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Well, Great Falls, you have finally done it. You have turned me into a total cynic in a way I have never been before. I used to be a positive force in my own life, and lately, it seems as though everything has been negative in every way. This “negative narrative” in town has been eating at my soul to the point where I am definitely going to go back to my hometown. But not before I raise some hell to make even the smallest of changes.
People are saying “stop complaining” or “it’s been this way forever”. Guess what? We won’t stop using our voices to raise awareness. It is not our fault that there is such a negative narrative about Great Falls. However, it is partially our fault that we have all settled for less than we deserve.
We deserve so much more and those of us who “complain” are the ones who really need to start getting loud and make the effort to fight for what we deserve.
My goal is to host a series of events over the course of the summer at local venues. These events will be geared towards the youth of our community. Currently, with help from The Alumni Club, I am creating an “All Ages” club night for the teens in Great Falls. I am hoping to make this a semi-regular event to give our teens and young adults a social and musical outlet that does not involve school or church sanctions in a place where their options are limited.
These events are meant to start changing the narrative of Great Falls from our future leaders’ perspective and open the eyes of our exiting and soon to be new city officials. We need those kids to have a positive outlook if they are even going to want to lead our city in the future.
If we can change the opinions of our youth into wanting more from our city, we can actually get more from our city because they are the reason we want more from our local government to begin with.
Details for these events are still under wraps until the first date is set, hopefully, right after school lets out for the summer. However, we do want you to know that we are taking the safety of the kids into the highest consideration in our planning.
This going to be a huge deal for our kids, and the city as a whole. If these events take off in the way I think and hope, we might be able to start seeing more and more acts coming to Great Falls in the future. Acts that we may not otherwise see outside of Missoula, Bozeman, and the State Fair.
These events will easily make the local news, and will just as easily reach out even further from there! Such a small thing can really make a difference in how people see us and how we see ourselves. That’s what we want for Great Falls, isn’t it? Yes, I think so.
Help us change the narrative from negative to positive here. This may be just a small start, but you have to start somewhere. Right?
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You can’t see the difference between taking bribes in Chicago and Robinson donating $250,000 of his own money for animal welfare here in Griffills? And god forbid he tries to get two groups to work together towards the same end. So you’re definitely moving back to the most corrupt big city in the nation. Too bad, you’re going to miss a lot of great articles about Houck and her ADA toilet.
At least ill be leaving knowing I made a positive difference in the kids’ lives by giving them something awesome. And also… Just because CHICAGO is corrupt, doesn’t mean that my suburban hometown is… And even so, it has a more positive outlook and narrative than GF. And what in the world does your comment have to do with creating an all ages night for the teens in town?
I have never met Tori–how ever reading her article above I think she is on the right track–WHY NOT GIVE HER CHANCE? She says what I have been saying for a long time–IT IS OUR ATTITUDE that holds us down ! If we don’t like ourselves, say some thing good about ourselves, brag a tad about our community how in the world would anyone else want to visit or stay or build a business in OUR COMMUNITY !!? I believe a few well healed families rule our community and contribute to the poor mouthing through the aid of some less well off!! (just my thoughts of course). When some one with a new idea, a new job offer or business interest wants to step up there is ALWAYS the same nay Sayers waiting to discourage them. Time has long come to change our attitude and welcome new ideas, new business and new interests, Stop the poor me attitude stress our positive and all work together showcasing all our positive attributes > Mostly show we are proud of Great Falls. Thinking of running for mayor again ! Gonna catch hell for that idea !
Changing our own attitudes is a great way to start, but it won’t change the narrative. Only action can do that. That’s what I am doing now.
I am super excited! This is a great step. We do need more for our young people that do not include alcohol.
I conflated your comment on Mr. Tryons article about ethics and this post of yours. Sorry to confuse you. Your club for teenagers idea isn’t new, I remember bars opening up to the under 21 crowd before. The last one I recall is the Brick. They called it Club Big House when it didn’t serve alcohol. I think the owner was Dana House. If he’s still around you might get some insight about how it worked for him. Good luck.
Great falls is a dying horse, time to shoot it in the leg already. Nobody wants anything to do with great falls, that’s why we keep inviting back, the drugs, violence, rapists, abusers, alcoholics! people that live here are gone… they left on the short bus.. licking windows. Hell even my own family is lost,drugs, depression alcohol…it all adds up people!