ATLANTA  – The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has reached the milestone of committing $1 billion in giving since its inception in 1995. Founded by Arthur M. Blank, notable philanthropist and co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has invested in improving lives and communities across the country, predominantly in Georgia and Montana.   

This $1 billion investment has supported nonprofits working on a range of issues. In the foundation’s early years this included early childhood education, parks and greenspaces, the arts, health and fitness, college and career prep, long-term positive revitalization of Atlanta’s Westside, and more. The foundation has worked alongside nonprofit partners to drive meaningful impact through a values-based and outcomes-focused approach to philanthropy. It has connected experts, leaders and community organizations that are committed to solving some of society’s most pressing issues, both locally and nationally.  

In its first year of operation, the foundation approved more than $5 million in grants. Over time, the foundation has supported more than 3,500 nonprofits and has granted more than $670 million in Georgia and more than $28 million in Montana.  

“We are proud to have reached this significant milestone, but this moment is truly a testament to the dedicated service of the thousands of nonprofits we’ve supported over the past two and a half decades,” said Arthur M. Blank, chairman, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. “I’m thankful for every current and former associate and board member of the foundation who helped us reach this point, and I know that together with our grantee partners we can continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. I look forward to what’s to come and the continued impact we will all make together.” 

Recent grants enabling the foundation to reach this significant milestone include:  

·         $3 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta to support its Rising Together campaign to serve more children, more often, with greater impact 

·         $1 million to CARE USA for its Humanitarian Surge Fund, which enables the rapid deployment of staff, equipment and resources when emergencies strike, delivering aid that saves lives while paving the way for long-term recovery 

·         $500,000 from the AMB West Community Fund, a committee funded by the foundation and led by associates at Blank’s ranches in Paradise Valley, Montana, that invests in the local community  

·         $1 million from the Molly Blank Fund to support PJ Library, which provides free books to more than 600,000 Jewish children 

·         $500,000 to The Carter Center to support its Georgia mental health program, as part of the foundation’s new Mental Health & Well-Being giving area 

·         $9.25 million to Energy Foundation to inform policy makers about the benefits of clean energy markets and commitments across regions, as part of the foundation’s new Environment giving area 

·         $1.04 million to Westside Future Fund to support the production of permanently affordable rental housing as part of the foundation’s recent $2.4 million in grants to increase financial security and affordable housing for legacy residents in Atlanta’s historic Westside 

As the Blank Family Foundation surpasses the $1 billion mark in giving, it is preparing to accelerate its philanthropy over the next decade. Guided by the interests of Blank family members serving on the board of directors, the foundation has identified new priority areas of giving: Youth Development, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health & Well-Being and Atlanta’s Westside. In addition to these priority areas of giving, the foundation will continue to oversee a large portfolio of enduring founder-led initiatives. 

About the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation 

After more than 25 years and $1 billion in giving, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is committed to significantly accelerating the impact of its philanthropy over the next 10+ years. The foundation is currently on a journey of deeper learning and strategy setting for its new priority areas: Youth Development, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health & Well-Being and Atlanta’s Westside. Across these portfolios, the foundation will look for opportunities to address the growing crisis of disconnection in our nation. Geographically, much of the work will continue to prioritize Georgia (with a focus on Atlanta) and Montana, while also considering the potential for greater national impact and influence. 

In addition to the priority areas of giving, the foundation will continue to oversee a large portfolio of grants including support of essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, and enduring founder-led initiatives, such as veterans and the military and stuttering, among others. The foundation will also continue to guide the six associate-led giving committees operating across the Blank Family of Businesses. 

Mr. Blank, chairman of the foundation, co-founded The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. 

For more information, please visit www.blankfoundation.org. 

The Gallatin County Commission approved using Open Lands Program money to help fund six projects that improve public open lands in Bozeman, Three Forks, West Yellowstone, Big Sky and Four Corners.

