“This generous individual is excited to see the fairgrounds revitalization project come to life and hopes these matching funds will encourage others to get involved in supporting this important community project,” says Mary Rutherford, MCF president and chief executive officer.

Donations can be made online at http://gofund.me/c168a190 or by mail to P.O. Box 171, Standford, MT 59749. Donations will be matched until January 31, 2023. Direct gifts toward the project qualify for the match. Pledges and most grants do not qualify. $114,415 in eligible donations has already been raised. An additional $260,585 is needed to meet the match.

The Judith Basin County Fairgrounds Revitalization Project was launched in 2020 by Stanford Open, a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting projects that benefit the communities in Judith Basin County. Initial funding for the project came through proceeds from Stanford Open’s annual golf tournament.

The Judith Basin County Fairgrounds is in Stanford, Montana, and is overdue for improvements. Fairgrounds are an important part of Montana’s economy and play a major economic role in the communities where they are located. Throughout rural America and Montana, fairgrounds provide an important space for the local community to gather and participate in a variety of recreational, social, educational, agricultural, and commercial activities. The Judith Bason Fairgrounds is the only venue in the County to host events, many of which are the life of the community.

The revitalization project will support upgrades to facilities throughout the fairgrounds- including the bathrooms, lighting, and electrical- and updates to the arena. The project also includes adding new elevated metal bleachers and a permanent covered shade area. Funding is often hard to find for these sorts of improvements, so this generous matching gift is critical to keep this important community asset going.

“Our hope through this project is to not only bring a new vibrancy to the fairgrounds but also to bring our community together in support of something that will benefit its future,” says Oliver Urick, Stanford Open president. “We also hope it will bring more visitors and events to the area.”

To learn more, visit the Stanford Open Facebook page or contact Oliver Urick at (406) 868-9421 or o_urick@hubblelandandlaw.com.