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History of the Going to the Sun Car Rally and contributions to its

Montana Highway Patrol & 3-7-77 endowment fund, Friends of the AMT.

Another major goal of the AMT is to interact with
Montana youth. In a society where many of our
children are at risk, the AMT strives to promote solid
citizenship, a drug free life, and safety in automobile
use.
In an eff ort to improve automobile safety in the
state, the Association maintains the Little Convincer
Seat Belt Program. Similar to the Seatbelt Convincer
used for adults, this apparatus uses stuff ed animals
instead of people and is directed toward elementary
school children. It strives to show the disastrous
consequences of failing to wear automobile safety
THANKS MHP TROOPERS belts, and the eff ectiveness of safety belt restraints.
FOR YOUR DEDICATION & SERVICE Among the Association’s primary focuses are

community service and donations to various charitable
Between 1933 and 1934, Montana led the nation causes, including the Special Olympics. But the pride
with a 74% increase in highway fatalities. Th is led of the Association is its creation and sponsorship of
to the belief amongst the public and legislature that the Montana Hope Project, which began in 1984.
Montana needed an agency to safeguard its highways. Designed to grant critically ill Montana children with
the fulfi llment of their life’s wish, the Hope Project
Frank H. Cooney, Governor of Montana, signed is predominantly a volunteer run organization, run
the bill that created the Montana Highway Patrol on largely by past and present troopers, as well as members
March 14, 1935, and Lou Boedecker of Deer Lodge was of the community. It is funded exclusively by private
selected as the fi rst chief administrator. Estimates of and corporate donations, as well as large fund raisers
the fi rst pool of applicants range from 1500 to 3000, such as the Ride for Hope, and receives no local, state,
from which only 24 recruits were chosen to attend or federal funding. Hundreds of children have been
the fi rst Highway Patrol Recruit Academy. Th e fi rst recipients of wishes such as travel, computers, and
academy was overseen by Captain Rudy Schmoke of visits with celebrities.
the California Highway Patrol, aft er which much of
the Montana Highway Patrol was patterned. Th e fi rst Seeking to serve both the public and Patrol troopers
recruit academy lasted from April 22, 1935, until May alike, the Association of Montana Troopers continues
21, 1935, with the fi rst day of work following on May its eff orts as a non-profi t organization to improve
22, 1935. Since its inception, the Montana Highway safety and awareness among Montana’s citizens, and
Patrol has striven to reduce fatalities by a combination to give just a little more to the state of Montana.
of enforcement and education.
In 1956, Alex Stephenson the Superintendent of
Th e Association of Montana Highway Patrolmen, the Montana Highway Patrol selected 3-7-77 for the
now the Association of Montana Troopers (AMT), Patrol's logo as a tribute to the Vigilantes. Saying "We
was initially founded in 1939, with articles of chose the symbol to keep alive the memory of the fi rst
incorporation being fi led in 1941. Originally started people's police force.
to aid troopers in their personal lives, the Association
now provides additional benefi ts at retirement and Vigilantes are an oft en revered part of Montana’s
college scholarship grants to the children of members history. From Absarokee to Zurich, tales are told to
and to the public as well. In addition, special donations elementary, middle-school, and high-school students
are sometimes given to members with catastrophic or about “vigilante justice” that was nothing if not swift .
emergency circumstances. Th e Association is largely Helena, the capital, even boasts its own tribute to the
funded by membership dues and advertising sales vigilantes with a “Vigilantes Day” including a parade
from its bi-annual publication, Montana Trooper and other events. But perhaps the greatest tribute
magazine. Private donations are also accepted, most Montana has given them is the symbol 3-7-77 on the
notably by virtue of the AMT’s assistance with the patch worn by Montana Highway Patrol troopers
Montana Freemason Page 12 March/April 2021 Volume 97 No. 2