Jesse Ballard and her family are stranded in the Kenyan desert where they faced danger, dehydration, and exhaustion. Come along with Jesse on a wild adventure filled with unforgettable memories in a story she calls “The Best Walker”.

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Jesse Ballard is a perinatal care coordinator who moonlights as an actor and a birth doula. She lives in Missoula with her husband, 2 kids and 2 cats.

In our next story, Betsy Funk hikes with her adult daughter Kelsey in Glacier National Park on what would become a grueling hike for her daughter. Kelsey’s determination and love for the outdoors pushed them through tears and exhaustion. Betsy calls her story “Glacier Calls”.

📷 kmr studios 📷courtesy of Betsy Funk 📷courtesy of Betsy Funk

Betsy Funk lives in the Flathead Valley of Montana where, surrounded by mountains, she raised her family. A retired health teacher, she now spends her time in that landscape, gardening, hiking, playing music, helping her husband run his craft school and best of all, getting into mischief with her grandchildren. Savoring moments of connection every day. She believes stories are the result of that ability and gift to be in each moment. There is a certain magic in that presence with her life. It offers in each encounter, a chance to be seen, which in the big picture is what might make the world a better place for all of us.

Closing out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Syd Lang is a camp counselor at a small long running camp in Colorado. Listen as she meets a special individual one summer, and watch their friendship blossom amidst laughter, shared stories, and a whole lot of fun! Syd calls her story “Love Sick”.

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Sydney Lang grew up in Olympia, Washington and has been living in grand ol’ Missoula, Montana on and off for the past seven years. She attended the University of Montana where she studied Communication and Climate Change. She spends much of her time climbing big rocks and zooming through the trees on her bike. She has been working in the outdoor education world for many years, both in Montana and Colorado.Syd loves to eat bubblegum ice cream, practice slackline by the river, play on local trails, and cook dinner with friends.

In our first story, listen to James Crosby share his disastrous sailing camp experiences and life-changing moments as a lifeguard. James shares his journey of self-discovery and resilience and discovers how a seemingly simple act of kindness led him to find his true calling and inspire others along the way in a story he calls “Too Big to Sail”.

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The oldest and tallest among dozens of first cousins, James Crosby oddly and infuriatingly found himself outmatched in many backyard sports. He earned scores of nicknames: Stonehands, Butterfingers, Floodpants… all apt descriptions of his athletic “prowess” and Giraffe-like physique. After years of searching for the thing that could make him cool, a summer job with AccesSport America taught him to be something better.

To learn more about the adaptive programs at AccesSport America: visit goaccess.org.

In our next story, Aaron Miller’s autism diagnosis didn’t define him, it fueled his determination. From speech therapy to high school theater, Aaron overcomes his challenges & proves his capabilities. Aaron believes that disabilities aren’t limitations; they’re opportunities for growth. Aaron calls his story “Growing Up”.

📷 kmr studiosAaron Miller is a 16-year-old boy who loves to talk and bond with others. He stands as the youngest in his family and house but is the tallest out of everyone. His dad died of cancer when he was three, so he only had his mom and brother until he turned around nine where he moved across town and had his family join another family. Aaron gained a stepfather, a stepbrother, and a nonbinary stepsister. His autistic mind is what makes him the way he is: funny and responsible. He does theater at Big Sky High School, one of many MCPS schools with talented kids in many fields. Aaron is the fifth in his family to participate in one of Tell Us Something’s events alongside his brother (Alex), stepsister (Rae), stepfather (Brian), and mother (Angela). Aaron is debating what his future will look like since he doesn’t know if he wants to go to college for theater, but he believes in himself and knows that he will go far with many by his side to support him.

Our next storyteller believes in the power of storytelling so much he founded Tell Us Something in 2011. That’s right, our next storyteller is Tell Us Something founder and Executive Director Marc Moss. He calls his story “Is Anybody Alive Out There Tonight”.

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Marc Moss is the founder and director of Tell Us Something & live w/my wife Joyce & our kitten Ziggy on Missoula’s Northside.

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Karna Sundby gets swept up in a windstorm, while skydiving. Peer pressure and borrowed gear led to a harrowing experience in a story Karna calls “My Last Jump”.

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Karna Sundby has always been on her own unique, uncharted path. Her curiosity and spiritual quest has taken her to places that most people would find bizarre, wondrous or enlightening depending on their personal life experience. The one word they would never use to describe Karna is boring. Karna’s gift and curse is being fearless.

