Billings, MT November 2022 by City Lifestyle

Thankful

LI F E + C U LTU R E

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CHRISTINA BLAIR, Advisor

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CARRIE CALDWELL, Advisor 406-860-8905

ASHLEY KALE, Advisor & Shop Director 406-861-1849

RICHIE FRANKS, Advisor 406-939-5452

DEBBIE LETSINGER, Advisor 406-425-0995

ELOY MEDINA, Advisor 406-647-6816

SHAWNA MORALES, Broker - Private Office Advisor - Licensed Partner 406-850-3065

GAVIN SANDERS, Advisor 406-850-9923

LUKE OELLERMANN, Advisor 406-697-6706

MELISA TAYLOR, Advisor 406-696-8484

NICOLE WELTER, Advisor 406-671-1423

MORGAN HIGGINS, Advisor 406-672-6424

406.206.0192 ALEIGHA SOLOWY, Advisor 406-860-7663

AUGUSTE GOODELL, Advisor 406-371-3451

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

Thank you.

November 2022 PUBLISHER

Richard Boggs | Richard.Boggs@CityLifestyle.com EDITOR

Chelsea Lyn Agro | Chelsea.Agro@CityLifestyle.com

The pages within this November issue are themed "Thankful." And since this is my public letter to our community, I'd like to prelude the stories you're about to read with a simple yet very heartfelt "thank you" for making this magazine what it is today. Firstly, I'm indebted to my team here at Billings City Lifestyle. Their dedication to capturing the best parts of our community is unparalleled. I am in constant awe of the way words pair with photography to showcase a story worth telling. I simply would not be where I am without the guidance and support of this team. I also want to thank my business partners for trusting me and my team to represent you and showcase the products or services you offer. We pride ourselves on supporting local and we appreciate that you've done the same. I will continue to strive for excellence and I know that when we surround ourselves with like-minded and supportive business partners, failure is not an option. Lastly and most importantly, I would like to thank you, the reader. Without your love and support for what we create, we wouldn't exist. Your support radiates from every corner of our city. You have welcomed us into your homes and businesses, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Stories are the fabric of community, and ultimately the best gift we leave behind, so thank you for taking time out of your day to put yourself in someone else's shoes. RICHARD BOGGS, PUBLISHER @BILLINGSCITYLIFESTYLE

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Amanda Tucker | Amanda.Tucker@CityLifestyle.com STAFF PHOTOGR APHER

Chelsea Culp | ChelseaCulpPhotography@Gmail.com AD DESIGNER

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Kelsey Ragain CONTR IBUTING WR ITER S

Chelsea Lyn Agro, Nick Mack

Corporate Team CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Randy Radosevich DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

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Proverbs 3:5-6 Billings City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Billings area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Billings City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but

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the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

www.asinglemomentintime.net

Michael Tucker

A Single Moment In Time, are large canvas photos of local landscapes, and views from the summits of Mountains in Montana and surrounding states through the eyes of Michael Tucker. These photos have been taken with an inspirational view in time, looking down from the summits, or taken at just a moment in time that will never be duplicated. Find these beautiful large canvas photos that will add inspiration to any wall in your home or office. Go to www.asinglemomentintime.net

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inside the issue The Thankful Issue

F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

12 Extraordinary Joe

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

Business Monthly

Hometown Hero

Artist’s Palette

Party Planning

Giving Back

One afternoon of fishing leaves a lasting impression.

20 Fundamentals

A new season lends new perspective.

30 Actions Speak Loudest Giving back with Gratitude in Action.

O N T H E C OV E R

Photography: Chelsea Culp Photography A boy who lacked a father was taken fishing for the day by a neighbor. That boy is now a man at 54 years old. He wrote a letter of "thanks" to the man who changed his life.

LI FE + C U LTU R E

LI FE + C U LT UR E ENT ERTA I NM E N T

S HO PPI NG

A Single Momen t In Time

Go to MandMTuck .PicFair .com

A Single Moment taken of the Beauty of the Montana Outdoors

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city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen. 1

7 5

1-14: The Billings Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome Awareness was held at the Billings Zoo.

