PRESS RELEASE:
On Saturday August 12th, 2006, on land owned by the Montana State University Foundation adjacent to the Ophir School, the Big Sky Institute (BSI) will host its first official community gala to celebrate its anticipated ground breaking next summer. This evening event will showcase the significant commitments by the Big Sky Community and Montana State University (MSU) to this collaboration and introduce the depth and breadth of the “star” talent dedicated to this enterprise.
A limited number of 200 tickets to this sit down dinner dance, which is to be held under the “stars” beneath an “invisible tent”, are available for $ 100 each by calling Leslie Vossbeck or Stacy Ossorio at 406-993-2299. Andrew Gromiller and the Organically Grown will provide the music, and Big Sky’s By Word of Mouth is catering dinner. Oregon's renowned Cristom Vineyards (award winning Best New World Red wine) AND BR Cohn Winery from Glen Ellen California have generously donated the wine for the evening, and owners/Founder Paul Gerrie and Bruce Cohn will be in attendance.
The notion for a Big Sky Institute was born over 30 years ago during a conversation between Big Sky founder Chet Huntley and MSU Professor Robert Swenson to explore the unique opportunity to create a scientific research and teaching facility within the Yellowstone ecosystem to be located in the new Big Sky that Huntley envisioned. Unfortunately, Mr. Huntley passed away in 1974, and the early path to development at Big Sky was not as smooth as envisioned. Research and science within the Yellowstone ecosystem continued and MSU shared its research with the Big Sky community though the Mountains and Minds Lecture series for many years. The location for the BSI remained elusive until a site was secured on property adjacent to the Ophir School in 1999, the year Bob Swenson, MSU's former vice president for research, formally founded the institute to bridge the gap between scientists and the public. In 2002, MSU recruited Dr. Lisa Graumlich as its first executive director. "I came to MSU because I recognized that the university had tremendous assets including the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem as a natural laboratory, a vital and talented faculty in the environmental sciences, and a senior administration dedicated to building an eminent research university," Graumlich said. "The Big Sky Institute is a natural next step for MSU's development and I am very excited to be chosen to lead the initiative."
In establishing a physical presence in the Big Sky area, renowned Montana Architect Jonathan Foote has devoted his considerable talents to designing a building that will not only be capable of supporting the research activities and local K-16 teaching of the BSI, but also be significant in its invisibility. Expanding opportunities for local participation, Big Sky’s Resort Tax district has granted $115,000 for feasibility and engineering studies for the building, and local businesses and residents alike have donated their time and resources to organize and hold this gala evening event to properly introduce the Big Sky Institute. A live auction will be held to raise funds for the first phase of the project. Please mark your calendar and come. Seating is limited.
