Our new Stuffed Cheeseburger is seasoned and seared with Hoagieville seasoning, stuffed with grated cheddar and American cheese, topped with more American cheese and finished with our secret housemade burger sauce! Indulge today!
The women we become.
In the last six months or so, I've had somewhat of a premature mid-life realization at 35 years old and it is this: I owe this to my younger self.
The song is a familiar one to most girls growing up. We were always told that fun doesn't last forever, becoming a woman is difficult (typically happens in middle school, which is hard enough), and then having babies is the most painful event one can experience. We'll get jobs, work all our lives, and settle into some comfort knowing that we've jumped in and let the current take us down the usual route. But call me stubborn or bossy or difficult, I just couldn't accept that everyone knew everything there was to know about what it means to truly be a woman.
I think all of the above ring true on a very basic level of comprehension, but if I could go back to my youth, I'd filter out the dread in some particular voices. There's so much dread that comes with the "burden" of being woman, and I've grown to realize that being such is actually an honor. The way I am wired feels burdensome sometimes but I'll never be able to truly explain what it is to hold a whole human being that I grew and birthed on my chest. Skin to skin, my baby. I've known them, built them, and nourished them for nine months prior to this moment. I'd tell my younger self how incredible that is. That I get to do that when I grow up.
I'd also tell my younger self that the fun isn't over, after you have kids that is. I recently brought home a new horse to pursue my childhood joy of riding competition. But my bond with the new mare challenges me, feeds me, and excites me to a giddy level. When was the last time you felt giddy? I have the foresight now to know that the 80-year-old version of me would say, "I'm so glad you bought the horse! Look at the fun we had!"
I feel in some ways that I'm reliving my childhood alongside my own children, and we all get a chance to do that by simply coloring a picture next to them. It's in these moments that by honoring myself, I'm inspiring them to be who it is they are right now, forever.
CHELSEA AGRO, EDITOR
May 2026
PUBLISHER
Mike Tucker | MTucker@Citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Amanda Tucker | Amanda.Tucker@CityLifestyle.com
EDITOR
Chelsea Lyn Agro | Chelsea.Agro@CityLifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Rick Szczechowski | RrSzczechowski@Gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Marko Capoferri, Shelby Humphreys, Kelsie Ring, Emma Trotter, Susie Wall
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Amber Answine, Sam McGhee of Victory Media
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
3:5-6
inside the issue
FMC Books founder and owner Tara Hamma shares her reasons for opening the bookstore and its intent for the community. Empathy is an Element
Amy Downing, owner of Element Physical Therapy, offers her own personal connection to vestibular disorders in addition to specialized equipment and expertise.
Candor With a Conductor
Julia Tai, music director of the Missoula Symphony Orchestra, gives a glimpse of her role in our musical Missoula.
Operations Manager of Pine & Needle Cynthia Nesbitt has her finger on the pulse of print.
Julia Tai has been the Missoula Symphony Orchestra's music director since 2020, after an international search for a new conductor. Her life has been devoted to music and she now shares her expertise and experience with Missoula's welcoming community.
Sam McGhee of
business monthly
Family Kite Building
Be a kid again and build a kite! Jacob Cowgill will be leading the instruction on Saturday, May 9 at 10 a.m. at the Zootown Arts Community Center. You'll paint, draw, or collage an image on a piece of paper and turn it into a kite. All materials will be provided with an additional fee. Bring your kiddo(s) for a fun-filled way to celebrate Mother's Day weekend!
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Mountain Home Mother's Day Tea
Mountain Home Montana is celebrating its 20th anniversary by hosting a Mother's Day Tea Party on Friday, May 8 between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Home Arts building at Missoula County Fairgrounds. Reserve your seat or bring friends and host a table of eight. Attendance is complimentary but guests will have the opportunity to support Mountain Home during the program. RSVP by May 1.
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Bitterroot Valley Montana Doll Show & Sale
On Saturday, May 23 at 10 a.m. at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton, get the chance to browse and shop a unique collection of antique and modern dolls, teddy bears, and miniatures. There will be door prizes, exhibits, and free dolls to celebrate World Doll Day. Free parking and admission.
ARTICLE BY EMMA TROTTER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK SZCZECHOWSKI
A Binding Idea
FMC Books founder and owner Tara Hamma shares her reasons for opening the bookstore and its intent for the community
Brightly colored titles in the window of FMC Books, a romance-focused bookstore that opened last summer downtown, practically flirt with passersby, and I’m no exception. I step inside, determined to find a fun read with a satisfying happily-ever-after.
