The same community meetings in the spring of 2011 that brought up the need for a new gymnasium at Lone Rock School brought up the need for a Three Mile senior group. Working with the Ravalli County Council on Aging and the Three Mile Fire Department, school board member Dan Metully started a senior group that meets three mornings a week at the Fire Hall next to the school. After seeing the notice in the school newsletter, seniors started coming right away and Dan was there to greet us, often with his two young children. The kids with their mother brought over drawings to decorate the meeting room and even put up a curtain in the window.
Dan was planning the first annual community barbecue on the school grounds and involved us seniors in the planning and the barbecue.
When someone again crashed into the gate into my field, I asked Dan if he could work with the County to get traffic control at the intersection, a school bus stop. He did it, and no one’s hit my gate since.
In the fall Dan arranged for breakfast to be brought over from the school to us seniors at the Fire Hall. When Leon’s son died, Dan was there for Leon and represented the whole community at the service.
During Christmas break with no breakfast at the school, Dan brought in elk steaks and made us a breakfast of steak and eggs at the fire hall. We had to move into the biggest meeting room at the hall for that one. School was out of season but the senior group definitely wasn’t.
Dan involves us in planning for the new gymnasium from the beginning and we were delighted when voters approved it this June. Dan also involved us in planning for and participating in the second community barbecue this July.
Now, Dan is working with us to build a senior community center at the community park. Dan has been there for us time and time again. We have no doubt that he will be there for you as the Senator for Senate District 45.
Don Baty, Secretary
Three Mile Senior Community Center