Much of our service in Montana is primarily carpentry-focused, although we always engage in non-construction projects as well.  For two decades VISIONS has collaborated with the Blackfeet Head Start program, constructing extensive playground facilities, storage sheds, picnic arbors, fences, and renovating structures. We undoubtedly will have small, side construction projects with Head Start again this summer.

Another local partner is the Blackfeet Land Trust and Development Fund whose Director, Elouise Cobell, is worth Googling to read about her impressive work in many levels for Indian peoples.  In recent seasons we have done projects at Flat Iron Ranch, a 1100-acre parcel along the Rocky Mountain front on the reservation that represents a unique partnership between the Nature Conservancy and the Blackfeet Nation. The ranch is under a conservation easement to preserve and protect its biodiversity, habitat, and proximity to important wildlife populations.

From the Nature Conservancy website:

In addition to our partnerships with area ranchers, The Conservancy is assisting a private, non-profit land trust on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, the first of its kind in the country. The Blackfeet Trust mission is to…preserve native plants and animals and perpetuate a respect for the land consistent with the culture and heritage of the Blackfeet Nation/people. The Trust will enable the Blackfeet to reclaim and protect non-tribal holdings, lands once held under tribal ownership. In collaboration with the Trust, high-quality prairie foothill, prairie pothole, and wetland ecosystem lands, in particular, will be protected from development.

Projects at Flat Iron Ranch involve general maintenance and renovating the old ranch buildings for what eventually will be an environmental education center.

You also will assist the Browning Community Development Corporation (which is working to rehabilitate local parks) for whom we built a playground and at a public park created a fitness course, approximately 1-mile perimeter and constructed five exercise stations! Blackfeet Housing Department may call upon us to build handicapped ramps at the homes of one or two tribal elders .