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SIGNATURE MONTANA | 37 Holly Matkin is a native Montanan who lives with her husband at the foot of the Elkhorn Mountains. She covers a wide variety of topics as a freelance writer for multiple local and national publications, and especially enjoys writing travel, history, and human interest pieces. e Montana Guardian Fund e organization ultimately established the Montana Guardian Fund (MGF) in 2016 to help accomplish that goal. "When the unthinkable happens, everything is up in the air," MGF Co-Executive Director Chris Hoffman said. "We just want to take some of that off of these families." e Johnson and Allmendinger families received direct contributions from MGF, and the MSPOA assisted the Dunn family before the MGF fund was formally established. "e Guardian Fund sent me a contribution immediately aer they heard about what happened," Kate said. Approximately 10 law enforcement families have been assisted by or on behalf of the MGF so far. e Montana Guardian Fund is registered as a 501(c)(3), and donations are tax-deductible, but the organization desperately needs the Montana community to step up in support of law enforcement families in order to accomplish its goals. "It can be hard for people to get behind the idea of puing money into an investment account for something that hasn't happened, but this isn't a maer of 'just in case,'" MGF Co-Executive Director Ginny Hoffman said. "It has happened, and it is going to happen here again. We want to have money set aside for when it does." Continuing the fund is paramount for law enforcement families. "Once the money is in the fund and something happens, it can be allocated," Lewis said. "But if there isn't anything there to allocate, someone might go with less or completely without, and that is heart- wrenching to think about." Despite its growth, Montana is still a tight-knit community – a quality that Tony said has the potential to help MGF to thrive. "I think we're very blessed to live in a state where the average citizen cares deeply about their law enforcement, especially when that isn't the case everywhere around the country," he said. "at alone is a big impetus to start something like the Montana Guardian Fund because we really believe that if people know a lile bit about us, there's a good chance they'll want to help." Moving Forward with ankful Hearts Despite the life-altering impacts these line-of-duty tragedies have had on the Allmendinger, Dunn, and Johnson families, all three have forged ahead with an awe-inspiring level of commitment and perseverance. Monica said she is incredibly thankful for the MSPOA, the MGF, and her greater law enforcement family as a whole. "Without the financial and emotional support, I don't know where I would have been," she said. "I am so thankful I was never put in a situation where I had to try and figure out how I was going to be able to keep my house, pay my bills, and put food on the table. Knowing someone else is looking out for you during dark days of hopelessness is an appreciation that can't be forgoen or thanked enough. I will forever be grateful." Robynn said her faith, the support she has received, and the passage of time have helped ease the rawness of the pain of her loss, allowing her to remember what she loved most about being the wife of a law enforcement officer. "Joe really was an incredible, dynamic person," she said. "e greatest joy was being able to see him walk in his calling. ere was nothing else in his life that would have brought him that fulfillment, because it was what he was called to do." Since the aack on her husband, Kate landed her sergeant promotion, and she and Lewis have begun making plans to move back to his family's home near Chester. Regardless of the ultimate outcome of his spinal injury, Lewis is commied to geing back outdoors and finding adaptive equipment to once again enjoy his love of mountain biking and hunting. "We want to help Lewis be able to thrive, not just survive," Kate said. "We've seen a huge outpouring thus far, and I hope in a year from now, people are still rooting us on." Lewis said he is thankful for the Guardian Fund and for all of the other contributions and organizations that have helped him and his family. "Would I go back to February 16 and change a thing or two? In a heartbeat," he said. "But given the circumstances of the maer, I'm just dumbfounded by the support we've had." S MT e Montana Guardian Fund needs your help to continue its mission. Visit www.montanaguardianfund.org to make a one-time or recurring donation. The Hoffmans

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