Learn more about Karna and her life coaching services at inneraccess.org.

Michelle Reilly finds herself homeless in 10th grade in a challenge that begins a lifetime of challenges. After earning a PhD despite her alcohol use disorder, she struggles to overcome addiction and finds unexpected hope in an online ad. Sensitive listeners, please note that Michelle’s story contains mentions of suicidal thoughts and the her father contemplating suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care of yourselves. Michelle calls her story “Heroic Measures”.

📷 Donal Lakatua

Michelle Reilly is a wilderness specialist and wildlife ecologist who has lived in Missoula for 8 years. She is a wildcrafter, avid backpacker, and devoted mother. If she isn’t deep in the mountains or paddling the rivers, you can find her in her yard tending her gourmet mushroom gardens. She also runs a Missoula Ladies’ Dinner Club and enjoys entertaining in her backyard.

In our next story, Zeke Cork returns to Missoula after many failed escapes to face his demons, find love, and embrace his true self. Please take care of yourselves. Zeke calls his story “Ezekiel Cried”.

 

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Zeke Cork is a writer, train dispatcher and board member of the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Center. He runs and hikes the local trails. He lives in Missoula with his wife and two rescue mutts. He loves tacos and trucker hats.

Ashley Brittner Wells is a self described tomboy in the 1980s who finds courage in the Montana Lady Griz games. It took years to find her own place in the stands and be the inspiration for girls who are like she was then. Ashley calls her story “Made In Montana”.

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Ashley Brittner Wells is from East Missoula, Montana. She is a business owner, public servant, and cackler. She is best known as Mel’s wife. She is a lifelong women’s sports fan.

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Going Home”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on June 11, 2024, as part of the opening Missoula Pride events.

In our first story, Kiki Hubbard, her mother and her grandmother are on a plane returning back to the United States from former Yugoslavia after a trip tracing their ancestry. The grandmother, a strong immigrant who fled war and violence, is frustrated because customs won’t let her bring bacon into the US. Kiki calls her story “What Bacon?”

Kiki Hubbard graduated from the University of Montana’s Environmental Studies program and now works remotely for the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an academic collaborator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kiki lives in Missoula, by way of Wisconsin and Washington D.C., and is a national expert in policy issues that affect our nation’s seed supply. She’s passionate about protecting family farms and community food systems from unfair and destructive corporate practices.

Next up is Adria Jwort, who, as a trans woman, wrestles with Montana’s anti-LGBTQ climate and complex relationship with her dad. The Club Q shooting prompts her to return home, prioritizing family despite ongoing struggles. We call her story “From Vegas to Montana — A Father’s Call”.

Adria L. Jawort is a Northern Cheyenne fiction writer and transgender/2 Spirit journalist based in Billings, Montana. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Electric Literature, and Indian Country Today, among other publications. She is the Executive Director of the nonprofit Indigenous Transilience. You can also find her on Instagram.

In our next story, Teri Wing leaves Butte, MT for convent life before leaving and finding love and family. Her journey home was a wild ride. Teri calls her story “Going home: The Long Way Around”.

Teri Wing is a born and raised Montananan. The mother of two and a grandmother of three boys, Teri is a retired educator who loves dogs and other living things. She hasn’t yet climbed tall mountains, run a marathon, or jumped out of a plane, though she says she may put those on her bucket list.

Our final storyteller in this episode, Chloe Williams, searches for happiness in love, places, & self-expression before finally figuring out what love is and where to find it. Chloe calls her story “The Rusty Screeching Turn Toward Home”.

Chloe Williams is many things. She is a seeker, a painter, a middle school teacher, a mother, a partner, and a friend.

Hailing from the West Coast, Chloe was born in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and raised in San Francisco. She spent some summers on a farm in Illinois. Eventually, she spent seventeen years in Portland, Oregon and ten years ago moved to Missoula. Chloe has lived at approximately forty addresses in her life, though she really has lost count.

Storytelling was passed down from her mom in the many long car rides of her childhood and is her favorite thing her mother gave her. Only in the last few years has she been called to try storytelling herself, and it feels like something her spirit needs to do.

What happens when the things we hold dear start to crumble?  Join us as our first storyteller faces a heartbreaking choice: let go of her family legacy or fight for a piece of the past while making a discovery about nonperminance in herself. And facing loss isn’t just about places, our next storyteller defies death itself, a therapist grapples with a hidden truth while our final storyteller navigates an unlikely love friendship running out on the trails.

