<div dir="ltr"><span id="m_6363699542226246270gmail-docs-internal-guid-3785d0f6-7fff-ebe1-0a45-e925c2f17fde"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">May 4, 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Contact: Kelli Hess</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:right;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(406) 541-8301 | <a href="mailto:kelli@homeresource.org" target="_blank">kelli@homeresource.org</a></span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><b style=""><font size="4">First Friday Sculpture Exhibit & Reuse event</font></b></span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Summary: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">On Friday, May 5, Home ReSource and the Big Sky High welding program are joining forces to showcase reuse and creativity in action. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Caleb Olson, the instructor of the Big Sky High Schools' welding program, assigned two of his classes to make a sculpture using scraps donated from Home ReSource and other local businesses. Throughout the 6-week project, Mr. Olsen's students took the project to a level beyond the expectations of the original assignment.  “What these students achieved, and the level of creativity they put into it was beyond anything I imagined,”  says Olson. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“These pieces are the perfect example of how we can take materials that would normally be thrown in the garbage and create something of such value. The passion and skill put into making these inspires all of us in the reuse community,” says Kelli Hess, Executive Director at Home ReSource, a nonprofit focused on sustainability and building materials reuse. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sculptures will be displayed Friday, May 5, at the Green Source downtown on Higgins St. during the First Friday Art Crawl from 5 - 8 pm. Home ReSource will also be hosting a small appliances FixIt Clinic in the space, where people can bring small appliances needing repair for free, as well as a fun reuse activity, making this a free and engaging event for the whole family. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“It’s a chance for folks to celebrate a beautiful evening in Missoula, be inspired by the amazing work of these students, and connect to the reuse movement in Missoula. We hope everyone swings through!” says Hess. </span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">What: First Friday Reuse Art Exhibit featuring sculptures by students of Big Sky High School & reuse event and Free FixIt Clinic for small appliances</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Where: Green Source downtown - 617 Higgins St. Ste. A</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">When: Friday, May 5, 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Time: 5:00 - 8:00 pm</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cost: Event is free and open to the public</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Website: <a href="http://www.homeresource.org/events" target="_blank">www.homeresource.org/events</a></span></p></span><br><div><br></div><span>-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><div><div><div><div><b>Cassidy Green</b> I gender pronouns: she/her/hers<br></div>Marketing & Events Senior Manager</div><div>Home ReSource I Missoula, MT <br></div></div>(406) 541-8301 x204<br></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#274e13"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://www.homeresource.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">website</a> | </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Home-ReSource-270922574714/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">facebook</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> | </span><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://instagram.com/homeresource/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.homeresource.org/online-donations/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">donate</a></span></font><font color="#000000"><br></font></font></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br><div><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br></span></div><div><span style="line-height:13.78px;background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><i>We envision a just and vibrant world built on the principles of sustainability where the potential of people, community, and materials is realized.</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>