Ovando energized by unexpected recognition

Between phone calls to the Blackfoot Angler asking if Browns Lake is open yet (it's not, except where someone dropped the front end of their truck through the ice), Kathy Shoendoerfer spoke with a lingering trace of disbelief in her voice about Ovando's recognition as Montana Tourism's 2018 Community of the Year.

"We really, really, really wanted it, but I don't think we understood we really had a chance," Schoendoerfer, owner of the Blackfoot Angler and Ovando's self-described "Organizer of Frivolous Affairs," said Saturday.

It's not surprising she and others felt that way. With a population of just 60 to 80 people (depending on who you ask), Ovando was up against Butte and Helena, two cities that dominate Montana history and have an established tourism infrastructure to trade on.

"It was like David and Goliath," Leigh Ann Valiton, who owns the Blackfoot Commercial Company with her husband Fred, said. "They have the population, the volunteers and the resources."

Ovando's history with tourism and recreation had traditionally been rooted in the hunting and fishing worlds, but in the last few years it's built a reputation as a community that goes the extra mile to help bicyclists - one of the fastest growing sectors in the state's tourism economy.

"We're spoken about globally, from Banff to Belgium now," Schoendoerfer said.

That prompted Adventure Cycling in Missoula to nominate Ovando for the tourism award.

Despite what they believed were long odds, the nomination prompted six community members attended the Montana Tourism Awards in Big Sky, April 16, and it came as a shock to them that they actually won.

"That was hoot! I mean to tell ya, I think we could have all been tipped over pretty easy," said Peggy Fly, who attended with her husband Howie. "Wouldn't you be (surprised)? Going against Butte and Helena?"

The Flys owned the Blackfoot Commercial Company until a few years ago and were integral to revitalizing the small town. Schoendoerfer credits Peggy as the idea person and "kicker of my butt" to get things done.

Valiton also attended theceremony. She said she was "very, very surprised" by the win, but found they had more support than they thought.

"There we 450 people at the conference and I would say 400 of them were rooting for us," she said. "That's what was really exciting."

It turns out Ovando was something of a shoe-in. Shoendoerfer said a judge told her "99 percent" of the vote went to them.

"To us receiving this from Lt. Gov. (Mike) Cooney, and having everybody be so supportive was sort of like validation that all the handwork was worthwhile and that people actually recognized what we were doing," Schoendoerfer said. "Fifteen years ago, people in Montana didn't know we existed and now we're Community of the Year. Come on! That is such an honor. It's just an honor."

When asked how it felt to beat out the larger cities, an impish grin spread across Shoendoerfer's face as she provided an old school, one-word answer: "Bitchin'!"

As the smallest town to ever win a Community of the Year award for tourism, both Fly and Schoendoerfer hope it sends a message to other small communities struggling to redefine themselves amid Montana's new economic realities.

"I'm hoping it spurs on some other small communities in the area," Fly said.

"I think it's just a real boost that you can tell little towns, you all can do this," Schoendorfer said. "It basically comes down to, how do you treat your tourist industry? Because let's face it, that's what we've got. You treat 'em like friends and family you go out of your way to help them and you step outside if they look confused and ask 'can I help you,' rather than giving them the eye and treating them like a stranger. That's it in a nutshell. It's not that difficult."

That attitude has helped them maintain and improve the town's modest but unique amenities, without relying on grants or major fundraising. Schoendoerfer said grateful cyclists, who pay $5 a night to stay in the town's sheep wagon, tepee or hoosegow, have provided most of the money they've used. Contributions have been made ranging from checks for $100 to a can of beans and spare Canadian change.

There's a follow-on effect as well. "When I was working at the Stray Bullet, I heard several people say. 'Yeah, we came through on a ride and we wanted to come back,'" Valiton said. "they're coming back so they get to enjoy it in a different way."

Ovando now faces the challenge of living up to its new title and making sure they use it as a catalyst to create more opportunities. Fortunately, it's helped to energize the town, which was beginning to see a degree of volunteer fatigue set in.

"The big thing about the award is that its given us the big push to go 'cool, let's just go even further,'" Schonedoerfer said.

"It makes sense that now maybe we can play off this and develop some local trails," Fly said.

A major goal will be to expand the towns winter economy by looking to both traditional and evolving winter recreation opportunities.

"We can expand our seasons with cross-country skiing and local (fat bike) cycle trails," Fly said. "Snow fat-tire biking is becoming huge."

"We're still trying to...make the winter months more profitable," said Valition. "That's something I really plan to be working on this summer, to get some progress going that way."

Last week, the Community of the Year trophy was on display at Trixi's. It will be making its way around to the different businesses in Ovando until they decide on a permanent home for it.

At less than a foot tall, the trophy is physically a lot smaller than you'd expect, but as a symbol of the importance of straightforward small town hospitality in an increasingly complicated world, it looms large.