The Ashland

Great faces, great places, South Dakota!

2009-06-18T11:03:00.007-06:00

Last Friday, Anne, Val and I departed from Ashland for Mount Rushmore in Keystone, SD. We were planning to meet up with Jeanette, a former Ashland JV who is now a park ranger there.

On the way, we stopped in Deadwood, SD. The town is pretty much known for their true, western town identity. Deadly poker games and whiskey seemed to be general themes here. They even do a re-enactment of Wild Bill Hikok's poker game, ending in some gunslinging each day (yes, this is the town the HBO series is named after). We continued on to the mountains and an American wonder.

Jeanette was great, she showed us some cool vantage points and we heard her give a talk about the Presidents represented. Unfortunately she had bad ranger luck and ran into a mountain goat during her talk. No...not because it is dangerous, but because it sapped all the attention away from the other tourists, wah wah.

Anyyywho, she offered us a place to stay instead of camping (yes, it is still cold here). This worked out nicely because we had a chance to see the Badlands National Park as well. This place is pretty amazing. The mix of wild mountainous terrain and prairie leaves nothing short of a wonderful view. We hit the park at a great time, the sun was moving low and it was a great time to see the park.

We returned to Rushmore to see the faces under the bright, but beautiful lights and then to crash at Jeanette's. We left early the next morning to meet the rest of the crew with Richard and Ramon at Devil's Tower in Wyoming.

Devil's Tower was pretty awesome (for most of us). We did a leisure hike around the base which had some pretty views. The story of the tower says that a long, long time ago seven children were being chased by a large bear. They were told to say a prayer for themselves and they would be saved. The children did so and at once the ground erupted from underneath them and raised them up high enough out of the bears reach and into the heavens. The children are now represented in the sky as the seven stars in the big dipper, which is part of the constellation Ursa Major, or the bear. The bear's claw marks can still be seen on the tower.

After we had a nice lunch and more fun story-telling, we traveled back to South Dakota to see Bear Butte- the most sacred place in Cheyenne history. It is believed that spirits travel back to this place after they pass on from this life. Many people come out there to fast for four days to pray for their families. It was a special place to share with Richard and Ramon, and we are all very glad they could have come out with us.

On our way out of town, night was sweeping quickly, and just as I had said how I LOVE South Dakota sunsets, we had one presented to us! A wonderful way to start a long drive home.

This week we've been preparing and anticipating for the 125th anniversary of St Labre! Val, Time, John and I are in the telling of the St. Labre story. Each of us have a neat role in the story, which tells the highlights of the schools history.

The weekend plans for cultural events, feats, fireworks, and lots of nice weather (fingers crossed)! We're very excited and lucky to be apart of this event, it should be a blast.

Idaho and Glaciers

2009-06-08T12:43:00.003-06:00

For our last retreat of the year, we traveled a good 700 miles and 14 hours to MCcall, Idaho. It didn’t take long for us to realize it was totally worth it (or was it?). After following a winding river through the base of the mountains of Idaho we reached Quaker Hills, an amazing retreat house right on the lake that resides there. The beach front property had canoes and a fire pit for the Big Sky Region JVS to hang out, relax, and share stories with one another. It was an amazing spot with beautiful mountains as a perfect backdrop.

We realized that we hadn’t traveled long enough and took Amanda from Billings with us on another trek from MCall to the west side of Glacier National Park in the NW corner of Montana. Regarded as one of the most beautiful parks in the country, after spending little time there we could all agree with what we’d heard. Unfortunately, the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ was closed due to the snow that resides there all but the 2 core summer months (wild, huh?) It still held some amazing views and plenty of hiking.

After a week being away, we made the final stretch of travel, a mere 10 hour drive back from Glacier Park back to Ashland. Though it was a memorable week, we were all very excited to have our own mattresses to sleep on that night.

