SigMT

SUBSCRIPTIONS If you are moving, renewing, have a question, or wish to have your name le off our mail advertisers' list, please enclose your name and mailing address with your correspondence for faster service. Please allow 8 weeks for a change of address. A new subscriber's first issue will be mailed within 8 weeks of order receipt. Our standard subscription rate is $35 per year. Address all correspondence pertaining to your subscription to: WINSTON PUBLISHING P.O. Box 1707, Great Falls, MT 59403, or call 406-452-1177 or email us at info@winston-publishing.com Visit our websites: winston-publishing.com EDITORIAL INFORMATION ose submiing manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to SignatureMontana for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by Winston Publishing in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submied materials must be accompanied by a self-addressed overnight delivery return envelope, postage prepaid. However, Winston Publishing is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Email: info@winston-publishing.com WINSTON PUBLISHING P.O. Box 1707, Great Falls, MT 59403 PRINTED IN THE USA All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. e publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. PUBLISHER • David F. Leray EDITOR • Hayley Lenington-Leray CREATIVE DIRECTOR • Ted Stuff GRAPHIC DESIGNER • Samantha Louthan SALES/MARKETING • Jack May COPY EDITOR • Katherine Niemi SiG MT S I G N A T U R E M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E Mark Baune Gene Betz Alexis Bonogofsky Heather Bode Chris Copper Denise Czuprynski Holly Matkin Dawn Milligan Tamara Podry Ellie Stone Suzanne Waring CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Alexis Bonogofsky Really Montana Photography Bill Stuff Sweet Pea Photography Eric Visocan Jim Wells Steve Wolff Sara Young Any reproduction of all or part of Signature MT without the express wrien permission of the publisher is prohibited. I believe she is right; we are again at a crossroads and it is time to put down our electronic devices, quit complaining and fighting and be the solution. In this issue we feature two non-profit organizations that share a common denominator, 'creating a better future'. Volunteering is an essential part of a functioning community. I challenge everyone who reads this to sacrifice some phone time for a few hours of service. You might be surprised that the people you help might not be the only ones to gain from the experience! people to hide behind carefully craed online platforms instead of building real relationships through face-to-face connections. People don't care what they say or how they say it because there are no consequences for their actions. It's about instant gratification through immediate responses that resolve or fix problems without getting involved. It's a slippery slope leading to a world of self-serving people. At Great Falls Central Catholic, the administration chose to ban cell phones during the school day this year. It was a bold move that received immediate criticism from the students as well as some parents. e results proved beneficial as students are now engaging with each other and making REAL connections instead of staring at a screen. My point is, when we are not bound to wholesome friends and good community, we fall victim to self-serving tendencies. irty-one years ago, President Bush called for an intervention, asking people to commit to serving others in the hope that others will follow. We are at a crossroads again and need to rekindle the spirit of serving others. I believe we all have a light to shine. We don't have to be Tony Robbins or Dr. Phil in order to share our gis, but we can contribute by being a beacon of light who shines their light in a direction that inspires, exudes grace, and brings hope to others. President Bush said during his inauguration in 1989, "I will go to the people and the programs that are the brighter points of light, and I'll ask every member of my government to become involved. e old ideas are new again because they're not old, they are timeless: duty, sacrifice, commitment, and a patriotism that finds its expression in taking part and pitching in." While I may not be the president now or ever, I do pledge to always, and forever be a beacon of light that continues to serve my community with the hope of inspiring others to shine too. My Mom always says, "You don't have to captain an ocean liner, just row your own boat, remembering small actions, when aggregated, manifest in a movement." SiG MT 11 -END-

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