[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6152903,"mediaKeyId","5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f","parentId",5495385,"title","Stories at Tell Us Something touched on loss, recovery, LGBTQ identity and public health","audioSeconds",216,"startMs",533320,"endMs",750315,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f&start=533&end=750","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f/thumbnail_533320.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6152903/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Stories-at-Tell-Us-Something-touched-on-loss-recovery-LGBTQ-identity-and-public-health","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152903-e0ffa7c4714dc4b202f84b812b27720e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448541&Signature=CWom5pDZcmx8ocCtS3CLHe8iA-txj5p~hGnljW1Bz3UNySagTYjZ9Jk8Jvv98nMkjlThcDNiEddnYAFAj10hyjJdio91oBJN0SU8m52LUux-NYbALopt97lBHQnsdmFd6KAvjCSe9aswvcHVIRy9R9ntMZqqzIuiy-hGuT66BOSWXssAEiI8YuxCgexqH8cVii20hKhUOaOaD0GsaNom6Nx53ipUvntBYVCQrm7VmXAn7spAguJ83yCCHRBgFwFaybW62zRESwjnNph4hGE8sbkGqV7A3V5XI3OhwdqqYsr4CY4w78KWCFVeD603LR2aqvSkDprtJ803boscVJmoyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Missoula, MT","date","2025-07-28T19:07:14Z","article","Tell Us Something's evening of short, personal stories included first-person accounts of illness and public-health encounters, struggles with identity and relationships, and experiences of grief and recovery.

One of the night's storytellers, Hammy, described moving from Montana to work in public health, an early-day clinic visit and subsequent testing: “I have gonorrhea,” he said when recounting how he told colleagues and received testing and treatment; a later test result was negative. Hammy also described the health department's clinical response and an initial concern the doctor had about a lesion that prompted full protective equipment, a detail he said led staff to treat him without stigma.

Other storytellers placed loss and recovery at the center of their pieces. Karna Sundby recounted finding a partner dead by suicide and described the grief work and therapy that followed; she said that finding a therapeutic approach (neuro-linguistic programming) helped stop nightmares and enabled her to work with trauma survivors. Avada Being and several other storytellers told stories about LGBTQ identity, intimate relationships and the challenges of returning to or reclaiming life after loss. Katie Van Dorn told a chronicle of repeated surgeries and rehabilitation that led to renewed outdoor activity.

The emcee prefaced the evening's content by warning audience members that some stories include adult themes and language. Several storytellers said they found community and professional help that aided recovery: Hammy credited public-health staff for compassion during clinical care; Karna identified therapy and a later partner as central to healing; Lauren Tobias described community ties and shared rituals after a lost-and-found episode with a dog.

Organizers framed the program as a community space for acknowledgment and connection, noting both the potential for difficult material and the intent to foster listening and mutual support.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tell Us Something presents - \"Lost and Found\"","oneSentenceSummary","Several storytellers at Tell Us Something shared personal narratives about illness, identity, grief and recovery — from a public-health anecdote about testing and treatment to accounts of suicide, relationship loss and reclaiming identity.","taxTitle","Missoula, Missoula County, Montana","taxId",4050,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152907,"Tell Us Something asks audience for donations, cites stewardship program and foundation support",183,3350610,3534080,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f&start=3350&end=3534","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f/thumbnail_3350610.jpg","/articles/6152907/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Tell-Us-Something-asks-audience-for-donations-cites-stewardship-program-and-foundation-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152907-518490c4153859d6f1d8515940936f38/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448541&Signature=G87Z8GWOaVFXpUiJzaiKq9DiStqPDBPT80ls0lllsOOnkT4xu-xeWEYk4PVLeCSSn~vsNk~nswPCFUxIxrun-IqmZ8Z1fxWyX8vYKyU~MYrboctepwv0Y-vs62ng4-VzIL8EBRFxNe1VdiFAB2WKUVHCc-XmdFmf9FQAD-rhNYbj8boSNGyGUh60mxV0CBRCkxKi~NezNcFpdRmBBknmKaRe0FoDOi9pELy4jvizwOkvXAki-2WqA7gKjL9X-zvf38TANT7o1Jv6wIXBUz2vhAfcvFFWYtxtrHopHmnxX0iDn9bqDT8f71rpgy~nWpZdmDEBRXC6M-M-8bXngmc9Yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tell Us Something organizers asked the audience to support the Missoula storytelling series during intermission, saying donations help pay storytellers, interpreters and cover venue and recording expenses.

