Letter to the Editor - Thanks to community for work during snow storm

Editor,

Montana, the Big Sky State, and also the state where if you don’t like the weather just wait five minutes.

This was definitely proven true this week. What was also proven true was the hardiness of the men and women who helped and are still helping dig us out and get people back on the grid. I’m not here to write complaints or run anyone down … Ahem, state road department with the snow plows, North 40 started a sale Saturday on snow shovels. Just saying.

But I do want to praise what an awesome community and Hill County is, after hearing the great stories of neighbors helping neighbors remove tree limbs, shovel driveways, deliver food or water and just check in on elderly neighbors. We didn’t have FEMA or Red Cross show up, and I think everyone would agree we don’t need them. Montanans are pretty self-sufficient and we have awesome people to get big and small jobs done in times of need.

I’d like to give a big shout out of praise to NorthWestern Energy, the “lineman of the county” were out in rain and snow and wind, and still are fighting the good fight to get power restored. A personal thank you to Loch Electric for getting us our power back. I know all the electricians are busy and many thanks are in order to every one of them. And thank you to Nate Baltrusch for plowing the snow drifts off of Shepherd Road. You saved us a large portion of dangerous driving when the county road crews had many other irons in the fire. And all of our great neighbors for checking up on each other. Thanks to the store clerks and checkers who braved the bad streets to open up stores Tuesday and supply people in a time of need, the out-of-town power companies, tree removal services and anyone else I’m missing. What a great community to be from.

And a reminder why Montana will remain The Last Best Place … and also never be over populated. 

God Bless America!

Sincerely, 

Laura Kanning, from Shepherd Road

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