Extrication Training

2009-06-07T16:02:00.002-06:00

Jesse, Tim and I have been faithful members of the Volunteer Fire Department here at St Labre this year. We were very excited to have automobile extrication training come up one weekend last month. The training started Friday night and was run by Mitch- a specialist in the field from South Carolina. A night of classroom training was fun….but nothing compared to the awesomeness that is working the hydraulic equipment the following day.

Saturday, three cars were waiting there for us to smash up and break apart using all the knowledge we had learned from the night before. Saws that can easily cut through the roofs, Jaws of Life that snap doors off their hinges, and rams that lift the car frames off the ground with relative ease were some of the fun things we got to use.

We were trained to get to patients in many different situations including vans on their sides and compact cars flipped upside down. It was incredibly fun to smash in the windows and rip the doors off the frame with hydraulic spreaders, but it was also a very real eye-opener for us too. The delicacy that you need to approach such situations when a life is in jeopardy. It is something that none of us hope we need to experience first hand.

Branding at the Ranch

2009-06-07T15:47:00.000-06:00

Haleigh, Jesse, and I got to head back to the St Labre Ranch to help the ranch manager Ray and other Labre staff brand the new calves for this year. The three of us were all very excited to get our hands dirty at the ranch and eat some rocky mountain oysters (just kidding)! In a somewhat traumatizing event for amateurs such as ourselves, one by one the calves were lead through a chute to the branding area for their "check-up".

Each got a slick brand, couple of shots, and a nice fly tag and the bulls got a little something extra (ow). Haleigh was a champ in the tub (with battle scars to prove it) wrangling the unwilling calves through the chute. Some of the kids we know got to come too, which was a blast. It was great that everyone got to help with most every part of the procedure.

After branding the 200 younglings, and enjoying the wonderful smells of burned cow, we were wiped. William’s kindness in treating us to DQ blizzards in Hardin was the only thing that kept us up for the ride home.

Prom!

2009-04-26T16:47:00.001-06:00

Last night was prom! Four out of seven of us were in town this weekend and we couldn’t have passed up a chance to help out, see all the kids dressed up, and of course, dance. Haleigh, Jesse, and I (Val) were bartenders – serving up lemonade, iced tea, and lots of Italian sodas – and Anne was a waitress. Once the initial rush of Italian soda orders died down, we were all able to leave our posts and enjoy the tunes. The prom was Cinderella themed and the gym looked great, thanks to a lot of hard work by a lot of hard-working teachers. Fortunately, everyone had a fun and safe night!

Easter

2009-04-25T13:18:00.005-06:00

Every year, Youth and Family Services hosts an Easter egg hunt. This year it was predominately organized by Haleigh. After days of stuffing plastic eggs and gift bags, it was ready. Though that day we woke up to a light blanket of snow, the JVs all pitched in – BBQing, signing the kids up, and watching the organized chaos that is an indoors Easter egg hunt. Fun day!

For Easter, we once again packed up the van quite tightly, and headed up to Hays, MT to spend some time with all of the Montana JVs. We left on Friday and returned on Easter Sunday and in that time we saw a lot of the Hays community and the Fort Belknap reservation. The Hays girls live within ten minutes of a beautiful canyon and some really great places to hike. We spent some time with the local kids at Hays own Easter egg hunt – playing Red Rover, where it seems I was the only adult actually trying. We attended Easter vigil and some of us even stayed out until 7am at a Sundance preparation ceremony. It was a great time and the four Hays girls were wonderful hosts.

