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Local Organizations Team Up to Support Area Youth
Author: Shawna McCauley, Big Sky Big Leadership

Shawna McCauley

Big Sky Big Leadership

The local 2025-2026 Big Sky Big Leadership (BSBL) program is nearing its end. Participants in this MSU-Extension offering come together monthly throughout the year to learn ways to work more effectively for positive change in their community. One of the requirements of the program is a small group project focused on helping fill a need in the community with a sustainable solution.

This year, one group has partnered with the Care Closet in the Townsend Schools. The Care Closet provides new clothing, hygiene supplies and school supplies for youth in need. The Care Closet is meant to provide a private “shopping” experience for youth in need in the school environment. The school counselors run the Care Closet and provide access to those students who could benefit from its resources.

The BSBL group has helped organize and catalog the Care Closet contents and is running a financial donation drive to support the Care Closet’s future needs. Once the BSBL season has ended, the Rotary Club of Townsend has generously agreed to support the Care Closet by providing a secure location for the financial operations. They have also agreed to organize financial and clothing drives throughout the year.

The initial support of the Care Closet by the community has been wonderful. The current need is for financial donations to provide a way for the school counselor to purchase items as they are used or for special needs as they come up. Cash or check donations can be made in person from April 20 to May 6 at Reading Leaves, Canyon Ferry Brewery, Little Creek Feeds/The Mercantile, Trailhead Church and The Bunkhouse. Checks should be made to the Rotary Club of Townsend Foundation with Care Closet in the memo. Donations can also be made to the Rotary Club of Townsend Foundation via Venmo any time of year at https://www.venmo.com/u/RotaryClubofTownsend.

The BSBL group of Grace Davison, Shawna McCauley, Connie Myles, Elaine Roy, Anna Shearer and Maggie Triska thank you for supporting their efforts to help students in need in the Townsend community. The group would also like to thank the Rotary Club of Townsend for their generosity in providing the initial funds to purchase the required items to organize the Care Closet funding drive.

Questions should be emailed to TownsendCareCloset@gmail.com.

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PhotoCredit: Big Sky Big Leadership
Image 1 Caption: BSBL participants assembling the new racking for better organization of the Care Closet Big Sky Big Leadership Photo