It’s no coincidence that the prettiest contemporary covers are in the window of FMC, which stands for “female main character. “When people come in and ask how the shelves are organized, we say, ‘According to vibes,’” said founder and owner Tara Hamma. As I walk deeper into the store, I encounter sports romance, young adult, fantasy, and—deeper inside, where the lights are dimmer and there are no pastels in sight—dark romance.
I love a pretty cover so I plan to return to the front of the store to shop, but first I check out the very back, where couches and chairs form a loose circle in the cozy glow of electric candles. It’s here that the store hosts its nine book clubs. Some focus on a specific genre, and at one, Not Your Mother’s Book Club, the plot twist is that reading an assigned book is not expected.
“We give three-to-five minute book reports and it’s fantastic. You get really good recommendations,” Tara said, noting that areas of disagreement can be fun, too.
When not in use for book clubs, the space in back is open to anyone who wants a quiet place to read. In fact, creating a community space is why Tara opened the bookstore in the first place.
“I grew up in third spaces in Missoula, and we don’t really have those anymore,” Tara said. “I’m raising pandemic kids and their third spaces are online and they don’t have any social skills. I started wanting to figure out how to remedy that.”
After working from home in a male-dominated field for years, she was also ready to see people again— especially women. “There aren’t a lot of spaces for women to gather where they’re prioritized in Missoula,” she said. “I’m so grateful for the community of women who have businesses in and around Missoula—some of the most compassionate and helpful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
“I’m so grateful for the community of women who have businesses in and around Missoula— some of the most compassionate and helpful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
I’m ready to support this small local business, and Tara is ready to guide me to the right book. She asks if I’m a daily reader, and I tell her there’s nothing I’d rather do each evening than read, but my young kids and work responsibilities sometimes have other plans. Also, that extensive world-building is not my thing.
No judgment from Tara, who recommends “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry, a pretty cover from the front of the store. Even if it takes me weeks to read it, that’s just fine at FMC. “If that’s what you’ve got, you should be catered to,” Tara said. “Don’t be intimidated to try, because we’re just a bunch of goofballs and we love recommending books.”
EMPATHY IS AN ELEMENT
AMY DOWNING, OWNER OF ELEMENT PHYSICAL THERAPY, OFFERS HER OWN PERSONAL CONNECTION TO VESTIBULAR DISORDERS IN ADDITION TO SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND EXPERTISE
If you deal with a physical ailment, there’s a veritable laundry list of physical therapists here in Missoula that are all more than capable of helping you ease your discomfort and getting you back to a semblance of normalcy. But sometimes what manifests on the outside is reflective of something internal; that kind of ailment often requires someone with special knowledge and skills to help you regain equilibrium.
When Amy Downing purchased Element Physical Therapy in 2011, there were not a lot of providers treating vestibular (or inner ear) disorders.
In some ways, Amy was almost forced into the decision to have her own practice.
Amy says, “when my kids were in high school, I went back to work more full-time at the University of Montana” as a physical therapist. “And my supervisor said, ‘Amy, there are so many people requesting to see you that we can’t get our own patients in. So, it might be an opportunity for you to go out on your own.’ It’s kind of a nice way to get kicked out of a place.”
Additionally, and perhaps more germane, Amy has personal experience with vestibular disorders. Vestibular conditions can result in dizziness, vertigo, and other issues. One study found that roughly 35% of adults over 40 in the U.S. have dealt with some kind of vestibular condition.
“I have bilateral Meniere’s disease,” Amy says, “and was losing some of my hearing and had a lot of vertigo problems.”
“What really happened,” she says, “was that a physician looked at me and said, ‘you know, Amy, there’s nothing else I can do to help you.’ And I said to myself, ‘that’s not true.’ We can help these people.”
“I went to Emory University,” she continues, “and got certified in vestibular, and then I went to the University of Pittsburgh and got advanced certified. Then I came back and said, ‘this is what
I’m doing.’ So I opened and hired someone who was fresh out of college but had a rotation through a vestibular clinic in Oregon.”
At first, it was just Amy and this one other therapist. Element has since grown to a staff of ten care providers, and they stay current via continuing education and the latest technology in the field to best serve their clients.