Roscoe, MT – Where Dreams Come True

2009-03-27T21:46:00.006-06:00

Last weekend, John, Tim, and I took advantage of an in-service day at the High School and took a drive to Roscoe, MT (pop. 50) to visit the dorm’s own Marilyn Caruso. Along the way we stopped in Billings and outside of Columbus to visit her beloved racehorses. Marilyn lives on a ranch right along the East Rosebud River with beautiful views of the Beartooth Mountains. Her house and land look like they are straight out of “Montana Living” magazine. In the backyard, a tree fell across the river, naturally creating a pool that apparently is home to some of the best trout fishing around. The front yard is home to probably the most unique fleet of vehicles that a civilian can own – the Hagglunds. The Hagglund is a Swiss-made, amphibious, military vehicle that seems to defy the laws of physics and effortlessly dominates nature. Bill, Marilyn’s long-time partner (and now fiancé) took us for a ride – across a river bank, through the river, and up the surprisingly steep hill behind her house. Impressively, the Hagglund takes out saplings with ease, yet leaves less of a footprint than a person. Bill customizes these vehicles and he passionately explained his plans to make them “a little more sporty.” The whole experience blew our minds. I was giggling uncontrollably.
Marilyn and Bill were wonderful to us. They treated us to dinner and we saw the sights of Roscoe. We definitely plan on returning this summer and beyond…

Hand Games

2009-03-27T21:01:00.002-06:00

While my girlfriend, Gabby and Haleigh’s boyfriend Lawrence were still here, we all learned how to play Indian Hand Games by Richard Tall Bull. Richard brought the sticks and music needed to play, and Philippe who was also there to participate brought the energy. Once we were done making a game that is relatively simple to play, difficult to learn, the fun started. Of course my team, which consisted of me, Gabby, Val, and Tim, beat the team of Haleigh, Lawrence, Alex, and Philippe. The point of the game is to guess which hand of your opponent has the special elk tooth. Besides that, the rest of the team tries its hardest to distract the other by yelling and waving hands without any touching. We also planned to have frybread. Me, Alex, and Tim tried our best at this Native American treat and only partially succeeded, but each time is a learning experience. I’ve made the game sound extremely simple and I think Richard was being nice and dumbing it down for us JV’s, but there are tournaments held on the reservation for money. Maybe if we practice, we will some day be able to supplement our 80 dollar a month stipend with Hand Game money.

The Girls Retreat at the Prayer Lodge

2009-03-07T13:37:00.004-07:00

While the boys were road-tripping to Denver to see the Celtics and Nuggets play, the girls of the house joined forces with the Billings girls and attended a retreat at the Prayer Lodge. The Prayer Lodge (Busby, MT) is a retreat center for women that hosts organized retreats, sweats, and provides asylum for women who simply need time for themselves. It’s located three miles off the road and tucked into a beautiful tract of land. The center is very green; it’s run by solar paneling, water collection systems, and has an awesome greenhouse and outdoor shower facility. The theme of the retreat was storytelling and we used inspiration from Pueblo storytelling dolls to reflect on and explore our own stories and the importance of sharing those stories. We were given a lot of free time to relax, journal, read, and enjoy the sun. We talked about courage and shared our stories of service. We then helped in sweat-prep, and while most of us could not sweat, we sat outside and meditated along with the songs. Sister MaryAnn was a wonderful host and it was definitely a rejuvenation of spirits. Plus, we got to hang out with the Billings girls!

Dorm Bowling Excursions

2009-03-07T13:19:00.002-07:00

After weeks of competing with the basketball schedules, we were finally able to treat some of the dorm kids to a night on the town. Those who made Honor Roll and were on the winning academic challenge team were treated to dinner, ice cream, and bowling. So far this year we’ve had two of these nights – allowing us to sample the “big city lights” of both Broadus and Colstrip. This time we had a bigger crowd (yay!) and took the St. Labre mini-bus. John took the helm and did his best Chris Farley bus driver impersonation. I sampled Flavor-burst ice cream for the first time in my life, laughed hysterically at Clinton’s (pop-induced?) goofiness, and witnessed Ava’s “sit on the floor and push” method of bowling. Gabby, John’s girlfriend, accompanied us, and we were able to show her just how silly the dormies (students and staff) can be.

