Page 26 - Flathead Beacon // 1.8.13

26 | JANUARY 8, 2014 FLATHEADBEACON.COM

BUSINESS

TEDx

Comes to

Whiteish

SPEAKER LINEUP INCLUDES MONTANA

ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINESS OWNERS

By MOLLY PRIDDY

BEACON FILE PHOTO
T

he TED Talks, a global phe- lowed the spark of their own ideas to ple stayed here was because they had in technology and innovation, that
nomenon of people sharing successful ends.
this love and passion for being in the people can stay here,” she said. “You
ideas through conferences The theme for the Whiteish event outdoors and all the beauty and glory can survive here, you can live here, and
and online videos, are about is “Deining the Last Best Place.”
that’s around here.”
you can play here.”
sparking discussion, interests and new Cassandra Sunell, the founder and Merely staying for the scenery A Kalispell native, Sunell moved
trains of thought.
curator of TEDx Whiteish, said near- wasn’t enough, however, and the peo- away as a young adult, but always felt
Now, the power of spreading new ly everyone in the Flathead should be ple who lived here built communities. the Flathead’s pull. In 2011, she was liv-

ideas through TED – which stands for able to relate to the theme, which fo- That idea, the social nature of the tight- ing in Washington, and had become a
technology, entertainment, design – cuses on why we live here.
knit communities in Northwest Mon- big fan of the TED Talks. While search-
has come to the Flathead, with the irst Initially, Sunell’s team started tana, is a big part of the reason Sunell ing for an event to attend, she saw there
TEDx event scheduled to take place in looking at what brought settlers to wanted to bring TEDx to Whiteish.
was one planned for Bozeman.
Whiteish on Jan. 16. TEDx means the Montana, and saw the telltale signs of “If you’re not participative in the “I was ecstatic that there was going
event is local and self-organized, and western expansion in the railway and community in some way, you’re not re- to be one in Montana inally,” Sunell
will feature videos from previous TED the timber industry.
ally part of the community,” she said.
said.

conferences, as well as live speakers.
“We started looking into the his- The question to be posed during It was a revelatory experience, she
At the TEDx Whiteish event, 100 tory of Whiteish and it really led us the event is who are the pioneers today, said, and she got to know the event’s
audience members will hear from to thinking these were pioneers who now that the land has been settled? founders. A little while later, Sunell de-
Montana entrepreneurs and business- came out here to live this American What are the frontiers left here?
cided it was time to move back to the
people, as well as those who have fol-
dream,” Sunell said. “I think why peo-
“You start seeing now, with the rise
Flathead, and settled in Whiteish.

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