Griggs, Doney receive Big Sky State Games Osborne Volunteer of the Year awards

Press release

BILLINGS - The Big Sky State Games - BSSG - announced this week that two Havre residents, James "Jim" Griggs and Robert "Bob" Doney, were among the recipients of the Osborne Volunteer of the Year award winners for 2022 on Tuesday.

The other recipients are Jenny Moodie, Billings, and the Billings Young Marines, Billings.

The award is named after the late Big Sky State Games founder Tom Osborne and his family.

The team of Griggs and Doney have been running the Muzzleloading Event for the Big Sky State Games for nearly 18 years. The two black powder enthusiasts were determined to keep the sport alive and well in Montana, when various clubs around the state were shutting down and the number of scheduled shoots were being canceled forever.

Doney has been participating in the Big Sky State Games almost since the begining or at least since shooting events were added to the original 1986 Games schedule. He participated in the Muzzleloading event, while his sons were active in the BB Gun and .22 shooting events.

Griggs started participating in the Big Sky State Games in the 1990's and has continued shooting and/or coordinating the Muzzleloading Event since then. He was promoted to muzzleloading commissioner in 2020.

In 2005, Griggs and Doney were asked if they would run the muzzleloading event for the Games. Doney would be the range officer for the event, which was held at the Billings Rod and Gun Club. Griggs would be the coordinator of the event, handling the advertising, promotion, on-site registrations, scoring and recording. The  two worked the event from Havre with the help of a number of shooting commissioners who did the leg work in Billings and made sure everything was in order upon their arrival from Havre. As close as can be determined they worked under about four different commissioners over the years.

Some changes were made along the line, including an easier registration system, age change for youth shooters, brought-on scoring personnel and medal presentations.

Youth had to be 12 to shoot and move to adult after 16. The age was dropped to any starting age until graduation from high school, to keep youth involved in the sport.

Early on, medals were presented at the Yellowstone Gun Club late in the evening of the all day shoot. That was moved to on-site medal presentation following the last relay of the day, which made it easier for the participants to get their medals and head home or to their motel after a full day in sometimes 100 degree heat when everyone was worn out.

The adding of scoring and recording volunteers - usually wives of the shooters - had the day's event scored and recorded shortly after the last relay.

In 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, most of the muzzleloading participants declined to travel to Billings, which was a COVID hot spot, to shoot and asked if the event could be held elsewhere. Since 90% of those participating in the shoot were from north of the Missouri River, Havre was picked and approved by the State Games Office. With the help of the City of Havre, the chief of police and the Havre Police Department, the police department shooting range was secured for the event. The numbers in 2020 were the highest the event had ever had at 27 shooters. The numbers had been dwindling over the years going as low as seven in 2009. 2022 saw 22 shooters participate.

Moodie has served as the middle school volleyball and grass quads commissioner for the last seven years and began playing in the games in 1989. She played at Billings Skyview and Rocky Mountain College, BSSG officials noted in a press release. 

The Billings Young Marines volunteer with the BSSG Soaked Run and triathlon. The group also volunteers at the Heart and Sole Run.