We are very excited to announce that BTC has been awarded a 2016 Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust Grant for $75,000. These funds will be used towards purchasing Phase II of the Dillon High Trails Area. This means more land will be made available for public use and wildlife habitat in our own backyard. Huge thanks to the MFWCT for their continued support as well as everyone involved that made this happen. The help from many group members as well as folks in the community was and will continue to be invaluable to efforts such as this.
Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust Grant
We have the good fortune to have been recommended by the Citizen's Advisory Board of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust to receive $75,000 in grant money to help us purchase land between the "W" and the "B" in Dillon's west foothills. This land is Phase II of our High Trails project. The land, as many know, is for hiking, horse back riding, and mountain bike riding. Ultimately we hope Phase II land will help us to connect to a trail head to the north which will lead to Clark's Lookout State Park. High Trails land is for public access; all High Trails land will in time be turned over to Beaverhead County to be held by the public into perpetuity.
Please write a letter of support for us. You can email to the MFWCT directly at fwctrust@mtwf.org or to the executive director Deb Lane at dlane@mtwf.org. Please address letters to Mr. Bill Orsello and the Citizen's Advisory Board for the MFWCT. Comment period is open until June 16. The Trust's Joint Board will meet on June 20 to make a final decision on appropriation of funds.
Thanks to all Fundraiser supporters!
The numbers are in and together we raised $3,000 at the recent Pint Night Fundraiser. It was great to see so many people come out and support BTC and its mission. In particular thanks to Beaverhead Brewing Company, Stockman Bank, and Dillon Small Animal Hospital for matching funds for every drink poured. Also much appreciation for Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan and UMW Chancellor Beth Wetherby for purchasing an acre of land each in our campaign to fund the Dillon High Trails Area.
This support helps fund our local programs and our goal of safe, human powered recreation in our community!
Don't Miss the BTC Pint Night
This Friday is the 2nd Annual BTC Pint Night. A fun night filled with music, friends, and frosty beverages all benefiting BTC and its goals of helping human powered recreation in the Dillon area. Event begins at 5PM and Bill Dwyer and Dave Walker will play at 6PM.
Have a drink, renew you membership, place a silent auction bid, and benefit BTC!
If you can't make it, but would like to donate or learn more, please visit beaverheadtrails.org
BTC Seeks Executive Director
UPDATE: Applications for the position are currently closed.
To help move our mission forward Beaverhead Trails Coalition is seeking a new Executive Director. This is a great opportunity to become involved in bettering the Dillon community. Below is an overview of what the position entails. If interested please email us at beaverheadtrails@gmail.com
Position Description
Beaverhead Trails Coalition Executive Director
Founded in 2012, BTC's mission is to promote and assist in creating a community environment that encourages walking and bicycling, making walking and bicycling a safer and more appealing transportation alternative that instills a commitment to healthier lifestyle behavior.
For more information, please visit www.beaverheadtrails.org
Position:
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will lead the overall strategic and operational responsibilities for BTC's programs and execution of its mission.
Hours and Compensation:
This position is currently funded for the next year for up to 20 hours/week. Work requirements may vary widely, and some weeks may require up to 40 hours/week. Wages to be paid hourly. Pay based upon experience, around $18/hr. Pay would also vary according to whether you are classified as employee or independent contractor.
Responsibilities:
Leadership & Management:
Ensure ongoing local programs, fundraising, communications, recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve organization goals
Actively engage and energize BTC volunteers, board members, partnering organizations, and funders
Provide direction and support of BTC Board: serve as ex-officio of committees, seek and build board involvement with strategic direction for both ongoing and new projects Streamline tasks through clear organization and delegation of work
Program Development and Other Responsibilities:
Expand local fundraising activities to develop a broader base of support and higher number of top-level donors Use local presence and relationships to garner new opportunities for BTC involvement and programs
Become a positive and recognizable representative of the organization within the community
Find and respond to grant funding opportunities
Work with the board treasurer to maintain incoming/outgoing invoices, insurance, grants payments, etc.
Respond to member and public inquiries through phone, internet, and mail.
Maintenance of group member database Basic inspection and upkeep of BTC properties and infrastructure
Assist with BTC special events in organization, promotion, setup, takedown, etc.
Perform research to develop future projects
Qualifications:
Skills commensurate with job responsibilities. Ability to prioritize, to delegate work back to board and trails group members. Ability to close projects.
The ED will be thoroughly committed to BTC's mission. Proven leadership and experience working with non-profit organizations preferable. Out going approach and ability to interact with the community
Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:
Track record of success, of any kind.
Experience effectively leading an organization and staff
Ability to point to specific examples of having developed and put into motion strategies that have helped an organization grow
Excellence in organizational management with the ability to manage, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget
Past success working with a Board of Directors, strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders
Clear thinking and clear communication. Strong written and verbal communication skills
Passion, integrity, positive attitude, and self-directed
To apply:
If you are interested in this position, please send us an application by July 15th or until position filled. Mail to PO Box 586, Dillon or email to beaverheadtrails@gmail.com.