Valentine's Day Dance

2009-02-22T11:50:00.004-07:00

Every year the dorm JVs put on a Valentine’s Day Dance for the High School. This year we continued the tradition – with tons of pink and red streamers, helium balloons, and Mr. Kania’s infamous photo booth. John bravely assumed the critical role of DJ – effortlessly fielding countless requests for the latest R&B slow jams and hip-hop dance sensations. He was even occasionally able to slip in a song that perhaps only a JV would appreciate. We tried our hardest to get the crowd out of their seats – made fools of ourselves and engaged in some awkward middle school slow dancing. We were even treated to an impromptu striptease (PG rated) by one of our more talented freshmen. We announced a King and Queen (congratulations Cara and Scotty) and had an overall great time.

Winter Happenings

2009-02-14T14:42:00.006-07:00

By: Alex

With the holidays coming quickly after Thanksgiving, so did the cold weather. We decided we should do as proper Ashlanders do and cut down our own Christmas tree . We all came to the realization that Christmas trees one would cut down out in the wild are not quite like the ones you'd by at your local lot, though we loved it all the same. After a little TLC, including popcorn strings, decorated pine cones, and your classic white lights, it looked as good as any of us were used to. Couple that with a creatively done fireplace that Anne made and our house became quite festive.
Tim and John revealed to us a house gift of a years subscription to the a house favorite magazine, which followed with a dramatic reading- everyone was delighted.

Since it was so brutally cold (night temperatures reaching -20 and beyond), the males of the house figured the best thing to do with our time was to lap around the house in our skivvies (an adaptation of last year's event). We indeed decided it was nippy out not by our scantily clad run, but by "crinkle coat" syndrome and beards that develop frost without any water application.

We all spent some quality time with our families back home for Christmas and New Years and returned to Ashland with energized spirits and intentions.

John and I spent a day back at the St. Labre ranch sorting buffalo with Ray, Pat, Dave, Chad, Doug, Jon, Lance, and of course Rose and Buddy. We learned to move buffalo you need power the skidsteer and run them through the chute into the tub to which you send them down into their proper pen. Get that? Yeah...neither did the two of us. Of course, with most things here, we soon learned as we went on.

Two weeks ago, Bruce, our area director came to visit for the better part of a week. We were all excited for his arrival as he brings a great deal of energy back to our house. We spent plenty of time catching up, with a mandatory game of Settlers of Catan. He introduced us to sa-lad(?), which we realized had never had together as a house (its pretty good).

The following weekend we headed into Great Falls for our second retreat with the rest of the Big Sky region. Though we were significantly creeped out by the Ursuline Academy, I think most of us learned to love it (with help from George, the night-watchmen/tour guide/guy who loves it there, and the creepiest game of sardines I'd ever seen.
On the way home we stopped in Judith Gap, Montana for famous shakes and took killer photos of the massive wind farm, which partly provides energy for sites hundred miles away.

As always, we have many things planned for the next couple of weeks including visitors to our humble abode, a Denver trip to see the Celtics play the Nuggets, and Sheridan WY. Stay tuned to see if we make it.

