The Only Paintball Field in the Flathead, MT Action Parks Opening June 8

The sport of paintballing is rapidly growing, but there are few places to play, especially in the Flathead Valley. About three fields have opened in recent years, but have not been sustained.  

   Owner, Sean Miller, trying out the new

   course with a few young friends.

The field is located just south of the waterslides in Columbia Falls on Highway 206. It sits on a 17 acre plot and is a scenario style course with tires, drums and bunkers. In the center of the course is an octagon; 1400 square feet in diameter with eight exterior walls, four interior walls and bunkers, which is a course inside the course for a fast paced, 360 degree play. There are two main bases on the field, which is 264 feet long by 164 feet wide.

Owner and founder of MT Action Parks, Sean Miller, started paintballing with friends in the woods. “I lost every game,” Sean laughed, “but it was really fun.” He and a friend built a small course in the woods. Friend Shaun Pandina approached Sean to look at his property for future design of a paintball field, and the two eventually partnered up on MT Action Parks.

 

"I saw a need in the valley not so much for the players with their own gear, but for the 98% of the people who don’t have their own gear and have always wanted to play paintball. God has opened all the doors for this to happen. I love paintball and I think it is the greatest game out there. You don't need to have any experience our even own your own gear. Anyone can come enjoy all of the benefits of paintball," said Sean.

MT Action Parks Grand Opening promotion is $20 for rental package (excluding paintballs) and they will waive the $10 field fee for 2 hours. Opening day is Friday June 8. They are hosing a double elimination, 2 on 2 Tournament this summer. Entrance fee is $50 per player and the grand prize is a brand new Tippman A5 Marker for both winners, with paintballs, barrels and masks as prizes for second and third places. The two Seans (or Shauns) also have a school bus to set up mobile paintballing with all the equipment.

MT Action Parks. 3585 MT Hwy 206, Columbia Falls, MT, 59912. Call Sean at 406-249-5459 or Shaun at 406-250-3062. MtActionParks.com. facebook.com/MontanaActionParks. Fridays and Saturdays 10am to 10pm, Sundays 4pm to 10pm, Weekdays by reservation. $30 full rental package includes paintball marker, mask, air tank, pod pack, 100 paintballs. $10 field fee. Tippman and Hammerhead Authorized Dealer.

　

Hard-Hitting Child Trafficking Documentary and Ministry Team in Kalispell After Nation-Wide Tour

Nefarious, Merchant of Souls, is a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery. From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily. The film shows where slaves are sold (often in developed, affluent countries), where they work, and where they are confined. It shows first-hand interviews with real victims and traffickers, along with expert analysis from international humanitarian leaders.

The screening took place at Headwaters Ministries in Whitefish last Thursday at 7 pm. Windie Jo Fischer organized the event, totally free to the public. “God has given me a burden for this issue,” she said. “The biggest thing is that awareness is such key factor. America is so far behind in acknowledging this issue.”

She pointed out, “A hundred thousand to three hundred thousand U.S. minors are being trafficked… there are only a hundred beds for rescue workers. Through awareness we can become knowledgeable on how to pray and what to pray for… we can combat this darkness through prayer and change the atmosphere of what’s going on.”

“It was a fluke how we got this documentary to come to Kalispell,” she said. The Nefarious documentary and screening comes with a ministry team. Windie called the organization, who only visits major market areas, and they called her back and agreed to stop in Kalispell on their way home from their nation-wide tour. Luke Dowler performed his “Silence is Shameful” track, which was written for child trafficking awareness.

The Flathead Abolitionist Movement published a 5 page report on local occurrences including bogus modeling gigs, the recent Valentines kidnapping and parents selling their kids for drugs. Windie is the founder and director of Just One Love Ministries. Stay tuned with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/windiejo.

The Art and Power of Listening

by Gayle North, Positive Change Coach

Effective people monopolize the listening.

Others monopolize the talking.

Our ears are our intake valves. They feed the mind with the raw materials of insights and ideas which stimulate our own creativity and effectiveness. We learn little from telling, and there is no limit to what we can learn by asking and listening.

You can probably think of a time in your life when you jumped to a conclusion because you didn’t invite the other person to fully explain, or you missed the point, or you didn't hear the whole story. You may have taken some action that you later regretted because of a lack of the understanding on your part.

The pain my clients experience often comes from the misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the communications and actions of the ones they love. More focus in needed on understanding each other in families.

Successful businesses spend large sums in consumer research. Listening to people provides definite ideas for product configuration and marketing. Top level leaders in all walks of life spend much more time requesting input than they do giving it. Before a true leader makes a decision, he asks, "How do you feel about it?" "What suggestions or recommendations do you have?"

Steven Covey, the author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" says, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." As parents, teachers, and partners we can increase our effectiveness by listening and discovering what is important to the other person and what their positive intention for their position or behavior is. Once we understand, we have a better chance of influencing the other to respond the way we want them to.

Defensiveness is a major block to listening and hence, to understanding another. What is so threatening about hearing the other person out and even encouraging them to express?

Covey writes: "If you want to interact effectively with me, to influence me—your spouse, your child, your neighbor, your boss, your co-worker, your friend – you first need to understand me. Unless I open up with you, so you can understand my unique situation and feelings, you won't know how to advise me or counsel me. You may say you care about me and appreciate me. I desperately want to believe that. But how can you appreciate me when you don't even understand me? All I have are your words, and I can't trust words. I'm too angry and defensive – perhaps too guilty and afraid to be influenced, even though inside I know I need what you have to say."

A mind that feeds only on itself soon is undernourished, becoming weak and incapable of creative, progressive thought. Concentrate on what the other person says. Listening is more than just keeping our own mouth shut. Listening means letting what's said penetrate our mind. Too often, people pretend to be listening when they are not listening at all. Concentrate on what the other person says. When we mentally and emotionally digest what we hear with curiosity and interest we are taking full advantage of the gifts of ideas and understandings others have to offer.  

Gayle North offers Personal Coaching for Positive Change using recently developed empowerment technologies that dramatically cut the time it takes to adopt a more joyous self image, have emotional relief, improve performance in school, sports, relationships, etc. Visit www.positivechangeinstitute.com other articles. Call Gayle at Success Strategies in Bigfork, MT. (406)837-1214 to speak with her about workshops or individual coaching in person or by phone.