The application should be 1-3 pages in length. We are looking mostly for “fit” – how well your abilities and interests fit the needs of the job, and how well the job fits your own needs. Tell us in your own words why the fit would be good. We are interested in your skills, interests, personal loves and special talents; your recent job history; your roots and connections in Dillon. If there’s something you’re especially proud of, not necessarily job-related, tell us about that. We are biased toward somebody with a history of success and lots of energy. If you can think of any times when you brought together people of different viewpoints, or found common ground with people different from yourself, those stories would count for a lot in this particular job.
Please attach a resume. Include your address, phone number, email and/or other contact information.
Please list 3 references and their contact information.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Dan at 406-660-0524 or beaverheadtrails@gmail.com.
Wild and Scenic Film Festival Day Two Tomorrow!
Night 1 of the Wild and Scenic Film Festival was awesome. Thanks to all those who came down and enjoyed a great night of films. Night 2 is tomorrow-A great way to spend your Saturday night in Dillon. Showing begins at 7PM in the STC Great Room on the UMW campus. Tickets are $15 for the Saturday session.
Saturday night Films
Art for Change, 7 min.
Artists come together and use their art to fight an environmental injustice.
Comes with Baggage, 18 min. (Montana)
This lighthearted history of bicycle travel in the Americas makes you want to sell all your possessions, quit your job and escape on a bike. Past and current footage, along with interviews of bike pioneers, makers and historians are combined to give a unique perspective on where bicycles can take you both physically and spiritually.
Soil Carbon Cowboys, 12 min. (Montana)
Many people talk about the cattle business as a big environmental problem. Cattle, when properly grazed, offer solutions to soil health, animal health, human health, water supply and food nutrition. It’s a brave new world, and it’s below our feet.
Chuitna, 29 min.
“Chuitna” chronicles the journey of conservation-minded fly fishermen who travel to Alaska’s unspoiled Chuitna Watershed to wade waist-deep into its salmon-rich waters and the fight to defeat the proposed Chuitna Coal Mine. With every cast and every conversation with the frontier Alaskans fighting to protect their homeland, the travelers obtain a deeper understanding of the mine’s devastating impact.
Delta Dawn, 17 min.
The Colorado River hasn’t kissed the sea in almost two decades — until the spring of 2014 when an experimental pulse of water was released into this forgotten delta. A team of river runners followed the water to witness this unprecedented restoration effort, and attempted to be the only, and potentially the last to float the Colorado River to the sea by paddle board. With unpredictable adventure as the backdrop, filmmaker Pete McBride tells the story of Western water, a challenged Colorado River and the uplifting potential for environmental restoration via collaboration, all through his repeated experiences chasing a river to the sea.
The World Beyond the World, 4 min.
Wild and Scenic Film Festival Tomorrow Night
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival has finally arrived. Come out tomorrow night for a great night in Dillon to watch over 90 minutes of great films. See you at 7PM on the University of Montana Western campus in the STC Great Room. Many, many prizes to be passed out. Information booths from local groups. Bound to be a great time.
A note for all parents--free child care will be provided so come out and enjoy the films.
Click Here to see ALL of the films!
Proceeds to benefit the Beaverhead Trails Coalition and the Southwest Montana Arts Council.
Tickets are $15 for either Friday or Saturday night session or $25 for both nights of unique films.
Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Two Weeks
Get EXCITED! The Wild and Scenic Film Festival will be here in two weeks. Mark your calendars for February 12th and 13th for two nights of great films. See you at the STC Great Room on the University of Montana Western Campus.
MFWCT Grant furthers Dillon High Trails Land Aquisition
BTC is excited to announce that we have been awarded $100,000 from the Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust (MFWCT). We are currently working on finalizing the terms and requirements with the granting agency. All funds are dedicated to acquiring land for the Dillon High Trails project. Because of this and other generous grants and donations we hope to close on the purchase of Phase I of the High Trails later this fall. Acquiring this first phase will allow us to complete work on the 475 acre parcel in order to prepare for opening public recreational use. No longer will the trail end at the current town overlook, but folks will soon be able to continue their walk or ride up the ridge. Thanks to all those that helped in this effort and especially to the MFWCT for their support of us and the people of Dillon and Beaverhead County!
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to be involved in this continuing effort to open public space near Dillon.
MFWCT Grant Letters Needed
As some of you may know BTC has applied for a grant through the Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust to further the High Trails Project. Receiving this grant would be a HUGE step to say the least toward acquiring this land and opening it for public use, possibly even this year. Tomorrow, June 20th is the final day for you to send your recommendation letters. As a final nudge, we encourage you to write in as to what this project may mean for you and the community of Dillon. So on a beautiful Friday evening, take a stroll up the hill and when you get back please share your thoughts at fwctrust@mtwf.org.