On Tuesday, April 18, commissioners voted unanimously to spend $458,223 to provide funding to the following applicants and projects:

• Gallatin Valley Land Trust – East-West Connector trail – $100,000
• Yellowstone Shortline Trail – construction of a nine-mile trail in the West Yellowstone area – $100,000
• Headwaters Trail System – trail surface maintenance – $100,000
• Big Sky Owners Association – Little Coyote Pond and West Fork River restoration project – $100,000
• Eagle Mount – land acquisition for future Eagle Mount programming, infrastructure, community recreation and public access to the Gallagator Trail – $38,928
• Craighead Institute – wildlife habitat and water quality improvements at Gallatin County Regional Park – $19,295

“I’m really impressed with all of the applications,” said Gallatin County Commissioner Jennifer Boyer. “All of these projects are well designed, community-minded, and have incredible support from a variety of partners and agencies.”

Money for these projects comes from the voter-approved Gallatin County Open Space Levy, which was passed in 2018. This year, the levy is estimated to bring in over $2.44 million total.

While a majority of that money funds conservation projects, such as conservation easements for private landowners, over $458,000 was earmarked by the Gallatin County Commission for “other eligible projects.”  These projects must be related to land acquisition, capital improvements, and maintenance projects that support the purpose of the Open Space Levy.

Eleven applications were received during the application period earlier this year. The Open Lands Board scored the submitted proposals and recommended these six projects for approval. 

Commissioner Zach Brown said these “other eligible projects” are a great addition to the Open Lands Program that go beyond traditional conservation easements to help support “all kinds of recreational, open space, and water quality type efforts that benefit our constituents.”

“It’s meaningful to spread the love to different corners of the county,” Brown said.

More information on the projects, including applications and scoring, can be found attached to the commission’s agenda here.

HELENA – The drawings for Montana deer and elk permits and for nonresident combination licenses are complete and applicants can find their results online.
You can see your results by visiting fwp.mt.gov, click on MyFWP Login in the upper righthand corner, then click on Lookup Draw Results, Register for Lists tab on the left-hand menu, or login to your MyFWP account. You may also sign up for an account at myfwp.mt.gov. Applicants may also call any FWP Regional office or the licensing office at 406-444-2950.

For unsuccessful applicants, refunds will come in the form of a check in the mail. If you selected the option for your refund to be donated to the Block Management Program, you will not receive a check in the mail and your full refund amount will be donated.

For successful applicants, if you selected to receive your carcass tag(s) electronically, you may download your carcass tag(s) on your mobile device through your MyFWP account. Do no validate your tag until you have harvested an animal.

Deadline reminders:  The deadline to apply for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison is Monday, May 1; the deadline to apply for elk B, deer B, and antelope is Thursday, June 1. All applications must be completed online or at an FWP office. Most FWP offices with license sales are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

BOZEMAN— A local tradition! The Bozeman Kiwanis Club will provide 50 children’s sandboxes, built by club members, and given to families free of charge, sand included! Sandboxes get our children outside, while socializing and developing creative and constructive skill sets!

The sandboxes will be distributed on the south side of the 100 Acre Park off Oak Street, west of 19th, in the parking lot near the sledding hill. Distribution will be on two Saturdays, June 3rd and 10th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursday, June 8th from 5-7 p.m. The sandboxes are available on a first come, first served basis, until all are distributed. It is very important to bring a vehicle that can accommodate the 5” by 5” wooden boxes and over 1,000 pounds of sand.  It is highly recommended that you protect your vehicle with a tarp or drop cloth for transporting, as the sand is loose. Pick-up trucks or trailer are the best way to transport the boxes and sand. Most cars will not accommodate the box and sand.

The Sandbox Project is one of many the Bozeman Kiwanis Club provides to give back to the
community through various outreach programs. The sandboxes are made possible by the club with support from community donations. Other services the Bozeman Kiwanis provides to the
community include: Local support is also provided for Eagle Mount Camp Braveheart, Big Sky Cancer Kids Spaghetti Feed, Hope for the Holidays, Kids in Crisis Backpacks, Fix-Up Festival, playground equipment, building park pavilions, Thrive, and others, including, Eliminate, which through Kiwanis International has made great strides to eliminate maternal neonatal tetanus. The Bozeman Kiwanis Club has been supporting children and families in the Bozeman and surrounding communities for over 100 years!

