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Montana Rural Summit Set For June 10 In Townsend
Author: Tara Mastel, MSU Extension Communications

Montana Rural Summit Set for June 10 in Townsend

Tara Mastel

MSU Extension Communications

All who have a stake in the success of rural Montana communities are invited to the Montana Rural Summit on June 10 in Townsend. The event will feature a “State of Rural” report for Montana, success stories from rural leaders and a discussion on how local leaders can contribute to community vitality. It is hosted by Montana State University Extension.

The event will celebrate rural communities and provide an opportunity to explore innovative and effective ways to support the future success of small towns, according to Tara Mastel, MSU Extension Community Vitality program leader. For example, it will include a “State of Rural” report presented by Julia Haggerty, head of the Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Letters and Science, and Kristen Smith from Headwaters Economics, an independent research group. In addition, rural legislators will speak on policy considerations for the future of rural areas during a lunchtime panel discussion, and Daniel Read from the LOR Foundation, a nonprofit supporting Western rural communities, will present recent research on rural leaders conducted by the LOR Foundation and Gallup polling.

“Attendees such as rural funders and policymakers who have a stake in the success of rural communities may appreciate the event’s interaction and feedback with community leaders, legislators and participants in Extension programs like Reimagining Rural,” said Mastel.

The summit will conclude with an optional “Taste of Townsend” tour that will spotlight unique projects, community-minded leaders and the creative energy shaping rural Montana. The tour will also include a culinary tasting.

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Registration is $50 and includes morning refreshments and lunch. For more information, or to register by June 3, visit https://www.montana.edu/extension/communitydevelopment/ruralsummit.html.