Commemorative Edition Highway Map Unveiled:

The MT Dept. of Transportation worked in partnership with the MT Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission and the MT Dept. of Commerce’s Travel Montana Division to create a beautiful new commemorative edition highway map for 2005-2006. With the cover featuring Lewis & Clark and Native American images and key event descrip-tions included this map will surely become a “must have” for those traveling the trail in Montana. These new maps will be available this spring. Thanks MDT for leading on this project!

Upcoming Meetings

Bicentennial Commission Meetings:
- June 2nd, 1-4:30 p.m. Holiday Inn, Great Falls
- June 3rd, 9-12 Noon, Ag Museum, Fort Benton
- Oct. 11th, 8:30 ­ 4 p.m. The Grand Hotel, Big Timber

Tickets for Your Own Expedition!

The first of two National Signature Events to be hosted in Montana will be held in the Fort Benton/Great Falls area from June 1 – July 4, 2005. Featured events include the Grand Opening Gala, Lewis’ Discovery of the great falls of the Missouri, Jefferson Ice Cream Social, Lewis & Clark Ballet, Poia: Opera of the Blackfeet legend of Scarface, the Sweet Willow Indian Market and Tribal Games. A complete listing of over 180 events and a calendar of events are available on-line at: www.explorethebigsky.org.

Arbor Day, 2005:

The state Commission’s Education Committee has partnered with Montana’s Office of Public Instruction (OPI) and Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to establish a unique Arbor Day 2005 celebration. A new Lewis & Clark-focused curriculum was completed and placed on the OPI web site; a postcard announcing this year’s poster contest was designed, printed and mailed to 5th grade teachers statewide; a news release was crafted and distributed; and a certificate of participation was finalized. The DNRC will hold their annual Arbor Day event on April 29th.

Qwest Foundation Provides Critical Funding:

The Qwest Foundation announced in December 2004, that they would again contribute $15,000 to support Montana’s Bicentennial. This year’s funding will be specifically directed to Montana’s 2005 Corps II host communities to off-set programming expenses for the Tent of Many Voices. A special note of appreciation should be made to Rick Hays, the Montana State President of Qwest, for his work in securing this funding.

Corps II Update:

Plans continue to be refined as the National Park Service and eleven Montana communities prepare for the Corps II traveling exhibit locating in Montana in 2005. Advance Planning Team members of the National Park Service have made follow-up visits to confirm set-up locations and to discuss specifics of community, agency and Indian programming in the Tent of Many Voices. Joining the main Corps II exhibit and performance venues in Montana this summer will be a small “interpretive camp” sponsored by the Bureau of Reclamation, a keel boat exhibit, a hands-on interpretive exhibit sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management, and a “Then & Now” exhibit sponsored by the Montana National Guard. Host communities have also been planning many complimentary activities. The following are the 2005 Montana host communities:

• Poplar ­ May 6-9
• Glasgow ­ May 14-17
• Fort Belknap ­ May 24-27
• Fort Benton ­ June 3-12
• Box Elder/Rocky Boy - June 17-20
• Great Falls ­ June 25 - July 4
• Helena ­ July 9-17
• Bozeman ­ July 22-31
• Dillon ­ August 5-8
• Hamilton ­ August 31- Sept. 3
• Lolo ­ September 8-11

Legislative Update:

Two bills currently being considered by the Montana Legislature are of prime importance to the future of the Lewis & Clark Trail in Montana and to Montana’s two National Signature Events. HB 301 would extend indefinitely the life of the Montana Lewis & Clark license plate with future revenue being evenly distributed to Pompeys Pillar, Traveler’s Rest, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Foundation and the Montana Historical Society. HB 417 as presently drafted would generate $1M from the state’s general fund to be evenly split between the Explore! the Big Sky and Clark on the Yellowstone National Signature Events. It may not be too late to voice your support.

Commission News:

It was with regret that the state Commission accepted Darrell Martin’s letter of resignation from the state Commission during its February 15th meeting in Helena. Darrell has accepted a full-time position with the National Park Service, and will be for the next 1½ years one of two American Indian Liaisons for Corps II, headquartered out of his new NPS office in Rapid City, South Dakota. Thanks Darrell for all of your insight, guidance and friendship!

Montanans in Key Leadership Positions:

As the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial focuses on Montana in 2005 and 2006 several Montanans have assumed key national leadership roles. Darrell Martin, the immediate past Tribal Chairman of the Gros Ventres and Assiniboine Tribe, and immediate past state Commission vice-chair, is now one of two Tribal Liaisons for Corps II; George Donnelly of Helena is on the National Guard Bureau National Steering Committee for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial; Margaret Gorski of Missoula is the Forest Service’s Lewis & Clark Bicentennial National Field Coordinator; and Dick Fichtler with the BLM office in Missoula is the acting National Field Liaison for the Bicentennial for the BLM. Congratulations, and thank you for your strong leadership!

Want to Book a Lewis & Clark Program?

The Montana Committee for the Humanities has both a listing of quality speakers and some funding to assist in providing programs upon request. To access more information go on-line at: www.umt.edu/lastbest/speakers.htm. The state Commission’s Performing Arts Directory is on-line at: www.montanalewisandclark.org/whatsnew/home.htm.

*****
Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial
P O Box 201203
Helena, MT 59620-1203
406-443-2109 ph.
406-444-2686 fax
www.montanalewisandclark.org

Confluence of Cultures Symposium Gains National Recognition:

Mark Sherouse, Executive Director of the Montana Committee for the Humanities, recently announced that his Humanities Committee was honored in late 2004 with the Helen and Martin Schwartz Prize for Excellence in Public Program Programming for their partnership with the Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission on the 2003 Confluence of Cultures Symposium. This award was given by the Federation of State Humanities Councils at a luncheon in Washington, DC.

MT National Guard Names Bicentennial Coordinator:

MSG Ted Reichert was recently named as the 2005 Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Coordinator for the Montana Army National Guard. MSG Reichert has already been logging the miles necessary to make personal contact with all of the Corps II host communities and key event venues. MSG Reichert can be reached at his Helena office at: 406-324-3195, or on his cell phone at: 406-459-7505 Welcome aboard Ted!

Montana Lewis & Clark Events Calendar:

A comprehensive listing of Montana’s many Lewis & Clark events is available on-line and in print. You can pick up the 2005 Calendar of Events at chambers of commerce, visitor centers, and by calling Travel Montana at: 406-841-2870. An electronic calendar of events by trail corridors is available at: www.visitmt.com. Click on the “Lewis & Clark” tab at the top of the page.

Transition Planning Underway:

It may seem strange to some that with many national and state-focused Bicentennial Commemorative activities to be hosted in Montana this summer and next, planning is already underway for the phasing out of the state Commission. A December 31, 2006 “end-date” of the state Commission’s activities has been set, fully one year in advance of the Legislatively established sunset date of 12/31/07. A Transition Committee has been created to address the many challenges that must be addressed over the next number of months.

Email Address Update:

Please make a note to modify your address books to reflect these new e-mail addresses for state Commission staff (Rita Cortright at: rcortright@mt.gov; Clint Blackwood at: cblackwood@mt.gov).