C I T Y SC E N E

14 12

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The Nutcracker Ballet Tis the season! The Nutcracker Ballet is being performed at the Alberta Bair Theater on Saturday, November 26 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 27 at 2 p.m. Sugarplum fairies, mischievous mice, and flurries of snowflakes swirl in this magical journey through a young girl's imagination. Anne Harrigan, Billings Symphony musicians, and 100 local and international performers will bring Tchaikovsky's magical score to life in this holiday classic.

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Open Art Crooked Line Studio welcomes you and your ideas, visions, or even just a feeling! Come in and bring your project with you. While there, you can use any of their studio supplies to help you start, continue, or complete your project. If you're open to it, you can also receive feedback, encouragement, and tips from other artists. Total cost is $8.

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Run Turkey Run! The Yellowstone Rim Runners present the 12th annual Run Turkey Run on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24. The 5K road race begins at 9 a.m. and the street mile dash begins at 10 a.m. The net proceeds are divided among the following charities: Meals on Wheels program of the Adult Resource Alliance, Family Service, Inc., The Billings Backpack Program of the Billings Education Foundation, The MSU Billings Yellowjacket Emergency Pantry (YEP) and the Rocky Mountain College Bear Cupboard.

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ONE AFTERNOON OF FISHING LEAVES A LASTING IMPRESSION

H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

Extraordinary Joe JOE BUTKAY

I was young, I think about 7 or 8. At the time, we lived in Billings way out on the west end of town, there are some houses out there now but at the time literally sagebrush, cow dung, antelope, and white-crusted sulphur ponds. I remember we did have a neighbor down the road: Joe. We were quite honestly short a supportive father figure. I believe at this point he may have still lived in our house, but shortly thereafter he was gone. I didn’t hate living out there. There was always a place to shoot my BB gun, dig around in sandstone caves, and chase rabbits around. There was a ditch that ran right by our house, it ran past Joe’s down the way as well. I had an old fishing pole and could dig for worms right there in the pasture. I knew there were fish in there. I used to catch the minnows along the shallow edges. I spent my summer afternoons casting upstream, shooing off giant horseflies and watching my bobber float past. I am sure the hours spent sitting next to that muddy old ditch would equate to weeks if you bundled them up. If there were real fish in that old ditch they never found their way to my hook. Every once in a while, Joe would come out, maybe mow his grass or work on something in his garage and wave at me sitting up there on the

bank. My brothers, sisters, and I had been over to their house a few times, harassing Joe and his family, but we didn’t really know them well. At the time, Joe was probably in his late 20s. I remember he had a wife and I think at least one young child at the time. One day I was drowning worms in that ditch, and Joe came walking over that piling wood bridge my dad had built and came up for a talk. He said, “If it is alright with your parents, do you and your brother want to go hiking and fishing with me on Saturday?” Thinking back, I am certain it was too painful for him to continue to watch me toss that worm back and forth in that sterile old irrigation ditch any longer. I remember that Friday night vividly staring at that old wind-up alarm clock, just waiting for it to ring. I did not sleep for even one second. Joe promised we would catch fish and all my thoughts turned to finally getting a chance to reel one in with that old rod. No way I was taking a chance on sleeping past 5 a.m. and having Joe leave us either. I don’t remember a lot about Joe. I remember he was a meat cutter, he was a hard-working guy, he was a family guy, and an outdoors guy. He was a kind guy, kind enough to take a precious Saturday away from his own family CONTINUED >

ARTICLE BY GARY SCHILD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSEA CULP NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C O M / BI L L I N G S

to take the two neighbor scrubs out fishing. I am sure to him it was just a kind gesture, but I’ve carried it for 40 years. I remember getting up really early, watching the Eastern Montana sunrise from Joe’s old truck and listening to him tell us about all the fish we would catch, and how. We hiked probably an hour up a steep trail and came into this beautiful lake. We had the entire thing to ourselves. To this day I still have no idea where we were. The one thing I do remember is within seconds of having casted out my line, I finally got to see that old bobber take a dive with a fish on the other end. It went on all morning, all morning, dozens of them to shore. I fell asleep as soon as Joe started up the truck for the ride home, happy and safe. I remember Joe waking me up with a kind smile and pat on the head when he pulled into the drive, thanking us for CONTINUED >