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Close to the Edge”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on March 26, 2024, at The George and Jane Dennison Theatre.

Our first storyteller is Kathleen Kennedy. Kathleen’s cherished family cabin, a symbol of precious memories, faces the relentless grip of time and erosion. A cancer diagnosis adds another layer of urgency, forcing a confrontation with impermanence. We call her story “Lessons in Letting Go”.

Kathleen Kennedy grew up in Oakland, CA, and is a science teacher at Big Sky High School, with 24 years teaching experience. She has won a variety of prestigious teaching awards. She won the EcoDaredevil award in 2009, and in 2011 she was a Fulbright Japan-US Teacher in the Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development. She was an Adult Participant in American Youth Leadership Program’s Trip to Thailand in 2015 and continues to be passionate about her students and teaching. When she’s not busy saving the world and working towards a sustainable future, you might find her enjoying the beauty Missoula has to offer, rocking out to Pearl Jam, or dancing along to her favorite Dave Matthews song.

In our next story, Susan Waters’ peaceful bike ride takes a horrifying turn. A brutal crash leaves her fighting for life. A mysterious voice asks a question her answer and the resulting outcomes will leave you breathless in a story Susan calls “Fade to White”.

While growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Susan Waters longed for the days her family would camp and hike in the mountains and swoosh down the slopes of Colorado. She played keyboards in a rock band, worked her way through university as a metal sculptor, then spent 15 years as a film and video writer, producer and director.

In 1997, Susan chucked a successful career and beautiful home, packed her two dogs, two cats, and all her worldly belongings into a U-Haul and followed the call of the mountains to Missoula, Montana, where she knew not a soul and had nowhere to live. She quickly settled in and started Northern Lights Communications, where she continues to write, produce and consult.

Inspired by the alternative health modalities that helped her heal from a near fatal accident, Susan formally studied, trained, then started Water Wellness, where she is a holistic bodyworker and Reiki Master, individual wellness coach, and group instructor.

Susan volunteers in the community and takes full advantage of the outdoors with her human and animal tribe, explores the arts, and thrives in the wonderfully progressive and laid-back vibe of Missoula.

Learn more at SusanWatersWellness.com.

In our next story, Annabelle Winnie, a successful therapist and mother, grapples with a lifelong sense of dissonance. Despite outward competence, she’s navigated years of therapy, seeking answers for a struggle she couldn’t quite grasp. Annabelle calls her story “Belonging.” Or…”Another Way to See.” Or “Another Way to Be.”

Annabelle Winnie has lived in Missoula since 2011. You might find her walking or biking around town, acting as chauffeur for one of her 2 kids, or taming the wild raspberry patch in her backyard.

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast is Amanda Taylor, who learns that the path to love isn’t always smooth, and Amanda and Heather learn that the most powerful relationships can exist outside the box. Amanda calls her story “Heather”.

Thanks, Amanda. Amanda Taylor is a lover of laughter and of love. After sharing a story at Tell Us Something one year ago, she finally followed her dream of trying stand-up comedy. Now she is a local stand-up comedian, even though she feels like an imposter saying that. Amanda is on a lifelong journey of living in alignment with herself and is forever grateful to each person who has loved and continues to love her along the way.

 

A mother and daughter in Belize work together to navigate the challenges of entering the country with an expired passport, a determined diver confronts the depths of the ocean swimming against sudden swells and learns some harrowing news the next day when she returns to the water. An artist wrestles with self-doubt and the meaning of success. And a woman on a wilderness adventure faces a grizzly bear encounter, wolves and swarming bees on her ordeal to get out and help with a family emergency.

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Close to the Edge”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on March 26, 2024 at The George and Jane Dennison Theatre.

An expired passport throws mother-daughter vacation into chaos! Listen to their dramatic encounter with immigration and how they turned a mishap into an unforgettable experience. We call her story “The Trip of a Lifetime”.

Traci Sylte shares her story “The Trip of a Lifetime” 📷kmr studios

Traci Sylte is a civil engineer and hydrologist who has worked for the U.S. Forest Service for nearly 34 years and is currently the watershed program manager for the Lolo National Forest. She has a passion to maintain healthy watersheds, valley bottoms, rivers, streams, and wetlands. Traci is the product of two very loving parents. Her father taught her to operate a chainsaw and her mother facilitated dresses and piano lessons for her. The love of her life is her daughter, Becca, who is currently in her first year at the University of Washington. Traci continues to grow deeper in love with Missoula each year, because if one wants to learn to weave a basket with pink polka dots on a Tuesday, there’s someone probably doing it here. When Traci is not working, she is grounded by spending time with beloved family and friends, all things water, fly fishing, hiking, playing hockey with amazing Missoula women, fireside guitar serenades, sunrises, sunsets, all things music, and leaving things better than she found them.