“Kathy Witkowski, a Tell Us Something board member, told the crowd the program pays storytellers and interpreters and sometimes lacks funds to pay the longtime producer,” the emcee noted while introducing her remarks. Witkowski asked for contributions during the performance and said the organizers were “hoping to come away with an extra $1,500.” She explained that if audience members could not give money, there was no pressure, and that donations could be made with cash buckets passed in the aisles or via a QR code displayed on screen.

The program highlighted a stewardship initiative that provides a limited number of free tickets at each event so nonprofits and others who cannot afford admission can attend. Organizers also thanked the Greater Montana Foundation for financial support and Missoula Community Access Television for a recording grant.

During the intermission the emcee confirmed donations were collected and the show continued with audience participation and the second half of storytellers.

Details provided on stage did not specify how frequently the stewardship tickets are distributed or the exact eligibility criteria for recipients; organizers directed interested parties to tellussomething.org for more information.","Tell Us Something organizers requested donations during intermission to cover performer pay and operating costs, said a stewardship program provides limited free tickets, and named the Greater Montana Foundation as a funder.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152913,"Missoula audience gathers for Tell Us Something storytelling night at Oak Ridge Park",6738,11360,6749590,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f&start=11&end=6749","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5495385-2d50db050f54a09ca579ed8ee40b458f/thumbnail_11360.jpg","/articles/6152913/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-audience-gathers-for-Tell-Us-Something-storytelling-night-at-Oak-Ridge-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152913-1281e6ede8c3f2c70f16e3043499636b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448541&Signature=SvGjwENqfvqF4sHAffc3DLPf2C61m-Qzgy8miDMQg9YalNoMxbzTt-0NjcVIPHL6UdcrNN815Lve5Mos3uwwgR9lXQlebXoF27wH3hXUDI3~ImkXptRbzfUnnIICLxk9mcXidilzB98TofNsahlt3orVzuyMpLdHQbso-srBEtnceVOsRSov41MUi6t67w9tqC4-uc07kRX1uhlDJ0D4UwO0t1UIgSGphGgwZHsY-nsE7UySC~YlOrE0VfVb63jbSYboo3XKB-I5ONV-yIW0csYBoBslXCEtiTHFWEklGV1YTNiWLQCcYZRkN0utiZ5jI7OSSmg8shytB-O322ZOsw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tell Us Something held an outdoor storytelling night at Oak Ridge Park in Missoula on a warm summer evening, bringing eight paid storytellers to a community stage and recording the event for local access television.

The program opened with a land acknowledgement noting Oak Ridge Park sits on the ancestral territory of the Salish and Kalispel peoples and directing listeners to Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes cultural resources. The emcee (Mark) told the audience: “This event is being recorded by the Missoula Community Access Television,” and reviewed venue rules including a nonsmoking, no-reentry policy and locations of restrooms.

Tell Us Something presented eight storytellers, each with a 10-minute slot, and a mid-show intermission. Performers included Hammy, who described work in occupational safety and founding Queer Butte Arts and Culture; Katie Van Dorn, a Missoula real-estate agent and Montana Public Radio contributor; Karna Sundby, who spoke about surviving a partner's suicide and later becoming a practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming; and Lauren Tobias, who told a story about a dog she adopted while living on the Fort Peck Reservation. The emcee reminded the audience that some stories may include adult themes and language.

Organizers also acknowledged partners and sponsors on stage, including Missoula Community Access Television (recording grant) and the Greater Montana Foundation (financial support). Board member Kathy Witkowski noted the program pays storytellers and interpreters and covers venue and recording costs.

The evening closed with a reminder about the next Tell Us Something event, scheduled for October 7 at the Denison Theater, and thanks to audience members for attending and donating.

Tell Us Something continues to present live, paid storytelling in Missoula and to record performances for community access television.","A summer evening of personal stories drew a full house to Tell Us Something in Missoula. Organizers played a land-acknowledgement, paid storytellers, and recorded the event for local access TV while soliciting donations to keep the series running.","actionData","errors"]

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Stories at Tell Us Something touched on loss, recovery, LGBTQ identity and public health

Tell Us Something asks audience for donations, cites stewardship program and foundation support

Missoula audience gathers for Tell Us Something storytelling night at Oak Ridge Park