Montana Matters Campaign

My Fellow Extravaganzers...what follows is special:

Last June, in my capacity as the Pacific Time Zone Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF), I came up with the idea of putting together an international fundraising campaign to raise money to protect and preserve Montana's wildlife and environment (the purpose of the 72-year-old MWF). The idea actually came to me in the early morning hours last May when I awoke prematurely at our San Rafael house and, in one of those moments that comes ever so rarely in one's life, had the clear vision that, as I said to my sleepy self, "Montana matters," we should build a fundraising campaign around that slogan.

Over the course of the last half year, the concept received MWF preliminary board approval in June and final conceptual approval in August, whereafter the ball of energy that has become to be known as "Montana Matters" (MM) evolved. Key to the process was reaching out to our dear friends at the International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF) for creative talent ideas—a contact that, in December, resulted in forging a joint MWF-IWFF joint marketing venture to develop a roll out this concept, key players of which have been, in order of importance:

(a) Group B's own "Down River Dave" Studeman and his partners at Sage Brandworks who have dedicated untold hours to develop, among other things, twelve (12) branding alternatives from which one has now been selected; original text and concept for the soon to be launched MM website, www.montanamatters.com (still dark); and original text and layout for the following items, all to be released next month in Helena by the MT governor at MWF's annual convention: brochures, post cards, posters, baseball caps, tee shirts, hooded sweatshirts, bumper stickers, stickers, and more!

(b) Executive Directors Craig Sharpe of MWF and Janet Rose of IWFF who have seen the potential of this great campaign and provided me an audience for its roll out while of the rest of the world seems to be in economic shambles.

(c) Montana artist Sven Lindauer, who is in the final finishing stages of a 36" x 42" original oil painting commissioned for MM that will be the centerpiece of all of Down River Dave's fine branding artistry.

(d) Missoula-based country singer and songwriter Shane Clouse who, once I suggested the idea of releasing a cd of Montana songs, reached out to 10 Montana artists (including two Grammy winners) who have dedicated their original works to the MM cd "Songs of Montana," which will be released next month and features the just released (as in "today released") original work of art (truly!), his newest song written for the world entitled "Montana Matters," is now the official MM Troubadour and whose MM song will backdrop our soon to be opened MM website.

(e) Group A's "Big Ben" Lamb, who has served as our coordinator and funnel for the multitude of products and ideas that MM has generated over the last several months.

(f) MM's international spokespeople, who have lent their name and spirit to the MM campaign: Andie McDowell; Planet Earth producer Alistair Fothergill; and our good friend and Rock Creek neighbor (now retired) professional golfer Miller Barber and his family.You each will be hearing much more about Montana Matters in the months ahead, with this being your first preview and the chance to hear an unmixed version of an original song on the very first day of its public release: "Montana Matters":



Enjoy, all, as MM will be shooting its first Montana Matters movies here at Extravaganza central (our second annual IWFF/Extravaganza high school film camp) during your June/July stay with us, all under the direction of legendary nature film director Katherine Pasternak (who we are flying in from New York City for the camp).

Best to all from the scene of it all where "Montana Matters"!!

Rock Creek Ron