As AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America), we are expected to participate in any and all National Service Days to help give back to the community directly – Sept. 11 being one of them. The purpose of 9/11 Day of Service is to honor the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks in America through a… Read more »

Hey there! My name is Miranda, and I am the new AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) in the Transitional Housing Program at YWCA Missoula. I am originally from Napa, Calif., but I moved up to Missoula for my undergraduate studies in Psychology and Communications. I started out volunteering at the front desk about two years… Read more »

On the very first day of one of my high school art classes, my Theory of Aesthetics teacher sat us down and asked us a question: “What is art?” Surely this was a rhetorical question – this was an art class after all, and he, the teacher, was supposed to answer that question for us. But… Read more »

While some of us at Planet Kids were working on Sunday morning of Aug. 11, 2013, providing supervised visitation; there was a horrible tragedy happening in a place providing the very same services in Manchester, N.H. Please keep all of the children and parents that are victims of domestic violence in your thoughts. Help to cure the cycle of… Read more »

The Broadway location of Secret Seconds  is reopening on Wednesday, Aug. 13. The new store looks great, and we are so excited!   We are now accepting donations, and we even have room for gently used furniture with all of the additional space.    Take a look at how it’s coming along, and come see… Read more »

In legal cases of defamation, there is a certain standard that is applied to people in the public eye. In order for a celebrity to prove that she has been defamed, she must prove that there was something called “actual malice.” This means the celebrity has to prove the person defaming her spread lies on… Read more »

When I was younger, my mom and I butted heads a lot over the state of my room. She wanted it clean; I didn’t want to clean it. Not exactly a unique situation — what kid actually wants to clean her room? When I did get around to cleaning, I’d tell her when I was… Read more »

Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman. Still with me? I know we’ve heard those two names a lot lately, but there’s still a lot to be said about the verdict in the Zimmerman trial. In a recent Pew poll, respondents were asked whether they were satisfied with the results of the case and whether the issue of race is receiving more… Read more »

I’m Miranda, a former intern for the GUTS! program here at YWCA Missoula. I had the pleasure of volunteering on the GUTS! Summer Adventure to Wild Horse Island a few weeks ago. I had never been to Wild Horse Island before, so I was just as thrilled as the girls were to get off that boat and… Read more »

As the summer takes full swing in Missoula, blue skies and sunshine have kids at our shelter itching to enjoy the good weather. For the past several weeks, every time I’ve come to the shelter at least one child has begged me to play with them in the backyard. We play tag, soccer, football, and… Read more »