If you would like to reserve a sandbox for your family, please email Mary Brydich at
mbrydichkiwanis@aol.com.

BOZEMAN —The City of Bozeman is hosting an annual Independence Day fireworks show. This free show will be on July 4 at 10 p.m. at the Bozeman Softball Complex. All are invited to watch.
 
“We’re looking forward to providing a safe alternative to lighting off personal fireworks,” Fire Chief Josh Waldo stated. “By watching our show instead of lighting them yourself, you can avoid a potential fireworks injury, not be a possible cause of a fire, and limit disruptions to your neighbors and their pets.”

 
The City has never before provided a fireworks show. In past years, the Lion’s Club helped to put on a local fireworks show, and efforts ended in 2019 as the pandemic started.
 
More information will be provided as details come together. Those with questions can call Bozeman Fire at (406) 582-2350.

ENNIS – A partial closure at Eight Mile Ford Fishing Access Site has been lifted.  The boat ramp at this site on the Madison River was closed in February due to unstable ice and hazardous flooding. Ice jams and flooding here have receded, allowing public use of the ramp to resume.  

Partial and full closures are still in effect for some fishing access sites affected by seasonal flooding. To see where site closures and waterbody restrictions are in place, visit fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions. 

As river flows rise this spring, recreationists should keep in mind that dangerous river conditions can arise suddenly, and access roads can also be impacted.  Learn more at fwp.mt.gov/activities/boating.  

The Gallatin County DUI Task Force is hosting the annual Law Enforcement Award Ceremony on Thursday, April 20 at 6 PM in the Gallatin County Courthouse Community Room at 311 W. Main St. in Bozeman.

The top law enforcement officers from each agency with jurisdiction in Gallatin County will be recognized for their efforts and contributions to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those people who made the decision to drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs in 2022. The award ceremony is open to the public.

The Gallatin County DUI Task Force is a group of volunteers who are passionate about helping to reduce the incidence of driving under the influence, DUI crashes and deaths related to those committing DUIs. The task force works to increase the awareness of the dangers, implications, and severity of DUIs through education and civic outreach.

 For questions regarding the award ceremony or the DUI Task Force, please contact the DUI Task Force Coordinator at hali.kapperud@gallatin.mt.gov or 406-585-1492.

As temperatures rise and with more snow in the forecast, Gallatin County is beginning to see increased calls for assistance with flooding.  If you are in IMMEDIATE need of assistance with obtaining sandbags, please contact the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 406-582-2100.  We will provide you information on where you can obtain sandbags.  You can also call 211 to be connected to additional resources. And don’t forget to sign up for emergency alerts through the Gallatin County Emergency Management Community Notification System.

Sign up today at www.readygallatin.com!

Spring black bear hunting season opens April 15

HELENA — The spring black bear hunting season starts April 15.

Here are some reminders for the 2023 season:

• There is a 48-hour reporting requirement for all black bear harvests.
• The mandatory inspection of black bear harvests in Region 1 changed in 2022. See page 10 of the black bear hunting regulations for more information.
• It is lawful to use hounds to train and/or hunt for spring black bears in some areas. See page 4 of the black bear hunting regulations for more information.
• Hunting and fishing licenses are now accessible through a secure and convenient mobile app. The Montana MyFWP app provides a digital wallet to store and display licenses and digital carcass tags, known as E-Tags, that can validate your harvest in the field. See mt.gov/myfwpapp.
  
  

  Spring turkey hunting season opens April 15

  HELENA – Montana’s spring male turkey season opens April 15. Turkey hunters can purchase a turkey license for a general area at FWP offices, license providers or online.

