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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">Local Media<br>
February 5, 2021<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:115%;color:rgb(0,32,96)"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:115%;color:rgb(0,32,96)"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:115%;color:rgb(0,32,96)">SIX
INDIVIDUALS HONORED AS DOWNTOWN AWARD WINNERS<br>
United Way’s Eric Legvold named Dan Cederberg Downtowner of the Year<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">From 12 individuals
nominated by the community, the Missoula Downtown Association (MDA) Board of
Directors presented six special awards to people who have done extraordinary
things for Downtown Missoula in 2020, a most difficult year. The annual
tradition of honoring people who do special things for Downtown Missoula began
in 1986 and has continued on for 44 years. This year’s awards were presented in
person and celebrated during the MDA’s monthly board meeting, instead of the
annual awards banquet that typically draws nearly 300 people. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">The most prestigious
award – the <b>Dan Cederberg Downtowner of
the Year</b> – was presented to <b>Eric
Legvold</b>, Director of Impact for <b>United
Way of Missoula County</b>, for his service to our community during the COVID
crisis. Legvold helped raise and distribute over $400,000 in financial
assistance to service industry workers. He led the initiative to collect and
distribute more than 40,000 face masks, and he led the team effort to build the
new temporary safe homeless camp.<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">“We learned a long time
ago that it takes extraordinary efforts to build a vibrant Downtown, and our
leadership is committed to recognizing and celebrating those individuals who
give of themselves for the betterment of our community,” said Ashley Larkin,
President of the MDA Board of Directors. “2020 was a very challenging year, so
these honorees and their contributions are even more special!”<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">The <b>Missoula PaddleHeads</b>, under the direction of new owners Peter &
Susan Crampton-Davis, were named the <b>Downtown
Business of the Year</b> for 2020, despite cancellation of baseball for the
year. The PaddleHeads creative new opportunities for Missoulians to enjoy all
the things they love at the ballpark, including movies, yoga, trivia nights,
golf, and even a river cleanup, where they collected more than 1,000 pounds of
garbage. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">“When most minor-league
ballparks across the country went dark, the PaddleHeads completely shifted
their entire operations to stay active and connected,” said Larkin. “What they
did this year was unheard of and absolutely amazing.”<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">Nathan McLeod</span></b><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">, design development specialist
for <b>Missoula Parks & Recreation</b>,
is the <b>Downtown Employee of the Year</b>.
As the lead staff member for the North Riverside Parks & Trails Plan,
McLeod led the planning process that resulted in a fabulous plan that was
unanimously adopted by 10 different organizations. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">“Right when the pandemic
hit Missoula, we were preparing to present the new plan to the community,” said
Larkin. “Nathan and our consulting team were able to pivot to a digital
rollout, complete with creative videos and online surveys, and we had more
engagement from the community than anyone would have anticipated. Nearly 3,000
people viewed videos and completed surveys. He did an amazing job during a
really difficult time.” <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">Geoff Badenoch</span></b><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"> was named the <b>Downtown Volunteer of the Year</b>. The
former director of the Missoula Redevelopment Agency has stayed active in all
things Downtown and recently completed a six-year term on the Missoula Downtown
Foundation Board of Directors. He volunteered to create and bury a time capsule
in the new Missoula Public Library and served as a volunteer for the Missoula
County Elections office and the Festival of Trees. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">Tom Snyder</span></b><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">, owner of <b>Five on Black</b>, was recognized as the <b>MDA Committee Member of the Year</b> for his service to the Downtown
Advocacy Committee and his contributions to the Revive Missoula Bars &
Restaurants (RMBR) alliance. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">Lastly, <b>Ashley Larkin</b> of <b>First Montana Bank</b> was named the <b>MDA Board Member of the Year</b> for her contributions as the Vice
President of Marketing & Events. With the loss of community events and
festivals due to the pandemic, the MDA had to rework its offerings and
messaging. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">The Downtown Awards
Program was established in 1986 and expanded in 2004 and again in 2014. More
than 90 individuals and businesses have been recognized over the years for
their selfless giving of time, talent and treasure to make great things happen
in Downtown Missoula. <span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">To learn more and to
view the locally-created videos on the award winners, visit </span><a href="https://www.missouladowntown.com/annual-awards/" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><span>https://www.missouladowntown.com/annual-awards/</span></a><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">.
To schedule interviews with any of the candidates, contact Chelsee Kucera (</span><a href="mailto:chelsee@missouladowntown.com" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"><span>chelsee@missouladowntown.com</span></a><span style="color:rgb(0,32,96)">)
or call the Downtown Missoula Partnership office (406-543-4238). <span></span></span></p>
</div><div><div dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font size="4" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><b>Bram Moore</b></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><b><span style="font-size:13px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif">Operations Coordinator</font></span></b></p><p style="font-size:13px;margin:0px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif">Downtown Missoula Partnership </font></p><p style="font-size:13px;margin:0px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif">218 E Main | Missoula, MT </font></p><p style="font-size:13px;margin:0px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><a value="+14065434238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">406.543.4238 | </a><a href="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" title="http://www.missouladowntown.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">missouladowntown.com</a></font></p><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="m_-873599190197010024DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br>
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