Ren Parker embarks on what was supposed to be a relaxing dive off Catalina Island that takes a terrifying turn. After fighting for survival in a desperate ascent, Ren knows that she must get back into the water the next day, and is met with devastating news upon surfacing. Ren calls her story “Deep Blue”.

Ren Parker shares her story “Deep Blue” 📷kmr studios

Ren Parker is passionate about fostering a sense of community and brings that enthusiasm to all of her endeavors. Ren grew up in Hawaii and lived on sailboats that she restored on the Pacific Ocean for seven years. She gave up her nomadic ways and moved back to Missoula to be close to family and has been growing roots here ever since. Ren loves to dance and hike with her faithful dog, Poet, and spend time with her remarkable Missoula friends. She is a regular storyteller at the weekly storytelling event Word Dog, and hosts a weekly storytelling radio show on KFGM Community Radio where she is station manager. Her show is called Once Upon a Radio Wave.

Our next storyteller is Mark Matthews. Mark’s life takes a dramatic turn on a snowy night. He’s a struggling sculptor with seemingly nowhere to go. Listen to Mark’s story of passion, resilience, and rediscovery of the thing that he loves. Mark calls history “Thanks for This Wonderful Gift”.

Mark Matthews shares his story Thanks for This Wonderful Gift” 📷kmr studios

After earning a BA in literature in 1974 Mark began his artistic career as an aspiring writer and completed his first novel (unpublished) by 1981. During that period, Mark also became interested in sculpting and by that same year was devoting most of his time to making large wooden sculptures, mostly depicting dancers and musicians of all types. From 1982 to 1992 Mark exhibited his work in galleries in Maine, Washington, Montana, California and New Mexico.

In 1992 he stopped making art to concentrate on writing. After earning a Master’s degree in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Montana, he worked as a freelance writer for scores of publications including The Washington Post, High Country News and Newsweek. He also wrote three nonfiction books published by the University of Oklahoma Press during that period.

In 2012 Mark returned to art full-time. Turning once again to sculpture he expanded his interest to include carving in stone, manipulating found metal objects as well as animal antlers. He also experimented with many different styles and techniques. Mark currently exhibits his newer work at the Roosevelt Arts Center in Red Lodge, MT and the Manifestations Gallery in Eureka, MT. Before moving from Missoula to Hysham in 2016 (because of high rents in western Montana) he regularly participated in showings at the E-3 Convergence Gallery on W. Main Street, and he also set up a sculpture walk at Shy Bear Farm in Arlee.

Mark returned to Missoula in 2022.

In 2018 he began to paint. His oil paintings are also currently on display at the aforementioned institutions in Red Lodge and Eureka. Being a creative writer and journalist, he tends to tell stories in his paintings, whether it be a memory of dancing in the past, a place where he has lived, an adventure he had experienced or of people he has known. Mark tends to work with vibrant colors in a representational style.

In the fall of 2023, he enrolled in the Golden College at the University of Montana to study painting with Kevin Bell and metal sculpture with Trey Hill. His first metal sculpture was displayed in front of the Art Building on the UM campus in April. He was also part of a student exhibit in the student gallery in the Art Building that same month. Next year Mark will be a volunteer worker for the Art Department and has been assigned a private studio on campus.

Although Mark has been living on the edge most of his life, he has continued to devote most of his time to making some kind of art. Even while experiencing two bouts of extended homelessness, he continued to make art. His motto has always been: “Artist make art; they don’t wait on tables.”

Mark also loves to dance. He has been a contra dance caller for the Missoula Folklore Society since 1991 and has traveled to schools across the state since 2009 introducing the magic of dancing to children of all ages as a presenter for Humanities Montana.

Listen to the epilogue of Mark’s story here:

https://www.tellussomething.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/03-Mark-Matthews-Epilogue.wav

Watch a short film showcasing some of Mark’s sculptures displayed in nature here:

In our final story, Kat Werner is stranded in Alaska, grizzly bears on one side, a father in crisis on the other. In the face of fear, and with the help of her hiking crew, a community rallied and shared burdens. Kat calls her story “The Arctic Pain Cave” Sensitive listeners be aware that Kat’s story discusses someone who has suicidal ideations. Please take care of yourselves.

