winter - Explore Big Sky

CoMMunity
Morningstar launches capital campaign
hosts holiday gift-wrapping table
by eMily stifler
big sky weekly managing editor
bIG SKY – Morningstar Learning Center
launched a capital campaign Dec. 1
that aims to match a $100,000 donation
contingent on the nonprofit childcare
center doing just that.
The Rapier family foundation put the
initial $100,000 on the table in early
November, challenging the Morningstar
board and the big Sky community
to match it. The Rapier’s donation
is earmarked to pay off the remaining
principal on the childcare facility’s
mortgage; the second $100,000 would
help cover operational costs, tuition decreases
and increased teacher benefits.
“The Rapiers have asked Morningstar
to challenge big Sky,” said board
member Tracy Jacobsen. “They want to
see big Sky come together and support
[this organization].”
Through this challenge, the Rapiers are
encouraging other people to help and
give, said Kym Rapier. She’s seen this
style of fundraising help build momentum
for capital campaigns in the past,
she said, noting that the foundation
has done ‘challenges’ numerous times
wolf hunting
closed north of
yellowstone
GARDINER – Montana wildlife commissioners
closed the wolf hunting season in some
areas around Yellowstone National Park on
Monday, Dec. 10 after several collared animals
were killed. Many of the park’s wolves are
fitted with radio collars to track the animals’
movements. At least seven Yellowstone wolves
have been shot – including five with tracking
collars – since the gray wolf seasons opened in
Montana, wyoming and Idaho.
The closures include areas north of the park
around Gardiner and prohibit hunting or
trapping of the animals. The first gray wolf
trapping season in Montana starts Saturday,
Dec. 15. State officials lifted quotas for wolves
this year as a reaction to attacks on livestock
and lower elk numbers in some areas, blamed
on the predators. fish, wildlife and Parks
Commission chairman bob Ream indicated the
closure may not be permanent, but is a reaction
to the high number of collared animals killed.
Conservation groups have lobbied the state
unsuccessfully to put a buffer zone around the
park in hopes of protecting the Yellowstone
wolf population. while hunting and trapping
are prohibited within the park, shooting
a collared animal that roams across the park
boundary is legal. This is the second gray wolf
hunting season in Montana since the animals
lost federal protection last year.
Photo Courtesy of Morningstar learning Center
before in San Antonio, Texas, where
the Rapiers lived prior to moving to
big Sky earlier this year.
To kick off the capital campaign,
Morningstar is hosting a holiday
gift-wrapping table in the big Sky
Post Office lobby on Saturdays and
wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
through December.
The present wrapping – which is in exchange
for donations – “is not an effort
to make $50,000 or even $10,000,”
Jacobsen said. Instead, it’s a way to
draw attention to the campaign and
its branding platform: a stack of books,
each one symbolizing $10,000 raised.
The board is also planning
to host a fundraising
event, and Jacobsen
mentioned reaching out
to every business owner
that’s ever had an employee
with a child enrolled at
Morningstar.
“This is such a need.
People have to have childcare,”
she said. “Not only
that, but stats show children
that go to preschool
are automatically higher
on the bar when it comes
to the alphabet and numbers.”
The only licensed childcare facility
in big Sky, Morningstar opened in
April 2006 and purchased its current
building at 659 Spruce Cone
Drive in September 2011.
Although the center struggled
during the economic downturn,
“we’ve come a long way,” Jacobsen
said. “we have a new board, and
we’re focusing on our objectives
and goals.”
In addition to paying off the mortgage
completely, these goals include
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation president David Allen
wrote the following letter to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Commission Chairman Robert Ream. The letter was edited
for brevity.
we understand that Defenders of wildlife and the Greater
Yellowstone Coalition are running a campaign against
Montana fwP for allowing hunting and trapping of
wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park. These hunts
are legal, necessary and scientifically sustainable.
There is no science or rationale to support a special "no
hunt" zone outside YNP. further, we are not aware of any
science or rationale to support the attempts of these groups
to create a distinction between "Yellowstone wolves" and
wolves that exist within the tri-state region of Montana,
wyoming and Idaho.
The attempt to establish a “buffer zone” for YNP wolves
is in direct contrast to the original goal for the wolf reintroduction
in the northern Rockies. Never was it planned
that "Yellowstone wolves" would be granted amnesty from
management once outside the park. These groups should
be celebrating a successful recovery of the wolf population.
A substantial number of wolves throughout the three
states have come from Yellowstone. Are they to be given
special protection status as well? Hundreds of animals
including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, black bears and mountain
lions are fitted with radio collars for scientific purposes
and roam the wilds in and around the park, but they aren’t
excluded from hunting seasons outside the park. when
harvested, the collars are returned to the management
agency and the data is utilized.
During the recent lawsuits over delisting wolves in the
northern Rockies, Defenders, GYC and others pro-
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implementing a state food program,
decreasing tuition, providing health
and other benefits for employees,
and hiring an executive director.
The center’s capacity is 43 children,
which includes infants, toddlers and
preschoolers. between 40 and 50
families use the facility, according to
administrator Lindsie Hurlbut, one
of 12 staff.
As a nonprofit, Morningstar is
funded largely by grants and donations.
That poses a challenge when
trying to retain staff. Starting wage
for a teacher at Morningstar is $10 an
hour, with no benefits or sick leave.
“The standard of living is so high
here, because rent and food is so
expensive,” Jacobsen said.
Even with these challenges, Jacobsen
says, “It’s an amazing asset for
the children of this community, [the
children] that are going to be running
this community some day.”
The Rapiers have donated nearly $1
million to southwest Montana area
nonprofits this year.
letter: rMef on yellowstone Park wolves
claimed state borders did not matter when considering
wolf populations and management. They claimed this
so they could keep Montana, Idaho and wyoming tied
together in the lawsuit. Now, all of sudden, the YNP
border is relevant and any wolf near it but outside of
the park should be protected.
These groups simply wish to continue to protest statebased
management of wolves, thus keeping a "wolf
controversy alive" for the express purpose of soliciting
for more donations.
The reality is Montana, wyoming and Idaho are
required to manage wolves within a specific set of mandates.
If those are not adhered to, the states risk having
their wolf population placed back on the Endangered
Species List. As it stands today, wolf numbers are well
above objective and in need of reduction.
The substantial reduction of the northern Yellowstone
elk herd requires wolves to travel farther for prey. we
wish those who claim to "defend wildlife" felt empathy
for the thousands of elk lost from the northern Yellowstone
elk herd, not to mention the related economic
losses.
we urge you not to alter or reduce the ability to
continue the legal and ethical management, including
hunting and trapping, of wolves surrounding the
Yellowstone National Park border. further, we urge
our members to communicate their position on this
important issue with you.
Thank you for your consideration.
-David Allen, RMEF President/CEO
dec. 14 - 27, 2012 7