A Letter to the People of "One Montana" from Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger

The coaches and members of Billings’ Skyview High School 2006 Freshman Football Team were selected for an Advocacy Award by the Montana Advocacy Program, the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities and the University of Montana’s Rural Institute. The award was presented at a Courage and Advocacy Awards and Legislative dinner honoring the 21 percent of Montanans who are people with disabilities and the lawmakers upon whom they depend to protect their civil rights. Since neither the team nor my friend Coach Ron Lebsock could make it for the dinner, I was asked to stand in for them to accept the award plaque.

We don’t often think of disabilities and High School Freshman Football teams in the same context. Thanks to a bunch of courageous young men and coaches in my home town of Billings, the team received the award for including 15-year old Beau Thompson as a player training with his teammates for sophomore year. Nothing unusual, except Beau lives with autism and has limited verbal skills. Both he and the team benefited from including him.

At the dinner, I had the opportunity to share a table with another young man from Billings, who works in a drug store and is proud of – and a great ambassador for – his job, his town and his employer. I have also learned that Alfin, who has a developmental disability, insists on sending a regular monthly contribution from his modest paycheck to the Montana Advocacy Program to support their work.

Montana is a wonderful state, because of all of the people who make up our diverse population, reaching across political lines and barriers of perception to enrich our lives as "One Montana". It was never more obvious than at the banquet, where folks with disabilities who live in group homes, at the Developmental Center or in their own homes, mingled with members – from both sides of the aisle – of our legislature, professional advocates, and justices of the Supreme Court. There is just "One Montana", and I’m proud of it.

Sincerely,

John Bohlinger, Lieutenant Governor of Montana

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Six Montanans earn Courage and Advocacy Awards for helping disabled. – "ONE MONTANA" http://www.matr.net/article-22487.html