Women work to make county better

For the last 17 years, Women for a Better Sanders County (WBSC) have been hard at work trying to make positive enhancements to Sanders County.

“We love Sanders County so we do not want to change it,” said Linda Haywood, WBSC member. “We just want to enhance it.” So, that is the mission they are working toward.

The group started in 2010 when Peggy Johnson and Carolyn Hidy got in touch with one another. Even though they had different political backgrounds, they felt it would benefit the county if women could come together and form a non-partisan, unbiased group that would take all facets of issues and discuss them.

“We are never for or against any topic, we just want to bring in the facts,” Johnson stated. She said that WBSC provide a forum for all political candidates to relay their message, and a platform to discuss any county issues. Some issues that have been discussed by WBSC, who bring in guest speakers from both sides, are the Rock Creek Mine, weed control measures, county water compact relations and Cabinet Resource Group activities.

Haywood and Johnson both agree that their biggest achievement is the diversity in membership and the ability to “agree to disagree.” The group has grown from two members to 75. “We are like an octopus,” said Johnson. “It is like we have feelers out everywhere,” she continued. There is a member who has a personal interest or specializes in every aspect of the county.

One project the group is currently working on is placing “Road to the Buffalo” signage at four turnouts along Highway 200; at the Idaho-Montana state line, Noxon viewpoint, Thompson Falls and Weeksville. They hope to shed light on the history of the area and give people a reason to travel the route. The group is currently in the sign design phase and waiting an encroachment permit from MT Department of Transportation. Matching funds were awarded for this project from the Montana Department of Tourism.

Other activates WBSC contributed to include: Sanders County Arts Council, TRACS, Sanders County Search and Rescue, Noxon Senior Center, Friends of Scotchman Peaks and Wilderness, Rimrock walking trail, Thompson Falls business enhancement, adult education, college scholarship funding, and county tobacco prevention.

New to the group is the formation of “CommUnity.” The mission of CommUnity is to “improve support and tolerance by discovering more of what unites us than what divides us.” Haywood and Johnson said this group is planning activities to take place in the very near future, so stay tuned for more information.

The group meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Rimrock. They coordinate a guest speaker to take the podium from 12:00 – 12:30, followed with their business meeting. All public is welcome, men included. If there are any ideas or topics that you wish to be explored, contact Johnson at (406) 847-0047, or email her at [email protected]. You may also visit “Women for a Better Sanders County” on Facebook for more information.