Caring for Our Communities and Serving Our People

Caring for Our Communities and Serving Our People

Hot Springs, Montana, is tucked away between the beautiful Salish and Cabinet Mountain ranges in western Montana on the Flathead Reservation of the Confederated Salish, Kootenai, and Pend D'Oreille peoples. Many of the residents in this tiny community of 500+ people are local Salish/Kootenai tribal members. Others are descendents of miners. Some came to the area to work in agriculture or logging. There is a growing community of retired people who are returning home here to live out their years. It was a diverse group of these residents who stepped forward to participate in the Horizons, a community leadership development program sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation.

As part of this program, residents looked together at their community to identify assets that could be turned into opportunities. Located in a geographical bowl, Hot Springs residents claim their environment as their best asset. Hot Springs is said to have the most potent mineral water in the world, and this healing water, coupled with the rich mythology that accompanies it, draws visitors from across the globe. With both the healing waters and the visitors in mind, community members ventured forward to develop new enterprises that would benefit their community.

One tribal elder was inspired to build mineral water baths from the hot springs. He and his wife are offering the baths to residents and visitors, using the water, he explains, "... in the way prescribed by the traditions of our people." He notes, "The Horizons program tried to get a cohesive effort going. They preached unity and got everyone into the same room talking about economic development." For this resident, economic development didn't stop with mineral baths. With the help of his three horses, he started a small carriage business. Now visitors to Hot Springs can take horse and carriage rides around town and learn about the history of this place and the rich culture of the Kootenai tribe.

Because the hot springs are associated with healing and health, residents saw opportunities to build on this theme. They decided to start a farmers' market as a way to provide community members with access to fresh, local foods and to provide local farmers with direct access to customers. One resident offered to host the farmers' market on her land. Several others helped to organize it. With a respectable start in its first summer, residents plan to continue this venture and hope to see it grow.

To further access healthy foods, a small group of women started a natural foods buying club. The club orders and purchases teas, spices and organic foods in bulk at wholesale rates and then distributes what they have purchased among themselves. Their dream is to increase interest in healthy, organic foods and eventually expand this business to an actual storefront. One resident explains, "The Horizons program had a ripple effect in our community. The activities of the Horizons group encouraged people to come up with ideas to benefit themselves and the community."

On a civic level, Hot Springs residents claim an increased interest in participation in city and county government because of the Horizons project. Individuals discovered new information about the legalities of their city government and the special status of tribal land as it relates to their town. One resident stepped forward and participated in a year-long State Commission that looked at the governance of the Hot Springs community. People are more interested in having their voices heard at all levels of government with which they need to interact in order for their town to flourish.

As part of this process, people learned how to write grants and create nonprofit organizations. As a result, two separate community development projects were started: the Little Bitterroot Community Development project and the Hot Springs Horizons Community Development Corporation. Both community projects hope to secure funds to increase economic development in the town of Hot Springs.

The dreams of health for the individuals in the community and health for the entire community are dreams worth pursuing. With the tools learned from Horizons, the community is moving forward with its mission to "sustain the health, diversity and community development of the communities and reservation to meet the needs of present and future generations of our people."