“I have specialized equipment here to diagnose and treat balance disorders, concussions, neurologic conditions, orthopedics, things like Parkinson’s,” she says. “We were the first clinic in the United States [to have this piece of equipment]. Not only can we diagnose, but we can treat very efficiently. It’s really been nice to see these people get better in a shorter amount of time.”
So much of Amy’s passion for care comes back to her firsthand experience as someone with a vestibular condition. Amy brings deep understanding and empathy to her work because she knows some of the challenges her clients are up against.
“I have a lot of compassion for my patients—and for my staff who treat patients—with dizziness and vertigo,” she explains. “It’s something that’s very difficult to explain to someone unless you’ve gone through it. And that’s no fault to anyone, but it’s just when you go through it, you have a special appreciation of how hard that day was or how hard that task was to complete.”
“And I do believe in listening, because I just find people so fascinating, you know, because everyone has their own story,” Amy says. “So, I really listen to my patients because they tell me so much about what’s wrong with their body and what they’ve been through.”
As you can probably imagine, it’s not easy to communicate about disorders whose causes are often invisible and whose symptoms are sometimes ambiguous and variable.
“It’s made me a different therapist,” Amy says. “I’ve had Meniere’s for 30 years, and I didn’t know what it was at the beginning. I’ve had horrible vertigo attacks and I’ve had days that are very difficult to walk. I look intoxicated when I haven’t been drinking. I’ve been able to move on from people’s judgment and say, ‘I have a true disability.’ But I can help people with my disability.
“And when I share that with patients, they tend to share their story and that gives them hope. Because there is hope: there’s hope to get better, and a lot of people do get better.”
Having a vestibular condition—and being a care specialist in this particular field—has blended work and life for Amy in ways that challenge the oft-discussed “work-life balance” paradigm. It’s not as much of a dichotomy for her as it is for many of us; it seems more symbiotic, the life informing the work and vice versa.
“I try my best to keep very current in our field, and so if there’s something new that comes up, I’ll test it on myself at home,” she says, “and then use it with my patients.”
“My sister had BPPV [benign paroxysmal positional vertigo] yesterday, the ‘crystals in the ear,’ and she called me and I walked her through it on the phone,” Amy says. “And this morning she texted saying she felt so much better, but she also apologized for not understanding the depth of what this dizziness causes. And I said, ‘you don’t need to apologize to me.’ It’s just that we do live in a different world, where we look normal, but we don’t feel normal.”
The latter is particularly salient. Navigating the world as a woman, with this disability, has made extra clear what should be clear to many of us:
"I THINK WOMEN IN GENERAL NEED TO GIVE THEMSELVES MORE CREDIT FOR WHAT WE DO, AND ALSO REMEMBER THAT WE DO ALSO HAVE DOWN DAYS JUST LIKE EVERYONE, AND THAT'S OKAY.”
“I think women in general are so strong, a lot stronger than we show on the outside,” Amy says, “and for that reason, sometimes when women have vertigo or other issues, I get to see the other side, where we are strong and tough as nails, we try to do everything, yet we’re suffering on the inside. I think women in general need to give themselves more credit for what we do, and also remember that we do also have down days just like everyone, and that’s okay.”
ARTICLE BY SUSIE WALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM MCGHEE OF VICTORY MEDIA
CANDOR WITH a Conductor
JULIA TAI, MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE MISSOULA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, GIVES A GLIMPSE OF HER ROLE IN OUR MUSICAL MISSOULA
Despite her petite frame, Julia Tai commands the stage as music director of the Missoula Symphony Orchestra.
During each performance, whether at the Dennison Theatre or Caras Park, Julia swirls her black hair to the rhythm, her baton dancing in the air, as she leads talented musicians through compositions that span centuries from the masters of Beethoven’s era to contemporary composers such as Vivian Fung and Bryan Kosters, a professor at the University of Montana.
Julia came to Missoula in 2020 when she was chosen to lead the symphony following an international search for a new conductor. Her entire life has been filled with music and melody. Her musically gifted parents instilled this love in Julia by signing her up for violin lessons when she was just four years old. Originally from Taiwan, she grew up attending music school, singing in choirs, and studying all forms of music. She currently splits her time between Missoula and Seattle where she is also the conductor and co-artistic director of the Seattle Modern Orchestra.