Kat Werner shares her story “Arctic Pain Cave”.📷kmr studios

Kat Werner was a German high school exchange student in South Dakota — some of you might remember her last Tell Us Something story about that experience and meeting her husband there. She has called Missoula home for almost 15 years. Kat is a licensed clinical social worker and faculty member at the University of Montana School of Social Work. Things that fill her soul are: any outdoor or wilderness activity, traveling the world, genuine human connection, cooking and eating good food, and creating and checking off a good to-do list.

 

Our first storyteller is Erin Scoles, a mother, who watches in shock as a terrifying avalanche buries her young son. Strangers and community come together in Missoula to save lives amid chaos. Erin calls her story “Found”.

Erin Scoles is grateful to have lived such a full life. She’s given birth to 5 children, hitchhiked across the country, lived in a school bus before it was cool, endured huge loss, and loved big. She’s most proud of her Irish heritage and how badass & compassionate her kids are. Erin looks forward to the day when she can focus on just one project at a time and for her kids to finally and truly admit she’s the funniest person that they know.

Jen Certa shares her story about how a simple act of kindness helped eventually house an unhoused person, led to closure for a family, and reaffirmed her hope in humanity. Jen calls her story “Life, Death, and Teaspoons of Water”. Thanks for listening.

Jen Certa is originally from New York and accidentally began a love affair with Montana in 2009. She is a  social worker and currently works as a therapist with kids and families, which basically means she’ll help you process your feelings after she beats you at Uno. When not at work, Jen can most often be found traversing the trails around Missoula with human and dog friends, guessing people’s Enneagram numbers, and/or running late for something.

Next up is Jennifer Robohm. Jennifer recounts her 9/11 experience, witnessing the tragedy, offering help, and cherishing acts of unity amidst chaos and despair in NYC. Jennifer calls her story “As the Dust Settled”.

 

Jennifer Robohm moved to Montana from the East Coast to be closer to her twin sister and to have an adventure. That adventure turned into a life! Jen is a clinical psychologist who’s been teaching at the University of Montana for close to 20 years. She lives in Missoula with her partner, Nadia; her son, Jack, is a UM senior. Jen loves the Missoula community and the Montana outdoors.

Closing out this episode of the Tell Us Something, podcast, Linds Sanders recounts a series of encounters in which strangers share their deep grief with her, painting profound connections amid loss, teaching empathy, and illuminating the beauty in life’s small, poignant details. Linds calls her story “Peanut Butter & Peonies”

Linds Sanders is a Montanan who has a habit of saying “yes” to experiences that scare her such as saving house spiders, learning to rock climb, working with preteens, and–most recently–sharing a story at Tell Us Something. It’s much easier for her to pursue the passions she loves such as poetry, art, traveling, and spending time with friends and strangers alike. Currently, she is in graduate school pursuing a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an interest in grief work. She works as a counseling intern at Tamarack Grief Resource Center where she has the honor of holding close the stories of others.  Learn more about Linds on her website. You can also follow her on Instagram. Learn more about the Tamarack Grief Resource Center here. 

In this episode of the podcast, a child, traveling alone, encounters hotel trouble, a young woman begins her healing journey thanks to a sexual assault victim’s advocate, a woman recovering from open heart surgery finds respite with a gruff nurse and post-avalanche, Missoula unites.

Four storytellers share their true personal stories on the theme “The Kindness of Strangers”. Their stories were recorded live in person in front of a sold-out crowd on December 06, 2023, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT.

Steve Rosbarsky journeys alone to the Junior Nationals tournament in Minneapolis. The absence of parental guidance sets the stage for a misadventure leading to trouble at a hotel. Stranded without a coach, an unexpected savior, Martin Martin, rescues the young athlete from a precarious situation. A series of escapades involving hotel ice baths, wheelchair races, and rooftop pool revelry culminate in a disciplinary showdown with the coaches. Steve calls his story “Three Days, Two Coaches, One Martin Martin“.