  The 2023 turkey regulations are included in the 2023 Upland Game Bird Regulations Booklet. Regulations are available at FWP offices, license providers and online at fwp.mt.gov.

A dark sky citizen science kit pictured on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at Montana State University in Bozeman. The kit contains an instruction sheet, sky quality meter, night sky field guide, planisphere, red flashlight, log book, pencil and citizen science stickers. MSU photo by Colter Peterson

BOZEMAN — Montana State University is offering a new way for citizens to help scientists and contribute to national science projects.

The MSU Science Math Resource Center is partnering with the MSU Library to provide four citizen science kits that all MSU Library users, including community borrowers, may use for free. A citizen science kit holds everything needed to gather data for a specific citizen science project. Each kit was field-tested by librarians and patrons and includes a printed activity guide, helpful tips, and any specialized tools or materials needed to complete the project, as well as information about student researchers in Montana. The kits are all linked to national citizen science projects and focus on light pollution, pollinators, biodiversity and water.

Citizen scientists help scientists with their research by making observations, collecting data or documenting changes in nature. Anyone, regardless of their age, education or profession, can be a citizen scientist, according to Suzi Taylor, director of the MSU Science Math Resource Center, which created the kits. The kits are part of the outreach efforts of the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR program, which supports water quality research across Montana.

“Citizen science is for everyone,” Taylor said. “We really hope people will check these kits out and do them.

“We chose projects that are pretty user-friendly regardless of people’s age, and we really do hope that kids use them, or schoolteachers could check them out,” Taylor added. “They would also be great for retired people.”

"Libraries across the country are circulating the kits, hosting events and collaborating with their communities to enable participation in citizen science," said Kris Johnson, head of MSU Library's Learning and Research Services, which circulates the kits. "When Suzi approached us about this possible partnership, I said we’d love to test out checking out the kits as part of our technology lending program."

One kit focused on the night sky invites citizen scientists to take part in an international citizen project that involves the public in measuring and collecting night sky brightness observations to help scientists understand the impact of intrusive artificial light known as light pollution. Information included with the kit notes that too much light pollution can wash out starlight in the night sky, interfere with astronomical research, disrupt ecosystems, have adverse health effects and waste energy.

The kit includes a sky quality meter to measure light pollution, a field guide to the night sky, a night-sky map known as a planisphere, a red flashlight to help with night vision, a log book, a pencil and citizen science stickers (borrowers are invited to keep a sticker). It also includes instructions for contributing observations online through a national database, SciStarter.

Taylor noted that citizen science results can be trusted due to scale.

“When you’re getting a thousand measurements, they may not be made with the precision you would have with a $4,000 instrument, but through the sheer volume of the measurements, you can still see patterns and collect observations that you wouldn’t typically get.”

And, Taylor said, individuals who complete observations as citizen scientists really do help the professional scientific community.

“When you observe, for example, birds or water or clouds, there are scientists who rely on having those observations,” she said. “There’s no way they could have the human power to get all that data themselves. It’s pretty cool to actually be contributing to true research.”

It’s also fun, she said.

“It’s great to combine citizen science with the activities you already do, like hiking or camping or birdwatching,” Taylor said.

Finally, citizen science can help spark an interest in and understanding of science, Taylor noted.

“Any time we can get people doing real science – even from the very youngest age – we may help build more future scientists,” Taylor said. “Citizen science helps people understand how scientific data is collected and what kinds of information scientists like to get. It also enables individuals to connect with professional scientists and other people all around the world.”

The kits were launched for Citizen Science Month, which is in April every year. More information about the four kits, titled “Dark Skies: Measuring Light in the Night,” “Observing Pollinators,” “Exploring Biodiversity” and “Water Wonders: EarthEcho Water Challenge and Crowd the Tap,” is available on the MSU Library technology checkout page at lib.montana.edu/request/tech-checkouts/#citizenscience. Questions may be directed to the Science Math Resource Center in the College of Education, Health and Human Development at smrc@montana.edu.