December 3, 2024
Hey Y’all,
It was another great Thanksgiving weekend in town. The Blackfoot River Brewery was packed Wednesday afternoon, with folks getting their growlers filled, greeting old friends, sharing memories and anticipating the meal to follow next day. Thursday was quiet. Streets were pretty much empty, as were the various parking lots around town. Friday evening kicked off the holidays, with the lighting of the Fire Tower and the Parade of Lights. Lots of folks were downtown for the start of the Christmas season in Helena. Thanks to the BID, the Helena Fire Department and all the businesses that make this such a special event in the Capital City. Every city has their unique traditions, but I think Helena’s are really unique and especially special.
Meanwhile, we have two great guests and a discussion of economic development in Indian Country ready to go this week, courtesy of our very own Dan Pocha and Haley McKnight. Thanks Haley and Dan.
Mr. Gerald Gray, Chairman of the Montana Little Shell Chippewa Tribe and Mr. Will Seeley will join us this week.
You might remember Chairman Gray’s last visit to Hometown Helena? It will be great to have him back with us this week. Since obtaining federal recognition, the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe has made good progress in several key areas. Chairman Gray talked to us about a bottled water enterprise the Tribe was working on last time he was here. We’ll get an update on that business this week. The Tribe used its AARPA funds to start a clinic in Great Falls, which they then turned over to the Indian Health Service. Also, the Tribe is currently working on a 30 unit housing development near the old Hill 57 on the north side of Great Falls. Back in the day, Hill 57 was infamous as a gathering place for homeless Native Americans. Sister Providencia from the Ursuline Academy was an outspoken advocate on their behalf for many years. I met her once. The truth is they were outcasts, and shunned in Great Falls. They sought shelter and built a community on the edge of town, on Hill 57. Rather like Moccasin Flats on the outskirts of Helena. We’ve come a long way since then; with a long ways yet to go before the work of bringing justice to all is finished.
Originally from Tennessee, Will Seeley completed his B.S. in Food Science and Agricultural Economics at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Before coming to the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, Will worked for five years with the Blackfeet Nation. He now works all over the country helping Tribes develop food safety measures and business plans for food processing facilities. He will give us an overview of Tribal economies in Montana and nationwide.
All in all, it will be another very interesting Hometown Helena this week. We hope you will join in person at Helena College, or that you will Zoom into the discussion --- courtesy of Aja Rail and everyone at Pinion Global, Inc. One way or the other, we’ll see you Thursday morning.
Jim Smith
406-949-1002
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