Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Valley News at a Glance

Stevensville's Mrs. Montana representative announced

Local athlete to compete in off-road marathon

Sheree Channel, the Executive State Director for the Mrs. Montana-America Pageant is announcing that Mrs. Christina Blakely has been selected as Mrs. Stevensville-America 2008. She will represent her community in the 32nd annual state pageant to be held July 12 at the Petro Theatre in Billings. The winner of the pageant will receive a prize package valued at over $8,000 and will advance to compete in the national Mrs. America Pageant.

Celebrating it’s 32nd year, the Mrs. America Pageant is the only nationally televised beauty competition to recognize the one person who contributes so much to modern family life…America’s married woman.

For information, contact Sheree at the Mrs. Montana-America Pageant at 1-877-631-4447 or mrsmontanaamericca.com.

Matt Guzik is “on the road again” for the Greater Ravalli Foundation. Correction, this time he is actually “off road.” He will be participating in the Motatapu Icebreaker, New Zealand’s iconic 42.2km off road marathon. This marathon is unique because the run takes place all off-road and ‘on the beaten path’. This type of race is especially unique to Matt who has completed over 50 marathons competing on behalf of the kids in Ravalli County and the Greater Ravalli Foundation. He has never until now adopted or attempted the “off-road” concept.

Having been on the “road” to recovery after enduring knee surgery a little over a year ago, Matt attributes much of his successful healing to the practice of yoga and the teachings of Meg McKracken of Simple Yoga on Main in Hamilton. Yoga has been a life changing practice physically, mentally and spiritually for Matt. He has incorporated the yoga ways and means into his training and running.

Matt’s goal is to raise awareness of the many community programs the Greater Ravalli Foundation supports, programs such as the Santa Jerke gift and book giving, the United Way Dental program, the Kiwanis seasonal gift baskets, BEAR summer programs, Bitterroot Youth Homes, the school meal voucher and teacher sustenance programs and to many more to list.

With the completion of the Motatapu Icebreaker Marathon in New Zealand this March and community support over the past five years, Matt will have raised over $1 million since the inception of the Greater Ravalli Foundation. 100% of your donations have always and will always go directly to the Foundation. As his donation to the Foundation, Matt funds his marathons and races out of his own pocket.

This truly is a dynamic period for the Greater Ravalli Foundation! Now is the time to make a difference in the quality of life for our next generation here in the Bitterroot Valley.