Page 15 - Flathead Beacon // 2.3.16

and monetary donations.
Sparrow’s Nest of Northwest Mon-
tana, a new nonpro t that provides long- term housing for unaccompanied high school students, will open its White sh location for ve students in the spring, and the Kalispell house is expected to open in summer or fall. There are also negotiations for a Bigfork home in the
Cut Bank Creek, where he and his older cousins would swim and play around.
His mom has some chronic pain issues, and his dad is registered in the Canadian Blackfoot tribe, so he can’t access the Blackfeet tribal programs.
Growing up in the rougher areas of Browning, Righthand learned early on to avoid certain pitfalls.
“When you run around as a kid, you see some pretty scary stu ,” Righthand said on a tour through his old neighborhood.
His parents insisted that he and his brother wear shoes when playing out- side, even in the summer, for fear of dirty needles and other dangerous trash on the street.
When his grandmother died, Righthand’s family moved to Great Falls, where he lived from ages 12 to 17. They
stayed with a cousin, and Righthand got his rst job, working at a McDonald’s.
“That’s when I started to grow up,” he said. “I developed a stronger character.”
His job gave him a taste of indepen- dence, and made Righthand under- stand that what he wanted out of life was more than trying to scrape by when the food stamps run out. He wanted more than depending on Medicine Shelter in Browning for meals, more than shiver- ing to and from school.
He moved back to Browning for his younger brother, Righthand said. He works at Nations Burger Station, and picks up odd jobs where he can. Splitting wood can be lucrative, but it burns pre- cious calories and tires him out.
But Righthand shines at school, where his interest in the famous sequence has earned him the nickname “Fibonacci.” He has an a nity for producing music and art and is interested in graphic design. As of late January, he had about a month to go before earning the last credit and a half he needs to graduate.
After that, he intends on taking his general classes at Blackfeet Community College and helping out his mom.
Some of his biggest hardships are the most basic. Food stamps don’t last the whole month, and sometimes he has to scrounge food from relatives or nd small jobs to pay for it. He’s also got eczema, a
Lorks.
ife for William Righthand has rarely been easy. The closest it got waswhenhewasgrowingupnear
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An Evening to Remember
Your Kalispell Downtown Association and the Kalispell Business Improvement District invite you and your friends and family to an evening in Historic Downtown Kalispell. Friday night, February 5 “A Chocolat Affaire”, promises to be an evening to remember. If you enjoyed the December Art Walk, you will love this event. Walk through various downtown businesses tasting a variety of chocolate treats and shopping for your special valentine. Shop, taste and judge the chocolate from 5:00 - 7:30 PM and then treat yourself to a beer at Kalispell Brewing or a great meal, appetizers and drinks at one of our wonderful downtown Kalispell restaurants.
Mike Murray will be playing at 406 Bar & Grill, 139 1st Ave. West
Visit Amore Downtown Salon, 230 1st Ave. W. for a special drawing.
To be eligible for door prizes you must visit a minimum of 12 locations
Must be 18 to win - 1 entry per person. Drop off your completed cards at Kalispell Brewing Company, 406 Bar & Grill or Brannigan’s Pub. Winners will be noti ed by phone or email
DARK CHOCOLATE SPONSORS: Sage and Cedar, Kalispell Business Improvement District, Kalispell Downtown Association
MILK CHOCOLATE SPONSORS: Rocky Mountain Out tters, Flair Boutique, Montana Spa & Boutique at J. Thomas Salon, Noice Studio and Norms News
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5:00-7:30 PM
FEBRUARY 3, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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William Righthand. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
skin ailment common on the reservation,
and his doctor recommends he stay out of the wind.
“Sometimes it’s hard to take a shower,” Righthand said.
And though the odds are stacked against him, Righthand is dedicated to succeeding. He said he won’t risk having kids until he can support them, and his hope is to be someone who kids in his sit- uation can look up to in the future, in a
job where he’s useful and productive. Another part of that goal, one that Righthand discusses last, is having a job so people will automatically give him the respect and dignity that can be lacking
for young adults in his position.
“I would like to be a CEO one day. I think it would be good to be in a high posi- tion,” Righthand said. “It would be cool to
help out the kids.”
mpriddy@ atheadbeacon.com