I sat down with Julia to talk about the part she plays with the Missoula Symphony.
"I feel like women are more flexible and good at multitasking, which is a good thing when you have to work with a hundred people and keep tabs on what each person is doing."
What would you say makes you an effective conductor?
Conducting is an interesting profession because you have to know the ins and outs of the orchestra and a little about how all instruments are played. But I think the most important training for a conductor is working with people. Not to stereotype, but I feel like women are more flexible and good at multitasking, which is a good thing when you have to work with a hundred people and keep tabs on what each person is doing. All my training has prepared me to know music on a deep level, perform with people, and bring everyone together.
What fresh ideas or new programs have you brought to the symphony?
I want to include all types of music from the old masterworks to brand new compositions as well as underrepresented composers like women and people of color. Symphonic music may be hundreds of years old, but there are always new influences coming in. I also love to make connections with new audiences by having concerts at the public library or the Kettlehouse Amphitheater. I want people to see the Missoula symphony as everyone’s symphony.
What do you enjoy about being a part of Missoula’s music scene?
People in Missoula are very open-minded and that has been a joy. I love to explore all types of music, so to have the audience share that appetite for a variety of music is very satisfying.
What instrument would you say most matches your personality?
I love that question because I do feel every instrument has a different personality. I love the violin for its lyrical quality. But I would say the piano because it’s the most versatile and has the widest range. I like the ability to be able to do everything.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASORZYK
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
BECKY HILLYARD
From Side Hustle to Style Empire
The power of taste, trust, and the courage to “just start.”
She didn’t have a business plan, a media budget, or even a name anyone could pronounce. What Becky Hillyard had was taste, a young family, and the instinct to just start. Today, her lifestyle brand Cella Jane commands an audience the size of Vogue’s, she’s nine collections strong with Splendid, and she’s built it all while raising three kids — refusing to sacrifice one for the other. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Becky shares what it really takes to build a brand, a career, and a life you love. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full conversation.
Q: WHEN DID YOU KNOW CELLA JANE WAS MORE THAN A HOBBY?
A: Two moments. Women started emailing me saying they bought something I recommended and felt amazing — asking me to help them find a dress for a wedding. That felt incredible. Then I looked at my affiliate numbers for one month and realized I could cover our mortgage. I thought, I can actually do this. I never set out to build a business. I started it because I genuinely loved it.
Becky in Splendid x @CellaJaneBlog Spring 2026 Collection
Q: WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST RISK YOU EVER TOOK WITH THE BRAND?
A: Designing my own collection. It’s easy to point at items on a website and say I love these. But to create something from scratch, put your name on it, and wait to see if people connect with it — that’s terrifying. I had an incredible partner in Splendid, and women loved the pieces. It was the biggest risk and the biggest accomplishment.
Q: HOW HAS INFLUENCER MARKETING CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED?
A: When I started, brands didn’t know whether to take it seriously. Now it’s a legitimate line item in their marketing budgets — sometimes bigger than TV. Because what we’ve built is trust. People trust a real recommendation from someone they follow far more than a commercial. There’s no question about it now.
Q: YOU’RE A MOM OF THREE RUNNING A FULL BRAND. WHAT DOES YOUR DAY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?
A: I try to get up at five and not hit snooze — that first hour before the house wakes up is the most productive, most peaceful hour of my day. Then it’s all hands on deck with the kids and school drop-off. After that I work — planning content, connecting with my team, editing. After pickup, the day shifts completely and it’s all about them. I’ve learned to protect both halves fiercely, because both matter.
Q: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN BUT KEEPS WAITING?
A: Don’t wait. Don’t wait for the perfect camera, the right strategy, or enough followers. We find every excuse to stay comfortable. Just start, be consistent, and be authentically yourself. The right people will find you — and they’ll stay.
This conversation is just the beginning. Becky goes deeper on the risks that almost stopped her, the design process behind her latest Splendid collection, and what she’d tell her 2012 self today. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle Podcast.
“Trust is the only metric that actually compounds.”
— Becky Hillyard
FEATURING BECKY HILLYARD
ARTICLE BY SHELBY HUMPHREYS PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK SZCZECHOWSKI
SHE'S STITCHED into the FABRIC OF MISSOULA
Operations Manager of Pine & Needle Cynthia Nesbitt has her finger on the pulse of print
To understand the hard work and collaboration involved in bringing print projects to life, all you need to do is read the whiteboard in the back room at Pine & Needle Print Co. Messages on the board include: cheers to one supervisor who juggled several projects and got them all done ahead of schedule, kudos to another operator for problem-solving a glitch, high five to the product sleuth who found a vendor for an unusual request, and props to Cynthia for polishing the flow of it all.