Steve Rosbarsky was born and raised in Missoula Montana. He has two beautiful children, Lydia and Eddie. He is so grateful to his partner Gwen and the joy that he feels being the long-term parental type figure to Evani and Cecelia. Steve is also proud of his beautiful granddaughter Ronnie. He owns and operates a Taekwondo School here in Missoula. Steve is a sustainable project coordinator for Missoula Habitat for Humanity. He holds gratitude for all the moments this life has provided. Learn more about Steve at Missoula Taekwondo Center.

Maria Merkley’s traumatic encounter, guided by her sexual assault victim’s advocate’s support, led to resilience and empowered her to begin her healing journey. Maria calls her story “The Advocate”.

Maria LaDonna Merkley is a proud full-time single mother to her beautiful 18-month-old daughter, Sophia- LaDonna Merkley. Maria was born in Whitefish, Montana, and grew up in Hamilton, Montana, and has had the pleasure of calling Oregon, Arizona, and Washington states home. She is a full-time student at the University of Montana, working on her Bachelor’s degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in History, with a Secondary Education licensure. She hopes to share her love for traveling with her daughter and travel to all 50 states before Sophia is ten years old. Her long-term goal is to move abroad to live and teach anywhere there is a mild winter!

In 2020, Mandy faced heart surgery complications, feeling alone in a hospital amid COVID restrictions. Mandy tries to put on a brave face for her family and friends and her emotions and feelings build inside her to a fever pitch. A gruff nurse, Keith, changed everything with empathy, teaching her to accept help and cherish human connection. Mandy calls her story “Open Heart”.

Mandy Northcott is a mom, wife, pet parent, and general outdoors-loving 47-year-old woman.  She left the flatlands of Iowa for the mountains of Montana 25 years ago and hasn’t looked back. Mandy has been a farmer, tree planter, grocery store clerk, stay-at-home mom, and non-traditional student, and now works as a medical coder and biller. She loves hot springs, African drumming, dog walks, deadheading flowers, gazing at trees, and the quiet time in the morning before everyone else is up. Currently, you will find her on the weekends cold dipping in the Clark Fork River and Rattlesnake Creek with like-minded souls. You can find Mandy on Facebook.

Katrina Angelina Schull recalls a community’s resilience that shines post-avalanche. Strangers become neighbors, uniting in kindness and help, showing for Missoula’s strength to endure hardships. Katrina calls her story “Extraordinary Neighbors”.

Katrina Angelina Shull is a born and raised Missoulian who initiated Amplify Film Group in 2009 after studying at the University of Montana. She later worked as a news reporter for KTMF ABC|FOX, focusing on crafting impactful narratives in positive media. Katrina embraces projects with enthusiasm and enjoys aviation, hiking, fishing, and Jiu-Jitsu outside of work. Katrina is committed to visual storytelling, extending her efforts to creative copywriting, and has initiated Be the Light International, supporting communities in need through her team’s work. You can learn more about Katrina and her work at Amplify Film Group.

 

 

Our first storyteller is Ben Catton, a tall man in Chile who tries to connect with a Deaf grandmother, culminating in the around a parakeet cage. Ben calls his story “Periquitos”

📷Donal Lakatua

Ben Catton is Missoula born and raised but spent the majority of his adult life elsewhere, orbiting to Wyoming, Idaho, Wisconsin, Alaska, and Chile. In the midst of those orbits, he studied at the University of Montana to become a teacher and he has taught high school English and Spanish. Currently, he’s pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration and is back at UM. He and his wife Jessie are doing their best to raise two kiddos to be silly, adventurous, kind, and curious. 

 

Next up is Ren Parker loves slow travel. She prefers buses and trains and one day finds herself on a train to Cambodia whose tracks end just across the border. Ren calls her story “Slow Travel”.

📷Donal Lakatua

Ren Parker grew up in Hawaii and lived on sailboats she restored on the Pacific for seven years. She gave up her nomadic ways and moved back to Missoula three years ago to be close to family and has been growing roots here ever since. Ren loves to dance and hike with her faithful dog, Poet. And spend time with her remarkable Missoula friends. She found her passion for storytelling this winter in a weekly open mic, Word Dog.

Next up is Abe Kurien shares his story of woe in which his Indian father mistakenly puts “Sugar Daddy” on the back of his van, thinking it means “one who gives candy to loved ones.” Abe calls his story “Middle East meets the Midwest.”