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-07T23:20:00.003-07:00

By Alex

After great preparation and planning, the Ashland house hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving for the JV lot in Montana: five from Billings and the four girls from Hays with a late addition of Richard later in the evening for dessert. The house was quite full for most of the weekend, complete with awesome stories, countless games of cards, and of course cooking and leftovers.
Folks were welcomed Wednesday night to an excited bunch, with plenty of fare already in preparation for the big meal, including two separate homemade stuffing rations by Jesse and Tim as well as an assortment of pies. Thursday was met with final preparations including the shaping of Tim’s scratch-made cornucopia. Though most of us thought cornucopias were only made to be purchased at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby, Tim shared his family tradition with us, forging our massive horn out of homemade bread which was later stuffed with fruit from Billings.
While the wonderful aroma of food filled the house, the 16 JVs took to the football field for Turkeybowl 2008. Ashland (or the “Sweat Hogs”, according to their jerseys) successfully held their turf against the “away” team comprised of our visitors- though we eventually lost track of score. The climax definitely came with our flea-flicker which was topped off by a tough fall by yours truley onto the concrete running strip just in the end zone (coverage by Joe Mangan, Billings).
After cleaning up appropriately and pictures were taken of the finished breaded horn that sat at the head of the table, our set up was dressed with turkey candles, and enough food to feed the bunch through the weekend and beyond, with, of course, great company.
Dessert was filled with everything pumpkin; including five homemade pies, spice bars, and pumpkin apple bread which my own mother rushed over (which was incredible). Richard came over and bestowed his wisdom on us all while we relaxed and enjoyed the after dinner atmosphere.
Friday night was a special night for all of us. Robbie hosted the whole group at his place for a sweat. It was great to share something that we all hold close in Ashland with fellow JVs- the fellowship of sweats is something we’ve embraced here and it was great to have the other experience it with us.
The rest of the weekend was spent showing off Ashland including a tour of the Heritage Living Center, the Amish community, and the natural water spring half way up to Lame Deer.
Saturday, with the departure of our guests and extra furniture, the house seemed a bit larger (and much quieter) than normal without the hustle and bustle of the holiday. It was definitely a Thanksgiving to remember.

The Top 10 thus far

2008-11-13T00:17:00.026-07:00

How could we possibly chronicle the past 3 months, all we've seen and learned, in a single kick-off post, let alone in mere words? It has been almost 100 days to date that us 7 JV's had left for Portland, Oregon to begin our year of service. Since then, (I think I can say without fear of successful contradiction) each of us has found life on the reservation in Southeastern Montana to be far from what we used to. Hailing from all over the country – Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Texas – we found ourselves a great distance from home among a landscape, lifestyle, and people foreign to us. Last year's JV's began a semi-regularly updated blog bringing family and friends a taste of their experience out here. Upon first meeting, "The Ashland" blog was a tradition we all agreed to continue. So, in a haphazard attempt to assemble a fitting "Best Of" of our time in Ashland, MT thus far, from the first bug-ridden, chocolate water day to the present, we present to you the first of many (hopefully more regular, in-depth) posts: our "Top 10" (in order of appearance).

- Alex, Anne, Haleigh, Jesse, John, Val, and Tim

1. Our First Day in Ashland
By John

After a 24 hour Greyhound bus ride, meeting “Dan the Greyhound Man,” we arrived in Ashland at 9 AM, anxious to get in our house, but… we couldn’t. In fact, we were locked out. This was only the first in a serious of unfortunate coincidences. Once we finally did get in, we realized the kitchen was still under construction, there was one less bed than JV, and the water treatment “plant” was changing its filters (resulting in our disappointment that our faucets weren’t actually soda fountains spewing free coke). Then, being the city slickers that we all are, mistook a few harmless bugs for a tick infestation. But, our nerves were calmed when Jaime, one of our support people, told us we could eat them and Ivan, school superintendent/ landlord/ supervisor/ man’s man, laughed at us and gave us bug spray to calm our nerves. The day ended in true JVC fashion when Jaime and Amanda invited us, seven perfect strangers, to their daughter’s christening party and upon leaving gave us a box of fresh veggies, venison sausage, help fixing our bikes, and offers to go shooting and hunting. Since the first day, our water has cleared, the bugs are gone, I have a bed, and we feel that Ashland is the best JV placement in the Northwest.

2. The Crow Fair
By Haleigh

Our first major immersion into Native American tradition was Crow Fair. Dubbed the “Teepee Capital of the World,” Crow Fair draws thousands of people every year. For generations, families have camped in their same spot at the fair, as well as participated in the powwow and parades. We were lucky enough to be invited to camp with Ivan Small, the superintendent of schools, and his family. My housemates and I experienced traditional meals such as tripe, menudo and Indian tacos at the Small camp. We also celebrated mass with the family honoring a beloved nephew’s ordination. I think one of the highlights of the weekend was being woken up before sunrise to Ivan asking us if we could hear the camp crier. This weekend couldn’t have been a better way to start the year. What with rodeo, Indian tacos, fancy dancers and great company, we left feeling intrigued and excited about things to come.

