Lewis & Clark County

Lewis and Clark county is comprised of Helena, East Helena, Augusta, Lincoln, Wolf Creek and Craig. The county contains one of the larger urban environments in Montana in Helena with a population of 32,000 making up less than half of the total county population of 69,000. Helena is located in the Helena Valley a large sweeping valley between the Big Belt Mountains and Boulder Mountains. Wolf Creek is located along the Interstate 15 corridor and August rests against the Rocky Mountain front at the Northern Edge of the county. Lincoln Montana is a forested haven that is nestled amidst the Garnet Range to our West, with Craig to our East along the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark County has a strong agricultural foundation of cattle, sheep and hay producers. We have a strong 4H membership with 360 youth enrolled and 121 volunteers spread over 20 clubs in the county.

Community Vitality

County Leaders Take Temperament Training

Real Colors has been a powerful tool used by Montana State University for many years to help leaders and teams better understand one another as they operate within their organization. The Real Colors tool is a temperament tool that allows individuals to better understand themselves and those around them using four distinct colors. These colors, Orange, Green, Blue and Gold, carry specific personality and temperament indicators that help participants to look internally as well as externally to better understand how they learn, teach, communicate and integrate within their organization and community. Lewis and Clark County Public Works approached the Lewis and Clark MSU Extension Office in April of 2023 to hold a workshop for their department leaders. With the help of Community Development Specialist Katie Weaver, we were able to offer the L&C Public Works Department an exciting team building opportunity. These leaders included supervisors and managers from maintenance, weed district, road and bridge, planning and support departments. A total of eleven departmental leaders took the workshop and gained a strong understanding of how to communicate with their teams, the public and reached a better understanding of their learning and management styles. These leaders oversee a total of 60 county employees split between their respective departments. In September of 2023 the same group of leaders held a second, advanced workshop titled Real Solutions. This second workshop expanded on what the team had learned initially by showing them how to integrate their primary and secondary colors. Our office has also provided a Real Colors workshop for the Lewis and Clark County Justice Center. The Justice Center team included thirteen individuals including those working with the new Treatment Court program. The goal of our office is to provide one workshop annually for each of the Lewis and Clark County Departments. The Public Works workshops were co-facilitated by Agriculture Agent Mat Walter and Community Development Specialist Katie Weaver. The Justice Center Workshop was co-facilitated by Agriculture Agent Mat Walter and Community Development Agent Shae Bruursema.

person places sticky note on orange paper sections

Caption: Real Colors Orange

Credit: Mat Walter

Family & Consumer Science

The StrongPeople of Lewis & Clark County

According to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Lewis and Clark County is the 9th healthiest county in Montana. The goal of implementing the StrongPeople Strong Bodies program is to not only contribute the positive health initiatives already taking place but also add accessible healthy living opportunities for the people in Lewis and Clark County. StrongPeople Strong Bodies is a community-based strength training program for mid-life to older adults. This program extends over a 12-week period and includes progressive resistance training, balance training, and flexibility exercises. In Helena, the program has been offered three times over the past year and has seen group sizes from six to 12 participants with some even traveling from neighboring counties to join. At the end of each session, 100% of participants felt as though their health has improved, felt physically stronger, and have become more active because of the class. After seeing success in Helena, StrongPeople was also implemented in Augusta, a community that does not have access to a public fitness center. Because of the limited options for exercise, the classes in Augusta saw numbers of up to 25 participants and averaged 14 individuals at each class. 100% of these participants also found themselves having more energy, strength, and overall better health because of the class. The real evidence of success is in the comments participants continue to make about how their lives have improved because of StrongPeople including “I have arthritis and it’s crazy how much better I can move at the end of class,” “I no longer feel pain in my left arm while I run my weed eater, I think it is because I am stronger,” and “my balance is better, I can tell because I don’t have to lean on something to put my underwear on in the morning.” The StrongPeople Strong Bodies program has made a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of Lewis and Clark County residents. Through its accessible, community-based approach, this program has not only contributed to the county’s high health rankings in Montana but has also empowered individuals to feel stronger, be more active, and live a healthier life.

boxes of Weights

Caption: Weights

Credit: Shae Bruursema

4-H & Youth Development

4-H and the Lewis & Clark Library Summer STEM Series

After attending the 2023 STEM Summit this past March to collaborate with other STEM Educators, new 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent, Emily Scruggs, made connection with the Lewis & Clark County Library in efforts to collaborate on a summer STEM series. The six-week STEM series targeted 5th through 7th graders with each session hosting approximately 11 participants, with an equal number of boys and girls. Lewis & Clark County 4-H Extension was a guest presenter for three of the six sessions covering topics such as paper circuits, Makey Makey circuit boards and building bridges, which was led by our summer intern, Riley Larson. Youth explored conductivity, structural physics, and circuit building, coming up with creative electrical greeting cards, straw bridges, and game boards using everyday objects. This free summer STEM series encouraged youth to continue learning at an affordable cost and at an accessible location. These sessions fulfilled youth educational needs in a fun, hands-on environment that encouraged youth to foster exploratory mindsets in STEM related subjects. Scruggs hopes to continue to build community relationships and to collaborate with the Lewis & Clark County Library for future programming.

4-H members make Makey Makey Circuits

Caption: Makey Makey Circuits

Credit: Emily Scruggs

Family & Consumer Science

SNAP-Ed Grows In Lewis & Clark County

SNAP-Ed outreach continues to grow in Lewis & Clark County. In the 2023 grant year, a total of 162 nutrition and physical activity classes were taught, consisting of 21 adult classes and 141 youth classes. This is an 80 class increase from the 2022 grant year. Class locations also expanded to Augusta and East Helena in addition to Helena. When classes aren’t being taught, the SNAP-Ed Instructor assists with policy, systems, and environmental projects throughout the community. This grant year, the SNAP-Ed Instructor joined the Helena School District Wellness Committee where she assisted with updating the school district’s wellness policy and creating a Smart Snacks “campaign”. The wellness policy was revised to incorporate strong examples to better explain the goals and purpose surrounding increased awareness and promotion of wellness in the school district. The Smart Snacks “campaign” was created to increase the adherence of the Smart Snacks Federal requirement within the school district. A three-year plan was developed and initiated in August 2023 with healthy snack ideas, consisting of SNAP-Ed recipes and fact sheets as well as Harvest of the Month recipes, being shared via monthly wellness newsletters that go out to teachers and families. The Double SNAP Dollar (DSD) Program partnership between MSU Extension’s Nutrition Education Program (also known as Buy Eat Live Better), Community Food & Agriculture Coalition, and participating farmers’ markets continues with SNAP recipients attending Buy Eat Live Better’s nutrition and physical activity classes receiving a $10 DSD coupon for every class they attend. During the 2023 Helena Farmers’ Market season there was an increase in DSD coupon distribution and utilization. So far, a total of 71 DSD coupons have been distributed, this is up from 59 coupons distributed in the 2022 season.

boxes of fruit and veggetables on a table with further information