PAGE 2, SECTION L GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE WWW.GREATFALLSTRIBUNE.COM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

“We spend more on our dogs than they Tanzania have for their kids,” Leesha Ford said. The fellowship was hugely meaningful Continued from 1L for their family. “When you put a face on poverty, it with training on chicken care and egg col- changes you forever,” Jamie Ford said. “Our lection. Eggs are about 20 cents each in this kids are teenagers, and this was the last area where most people live on $1 a day. chance to do it while they’re young, before During her previous visit, Ford noticed college and their own families, a last push children in shredded clothes and bare feet, for social responsibility to the world, their which means vulnerability to worms, teta- community, their neighbors. And, if you can nus and snakes. When she returned to the travel to a bush village in Africa, you can village, she brought hundreds of sweaters travel anywhere.” and shoes from Dar es Salaam to distribute The teens taught math, music, English, to orphans. art and games in the school. Students came “They were pulling on sweaters and run- to classes during their vacation just for the A Perfect Circle are from left to right, Maynard James Keenan, Matt McJunkins, Billy Howerdel, James ning their hand over them with shock on chance to learn and interact with the Amer- Iha and Jeff Friedl. The band just released “Stone and Echo,” a collection of live music. A PERFECT CIRCLE their faces,” she said. icans. The students share one book and one “The (Tanzanian) kids spoke a smattering pencil for about every six to seven children. of languages. They were smart kids, tremen- Circle also running a vineyard/winery in Arizona Toothbrushes are a total luxury, so she re- dous math skills,” Jamie Ford said. full time. turned with lots of those, too. Once it was clear the teenagers didn’t “I’m trying to work on the songs and Melissa McDunn, another nurse who need any help at the school, Jamie Ford Continued from 1L have a bankroll of songs to present (to Kee- joined Ford on the trip, brought kits for girls helped carry bricks for a new bathroom, nan),” Howerdel said. “My working rela- with underwear and reusable menstrual part of a 40-person effort that used the vil- The feverish response by fans never tionship with Maynard has been that I can supplies so they don’t have to miss school. lage’s truck to transport 12,000 mud bricks. goes unnoticed by APC. give him music and hear nothing and all of Babies in Tanzania now carry the names Global Volunteers is working on a project “I feel like I hopefully never take it for a sudden he turns up with this amazingly of the two Great Falls nurses, with to bring sinks for hand washing, toilets and a granted that people still care and pay atten- crushing vocal melody and lyrics that are McDunn’s namesake born on her birthday. shower head for the secondary school. The tion and find us relevant,” Howerdel said in on top of it. organization has laid 10 kilometers of piping an interview with the Tribune from Los “It’d be the same for me. Under pres- Angeles. “Even when we did dates in 2011, sure when someone is saying ‘We have to Finding a way to contribute so running water is reaching key points in the village. that tour pretty much sold out and that was produce. This is the date,’ that’s not the With 18 suitcases (10 packed with what The Fords also were struck by the kitchen a great feeling. It doesn’t go unappreciated nature of artistic schedule that I know of. It added up to 500 pounds of medical supplies), at the school, a 12-foot-by-12-foot space with that people still give a (crap).” just kind of comes and it may never come the Ford family set out in June for the vil- no ventilation for the open fire. Smoke in- Always looking to push the envelope, the again,” he added. lage that would soon have a lasting impact halation has been fatal for the school cooks, band set out in 2010 to play and record The biggest fear, according to Hower- on their lives and draw Leesha Ford back a producing an effect like coal miners’ lung. every song they’d ever released and com- del, is not knowing if or when the creative few months later. The Fords left a donation to help build a new pile them chronologically in order based on well will run dry. He personally has never One of the best moments of the trip for kitchen with a water spout outside for wash- the album releases. faced a lull in creativity but admits that the Ford was unpacking those suitcases and ing hands and a sink for dishes. “Right before we went on that tour, we fear of losing it is what motivates him to stocking the clinic with iodine bottles and “It was neat to see the kitchen going up” decided to record (and wondered) why not keep writing music. other supplies, with bare shelves suddenly in November, Leesha Ford said. “Making the just play every song we had? We couldn’t “That’s always kind of the fear. I’ve read full. The supplies were discarded by Bene- donation to the person overseeing the pro- do it all in one night. We decided to do one that with artists it’s a pressure of going ‘I fis, which donated them to Ford. ject, it really does get done.” per night in each city and recorded it,” he don’t know where this comes from.’ I feel Ford researched many nongovernmental Such a trip did mean cold, rare showers, recalled. “The shows came out good, and blessed that I’ve got it up to this point,” he organizations, and Global Volunteers stood among other challenges. The family stayed we mixed it and had that ready to go. By said. “Is there a well that dries up or is it out. The program’s motto is “Leave your in a 108-year-old building with no running the time 2011 rolled around, we did a proper something that’s always in you? mark on the world,” and “volunteer vaca- water, but with access to bottled water, a video shoot and combined it with that.” “I think it’s something you always pon- tioners” travel to places like the Cook Is- cook and beds. The only safety concern was The live DVD recording came out of a der and consider just like you do when lands, Vietnam, Peru, China, Appalachia or the poor roads. show at Red Rocks. you’re born and you’re gonna die someday,” the Blackfeet and Crow Indian reservations “We told the kids to think of it like rough- A Perfect Circle is much like Tool in the he added. “It’s an unknown, but I think it’s in Montana. They collaborate with local ing it,” Jamie Ford said. sense that they perform in the shadows, something that keeps things precious. If leaders and United Nations agencies. At 15, Lessha Ford was an exchange stu- mysterious at times, while fans who attend you knew that you were never going to die, The program has a reputation for safety, dent to Chile and the only one placed with a the shows often leave with a “you had to be how precious would life be? If you thought with opportunities for the whole family to lower-income family. there” perspective. creativity was always going to flow, how use their skills and do actual work. Orga- “I had seen it differently and wanted to This is the first professional video re- precious would it be?” nizers aim for self-sustaining projects based share that with my family,” she said. cording and release of an APC show and A Perfect Circle last played in Montana on what the village decides is needed using She was “traumatized in a good way, there was a bit of hesitation by the band in 2004 when they stopped for a show at the local supplies. which is what we wanted to do to our chil- when it came to sharing the experience Valley Ice Garden in Bozeman. It’s a gig Leesha Ford, her husband novelist Jamie dren,” Jamie Ford added. “My kids are real- with people not actually in attendance. that still resonates with Howerdel. Ford, as well as Haley, Lucas, Madison and ly into the ‘Hunger Games.’ This was that “That part I’m a little mixed about,” “I have a working title called ‘Bozeman.’ Taylor Ford, Kassie and Karissa Procopio moment where the kids realize we’re the Howerdel said. “The show had to look right, I usually title songs of what just happened, and Brittany Shipman volunteered in Pom- capital.” and I think this one does. The show came and I wrote the song in that mini-arena,” he mern as teachers and laborers. Jamie Ford out great. I think it’s a fair and honest rep- said. resentation of the band.” “That was the first and only time I’d also fulfilled the role of test subject so staff A family dream could learn how to use the medical supplies While A Perfect Circle hasn’t come out ever flown in a private jet. We were ballin’ the family brought. The trip connected one more generation with a proper studio album of fresh, new out of control in Montana,” he added with a “I know now why we brought the kids,” of Leesha Ford’s family to rural Tanzania. songs in a decade, Howerdel is ready and laugh. “We played that show, and I think we Jamie Ford said. A dream of Leesha Ford’s mom was to do willing when the time comes to hit the stu- had a show the next day in Kansas and we “At first I was skeptical. I thought the service in Kenya. She died of cancer before dio again. Keenan maintains an incredibly couldn’t get there in time. It was the only expense to get there could be a donation before she ever saw Africa, but in honor of busy schedule, balancing his time between flight we could book. It was a little taste of instead. We all knew Leesha would have that, Leesha Ford brought soil from her his bands (Tool, APC and Puscifer) while rock stardom.” desirable skills, but we didn’t know how we mom’s yard and planted it in a plant nursery could contribute,” he said. “I was proud of in Tanzania.                   