📷Donal Lakatua

Abe is married to his best friend and beautiful wife Bonnie who was the American Sign Language interpreter when Abe performed his story.They have 4 children and 2 grandchildren.  He has lived in Montana for the last 24 years after moving here from outside of Chicago, Illinois.Abe has worked for over 30 years in the Film and Television industry.  For over 10 years he has been the camera operator for Griz and Cats football games for the broadcasts on ROOT Sports, KPAX with Scripps Sports and the playoffs on ESPN.  He also worked on the TV shows 1883, 1923 and currently working as the [day lees] Coordinator for the show Yellowstone which is shot right here in Missoula, Montana. His motto is Keep Smiling and his goal is to leave everyone with a smile on their face after meeting them!

Closing out this episode of the podcast, Linda Grinde shares her story about a time she was Lost in translation: Invited to a disco by French speakers, and ended up breaking into her own hostel to get back! Linda calls her story “Dancer in a Strange Land or Disco Damsel in Distress”.

📷Donal Lakatua

Linda Grinde keeps trying to reinvent herself but just keeps coming back to another version of theater. She recently appeared in an multi-media memory piece – Intangible Objects – at the Westside Theater. Originally from New Jersey, she has a Master’s degree in theater and has danced professionally in New York and Germany, acted in and directed plays in London, Seattle, Dallas, Hawaii and all around Montana. Linda will be traveling to Thailand next year to, you guessed it, teach theater. “Thank you Marc and Tell Us Something for this chance to share a small chapter of my life.”

Our first story comes to us from Chris Hallberg who shares his story in which Dr. Steve, an American doctor, gives a Salvadoran patient a pizza cutter as a gift. The patient returns with a plastic baggie full of poop and a neon orange pizza cutter inside. Chris calls his story Pizza Cutter Medicine”.

📷Donal Lakatua

Chris Hallberg is a family medicine doctor who’s worked with patients in rural Alaska, Montana, the Caribbean, and Central America. He enjoys cooking, making music with friends, and poking around remote corners of Montana with his girlfriend Charlotte and their dog Sidney.

Our next storyteller is Philippa Crawford who leaves her busy life working at an ad agency in San Francisco when she falls in love with the man of her dreams. Phillipa calls her story “Love Found Home”

📷Donal Lakatua

Philippa Crawford is East Coast-born. She thrived for 8 years in London, enjoyed 10 years in the Bay area, and found a home in delicious Montana 35 years ago. She is a Tapping Practitioner and an Intuitive Coach. These days, she dares new experiences outside her comfort zone. She enjoys finding peace and fascination in nature, and animals, including reptiles and insects. Dancing is her go to along with her big, loving, extraordinary family.

In our next story, Richard Thornton hires a kid to capture an anteater, but the kid comes back with an unknown monster! Richard calls his story “I GET A PET”.

Richard Thornton grew up in Southern California and worked forty years in the TV and motion picture business, mainly as a Sound Boom man.

He is an Army veteran who served as a topographic surveyor, making maps in Ethiopia and The Great Southwest of New Mexico and Arizona.

After his stint in the Army, Richard went back to TV and movies, and during the actors’ strike of 1980, he and his wife came to Montana looking for a home, and after visiting a movie friend in Bigfork, during one of those idyllic September weeks, bought a lousy log house and
stayed.

A couple of years later he quit movies to work exclusively in TV – Sitcoms, commercials, TV specials, and the like – and began many years of commuting to L.A. to work.

Richard retired in 2005 in Kalispell, to live the carefree life of a sixty-three-year-old with three school-age daughters at home to raise.

Our final storyteller in this episode of the podcast is Nita Maddox who organized a mass naked bike ride in Missoula, MT, and received death threats because of it. It was, she says, “quite a lot.” Nita calls her story “Bare as You Dare!”

Nita Maddox is an adventurer in the world. She is a born and raised Montanan who lives a bit feral on planet Earth. She currently works as a social worker and hopes one day to be a published author.

This episode of the podcast features an interview with Rick White who shared his story in front of a sold-out crowd live at The Wilma on December 10, 2019. It was the last in-person Tell Us Something event before COVID struck. The theme was “Tipping Point”.

When I talked with Rick, we talked about the story that he told at The Wilma, about podcasting, his writing, his artist residency, and about storytelling.

Rick’s story, which I play after the interview, is called “Mister”.

📷kmr studios

 

Read Rick’s interview with Open Air.

 

Watch Rick talk about his artist in residency below.

Listen to Rick read one of the poems that he wrote during his artist-in-residency below.

Read Rick’s written story “Mister” at High Desert Journal.

Check out Season One of the Freeflow Institute’s podcast.