3. The First Sweat
Tim

The excitement and anticipation was mounting around our first sweat lodge ceremony. We had heard of the practice and we knew, thanks to last year's JV's blog, that the sweats were a powerful way to pray and come together as well as a cornerstone of Northern Cheyenne spirituality. So, finally, the invitation came from the Robinsons, a family friendly with last year's JV's. At their suggestion, we arrived two hours early so Ernie, one of the tribe's ceremonial men (a rite he earned by fasting) could show us how the sweat ceremony is prepared. We were very grateful to the Robinsons for their hospitality, and as such, our culture dictates it imperative that we exchange something tangible in return to demonstrate this appreciation (we're still getting over this.) Ernie began explaining the history of the sweat ceremony and the beliefs behind it while we were wondering when it would be appropriate to interrupt his explanation and interject, "We bought cinnabuns!"

The sweat is intensely involved and there is a rich spiritual explanation for even the more minor details. From the teachings of Ernie and others (and even personally being able to help build a lodge) we've learned a lot about the significance of this ceremony. Normally, the sweat is constructed from willow or choke cherry limbs (about 1.5 inches in diameter) bent over each other from all directions around a foot-deep hole at the center of the lodge. The branches are tied and then covered by layers of blankets, tarps, and canvas. In front of the lodge's main door is a small mound, a sort of holy altar and symbol of Bear Butte, a holy land for the Northern Cheyenne and Sioux tribes. Beyond the mound is the fire pit. There, a roaring bonfire heats the "grandfather rocks" to a bright, orange glow. The rock carrier carefully brings the rocks into the lodge in a specific and methodical manner to pay homage to the "5 directions" (North, South, East, West, and Up) and continues to add more rocks after each round. The lodge takes on several symbols and one is the mother's womb. Accordingly, participants crawl into the sweat headfirst, making a full circle around the center pit. Then prayer is started and the sweet grass and cedar are burned. The smoke lifts the outpouring prayers up to the creator and is also used for "smudging", or blessing.

The first round of the Robinson's sweat was inexplicable – a true sensory overload. The experience was likened to the overwhelming boat tunnel scene in the Willy Wonka movie. Just try to imagine it: suddenly and without warning the doors are shut and the sweat lodge delves into pitch black. Almost instantaneously the group begins to sing native sweat songs and some begin to shake their stone-filled gourds with the rhythm. Others, monotone, are praying aloud while water is ladled onto the scalding rocks to make a dense, hot steam that fills the lodge. The temperature increase is palpable. This continues on for four rounds; each time with different songs, prayers, and heat intensity, interrupted by breaks and washings. Much of the value here comes from the prayer in community but the intense heat and songs help the individual to separate their focus from the earthly and temporal while purging the body of all negatives.

At first, many of us had an attitude of conquest – seeing how long we could go and what high temperatures we could endure. Now having been to a variety of sweats we are keen to the nuances, we are able to better hone our focus and get a sense of community out of the socializing instead of an awkward feeling of obligation. We've found the sweats restorative and invigorating.

Now, on the road to the high distinction of "sweat hoggery" (once only "sweat piglets") we've noticed each sweat has its own method and, futhermore, each host their own motivations for sweating in the first place. So - looking for a more traditional family style sweat? Maybe start where it all began. Cameos by some of the tribe's high ceremonial men … Head right up the street to the Robinsons every Sunday evening. What about a laid back (literally) sweat in a nice sizable sweat lodge, featuring some great alternative, high energy songs … How about our favorite horse trainer, Robbie, right across the street on Fridays nights? Or, if you're in the mood for something a little less traditional, with an ever-changing crowd, and a great view of the stars and moonlit ponds, try the sweat up at the Heritage Living Center Thursdays after dusk. Be on the lookout for the latest Zagat guide.

