Donors Support Literature Programs

A Montana couple, who prefer to remain anonymous, have recently decided to leave a portion of their estate, upon their deaths, to Humanities Montana. The couple's future gift is intended to help fund Humanities Montana's support of Montana literature and Montana writers. "So long as Humanities Montana continues to sponsor the Montana Festival of the Book—and the other satellite book festivals in Montana cities—we'd like our gift to help underwrite those wonderful annual events," the couple wrote in a letter to Executive Director Ken Egan. "And if, for some reason, you no longer sponsor the festivals, we'd like Humanities Montana's board and staff to put our gift to good use in other ways, in your best judgment."

NEH Chair Visits Billings September 17

Humanities Montana is pleased to announce that National Endowment for the Humanities Chair Jim Leach is coming to Billings on Friday, September 17. He'll deliver a major speech about civility in American culture at Montana State University Billings. Chairman Leach's visit is part of his nationwide Civility Tour, his effort to encourage Americans to address their common concerns with respect, honesty, and decency. Details are yet to be worked out, so stay tuned.

Missoula Community Conversation June 25

"Can We Talk," a Humanities Montana event designed to promote civil discourse, will take place Friday, June 25 from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm in Missoula. Patricia Hughes, author of Gracious Space: A Practical Guide for Working Better Together, will facilitate this event. The registration fee is $20 and will cover lunch and a copy of Ms. Hughes' book. Look for more details in the June newsletter. For more information, or to register, contact Karen Marsolek: 406-531-2661 or Karen@KarenMarsolek.com.

Pinet Receives Special Recognition

Christopher Pinet, Montana State University French professor and former Humanities Montana board chair, received a rare French designation, "Officier" in the French Order of Academic Palms, for a career researching French culture and his editing of The French Review. Pinet received the distinction, including a medal symbolic of the academic palms, from Patrice Servantie, the Deputy Consul General of France for the French Consulate in San Francisco. Servantie awarded Pinet the medal at ceremonies held Thursday, April 22, at Montana State University-Bozeman before a room crowded with family, friends and well-wishers.

Letters About Literature, 2010 Winners

Letters About Literature is a reading and writing promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Presented in partnership with Target Stores, the program is sponsored at the state level by Humanities Montana and the Montana Center for the Book. To enter, young readers wrote personal letters to authors explaining how their work changed their views of the world or themselves. The program has three competition levels: upper elementary, middle school and secondary. Congratulations to this year's winners!

1st Place Winners:

• Kiley Layman (Level I) — Seeley Lake
• Dahn Ebert (Level II) — Choteau
• TBA (Level III)

2nd Place Winners:

• Delaney Galloup (Level I) — Ennis
• Tatia Hollowell ( Level II) — Hysham
• Nate Roberson (Level III) — Bigfork

3rd Place Winners:

• Cade Habel (Level I) — Great Falls
• Taylre Sitz (Level II) — Ennis
• Hannah Barrett (Level III) — Bigfork

Upcoming Grant Proposal Deadlines

Our next deadline for regular grants ($5,000 and below) is May 20. Full information on grant guidelines and deadlines is available at Grants.

May Humanities Montana-Supported Events

To find out about Humanities Montana-sponsored events, visit our online Calendar.

Support the Humanities in Montana

Funding for our work is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and a variety of other agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals. Your gift—whether through Humanities Montana's annual fund drive, its endowment with the Montana Community Foundation, a bequest, or some other way—will bring the humanities, their insights and joys, to ever more Montanans, now and in the future. We especially welcome planned gifts, which often qualify Montana donors for generous tax credits. Gifts are tax-deductible under the IRS 501(c)(3) category of nonprofi educational organizations and may be donor-restricted to specific programs or purposes. Gifts may also be matched by the National Endowment for the Humanities or other funding entities. If you would like to donate today via credit card click here or contact Ken Stolz.

Thanks to our Generous Supporters—April 2010

Organizations
Blaine County Library Memorial
Columbia Falls Library Association
Friends of the Library, Lewistown
Montana Arts Council
Phillips County Historical Society
Pompey's Pillar Historical Association

Individuals
Virginia Allen
Brian Cockhill*
Shari L. Dayton
Linda Karell*
Tom Kotynski*
Charlene Loge**
Lawrence K. Pettit*
Sheila and Hal Stearns**
Betty Whiting
Bonnie Williamson**

*Current Board and Staff Members
**Former Board and Staff Members

For More Information...

Humanities Montana is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the humanities to Montana, enriching the intellectual, cultural, and civic lives of its residents. Much more information on Humanities Montana and its many programs and services is available on our website. Write us at 311 Brantly, Missoula, MT, 59812-7848, or info@humanitiesmontana.org, or call us at 406-243-6022, toll-free in Montana, 1-800-624-6001.