Event aimed to inform, inspire public

It was a day filled with community members both involved in community efforts and those wanting to learn how to get involved at the Redemption Ranch, off Blue Slide road, last Saturday. Pastor Brenda Crowe along with husband Scott Crowe sponsored "Montana for God and Country" at their home and place of worship. “The mission of the event was to inform and inspire people to get involved in bringing our county, state and country back under the rule of our Constitutions,” said Brenda Crowe.

The event started with a barbecue, along with socializing and sharing about various avenues and platforms in which people can get involved with issues that are important to them. Attendees included State Senator Bob Brown, Montana State Representative Paul Fielder, Green Mountain Conservation District Chair Nancy Mehaffie and veterans Gerald Cuvillier and Lorilee Cuvillier, who served twice in Iraq.

Brown said he is working on projects at home and is on the Interim State Tribal Relations Committee. Brown added that he is working on his re-election campaign where he will now be running against Republican Greg Hertz due to a change in senate district boundaries. They both stand for the same issues so Brown said that if either of them wins it will be a good thing.

“There’s a real opportunity for people to learn about and get involved with what we do. There are a lot of grants to do projects and they should support making life easier for people,” Mehaffie said.

First on the stage was master of ceremonies, Brenda Crowe, who introduced Linda Lanier from Darby. Lanier is an inspirational, patriotic, motivational speaker and singer who has appeared on television, radio and at a variety of events, one of those being at the Pentagon to entertain for a 9/11 memorial service. Lanier introduced Pastor Ed Anthony, from Ronan, who served three terms in Vietnam, and was a police officer and a paramedic. He led everyone attending in the Pledge of Allegiance.

“Unless we get God back into the center of this country, we won’t have a chance, making it clear that it isn't man but God through man,” Lanier stated.

Succeeding on stage was constitutional attorney Greg Overstreet, the town attorney in Stevensville, who spoke of the importance of holding onto freedoms. He called himself a political refugee from Washington State, warning residents to be alert and active, so that they don’t run into the same problems that Washington now faces, he said. For instance, he said that there is gerrymandering in Washington. Overstreet said that Montana and Washington have the same tax burdens, yet Washingtonians have an abundance of hidden taxes and he sought to educate people on that.

Heidi Roedel, the chair of Flathead libraries, spoke next. She asked the audience if they were on a board at their local level and if they had attended local board meetings. “My goal of being on a board is to see a friendly smile every month or every time we meet,” she said.

Roedel said that a dad came to the board meeting saying that he thought parents had the right to know what books were being read at storytime to the kids. He is now on the board himself. Changes the new board members made to the library were: to question the American Library Association because of the fact that they are a political group, not a neutral organization, and to allow concealed weapons in the library,” Roedel shared.

Roedel also advocated people to check out books because they go away after 10 years. She said that some books have been modernized/changed and so it’s important to look at what children are reading because books get to the hearts of children.

The last to speak was Sheriff Shawn Fielders. He said that he encouraged people to stay involved. “On a good evening I might have two deputies working 2,770 square miles, our eyes and ears are sitting out here.” He added that they've had good success in drug-related arrests.

Fielders said that they have obtained funds that he plans to use to combat drug trafficking. “We have a major corridor for drug trafficking; from I-90 drug traffickers bounce off at St. Regis, come across 135, from there they go north and south on 200 into the Flathead.” He said they will be doing more routine stops for minor things such as a headlight being out, for profiling purposes. He said that their motives aren't for revenue.

Fielders said that the Montana constitution is unique in that it gives its citizens more protections than the federal constitution, especially when it comes to firearms.

The event ended with Lanier singing a few more songs. Her video “Prayer List” was broadcast to 1,200 military bases and ships on the Fourth of July.

Crowe said that she was pleased that the event provided a foundation for some connections that might not have occurred otherwise. “We are looking forward to bringing more events to Sanders County this summer to continue informing and inspiring people into action!”

“I want to express my thankfulness for everyone who came out for the event last Saturday. Thank you Sheriff Shawn Fielders for sharing some of the ways you have found to implement more law enforcement without increasing the Sheriff’s budget. A big thank you to Heidi Roedel, who is a past president of the Montana Federation of Republican Women. A big thank you to Linda and Rocky Lanier for their dedication and passion to help this state and nation return to both the US Constitution and the Mont.a.na Constitution as the only rule of law and liberty,” said Crowe.

Kayla Cross from Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA will be coming soon to the Redemption Ranch to talk about bringing actions and activities into the area. This event will be open to the public.