Good afternoon, Beacon readers. It’s a somber start to November for many following a violent Halloween weekend in northwest Montana when two separate shootings claimed four lives.
Deputies recovered the girl unharmed following a pursuit of the suspect that included multiple law enforcement agencies and an exchange of gunfire.
A procession will take place this afternoon as law enforcement returns the bodies of Terpsma and Walker to Lincoln County following a medical examination at the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula this morning. The procession is anticipated to pass through downtown Kalispell at approximately 5:30 p.m.
While the details surrounding both shootings are scant and it’s unclear what motivated the violence, the incidents serve an important reminder to support organizations such as the Abbie Shelter, a nonprofit supporting domestic violence survivors.
Since launching 50 years ago in 1976 as a 24-hour rape crisis line, the Abbie Shelter has evolved into a six-bed facility, providing resources and court advocacy for domestic violence survivors while providing community education.
The hotline still exists today, although its name has morphed over the years from “rape crisis line” to “violence free crisis line” to its present name, the “helpline.” It receives an average of 100 calls per month, a statistic that has changed little over the years.
The Abbie Shelter opened its Kalispell facility on Christmas Eve in 1994 to women escaping domestic violence, offering beds and resources to shelter clients experiencing abusive relationships. Today, the confidential shelter is now in its second location with six bedrooms that can host families or individuals who can now stay up to five months.
Adding to the shelter’s security, the Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety program recently awarded the Abbie Shelter $10,000 for safety fencing. The grant was part of the $31,885 in grants that were awarded to support community safety projects.
Roundup for Safety is a voluntary program funded by Flathead Electric Cooperative members who choose to round up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar. These contributions, averaging about $6 per year per participating member, are pooled together and awarded by an independent board to nonprofit organizations and community projects that improve safety throughout the cooperative’s service area.
In addition to the recent grant, the Abbie Shelter recently raised a record $257,739 during the Whitefish Community Foundation’s Great Fish Challenge.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 41% of women and 26% of men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported a related impact.
In addition to resources such as the helpline and the six-bed shelter, court advocacy remains a significant aspect of the organization’s work since people who experience domestic violence are victims of crime. The Abbie Shelter has a staff member housed in the Kalispell Police Department office and another in the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
In 2025, the Abbie Shelter’s seven paid staff members helped more than 100 individuals in the community submit requests for temporary orders of protection.
As funding remains insecure amid the federal funding freezes in recent years, domestic violence nonprofits have become increasingly dependent on private donations after federal grants through the U.S. Department of Justice were at risk in 2025.
Grants including the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) were eventually distributed after the temporary freezing; however, the uncertainty poses future concern since federal grants make up 30% of the Abbie Shelter’s revenue.
To learn more about the Abbie Shelter’s services, staff will be available at the Flathead County Library at 247 First Ave. E. in Kalispell on Nov. 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. to answer questions. Friends and family members of survivors are strongly encouraged to attend.
The Abbie Shelter’s helpline can be reached Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at (406) 752-7273.
I’m Maggie Dresser. Here’s the rest of the Daily Roundup.
Democrat Paula Koch Tops Flathead Valley Legislative Fundraising With $53,000 Haul
Local candidates for the state House and Senate raised nearly $358,000 for the general election, with the two north valley House races drawing the most money
Gov. Greg Gianforte Orders Flags Flown at Half-staff to Honor Lincoln County Deputy Killed in Shooting
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Terpsma, 28, was fatally shot in the line of duty in Eureka on Friday night; 46-year-old Merrisa Walker was also killed in the shooting
In the Swan Valley, a Small Nonprofit Is Keeping Bears Out of Trouble
Since 2007, Swan Valley Bear Resources has worked with landowners and agencies to reduce human-bear conflicts, starting with the number one attractant: garbage
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