The vision was simple: Fill the grassy field next to TrailWest Bank in Superior with businesses and nonprofit organizations, each ready to share information about the services they provide, the jobs they offer and the ways they can help Mineral County residents.

Last Wednesday, that vision became a reality, although on a smaller scale than organizers had hoped. 

While attendance and vendor participation were light, those who did take part found the first Mineral County Community Resource Day to be a worthwhile opportunity. Vendors exchanged business cards, learned more about one another’s organizations and talked about ways they might work together to find solutions for local residents. In many cases, new referral connections were made. Even when organizations couldn't directly provide a needed service, they now knew who to call.

Lynda Schuldheisz, Human Resource Council Workforce Development Manager, brought team members from Missoula to explain their services available to residents of Mineral, Missoula and Ravalli counties. The HRC offers assistance with housing, food, energy assistance, energy conservation and workforce development. Schuldheisz emphasized that if her team cannot provide the answer someone needs, they will work to find another organization that can. Personalized assistance is available at the Human Resource Council's Superior office at 38 Mullan Road. The office can be reached at 406-822-4251.

Andrea Kurpius, marketing manager for Darlows Quality Foods/ACE Hardware, came to the event with a very specific goal: let people know that Darlows is hiring. 

“I came out here today to let people know the different jobs we have at Darlows, plus the opportunities we have to move up through ACE,” Kurpius said. “It’s a great place to work and we do offer benefits for full-time employees. We are hiring right this moment and want people to talk to us.” 

Current openings include cashier, liquor manager, meat associate, hardware associate and deli/bakery associate. Anyone interested in employment opportunities at Darlows or ACE Hardware can call (406) 822-4801.

Mineral County Pioneer Council Treasurer Loie Turner brought one of the organization's minivans, complete with a wheelchair ramp, to demonstrate a service many local residents may not realize is available. 

“The organization has been around a long time, but many don’t know what we offer,” Turner said. 

The Pioneer Council provides scheduled transportation to Missoula once a week for shopping, appointments, chores and errands. Riders can even make the trip for a matinee movie or lunch at a new restaurant. The organization also has a 12-passenger bus equipped with a handicap lift that can accommodate up to six wheelchairs when needed. 

The service is door-to-door, making it especially convenient for those who may have difficulty getting to a traditional bus stop. A scheduled trip to Missoula and back costs $20 for a Superior resident, $23 from St. Regis, $26 from the west end of the county (DeBorgia to Saltese), and $13 for Alberton passengers. For medical appointments that don't fall on a regularly scheduled route day, transportation to Missoula or Plains is available for $75. 

Turner said regular riders quickly learn to schedule their medical appointments around the weekly transportation schedule whenever possible. For route schedules and personalized transportation needs, call (406) 552-7003.

Toni Labbe, Human Resources representative for Mineral Community Hospital, came prepared to make one point clear: there is much more available at the local hospital than many people realize. 

“First and foremost, I’m here today to share the services that we offer are so broad and not everybody knows that we offer this full list of medical practices,” Labbe said, pointing to their brochure. 

Mineral Community Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital offering surgery and procedures, colonoscopies, upper endoscopies (EGD), skilled swing-bed services, inpatient care, long-term care and 24/7 emergency services. The hospital also offers primary care and a variety of clinic specialties. Labbe said one of the advantages of receiving care at a smaller rural hospital is the amount of personal attention patients receive. 

“The beauty of MCH is the depth of focused care patients receive, as we are smaller and providers have more time to spend with them,” she said. 

The hospital also has a registered dietitian who offers Living with Diabetes classes. Labbe noted that the classes can be especially helpful for an aging population dealing with Type 2 diabetes or elevated blood sugar levels. The classes are low-cost, with Medicare and insurance plans accepted. MCH is also adding a Patient Access Facilitator who is licensed in social work. The position will help patients connect with additional resources, including food security, housing and mental health services. And then there are the jobs. 

“We have job openings all the time,” Labbe said, listing cooks, housekeepers, CNAs, nursing assistants, medical assistants and med techs among the opportunities. 

The hospital also welcomes students and others interested in the medical field to job-shadow employees and explore whether a career in healthcare or administration might be a good fit. For more information, call Mineral Community Hospital at 406-822-3702.

Organizer Janelle Kimberlin, engagement strategist with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, was already looking ahead before the awnings came down. Conversations with vendors sparked ideas for next year's event, including the possibility of having a sponsor provide food and continuing to use the highly visible TrailWest Bank location, if the bank is agreeable. 

The Mineral County Pioneer Council also offered its transit station on Moats Lane as a possible location. With four bays and doors that could be opened, the facility could provide plenty of space if participation grows. 

And organizers hope it does. Attracting more businesses and nonprofit organizations will be an important goal, as will spreading the word so more residents know about the event and attend. 

Superior School Superintendent Logan Labbe attended and said the school district might be interested in participating, although an event held after the school year begins would work better for the district. 

County Commissioner Dan Clemts also stopped by and sees strong potential for the event. He admitted, however, that he learned about it simply by driving past and seeing the canopies. That, Kimberlin said, is exactly the kind of challenge organizers hope to overcome next year. 

The Mineral County Chamber of Commerce had registered six members to showcase their services, products and employment opportunities, although none were able to attend. The Mineral County Economic Development Corporation was also invited but did not participate. For Kimberlin, however, the first event was less about measuring success by the number of tents on the lawn and more about establishing relationships. 

“For us to know about meetings that we could attend where businesses and organizations meet and discuss issues, needs and opportunities, that would be extremely valuable,” Kimberlin said. 

She appreciated the insight shared by Labbe and others who attended, while recognizing that more vendors would have made the event even more valuable to residents. 

“Giving it a year, we will have more time to have interpersonal communication, face to face, attending school meetings, town halls and finding partners to help grow this event,” Kimberlin said. “It’s our first time here in Mineral County, and the DLI is looking to become more involved in rural Montana towns and today was a terrific beginning.”

The idea for the event came together quickly. Kimberlin had stopped in to visit Laurel Chambers Haskins, CEO of Mineral Community Hospital, in June. A conversation about the need for greater community connections soon turned into an idea and that idea became the Mineral County Community Resource Day. Perhaps the greatest success of the day was simply getting people together. There may not have been a packed lawn, but there were conversations, introductions, business cards exchanged and new possibilities discovered. And sometimes, in a small community, that is exactly where good things begin.

For more information about Mineral County Community Resource Day for 2027, contact Janelle Kimberlin at [email protected]. She would also appreciate receiving meeting schedules of organizations and businesses to get a better feel of the area.