H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C O M / BI L L I N G S

H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

going fishing with him. His kindness that day set into motion my lifelong love to fish and instilling in me the importance of sharing it with others. It does not take a lot to have an impact. I never really spent much time with Joe after that one day. It’s a sandwich, $20 for gas, a few hours of time and a caring heart. The story of our extraordinary neighbor Joe. I appreciate and am thankful to him for that day. One of the kindest men I ever met. He truly was an extraordinary Joe. Gary Schild founded Casting Shadows Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that has a goal of promoting the importance of fatherhood and mentorship, with Ben Sharbono. These two men were looking for a chance to give back all the wonderful experiences they had growing up in Montana. The foundation focuses on providing experiences that allow time to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other's company, free from other stressors. They provide professionally guided full day floating and fly fishing trips. Visit CastingShadowsFoundation.com to learn more or donate. If you know a man in his mid-60s by the name of Joe Butkay, please email Chelsea.Agro@ CityLifestyle.com. Gary would love to thank him for his time that Saturday, many moons ago.

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Fundamentals

A new season lends new perspective

A RT IST ’S PA LE T T E | L IFE + CULTURE

ARTICLE BY SARIE MACKAY

Native American poet Joy Harjo talks about languages that are not made of sound, but we hear and feel them anyway. The eagle who flies over the river, she says, makes no sound but we hear him and feel him. He “sweeps our hearts clean with sacred wings.” In this land of expansive sky, we can open our hearts and minds to unexpected messages. Some of the fundamentals are silent, like Harjo’s eagle or a glimpse of a fox in an autumn cornfield. Some do speak, but not with words—the wind sighing in the ponderosas, the susurration of the brook at the edge of town. Anyone seeking the advice of nature, silent or audible, can take a walk down a country road on a late November afternoon and find much to consider. Even the leaves that whisper and rustle underfoot are a song of the turning wheel of the year. We fall, and then we rise, they seem to say. We cover the earth now and protect the seed and nut that lie sleeping; wait and see. CONTINUED >

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Who can ignore the language of the golden tamaracks that spear up in the dark green hills, while a scarf of white mist floats halfway up the mountain? Along the road, bits of milkweed floss are caught among the chokecherry twigs, and the Clark’s nutcracker shows up, ready to spend a few months at a lower altitude. There is a kind of fever that comes in the fall. While the bears and marmots move sluggishly into hibernation, humans don’t feel that lassitude, or if they do, it doesn’t last. Wanderlust afflicts many of us in autumn, whether we choose to travel to a distant place, reconnect with friends, or simply walk down that country road and listen with our hearts. Here again, the words are spoken without sound: we hear a summons and we follow, ready to discover. This time of year, old vistas open up again, revealing hills and valleys. As the aspens shed their fluttering bits of yellow, we consider the broader horizons and the sky that now seems so blue and deep. Perhaps it is that turning wheel with its repeated rhythms that lets gratitude wash over us and shows us the enduring fundamentals. What is more

A RT IST ’S PA LE T T E | L IFE + CULTURE

concrete than the ribbed branches of the cottonwood, now naked and pointing to the sky? Or the slowing trickle of the stream, skimmed here and there with a film of ice? These are the essentials that anchor us and remind us how fortunate we are. In the stillness, we know that life is more than DNA and protoplasm. As strong as an oak and as delicate as the veins in a leaf, it is the convergence of chaos into order. Curious minds look beneath the surface and discover new worlds and possibilities. The positives begin to outweigh the negatives, making room for change—a grouse feather on the path, a bright spangle of lichen on a boulder, a V of geese and their peculiar yipping song. Walking home, the evening and the prospect of tomorrow hold more promise. Down the road on the right, that’s the house; the one with the windows glowing like little orange squares in the twilight. Even the newly replenished woodpile feels like a benediction, and the good cheer of the fireside awaits. CONTINUED >

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“Wanderlust afflicts many of us in autumn, whether we choose to travel to a distant place, reconnect with friends, or simply walk down that country road and listen with our hearts. Here again, the words are spoken without sound: we hear a summons and we follow, ready to discover.”