Cynthia Nesbitt, operations manager, started at the front desk back when the business ran under the well-known name of Stitches Embroidery and Screen Printing. That was eleven years ago, and today she oversees its rebranded operations. “We had a change of leadership in 2024, and we thought that would be a good time to refresh the brand. We wanted to connect with Montana more while still reflecting what we do, so ‘Pine and Needle’ seemed a good fit,” she said.
Today, this women-led business is as busy as ever with orders for schools, local businesses, recreational sports teams, and individuals who bring in special projects. “One customer brought in a blanket, and we embroidered the name of her newborn granddaughter on it. Often someone will bring in a memory pillow they’ve created for a loved one who has passed, and we create a custom patch for it. One customer brought in a pair of jeans and asked us to decorate them all over—the legs, the pockets, everything. That was a fun challenge.”
Pine & Needle offers three main services: screen printing, embroidery, and promotional products, and it takes a team to fulfill all those orders. “We have a crew of master multitaskers. While printing shirts, they have screens burning for the next job. And while hats are on the machine, the next order is being prepared to run. We’ve organized the shop so that they can juggle multiple projects, operate their own machine, and coordinate with other staff as needed,” said Cynthia.
Running a print shop is 10% ink and 90% logistical gymnastics. The multi-stage process begins when an order comes in. First, they search for quality and affordable “blanks” that fit the customer’s needs. Hats, hoodies, coffee cups, UV-resistant outdoor shirts—pretty much anything is up for consideration. “One time, a customer wanted a bunch of underwear screen printed. That was one to remember,” Cynthia said.
Once the box of blanks arrives, Cynthia reviews everything to make sure the inventory has arrived as expected. Then, the project might go to their in-house graphic designer to create or edit graphics for the correct print-ready format. When the right media file is ready, a department supervisor sets up the materials and equipment. This might include choosing ink colors or picking from a rainbow collection of thread types. Then, the printing or stitching begins. “There’s a lot more time involved than what some might expect,” said Cynthia.
“People in Missoula like to keep up on who they’re doing business with. That makes doing business extra special."
“There’s a lot of programming in the background to get a quality end result. For example, with embroidered logos, we tell the machine where to put each stitch. Most logos average 15,000 stitches. Our embroidery supervisor says it’s more of an art, not a science,” said Cynthia. For screen printing, every color in the design requires its own screen, so there’s a lot of set-up time and curing for each piece. “They’re touching each individual garment,” said Cynthia. “Our staff takes a lot of pride in what they do. Everybody here is amazing to work with.”
Being an integral part of Missoula’s print and promo scene since 1993, Pine & Needle has become known for its turnaround times and generous minimums. “The first quarter of the year we like to stick to two weeks. As the year progresses with school and sports activities ramping up, we have to juggle a little bit more. But we always try to give our customers the fastest turnaround time that we can,” Cynthia said. Pine & Needle also tries to make promo printing affordable for Missoula’s small businesses with generous minimums and no minimum for embroidery or heat transfer. “Being a small business ourselves, it’s wonderful to have the chance to support all of the other local businesses by helping them get the word out about what they do.”
Their customer-focused mission is what has allowed staff to also build special relationships with customers. “People in Missoula like to keep up on who they’re doing business with. That makes doing business extra special,” said Cynthia. “We have customers who come in regularly, and we always end up spending time catching up,” she said.
So what kinds of industry trends can we expect to see? Cynthia identified a mix of the old and the new. “Trucker hats are still really popular; so are ‘dad’ hats, the relaxed style from the ‘90s, and ‘grandpa’ hats, which are more of a combination of the two. We do both embroidery and patches on any of our hats.”
“Being a small business ourselves, it's wonderful to have the chance to support all of the other local businesses by helping them get the word out about what they do.”
As far as what’s on the horizon, a new print method called DTF (Direct to Film) offers more complex and colorful images. “With DTF, you can get a lot more detail than the old heat transfer method and more colors than screen printing. Right now, we’re researching the best equipment out there, so that when we do begin offering DTF, we’ll be able to maintain the same high level of quality and affordability that we strive for in all of our other services,” said Cynthia.
