We can all agree that Billings is a pretty cool place full of pretty cool people. And we want to introduce some of them to you!
Billings wasn't always home as I moved here in late 2018 from Monticello, Iowa. Growing up, I always had a passion for working with people with disabilities. After wanting to be more of a voice for these individuals I went to college at the University of Northern Iowa for Therapeutic Recreation. After finishing my degree, I started an internship at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah and there found all that was recreationally possible for people with disabilities. I always wanted to end up out West so when I found the job for Eagle Mount Billings I had to apply.
When being a voice for the people I serve, people with disabilities, it is always a point for me to share with others that this group of people deserves respect and age-appropriate activities. When we work with a 25-year-old with Down Syndrome, we keep in mind they are 25, not 5. Our participants join Eagle Mount to rightfully have a space that allows them to be successful. We know that people of all abilities can be successful and reach new heights when others treat them with respect and kindness.
In 2018 I started as the Adaptive Program Director, responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the adaptive programs at Eagle Mount. After evaluating community needs we added programs accordingly. I continue to plan and lead programs but now have the support of a larger program team for implementation, allowing me time to focus on program enhancements, quality initiatives, and community outreach. We are assessing the opportunity to serve more populations that might benefit, like rehab patients, amputees, those with TBIs, assisted living residents, and people with dementia. The possibilities are endless. We also seek to offer services to more towns in the surrounding areas.
I got into this field because I love to watch people grow. A lot of kids and adults think they can't do things because of their disabilities. Being able to show them a different way of doing the things they love is so rewarding. For me, I enjoy hearing that caregivers can have date nights when we take participants for a movie night at the Billings AMC. Everyone deserves a voice and deserves the opportunity to get out and recreate. If I can play even a small role in that, I am doing my job.
I have learned to love all that Billings has to offer. Outside of camping in the Beartooths, I am involved in Billings Ultimate Frisbee, love watching the Marmots Rugby Club, and I've even played a few spikeball tournaments in town. Through my time with the Billings Chamber, I have learned more and more resources available for myself and those I serve. Switch Society Clothing Swap has quickly become one of my go-to places when I need new items to spice up my wardrobe. Jake's Downtown is a favorite as well, hard to go without their crab dip. Billings may seem like a small town to some but it has a lot to offer.
Eagle Mount is a community non-profit that provides adaptive recreation for youths and adults with disabilities. Why Eagle Mount? Our year-round programs are designed for individuals of all ages and all abilities. We offer friendships, fun, and adventures through skiing, cycling, golf, soccer, summer camp and so much more. The programs we provide positively impact more than just our participants. Volunteers of all ages have the chance to enjoy recreation with a purpose. As they work to ensure the safety, fun, and learning for those with disabilities, our volunteers develop new skills and stretch their thinking on how everyone can be successful.
During each program’s six-week session, staff and volunteers assess the participants’ abilities and special needs to develop individualized goals. These goals may include improving stamina on the climbing wall or increasing socialization and making new friends through our social clubs. The most meaningful outcome for all is the sense of belonging and spirit of community that Eagle Mount creates.
Volunteers are the heart of Eagle Mount and we have year-round ways for them to be involved - once a week or once in a while.
Whether you're interested in skiing, snowboarding or social nights, we have a fit for you. From soccer, cycling, golf, climbing and social groups, most programs are in the early evenings. In just a couple hours a week, volunteers as young as 12 years of age can make a big impact.
Winter months we offer skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoe programs. These programs run daily and we need volunteers of all skill levels. For all of our programs, training, gear, and encouragement is provided.
We are so grateful to be in a community with lots of secondary education opportunities. We partner with MSUB and RMC to offer field study hours and even assist with doctoral capstones.
Outreach to the area schools has brought HOSA and National Honor Society students to our programs as volunteers where they earn service hours and gain new friendships.
Our fundraising / friendraising events are a great way to get involved. We invite you to take part in our Cycle to Soar indoor cycling event on April 6, 2024 or Happy Caddy Cup golf benefit on May 17, 2024. These events are a good way to get a group of friends involved, show your company support, and even get your company out of the office for a day.
Other fun ways to be involved include offering a tour of your work facility for our social and camp programs, donating art and camp supplies, donating baskets for drawings, or attending our monthly bingo or pint nights. We also know that not everyone can give the gift of their time. We always need donations (large and small) to underwrite our programs, helping ensure participants have access to programs.
Eagle Mount strives to not only provide adaptive recreation but a true family community. We serve individuals of all ages and adapt programs to ensure success for everyone. Often people are unaware that we serve children as young as three and older individuals. They are surprised to find that we serve people with any disability - not only those with intellectual disabilities - people with a missing limb, paralysis, low or no vision, Parkinson’s, MS, and others all benefit from our programs.
Mentorships for volunteers are available at any age too. Have a favorite hobby and want to share your skill with someone, but maybe haven’t done much work with people with disabilities? We will work with you to achieve both.
The Eagle Mount family is like no other. The participants, volunteers, donors, and staff come together to truly achieve meaningful impact. When we’re together at a program, the participants will notice if someone is missing and ask where they are. It’s as if they are constantly watching out for their friends. Bringing individuals of all ages together also lets participants and their families meet those who are older with the same disability. This fosters conversations, friendships, and sharing. We love having youth volunteers paired with younger participants for a peer connection or for younger participants, it’s almost a sibling-like connection.
Billings is incredibly lucky to have a program like Eagle Mount in our community. Not only do caregivers get respite, not only do volunteers learn lifelong skills…. but our participants have a safe, welcoming space that is rightfully theirs, where they can be their authentic selves. When you’re at Eagle Mount, you do not need to blend in with those who are “normal”.
Eagle Mount proudly partners with aspiring teachers as they prepare for their futures, working with all types of students.
We encourage our participants to rethink what is possible, and by removing barriers, they experience success at activities they and their families never thought possible.
We offer scholarships for those who need financial support. We want everyone to enjoy recreation and do not want finances to be a barrier.
Eagle Mount makes so much possible that it's hard not to have success stories. In 2019 we started doing overnight trips, some even out of state. A parent told me her daughter really wanted to go but she had never stayed away from home before. After reassuring her that her daughter would be in good care, she has now traveled with us to three different states and has also attended three in-state trips.
One participant came to Eagle Mount with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a rock climbing accident. She never thought she would climb again. In partnership with Steepworld Climbing and Fitness, we developed an adaptive climbing program. Watching this participant and her family climb together again gave me chills. She still pushes herself to reach new limits and nothing stops her!
Summer of 2023 we took our summer camp travel trip to Denver, CO. During this trip we had two participants - twins - who would turn 21 while we were away. It was a big decision for their family who had never spent a night away from their twins. The family got respite and the joy of seeing their 21-year-old twins enjoying such a special getaway with friends.
To learn more about participating, volunteering, or contributing, visit our website at www.eaglemountbillings.org. Here you will find out more about the programs we offer. We also have a quarterly newsletter you can subscribe to or you can always call us at 406-969-2949.
