Program offers community outreach

A community outreach program focused on bringing people together in a positive way has recently launched in Dixon. Sara Bednarcik formed Illuminate the 406 when she saw Dixon residents could use some help with incorporating recreational activities into the community.

“I noticed that the community had some struggles wherein they don’t have much for activities or recreation,” Bednarcik said. “There’s a lot of drug abuse and alcoholism and just some really negative influences that the younger people in the community are influenced by. The kids need something wholesome to do, so that’s how I ended up starting the creativity night.”

Every Monday at the Dixon Senior Center from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. anyone can join the free event and partake in the evening’s art project or activity.

Bednarcik says she sees around a dozen people come in every Monday to participate. “Nic Campbell, the pastor of the First Christian Church of St. Ignatius, really helped the weekly event come to life by bringing participants to creativity night, recruiting volunteers to help supervise the kids and by bringing the free meals that are provided every week,” she said.

Other surrounding community towns have come through for creativity night by donating various art supplies. “Now that the weather is nice, we'll also be doing outside activities such as laser tag and a treasure hunt,” Bednarcik said. “I recently needed help from the community in acquiring compasses and the VFW in Plains generously donated 18 compasses, which was a tremendous help and greatly appreciated.”

While Illuminate the 406 currently utilizes the senior center, Bednarcik says the program needs its own building to use as an activity center. “I'm renting a vacant lot in Dixon and Bitterroot Shedz helped me acquire a building by providing a donation in the form of a large discount for a 16 by 40 foot shed,” Bednarcik said. “It's anticipated that the building will be here by June and at that time the activity center will then be open.”

Alongside hosting creativity nights, Illuminate the 406 also started "The Heart Rock Project.” Bednarcik said the project consists of passing out beautifully colored and polished heart shaped rocks to people anywhere as a reminder of the love of Jesus.

Illuminate the 406 recently began providing support to individuals that struggle with addiction. Bednarcik says this is done by providing books to those that are open to receiving help. “The books are The Big Book AA, Daily Reflections and Living Sober,” she said. “These books provide support, encouragement and guidance to those that are ready and willing to seek help with addiction.”

Providing free bibles to the people of Sanders County is what brought Bednarcik to the Dixon area in the first place and the program founder says she still continues to provide bibles to those who need them, free of charge.

While Bednarcik currently lives in Trout Creek, she continues to make the drive to Dixon every week, no matter what. “It's not every day that a person wakes up and says ‘I want to spend all my time, energy and resources on a community that's 90 miles away’ but God put it on my heart to do so,” she said. “I know what it's like to suffer and live in darkness. I also know what it's like to come out of that darkness and receive emotional healing. God turned bad things in my life into good. Now I can use negative experiences that occurred in my life and subsequent healing to help others.”

Bednarcik continued “In 2021, I used nature and God for healing. I hiked and hiked and hiked everywhere in the Cabinet Mountains. God worked on my heart while I was out there. The trees were my cheerleaders, the birds were my encouragement and the alpine lakes were my reward. I will always remember how the forest was my friend and how God was my healer.” While Bednarcik says she doesn’t get out hiking as much as she used to, she still tries to get out into the mountains to let her two hound dogs burn off some energy.

“I want other people to see that there is hope and experience a healing journey as well,” she said. “That's what illuminate the 406 is all about: helping and serving others and letting light shine so bright that darkness is overcome. It's also about encouraging others to do the same. If we all come together and do good, we'll overcome the darkness that seems to be all around us.”

Right now, it’s just Bednarcik running the program out of pocket but she says any help the community can provide is appreciated. “At this time, Illuminate the 406 is not a nonprofit but I am in the process of becoming fiscally sponsored by a nonprofit so that any donations can qualify as a tax deductible donation,” she said.

Non-tax deductible monetary donations can be sent via PayPal or art supplies can be sent to P.O. Box 1213, Trout Creek, MT 59874. For more information about Illuminate the 406 email Bednarcik at, [email protected].