A RT IST ’S PA LE T T E | L IFE + CULTURE

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Your Autumn Dinner Party Is Served Catering experts Chef Kyle and Hannah Williams, owners of Savor & Swirl culinary company, create an outdoor dinner party with chef-driven perennial dishes served in beautiful seasonal settings.

For this alfresco Autumn Dinner Party, Chef Kyle draws on favorite fall recipes updated for a modern palate and paired with wine selections to complement the bountiful feast. Hannah creates an iconic autumn ambiance using artisanal table settings and mixed flannels for each guest to blanket any chill on a brisk evening. Whether for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or a new November tradition, it’s time to get outdoors again surrounded in sweater-weather coziness while sharing bites and clinks with family and friends.

“Thin k f l an n el bl an k ets , woo d e n t a bl es , f ire pit s , o pe n g r ill s , st r ing light s an d can dl es to c reat e a really cool e nv iron m e nt you h ave n’t bee n a bl e to d o all s u m m e r.”

PA RT Y P LA N N IN G | ENTERTAI NME NT

Insider Tips for Hosting:

• Build a menu around the season. “In November, people crave turkey, sage stuffing and cranberry sauce,” Chef Kyle says. “Autumn dinners mean bigger-course meals with varied proteins, like turkey, duck and sirloin, hearty starches, and good fall produce, especially root vegetables such as butternut squash and pumpkin.” • Always greet guests with a beverage and appetizers. “Offer champagne for wine-lovers or a sparkling drink or signature cocktail. It’s all about serving guests to the highest caliber,” Kyle says. • Draw inspiration from the season’s changing colors, cooler temps and lower humidity to move back outdoors. “Think flannel blankets, wooden tables, fire pits, open grills, string lights and candles to create a really cool environment you haven’t been able to do all summer.” • “You can’t go wrong with fresh flowers,” Hannah says, “but keep bouquets low to not interfere with conversation flowing. For fall, I like richer, jewel-toned florals to mix and match and keep whimsical. I vary glass vases with burnished brass for warm fall vibes.” • An easy but thoughtful detail is to put a simple menu at each place setting, so guests know what to expect. “Add a pen, so guests can jot tasting notes, especially for wine pairings or multiple courses,” Hannah says. “Guests can share comments, then take the menu home as a sweet reminder of the event.” • Follow the French principle of mise en place or everything in place before your event. “This is actually our company’s name,” Kyle says. “It’s that important to us. Make sure the wines are all open, cocktails are pre-made, place settings are out, candles are lit and music is playing. When guests arrive, it gives that wow-factor and shows you intentionally made them feel special.” • To build confidence as a host, start small and practice. “Keep the menu and guest list small,” Kyle says. “Choose recipes you already have confidence in. If you make a great Beef Stroganoff, then go with that. People will love it!” • As fun as it is to dine outside, always have an indoors back-up plan. “We’ve had to bring it indoors before,” Hannah says. “It’s still fun.”

savorandswirl.com Instagram: @savorandswirl, #savorandswirl

Want to see more? For this fall dinner party, Chef Kyle created the perfect dinner menu to tantalize guests’ taste buds. For a complete list of recipes, scan the QR code. NOVEMB ER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C O M / BI L L I N G S

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Even at the height of her addiction, when self-honesty was hardest to come by, Terri Todd knew she was headed to an early grave. “If I kept doing what I was doing, I wasn’t going to make it,” she recalls, seated on one of the many couches in the Gratitude in Action thrift shop. “I was just scared enough that I decided to try something different, and I finally found a twelve-step program that made sense. I was willing to do what someone else suggested because I knew my ideas didn’t work anymore.” Terri met her husband, Richard, in the recovery program, and they bonded over shared experiences and similar goals. Their addictions had separated them from their families, pushed them through courts and prisons, and spat them back into a world with few support systems for people who had lost everything but each other. “We had a dream of being able to help people who’d gone through the same thing,” Terri says. “Let’s say someone has spent 30 years in state prison. When they get out, they don’t know how to operate a cell phone, let alone operate in today’s world.

