Page 35 - MFM Jan Feb 2024

“A new, portable piano will enable us to do more community
outreach at places like the hospital, the senior centers, and
further afi eld. Thank you so much.”

- Powell County High School’s music department

Thank you so much for the
generous grand given to our library.
Because of your help, more kids are
getting access to new, high-quality “Dear MMF, thaks for the mony. I relee
books. It’s been a tough year, and your likte the part when he saied this is
grant was like a burst of sunshine for grumpee grumpee mosik. I relee likte
the kids. I can’t thank you enough.” the symphony! MMF Luve you!”
- from a middle school librarian - Ezra, a young Montana student

A budding musician in St. Regis “poured his heart and
soul” into learning to play the tuba in the band room. But
the “oompha, oompha, oomphas” didn’t sound as they
should no matt er what he did.

His school superintendent Joe Steele knew the student
would be “especially thrilled” when the school’s music The 45 students at Turner Public School, north of the
program replaced the “old , decrepit” tuba with a new Hi-Line, have books covering a wide range of Montana
instrument. His music teacher couldn’t wait to watch his history and culture, as well as a multi media cart, jumbo
ability grow. wooden puzzles, and novel sets for high schoolers thanks
to MMF donors - “educati onal resources directly into the
“While I believe the arts, and parti cularly music, hands of our teachers and students.”
provides students a greater breadth of experiences and
opportuniti es, being able to fund the program at the Choteau Elementary doubled the MMF grant with a
level it needs to be can be challenging,” Joe said. “I want match and was able to establish a weather stati on with
you to know how appreciati ve we are.” equipment to track weather phenomena and go on fi eld
experiences to help bring science to life.
St. Regis’ 195-student public school in western Montana
is among the scores that have benefi ted from the MMF We’ve funded choir risers, musical instruments, libraries,
Educati onal Grants Program. STEM programs, hands-on science kits, roboti cs, wildlife
educati on, trips to the symphony, theater lights, drone
Our school grants program has provided half a million fl ying instructi on, parti cipati on in Missoula Children’s
dollars in funding for Montana students since we Theater, and so much more.
relaunched it in 2015 aft er years of a scatt ershot
approach. We focus on music, library, science, and “Having an organizati on that supports the underfunded
drama because those programs o� en are the fi rst to parts of our school is so refreshing,” music teacher Dawn
see funding cuts - programs that are lifechanging for Sherseth of Shepherd wrote the MMF. “The students
students but expensive to run. love to create music.”

Montana Freemason Page 35 Jan/Feb 2024 Volume 100 No.1