Silver Bow County

Located in Southwest Montana along the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains, you will find the “Richest Hill on Earth.” Known for its vast history as a mining town, rich in its Irish heritage, and recognized by the “Our Lady of the Rockies” statue and the Berkley Pit, Silver Bow County is unique in many ways.

It is one of two counties in Montana with a combined city-county government, run by a chief executive and 12 county commissioners. There is a county population of 34,400 with a land area of just over 718 square miles, making it the smallest land-mass county in the state. The county’s economy is driven by government, health care, education, mining and tourism. It is home to Inter Mountain Health, NorthWestern Energy, and Montana Technological University, with the largest employer being Butte-Silver Bow Government.

The MSU Extension office is staffed by 4-H Youth Development and Family Consumer Science Agent Kellie Kahtani, and MSU Extension Instructor for Nutrition Education, Jen Friedberg.

Contact

305 W. Mercury St, Suite 305
Butte, MT 59701
406-723-0217
http://www.montana.edu/extension/silverbow

Silver Bow County 4-H Wins National Award

It all started in 2022 with a major change in the Butte School District calendar that took students out of school on Fridays for the month of May. Questions were popping up in email and social media wondering what was available to keep kids safe and busy. The answer to those questions: Youth Outdoor Day.

The Silver Bow County 4-H program has worked with state, regional, and local organizations to create fun, safe, and educational activities on the third Friday in May for the past three years for over 600 youth. We provide numerous activities and have been able to hand out a free lunch to all youth in attendance each year. This event has brought incredible growth and awareness to the 4-H program in natural resources/environmental science projects such as shooting sports, fishing, outdoor adventures, wildlife and much more. It has also increased participation with local organizations, adding partnerships with the Butte Native Wellness Center, Butte-Silver Bow Health Department, Montana Wetlands and Waterfowl, and Inter Mountain Health in 2025.

With the great success of this program, MSU Extension Agent Kellie Kahtani decided to apply for the “Excellence in Natural Resources/Environmental Education” award through the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals. After being notified of a state-winning application for this award, the application was then sent to the regional committee representing the Western US. In June 2025, Kahtani was notified that the application was selected as the Western Region winner and would be forwarded to the national level. Based on community involvement in the event, partnerships with organizations, financial support earned to keep the event free for all, and overall youth participation, the Youth Outdoor Day program was recognized as the national winner.

Caption: 4-H member, Abi Shope, leading a shooting safety station at Youth Outdoor Day.

Credit: Kellie Kahtani

4-H Program Focuses on Community Service

“Hands to Larger Service” was a focus “H” of the 4-Hs in 2024-2025. Each of the four recognized clubs in Silver Bow County offered community service projects throughout the year, including club level and county-wide projects.

From cleaning up parks and event facilities to delivering cookies to first responders, 4-H members showed their pride in Butte-Silver Bow. Club members showed up at various holiday functions, donating candy to Treat Street, hosting trunk or treat booths, making pillows for senior living facilities for Valentine’s Day, and creating homemade cards for assisted living facility residents for Easter. Members also collected food, socks, and school supplies for those less fortunate than themselves. They cleaned up multiple city-county parks, stuffed backpacks, hosted activities at festivals and events, and served as crowd control during a busy Easter Egg Hunt. By the end of the year, 4-H members had participated in over 20 different community service events.

4-H members served the community and encouraged the public to give back as well. During our annual Potato Sales fundraiser, members encouraged others to purchase a 10lb bag of potatoes to deliver to the Butte Emergency Food Bank. With the addition of this option, supporters of Silver Bow County 4-H have donated over 700 pounds of potatoes to those in need over the past three years. We have also had buyers during the annual 4-H Market Sale during the fair donate entire animals to the Butte Emergency Food Bank. In 2025, buyers donated an entire beef, pig, and two lambs in the form of 1-pound packages of ground beef, pork, and lamb.

We are proud that the over 100 Silver Bow County 4-H members and leaders are focusing on the “H”s of 4-H and putting focus on the 4-H pledge that all members recite at the beginning of their meetings: “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living. For my club, my community, my country, and my world.”

Caption: Copper Mountain 4-H club delivers cookies to emergency room staff.

Credit: Denise Smith, club leader

Estate Planning for Butte-Silver Bow Residents

What do you get when you combine a “hot topic” such as estate planning and a presentation by Marsha Goetting? Increased foot traffic into the MSU Extension office and constituents excited about filing their last will and testament.

In partnership with NorthWestern Energy and the Butte Archives, over 100 residents of Butte-Silver Bow attended one of two presentations by Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension Family Economics specialist.

With fresh batteries in student clickers, the entire room was fully engaged and ready to ask questions. At the beginning of the presentation, almost half of participants reported not having any documents ready in case of a death, while others in the room admitted to not having updated documents. MontGuides such as “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate,” forms for designating beneficiaries, and questions about the difference between Transfer on Death Designations and Pay on Death Designations rang through the room. Where do I file paperwork? What paperwork needs to be notarized? How can my family access my bank accounts after I am gone? All common questions brought about by the thought-provoking presentation.

Following Goetting’s visit to Butte, hundreds of MontGuides have been ordered by residents, and the Clerk and Recorders Office has seen an increase in inquiries into transferring deeds upon death. Residents are much more informed and willing to ask questions.

Caption: Marsha Goetting presenting on estate planning at the Butte Archives.

Credit: Kellie Kahtani