So based on our experience, we tried to figure out how we could help. We started with sober living homes.” In 2016, the Todds opened their first home: Ignatia’s House. The building was named in honor of Sister Ignatia, a nun who cared and advocated for thousands of alcoholics at a time when the affliction was commonly “cured” by lobotomies. “Our goal was that no one would ever be turned away because of lack of money or opportunity,” Terri says. “If someone wants to get sober and have a safe, structured place to do it, they can come to Ignatia’s House.” In the past six years, over 2,600 people have transitioned through the Ignatia’s House sober living program. Over 2,600 people have accepted help and committed to changing their lives. And over 2,600 lives have been changed for the better, including Brandon’s and Elizabeth’s. “Our families had turned against us, and I had this federal charge over my head,” Elizabeth remembers. She and Brandon were still in sober living during the birth of their son, who was CONTINUED >

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“NOW PEOPLE WHO ARE STARTING OVER HAVE A SPOT TO GET HOUSEHOLD STUFF. IT’S ALSO A WORKFORCE RE-ENTRY PROGRAM. PEOPLE CAN COME DOWN HERE AND VOLUNTEER IN A SAFE PLACE.”

G IV IN G BAC K | SHOPPING

immediately removed from their care until they could provide a better environment. “Terri helped me apply for a family home where you could have your kids, and in a couple of months, my son was returned home. She was with us every step of the way.” Around the time Elizabeth’s family was reunited, Terri and Richard leased a massive building from the Salvation Army and opened the Gratitude in Action thrift store. “Prior to that,” Terri says, “people would come into our homes, and we’d have to go out to find them clothes and get them set up. So this was a natural fit. Now people who are starting over have a spot to get household stuff. It’s also a workforce re-entry program. People can come down here and volunteer in a safe place.” Elizabeth and Brandon took advantage of this opportunity early, repairing the once-decrepit building and beginning to repair their lives. “We got involved in the painting of it,” Elizabeth says. “We moved all the furniture in the beginning. My husband helped out with the A/C. When we were both ready to move out of sober living, Terri called a friend of hers and arranged an apartment for us. To be recovering addicts without a support system—it was scary. But Terri furnished the whole place for us. She was willing to let us go through the store and pick out anything we needed.”

CONTINUED >

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Alcoholism is a disease of separation. Terri explains, “You fall under the mindset: ‘I’m always going to be less than you.’ When people begin to heal and work through that trauma, they get to where they can look the world in the eye and be proud of who they are. They can give back to the people they’ve taken from.” For Lyssa, who struggled with addiction on the Fort Peck Indian reservation, the less-than-you mindset almost triggered another downward spiral after a round of treatment. “I was actually about to go back home, to go back to my old devices,” she explains. “But I’d heard about Ignatia’s House, and I decided to give it a try. It was just the structure I needed. I had no job, no phone, nothing. They took me in, gave me clothes, gave me what I needed to live. They gave me the opportunity to manage the house, and that was such a big growing experience for me. Terri came back to the reservation with me and helped me fight for the custody of my son.”

G IV IN G BAC K | SHOPPING

Terri also provided Lyssa with a set of scrubs and supported her journey towards becoming a CNA. Part of this journey involved building a rental history, which Lyssa was able to accomplish through Terri and Richard’s Ready to Rent program. “It helped me learn how to ‘adult,’ basically,” Lyssa says. “I learned how to budget, build my credit, and pay off my debts. They taught me how to start my life over. I thought I’d never get all that back. We also had house meetings together, and I’d never really had a family structure like that. They helped build a family for me.” Every Thanksgiving, Terri and Richard host a dinner for their Ignatia’s House family. “Anyone who’s ever lived at the house comes back with their loved ones,” Terri says. “These people thought there was no chance they were ever going to get their kids back. There was no chance their wife was ever going to talk to them again. And to watch their lives get completely rebuilt… You would’ve never thought this would be part of your story.”

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