Pine & Needle Print Co. is living proof that you can refresh a brand and still stay true to your roots. They support everyone from Little League teams to small-biz startups with “no minimum” kindness. No matter the project, the mission endures: keep Missoula looking sharp.
DAUGHTER & Dad
MISSOULIAN AMBER ANSWINE RUNS MARATHONS WITH DAD AT HER HIP
ARTICLE BY KELSIE RING | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY AMBER ANSWINE
Running a marathon is something only 1% of the population will complete in their lifetime. It’s a race that pushes you to your limit, challenges you mentally and physically, and brings a sense of fulfillment like no other. That said, there are no current statistics of people who run multiple marathons alongside their father but there is one local story that tells more than any statistic ever could.
Amber Answine and her dad, Joe Answine, have been moving and staying active since Amber was 14. Growing up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Joe initially got into running at 39 years old to improve his life, wellbeing, and overall health. Or as he humorously said, “It was a midlife crisis. I had a choice of buying a red sports car or starting to run, and Amber’s mom, my wife, decided running was better.”
Amber saw the benefits and joy running brought her Dad and decided to join him. After their first half-marathon together in 2009, they set a goal: to race together once a year, traveling across the country and strengthening their bond. In 2011, their goal became to run a marathon together every year. They have completed so many races across the U.S., including Washington D.C’s Rock and Roll Marathon, the Disney Marathon, and the beautiful Missoula Marathon.
Amber loved being able to bring her dad to her place of home and show him what the Missoula community is all about. When Joe was asked about his favorite race, you could see his face light up. He referenced the D.C. Marathon, where Amber unfortunately dealt with food poisoning the day before. Amber, still determined, decided to push through the race when, around mile 12,
she started seeing lights. After being medically treated in an ambulance on the course for 30 minutes, the medical professional told the two of them, “We will let you race, but we think it’s best if you veer off and do the half-marathon.” Joe proceeded to share that they looked at each other with a smirk, saying, “I don’t think so, we paid for the full.” Despite being medically treated and feeling far from her best, Amber still completed the D.C. Marathon in time, right alongside her biggest cheerleader, Dad.
In another race, they encountered another setback. This time Joe’s broken ankle in 2014. However, just five months later, they raced side by side in the Richmond Marathon. “We are both stubborn, as you see,” Joe said. Not only do they race, travel, and cheer each other on, but they do it all side by side. “When we first started running, we made a rule that I stayed with her; we would always stick together,” Joe said. Well, now Amber is able to pass her dad, and he has time and time again said, “You go on!”
development company, and now has a goal to run a marathon in each state. However, the magic of the Missoula marathon is something she holds close to her heart.
“The race may not be comfortable, it may not be fun, but that doesn’t make it impossible.”
— Amber Answine
“The people in Missoula are ones to support; they are up early in their driveways, cheering people on. Despite not having the population of some of the other cities I have raced in, this community makes up for it with their support,” Amber said. Amber and Joe both spoke on the importance of movement, whether it be running or something else. Joe is an anesthesiologist and has seen firsthand the necessity of prioritizing one’s health throughout his career. In fact, Joe’s training regime involves running every single day. But what really lights he and Amber up is being able to do this together.
Amber and her dad think alike, because despite being able to run ahead, she wants to stick by him the whole time. Amber is a past collegiate athlete, a founder of her own design and
“Families stick together,” Joe said when asked what this experience has taught him. Amber echoed this by saying, “The race may not be comfortable, it may not be fun, but that doesn’t make it impossible.” When doing something side by side, it sure makes 26.2 miles a lot easier. To have a bond like Amber and Joe is the real win. Crossing the finish line together means more than any medal.
exceed perceived limits by pursuing extraordinary g oals , envisioning a world where disability is viewed as a perspective that enhances achievement and inspires others .
Water Is Our Business
D i v e i n t o o u r s h o w r o o m a n d d i s c o v e r a n a r r a y o f w a t e r s u p p l i e s j u s t w a i t i n g f o r y o u !
L e t u s h e l p c r e a t e y o u r d r e a m o a s i s !
2 1 0 1 M U L L A N R D - M I S S O U L A
w w w . m o u n t a i n s u p p l y . c o m 4 0 6 - 5 4 3 - 8 2 5 5