my teenagers. They were enthusiastic and “I did a soil exchange to bring a piece of confident.” that back,” she said. Most people he met in rural Tanzania The connection is ongoing for her chil-        travel about 50 kilometers in a lifetime, so dren, too. She said the experience has helped contact with the wider world in meaningful. her children be more able to say yes to chal- “People are so happy you came to see lenges — including interest in returning on them,” he said. “We brought photos of the their own to Pommern.           Grand Canyon, of Montana, things they “We have kids who want to go back,” she would never see otherwise.” said. “I don’t think I could stay away.” The pictures of the family, and evidence     dogs are kept inside and are part of the fam- Reach Tribune Staff Writer Kristen Inbody at ily, were also a revelation. 791-1490 or email [email protected].                           Copyright (c)2013 Great Falls Tribune 12/13/2013 4. Stop worrying about well-adjusted despite all the Points what everyone else is doing starts and stops with tradi-          and do what works for your tions, chores and well-mean-           Continued from 1L family. One of my favorite ing discipline. Just do your bloggers says “It doesn’t best today, not yesterday.        Make sure the time, money have to be perfect to be Part of growing up is         and effort is for a good rea- beautiful.” Stop trying to getting to decide who you’ll son or at least enough good make your memories and be, what your family and         reasons that everyone en- traditions look magazine- relationships look like and if          joys them. worthy and just make it you’ll make your kid eat        family worthy. Pinterest is Brussels sprouts. You get to 3. Parenting is all about great for ideas, but don’t get create this new cast of peo-         being chronically inconve- bogged down in the compar- ple and make memories and          nienced, really. Your efforts ison game. If setting up traditions. Parenting is the to make the holidays memo-         different “elf fighting army most important job in the rable for your children men” scenes gets you all world, and it can get intense             should be like how you feel hyped then go for it but if with all the giving and tak-            after you give blood — that Elf+Shelf=bile in the back ing of cool points. Be in- the experience was slightly           of your throat, feel free to tentional, flexible and enjoy difficult but worth it. If you         create another ritual. these moments because feel like you’ve donated six unlike seventh grade, they      !    "  liters and just gave your 5. Give yourself a break. don’t last forever.                 last drop of your soul, then You’re probably not doing you might want to scale as bad of a job as you think   #  $%      #          back and focus on what you are. Most kids turn out Elizabeth Hill loves spending                '),'      your family enjoys. moderately normal and time with her family and making others laugh.                     -   &  '(()   *   +            Are you and NOT JUST       #  $      #  $  seeking aCareer -         , another job...               .         !  -      …a career path that allows you to grow personally and professionally? " #                /   …where cutting edge educational and learning opportunities are always in front of you?                          *       If you answer YES we want to talk to you . . .                   ,                                                         The Great Falls Tribune has a career opportunity in our advertising department           for a dynamic and self-motivated professional. As an Advertising Account $    "    #     Executive you will be responsible for selling advertising campaigns to                      ! businesses in the Great Falls Tribune marketing area.      $          "     Responsibilities include developing print and digital advertising plans, selling     #          -  online and social media marketing products; providing appropriate service to $                .       accounts; and forecasting and tracking account activity.       • Sales experience and degree preferred, but not required. • Excellent customer service and communication skills a must. #         "        % • Requires valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and vehicle insurance coverage.              %&   #         Weekly base pay, plus monthly commission plan based on goal achievement       Excellent full-time benefit package            %           Send resume along with salary history and requirements to:      &     Max W. Smith - Advertising Director         Great Falls Tribune, P.O. Box 5468, Great Falls, MT 59403         '  Or email: [email protected]          *      0 12              An Equal Opportunity Employer  “We recognize and appreciate the benefits of diversity in the workplace.”