Located in southwestern Montana near the Continental Divide, Anaconda was founded in 1865 by Marcus Daily as a site to build a smelter to refine copper ore from local mines. 122 years later, in 1977, Anaconda merged with Deer Lodge County to form one of two consolidated city-county governments within the state. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County consisted of 736 square miles of land and 4.7 square miles of water, making it the second smallest county by land mass.

Anaconda, Montana
Photo Courtesy of Kayleen Kidwell

In 2022, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County (A-DLC) MSU Extension and the Montana Clovers 4-H Club collaborated with Granite County MSU Extension to receive $500 from the Montana Department of Agriculture Rural Community Development Grant Program. With this funding, 4-H youth in both counties will handmake greeting cards to give to local elders in the Community Nursing Home of Anaconda and the Granite County Medical Center. In 2023, they will also make cards to give to local veterans on Veterans Day.

To continue building strong intergenerational programs, MSU Extension applied for funding from the 2022 Governor’s Conference on Aging Mini-Grant Program. After receiving the grant in October, $1,000 worth of games were purchased to assist 4-H youth in hosting game nights at the Smelter City Senior Center in Anaconda and the Philipsburg and Drummond Senior Centers. To foster independence and build planning skills, the 4-H youth in each county will be responsible for communicating with their senior center(s), scheduling a date and time for an event, advertising the program, determining how it will be run, and setting up and breaking down the venue.

In 2023, both MSU Extension offices hope to add another intergenerational program related to bibliotherapy and strengthen multi-generational bonds through storytelling.

Games purchased with funding from the 2022 Governor's Conference on Aging.
Photo Courtesy of Kayleen Kidwell

Throughout 2022, the Deer Lodge County 4-H Council and each of the 4-H clubs have diligently worked to revise their by-laws and implement new club, council, and county-wide policies.

In early October, to celebrate National 4-H Week, a reporter interviewed each of the three organizational leaders within the county. This included Carolyn Pasha who oversees the Antelope Gulch Wranglers, Jan Torpey who manages Community Friends, and Leslie Given who supervises the Montana Clovers. The article highlighted the efforts they have put in to ensure that clubs are fun and welcoming for all. It also acknowledged the deep passion each woman has for 4-H and their success in ensuring youth and volunteers regularly interact to the point of feeling like “one big club.”

In July, we celebrated a ninth-year 4-H member who was recognized by Western Ranch Supply's Future Generation Youth Leader Program and was awarded a $500 gift card for her work in 4-H and the community.

Looking ahead to 2023, there is excitement for hosting an inaugural Communication Day, partnering with Granite County MSU Extension to hold two Animal Quality Assurance trainings, and welcoming a new Shooting Sports instructor.

4-H supporters at the 2022 Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Mock Fair.
Photo Courtesy of Kayleen Kidwell