4. Camping in Custer National Forest
By Val

Holiday Springs Campsite in Custer National Forest only has two spots to pitch your tent. Luckily, the weekend we decided to camp there, they were both occupied. I say luckily because it forced us to forge our way – to find our own perfect location – to clear away the pinecones and cow pies under our tent – to build a fire pit without a shovel – to gather firewood with no ax. The night we went camping was one night that really brought us together – literally because the seven of us slept in one tent for warmth – but also because we played a three hour game of “hot-seat” over the campfire. We learned the deep philosophical implications of what it means to be a cylon, who preferred strawberry ice-cream over coffee ice-cream, and that John would choose his girlfriend over acclaimed outdoor product company “The North Face.” We’ve been back to our campsite with the Billings crew but I don’t think anything could beat that first time.

5. Shooting
By Tim

Against his better judgment, Jaime Olvera, our friend, former support person, and avid hunter, decided to invite us out shooting. Being the first time any of us had held a gun not filled with water or powered by AA batteries, high-jinks were inevitable. So, on a sunny weekend afternoon, six of us and Jaime ventured toward the shooting range which butts up against the back of the St. Labre campus. We arrived, excited, to find a few makeshift targets between two large hills, and directly in front of us, two shooting tables and the ground peppered with empty shells. Jaime loaded the three rifles (one was a 30-ought 6 or something, we proudly remember) explained the basics to us, and demonstrated with a fluid aim and fire. The whole experience was a perfect opportunity for Jaime to insert his trademark sarcastic remarks and poke fun at our beginner's gaffes. He shot the higher caliber gun first and the loud smack reverberated off the hills and stung our virgin ears. We looked at each other disapprovingly and decided we'd stuff wads of (unused) toilet paper in our ears to lessen the pain. What amateurs! Jaime only shook his head.

The two most entertaining moments, though, came about halfway through our shoot fest. When John was staring down the barrel of rifle #1, looking for a lodged bullet, Tim pulled the trigger of rifle #3 a few feet away. When the gun fired, it seemed as if John's life flashed before his eyes. He fell half to the ground while Jamie was already in stitches. A few minutes later, John was walking down the path to fix some fallen targets. Jaime fired a shot in the opposite direction. Fearing he was under enemy fire, our hero ducked to the ground in a matrix-like attempt to dodge the oncoming projectile. No, he discovered, there was not a bullet aimed at his head. We can't thank Jamie enough for taking us out but we're confident he enjoyed the experience more than anyone else.

6. The Volleyball Rivalry
By Tim

The JVC: NW region's volunteer group is disproportionately female, so a community composed of four males and three females is an unrepresentative rarity. Lucky for the girls, they have the pleasure of living in an environment much like a college male's dorm room; assuredly not in the sense of cleanliness but in terms of fierce competition. The male dominance factor mixed with a community of all-around lively JV's makes for the perfect cocktail of competition. Subsequently, of course, come the gender wars (cue lightening strike sound effect.) The Ashland competition manifests itself everywhere from the racquetball court to the RISK game board and rampant wagers in between – the spoils usually come in the form of a few cans of Coca-Cola. However, The Ashland competition is its fiercest on the Volleyball court. With gender specific names (to be released in a later post, I'm sure) the guys and the girls hit the court with fierce determination. It began a few months ago when we played an intense tournament of games on the outside courts near the student dorm (though I'm not sure who won*.) Lately, we've moved our games into the grammar school gym. It's a great workout and always makes for some enjoyable taunting and all around good sportsmanship. Be on the look out for our next match coming to an ESPN near you.

*Yes I am.

