Hello!

Happy Election Day!  I am sure all of you have already turned in your ballots 😉  If not, I join the voices of the millions who have been working hard to encourage everyone to vote and send a reminder that voting is not only important on a National level, but also on a State level. Take a breath, clear your mind, and remember to enjoy the beauty and honor of living in such an incredible country that gives us the opportunity to have our voices heard. Celebrate this day with food and friends and family – And especially by voting. 

I would also like to extend a very warm invite to join us for a celebration!  Missoula’s “First Thanksgiving” will be an annual event hosted by Soft Landing Missoula and the International Rescue Committee and will bring the community together with Missoula’s newest residents to share a meal and introduce one of America’s favorite holidays- our holiday of welcome and thanks.  Please join me on Thursday Nov. 17th from 5pm to 8pm (dinner served around 5:45pm) to give a warm Missoula welcome and share a delicious traditional turkey dinner.  This is a ticketed event and the price of your ticket goes to help cover the meals of the new families.  Admission is $20 for adults, kids 5-12 are $12 and kids under 5 are free. You can get more information and purchase tickets here.

This last Sunday, we had a fabulous open house and celebration of achieving our Crowdrise fundraising goal at our new office- 939 Stephens Ave.  Thanks to all that joined us- especially the Missoula Women’s Choir and the Quilters for Peace. We are really looking forward to all the things we will be able to do with the space- everything from English/Academic tutoring, a computer lab, sewing and art classes that we at SLM will host, while at the same time offering space for any of our new families to host their own event, conversation, or class. A few of us have been working on and working out of this space for a few weeks and it just feels really good to be here- stop by and say “Hi” sometime!  We will be looking to “staff” regular hours with volunteers so let us know if this is something that interests you.  Things are still a bit bare in here and for our open house, we had a few “wish lists” pinned up on the walls. Many of you asked for me to email that list so here is the short version….

Requested items for the Soft Landing Missoula office:

Kids Playroom:
Toy storage- bins and shelving
Bean bag chairs
Rocker/glider

Office:
Basic tool kit
Snow shovel
Power strips
Newer computers – desktop/s for office and computer lab

Classroom:
Dry erase markers
Notebooks, folders, binders
Digital camera

Living room:
Two couches
Two coffee tables
Shelving
Large rug
Picture frames
Winter doormat
Coat tree
Clocks
Music system

Kitchen:
Microwave
Two kitchen chairs

Thank you all so much for your continued support, time and money to make this happen.  We look forward in the new year to having a robust schedule of gatherings and classes here at the office that people can participate in and all of the other ways that this office will bring our community together.

So close your computer, enjoy this beautiful day, go vote and make sure you celebrate a little too!