Montana Bicentennial Fundraising Program Takes First Steps

The Commission is making good on its promise to secure additional private and public sector funds for Montana's Lewis & Clark projects and activities. Funds are already coming into the Commission from the new Montana Bicentennial License Plate that went on sale January 2, 2002. By January 31, sales reports show that 1,591 plates were sold. That's a great start! If you don't have your plates yet, you had better get out and buy them. Revenue from the new plate sales will help finance a variety of Montana Lewis & Clark projects. Preparation for the Commission's next fundraising effort are being conducted by the Charles Bentz Associates in partnership with the Montana History Foundation. They have just completed drafting a Case Statement regarding the benefit of investing in Montana's Lewis & Clark Bicentennial efforts. This is Phase I of developing a coordinated fundraising program appealing to individuals, corporations and private foundations. Phase I should be completed by April 1, 2002.

Upcoming Meetings

MT L & C Bicentennial Commission:
- June 18, 2002, Glasgow, MT
- Oct. 2-3, 2002, Bozeman, MT
- Feb. 11, 2003, Helena, MT

Reg. Comm./Tribal Reps:
- June 17, 2002, Glasgow, MT

4th Annual Fall Conference:
- Oct. 3-4, 2002, Bozeman, MT

Natl. Council's Meeting & Annual Planning Workshop:
- April 10-14, 2002, Lewiston, ID

Commission Awards $160,000 To 32 Montana Organizations Through 2002 Grants Program

hirteen Lewis & Clark-related projects and 19 Montana organizations will share $150,000 in grant funds awarded by the Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission at its February 12, 2002, meeting in Dillon. The 19 "Organization & Planning Grants" provided $38,000 to support the operations, planning and development efforts of the state's Regional Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commissions and Montana Tribes. The 13 "Project Grants" received $122,000 for the following projects and sponsors:

• Montana Tribes: Encampment Preparations - sponsored by the Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance ($21,000)
• Lewis & Clark, Missouri and Milk River Confluence Panoramic Exhibit, Phase II - sponsored by Valley County Pioneer Museum ($15,000)
• Vista House Interpretive Signage (at Devil's Elbow) - sponsored by Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission of Lewis & Clark County ($10,000)
• Whitehall Amphitheatre - sponsored by Jefferson Valley Presents, Inc. ($10,000)
• A Crow Perspective on Lewis & Clark in Montana's Crow Country - sponsored by the Crow Tribe ($7,500)
• Teaching the Science & History of the Lewis & Clark Expedition - sponsored by the Montana Science Institute ($12,000)
• Native Plant Encounters; A Middle School Curriculum - sponsored by the Fort Benton School District ($2,500)
• Sidney Visitor Center - sponsored by the Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture ($12,000)
• Choteau County Lewis & Clark Botanical Groves - sponsored by Fort Benton Community Improvement Association, Inc. ($7,500)
• Bitterroot Corridor Sign Project - sponsored by the Western Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission ($6,000)
• Tribal Tour Guide Training - sponsored by The People's Center, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes ($8,000)
• Lewis & Clark/American Indian Encampment - sponsored by the Bicentennial Commission of Lewis & Clark County ($5,000)
• Clark's Yellowstone River Camps; Re-enactment and Permanent Displays - sponsored by the Stillwater County Bicentennial Commission ($5,000)

National Bicentennial Planning Update:

• The National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial continues to coordinate with the National Geographic Society and Smithsonian Magazine to fulfill their pledges to serve as national media partners. A new IMAX film featuring the Lewis & Clark Expedition will debut in Omaha, NE, April 20, 2002. Special trail segment feature articles will appear in the Smithsonian Magazine over the next number of months.
• The National Council has launched a national Merchandising Program in partnership with Diane Norton, President of LewisandClarkTrail.com. For details on how to participate in this new product licensing program, access the Commission's website at: www.montanalewisandclark.org/whatsnew/.
• The 2002 National Park Service's Challenge Cost Share Program (CCS) attracted a lot of interest this year; 335 applications requesting over $34 million. The program had only $5 million to share with the interested parties. Montana, alone, requested about $4 million. The successful applicants will be announced by the Park Service by April 1.
• The National Park Service planning for the Corps of Discovery II (Corps II) operations is moving ahead under the leadership of Gerard Baker, Supt. of the L&C Natl. Historic Trail. Gerard recently added Carol McBryant, a Logistics Planner, and Sue Pridemore, an Interpretation Planner, to the Corp II Team. The team is currently researching the most suitable host locations along the trail for this premiere "traveling classroom." Montana's Regional Bicentennial Commissions and Tribes interested in hosting Corps II in 2005 and 2006 have each been asked to submit completed surveys identifying what they can offer.

