Julie Van Hise: Hi! My name is Julie Van Hise, and my husband Chris and son Braeden were blessed to move to the 9-Mile Valley after my retirement from the U.S. Air Force in August of 2017. Since then, we have become engrained in our community, our daughter was born, our son graduated high school and enlisted as a Marine, and we started our little ranch operation - 4 Bear Ranch. My husband and I were stationed at Malmstrom AFB, in Great Falls for 6 years (1998-2004) – which is where we fell in love with this wonderful state, and western Montana while volunteering for the white-water rafting program offered by the Base. We knew we would come back some day – it just took a few years!

As a retiree from the U.S. Air Force, I know the importance of community and the sense of belonging. Volunteering in the local community is very much encouraged in the Air Force and simply becomes a way of life. I started volunteering in 1998, and I have not stopped. I have over 27 years of experience as a board member filling all officer and a multitude of director positions (all non-paid positions) for a variety of non-profits. I am currently serving on the Brovold Community Orchard Board in Alberton as secretary and the Angels Eyes Sanctuary board in the 9 Mile Valley as treasurer. I am not new to serving on the Nine Mile Community Center Board, as I served as secretary and treasurer on the board from October 2018 through October 2021. Between my Air Force experience (maintenance job specialty), various non-profit experience, and education (degrees in Management/Business Administration & Computer/Management Information System), there is aways something new to learn, but not something I can’t figure out – especially with the amazing community in which we live!

In regard to the NMCC, I am currently serving as the media manager (since Dec 2024), working on our social media postings and website. I am working on building our volunteer list, also known as “The Friends of the Nine Mile”, regularly volunteer to help set-up/clean-up NMCC events, and participate in them as well. Since being in Montana, I founded and served on the FC Frenchtown Youth soccer board (2018 – 2023), and most recently served on the much larger, Montana Youth Soccer Association board (2021-2025) – both of which I loved. However, my son has moved on from soccer and my daughter is working on ballet, so I wanted to focus my time closer to home once again. I simply love the community center and what it stands for in our community in the present day and historically.

Outside of volunteering and working the ranch, I love to do all things outside, x-c skiing, running, swimming, boating, hiking, berry picking, gardening, working with animals, camping, hunting, fishing, crafts, baking, and hanging out with my family.

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Rick Marler (Running for another Term):  Hi, my name is Richard Marler and I'm running for re-election to the Nine Mile Community Center board of directors. It's been a fun and busy six years since I first joined the community center board, and I'd like to continue to serve the Nine Mile Community so I'm asking for your vote this fall. I cherish our Nine Mile Valley and surrounding community! Montana is the best of the 50 states, and the Nine Mile valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Montana!  I have enjoyed working with the other board members and the community and look forward to continuing this relationship with another term on the Board.  My wife and I purchased a few acres here in the valley in 2008 and we've been coming here every summer to continue the construction of our home.  We moved here full time in the summer of 2017, and we love it!  I've been a residential building contractor for the 10 years prior to moving here from Maryland and prior to that worked for IBM for 25 years.  I believe that I can bring skills and business knowledge to the great folks that make up the current Board.  I ask for your vote in this coming election.

Tabitha Boyle: Hi, I’m Tabitha Boyle. My husband and two young boys moved to Nine Mile to settle down in my husband‘s family home. My husband, Nathen, grew up here and we are happy to be back raising our family in this amazing community. I am interested in continuing service on the Nine Mile Community Center Board to meet my new neighbors and give back to the community, also for the preservation of the historic schoolhouse, church and everything that the community center stands for. I have many things I love to do which includes crocheting, painting, and hanging out with our dogs, chickens, and quail. In the past I had been lucky enough to find a job in Nine Mile working for Garden City Fungi. I have experience helping with event planning for weddings and more. I have been the lead organizer for the upcoming public Halloween event at the community center. I would love the opportunity to bring more ideas to the Board and meet more of the community. Please consider voting for me.

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