7. A Day at the St. Labre Ranch
By Val

The age-old question- when going to herd cattle for the first time ever- do you wear wind pants or jeans? And, when lacking boots, are sneakers okay? These were question we actually asked before learning that at the St. Labre Ranch, anything goes. Don’t be afraid to nudge a cow with a pick-up truck or bring an ATV dangerously close to a cactus-laden ravine. Don’t hesitate jumping into a corral with 200+ cows (including aggressive bulls) equipped with only a small flag or glorified rattle paddle. Talking with Ray and Rose, our gracious hosts, you’ll learn everything from ways to sort cattle to the importance of ‘lovin the one yer with’ to the art of ranching dialogue. My favorite? “He wouldn’t know how to pour liquid out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel.”

8. Pranking Bruce
By Jesse

Bruce, our area director, made his first visit to Ashland during mid October. We were really excited about his coming because we had been planning a prank for his visit since our first week in Ashland.

The plan was this: During his initial visit, we would invite Bruce to attend one of our weekly “Spirituality Nights,” short spiritual and community sessions that typically consisted of centering sits and group discussion of some set of ideas or passages from a text. But for this night, we decided to kick it up a notch and add some pretty ceremonial touches we thought would weird him out. Some of the ceremony we created over the weeks preceding Bruce’s visit, but the finale, we had from the beginning: me walking out with a large bowl and knife and Anne freaking out, screaming, “NO, WE ARE NOT KILLING ANOTHER CAT!!!”

As the ceremony got under way, we discovered it was tough keeping ourselves straight faced for the duration, but we had all made a pact not to stop the ritual even if everyone lost it. The hardest part was on the “humming trust circle,” were we all were standing around Alex, who wore ceremonial garb, lightly pushed him back and forth, and hummed a constant pitch. If you’re curious, try doing it sometime. Even if you’re not kidding, it is impossible to do this activity with a straight face. While Bruce started to catch on during that section, we still managed to finish it, with Anne coming in for her finale before people completely lost it.
Though we couldn’t complete it straight faced, we thought it was a pretty good batch of community mischief. And no cats were harmed in the making of the prank.

9. The Watiki Waterpark
By Alex

Is it bad or just plain normal that one of the best nights so far has been at a water park? The YFS crew, Dorm squad, and Jenny, a woman from town, got to head into Rapid City, South Dakota over the weekend working for the American Indian Relief Council stuffing thousands of stockings for the people in the area. When we pulled up to the hotel to find out that there was a water park not only there, but connected to said edifice, we stared at it in all it’s wonder like we just stumbled upon the holy grail. So, once we got back from our buffalo steak dinner in front of Monday Night Football (Patriots vs. Bronocs) that was paid for by the AIRC, we decided to hit up the slides for the next couple hours. The general consensus was the red and blue striped was the best (complete with funnel). It is amazing how happy water can make Eastern Montana JVs.

10. The Halloween / Energy Fast Weekend
By Anne

After our first retreat – and its riveting and amusing mafia games – we knew exactly what to do for the traditional Halloween party at the Billings JVs' house. Thus, on Friday evening a detective, a medic, two mafia members (complete with a guns and a trophy hand), the town pariah, a baker, and the town hick descended upon the Billings JVs' doorstep for a night of fun with them and the Hays JVs. The following day, we thoroughly enjoyed all that comes with being in a (small) city – walking on sidewalks, way too early Christmas decorations, coffee shops, stores, and King's Hat (a wonderful and inexpensive burger and shake place).

Reentering Ashland heralded our entry into our first energy fast. We had turned off the heat and unplugged most of our appliances and lights before leaving for Billings. Energy fast proved a wonderful community bonding experience as well providing a medium for peaceful personal time (try taking a cold shower by candlelight – it really is better than it sounds!) Our evening began with talking by candlelight (would you rather…) and ended with an energetic game of Extreme Spoons.

2008-10-30T20:15:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! Now that it took us three months to finally get settled, we've got the blog up for the Ashland, Montana Jesuit Volunteers. Get ready for an onslaught of posts including the top ten events thus far! Hope you enjoy it.