Crimson Bluffs Purchased

Fifty acres along the Missouri River near Townsend, known as the "Crimson Bluffs," are now publicly owned thanks to the combined efforts of the Crimson Bluffs Chapter of the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, The Conservation Fund and the River Network. Montana U.S. Senators Burns and Baucus, and Congressman Rehberg also provided support for public ownership of this historic site. The Crimson Bluffs will be managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Congratulations to all involved in this important site preservation project!

Travel Montana's Spring Marketing Plan Unveiled

Travel Montana's 2002 Warm Season advertising campaign features a strong Lewis & Clark focus in both its television and print advertisements. Travel Montana is also featuring Lewis & Clark in group travel promotions and its publicity efforts. Over the next three years, Travel Montana will be increasing its "Lewis & Clark in Montana" theme in its out-of-state ad campaigns.

A Confluence of Cultures: American Indian Peoples and the Expedition of Lewis and Clark

The Education Committee of the MT L&C Bicentennial Commission and the UofM Bicentennial Committee are planning "A Confluence of Cultures" symposium to be held in Missoula on the Uof M Campus, May 28-31, 2003.

The focus is to stage a symposium that presents a forum for serious research that examines and compares the cultural practices of the new United States and those of the Indian nations that the Corps of Discovery encountered during its journey, extending this research to consider the changes that have occurred within U.S. and Indian culture in the aftermath of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They hope to host a provocative symposium that stimulates serious discussion and generates for publication new American Indian scholarship. Also, they seek to challenge non-Indian scholars to investigate questions relevant to the encounter between Lewis & Clark and native peoples. A call for papers will be issued in the very near future. If you or someone you know might be interested in participating, contact David Purviance, Coordinator, (406) 243-4822, e-mail: davidpur@selway.umt.edu.

MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Web Site Updates

• In an effort to facilitate better communications along the trail in Montana, monthly meeting notes from regional commissions will be posted on the state Commission's web site at: montanalewisandclark.org/groups/allgroups.htm.
• The Suggested Reading list has been updated with references to additional articles and publications.
• Remember to let us know via e-mail message if you want to receive our periodic "List Serve Updates." If you are currently on the list and your email address changes, let us know that as soon as possible. We don't have enough staff to be following up on undeliverable message alerts. If you want to receive list serve updates, register on-line at: http://www.more-information.org/york/register.asp

Lewis & Clark Guide Training a Great Success

Five workshops were held Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2002 , at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls. The Guide Training Workshop series was sponsored by the MT L&C Bicentennial Commission and the USDA Forest Service, with assistance from the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Assn., the National Park Service, and the Center for the Rocky Mountain West. Attendance totaled 223 people drawing people from across Montana and the states of Colorado, Idaho and even as far away as Illinois. Topics included "Lewis & Clark in a Nutshell," "Lewis and Clark as Naturalists," " Montana Indian History and Culture," " Speaking to Visitors - Interpretation," and "Customer/Tour Services." Additional repeat workshops were held the following week in Billings and Miles City with the assistance of the state Commission and BLM. A second offering of "Lewis and Clark in a Nutshell" has been scheduled for April 26 at the Training Academy to accommodate those who were turned away in January. Our thanks to Sue Buchel, Jane Weber and the many presenters who made this first Guide Training workshop a great success!

We've Moved!

The State Commission Office has moved to 515 N. Sanders, Suites 3B & 3C. Our mailing address remains PO Box 201203, Helena, MT 59620-1203, and our telephone number, (406) 443-2109, is unchanged, but our new fax number is (406) 444-2686