We Need Your Help to Continue Our Efforts to Save the Blackfoot River
“Eventually all things merge, and a river runs through it.”- Norman MacLean, A River Runs Through It
A proposed Data Center. A proposed asphalt plant and gravel pit. A proposed gold mine. All on the banks of the Blackfoot River.
We don’t have to convince you that the Blackfoot River is worth protecting. We already know that love exists.
We know that because you and over 5,700 other people have signed our petition against industrial development on the banks of the Blackfoot River. People as far away as Italy, Taiwan, France, Japan and Denmark. People from states all over the US, all over Montana, and thousands here in the Missoula Valley.
You don’t have to live beside the Blackfoot River to belong to it. The river is part of our shared home, our community, our public lands.
Changes happen within us when something we deeply love is threatened and cannot defend itself.
Fear can become courage.
Anger can become purpose.
And helplessness can become action.
All of that is happening because of the threats to the Blackfoot River.
The river cannot speak to its need for continued safekeeping. The trees cannot protest. The wildlife that depends upon this corridor cannot tell us what will be lost if we fail to protect it.
That responsibility belongs to us.
Of course, we need gravel. We need roads and homes and infrastructure.
But protecting a river and meeting human needs do not have to be opposing ideas. There’s a time and a place for industrial development.
A world famous, iconic waterway and wildlife corridor is simply not the place for this kind of development.
So we have done the research. We have talked with people who understand land use and planning. We’ve connected with other communities facing incompatible industrial development- from the proposed truck stop in Bonner to the data center proposed in Bonner to a gold mine proposed at the headwaters of the Blackfoot River.
And we have connected a beautiful community of neighbors who will be directly impacted by these proposed development projects.
It is the 50th anniversary of Norman MacLean’s classic story, A River Runs Through It. In the story of his family and its relationship to the river he beautifully captures the mystique and connection that is the Blackfoot River.
We honor his story, and we have developed a proactive, long-term strategy for protecting the Blackfoot River Corridor that we all love and will value for generations to come.
But we need your help. Your donation will help Blackfoot River Community continue to build the capacity, expertise and resources to continue our work towards this goal, to fight against industrial development, and to meet the growing challenges facing the Blackfoot River watershed.
There will be more details provided about our strategy in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, we ask that you give what you can- $10, $20 or $25 will make the difference!
Donations can be made directly to our GoFundMe at:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/protecting-the-blackfoot-river-we-all-love
Please remember that you can designate the amount of your contribution that you would to go directly to GoFundMe as a "tip."
You can also send your donation by making a check payable to Blackfoot River Community and sending it to:
PO Box 923. Bonner MT. 59823
We thank you for your continued support and will provide updates as we move forward.