural production; provide a research area for Montana State University Extension Office to improve overall agricultural/ horticultural production in the Tobacco Valley; tie gardening into life skills training; and enhance the local farmers market.

The first season (2010) was focused primarily on food assistance. The Tobacco Valley is experiencing a 19% unemployment rate and approximately 22% of the residents live at or below the poverty level.  The Tobacco Valley Food Pantry has provided nearly 600 pounds of produce that was distributed to over 150 families and another 100 pounds of produce was provided to families identified by local Clergy.  The Tobacco Valley Food Pantry was provided nearly 600 pounds of produce that was distributed to over 150 families and another 100 pounds of produce was provided to families identified by local Clergy.
    

A dedicated group of volunteers has made this garden a success.  The ingenuity, resourcefulness and hard work of this talented group will ensure its continued positive impact on the community.

Healthy Living Grant Program

Supported in part by Purdue Pharma L.P.

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles in Communities Across America

The AMA Foundation, with support from the AMA Alliance, began the Healthy Living Grant Program to address these critical issues. Based on the thought that local leaders can come up with the best solutions to these problems, this initiative supports grassroots organizations who are on the front lines in their communities. These grants provide critical funding that can jumpstart a project, affect change quickly, increase visibility for a project/organization, encourage collaboration and make a lasting difference in a community.

Grants are up to $5,000 for a specific project addressing obesity issues. Projects must include both a nutrition component and a physical activity component (like gardening!). Projects must address an underserved or at-risk population.

Applications available Mid-May 2011.

 Information at:http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/ama-foundation/our-programs/public-health/healthy-living-grants.page  

-May 11, 2011 -  

Best Western Great Northern Hotel - Helena, MT

 This 6 hour, HANDS ON WORKSHOP will be conducted by the Nation's leading Worksite Health Promotion researcher, Dr. Dee Edington. Following his book Zero Trends, he will focus on five fundamental pillars: Senior Leadership, Operations Leadership, Self-Leadership, Reward Positive Actions, and Quality Assurance. Once informed on each pillar, table work sessions and group reports will take place. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will leave with a ready-to-implement health management strategy with support materials for their organization.

For more information visit: http://montanaworksitewellness.org  

Mineral Community Hospital and Tamarck Medical Clinic Health Fair  

June 4, 2011 9am-12pm, Superior, MT

The Health Fair will be held at Superior Elementary School. Screenings and Blood Tests will go on in the weeks before the Health Fair. Check out the  calendar on the website for dates and times. 

Florence GO Day  

June 11, 2011, Florence, MT   

http://www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org/locations/detail/?id=319 

There will be a family fun run and a 5K sponsored by the Hemry Foundation as well as mini workshops on outdoor activities to encourage families to spend the afternoon recreating. Bicycles will be collected, repaired and rebuilt for free.... mostly everyone just has a lot of fun!

BCBS Governor's Cup  

June 11, 2011, Helena, MT 

http://www.govcupmt.com/ 

The Governor's Cup is the major annual fundraising event for the Caring Foundation of Montana, Inc. (Caring Foundation) a 501(c) (3) charitable foundation established by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana in 1991.  The Caring Foundation is dedicated to helping Montana kids receive dental benefits through the Healthy Montana Kids (HMK) Extended Dental Benefit Program. 

All proceeds raised for the Caring Foundation will be donated to the HMK Dental Benefit Program and matched $3 to $1 by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  It is a unique and compelling opportunity to make your registration dollar go so much further.  Even if you are not participating in this year's race, you can still donate.  

Big Sky State Games  

July 15-17, 2011, Billings, MT

http://www.bigskygames.org/index.php3  

The Big Sky State Games is an annual multi-sport event, modeled after the Olympic Games, designed and held solely for the residents of Montana. Residents in bordering states that do not have a State Games are invited to participate (Idaho, South Dakota, and Wyoming)  The State Games concept was developed in New York in 1978 with the Empire State Games, and today 35 states currently conduct State Games. Since the inaugural Big Sky State Games in 1986, and during the past twenty-three years over 224,000 athletes from more than 250 Montana communities have participated in the Games. In 2010, the Big Sky State Games celebrated its 25th year with over 10,000 athletes participating in 37 sports with the help of 2,500 volunteers.