Our city has slowed down drastically in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, and with that has come undeniable hardship and hurdles for many Missoulians. But in response to those challenges we have seen our community come together (theoretically, of course) in incredible, heartwarming, and downright brilliant ways. We don't have to float the river or shop at farmers markets to be true Missoulians—these acts of kindness and ingenuity have made us feel more "Missoula" than ever before.
Have you heard it? What started as a simple idea has grown into a city-wide phenomena, in which thousands of Missoulians join together every night at 8pm to howl their hearts out. Yes, we said "howl." The Howl for Missoula Facebook page, which grew from 0 to nearly 15,000 followers in a matter of weeks, explains why:
Attention Missoulians!! Each night at 8:00 pm while in “shelter-in-place”, please head outside your home and HOWL or CHEER for our health care workers, those on the front lines as well as remind others in our community that they’re/we’re not alone. For ALL of the essential workers out there, let’s let them know HOW MUCH we appreciate the sacrifices they are making during this challenging time. This is a great way to show our support……so please step outside to get some fresh air, and HOWL! (It really is refreshing!! I promise!) This is a great way to come together so cheer as loud as you can! We got this Missoula!
We have to hand it to them—it is refreshing. And in a time when we all crave community and support, the collective howl sweeping across the valley is enough to give you goosebumps. Check out more videos like this on their Facebook page and @howl_for_missoula on Instagram.
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Photo courtesy of @howl_for_missoula on Instagram.
Last year Miss Montana's famous mission was to fly to Normandy and join dozens of other historic war planes to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Normandy. This year, the Miss Montana crew answered the call for a new mission as they saw some Montana communities struggle to get the supplies they need to fight the spread of COVID-19. Crew member Bryan Douglas picked up large quantities of hand sanitizer, produced by a local Bozeman distillery, and set out to fly around the state and drop sanitizer off in communities such as Sidney, Miles City, Glasgow and more.
Photo courtesy of Miss Montana to Normandy and Beyond Facebook page.
Live music by local musicians is a Missoula tradition we just couldn't live without, even while social distancing. So folks found a responsible and creative way to watch live performances from their living rooms using tools like Facebook Live and Instagram Live, and tipping musicians using tools like Venmo and Paypal. If there's one thing you can count on Missoulians for, it's supporting their local artists.
You can still get a growler fill from Imagine Nation Brewing 2-7pm daily, but beer isn't the only thing they're creating right now. The community-focused brewery recently posted on their social media calling for new employees to help sew face masks for those on the front lines. Since their initial post they've expanded their team to over 15 employees, whose goal is to make 25,000 masks each week.
Photo courtesy of Imagine Nation Brewing.
Photo courtesy of Montgomery Distillery.
