LOR, Viergutz mark three years of supporting Libby

It was a job she really wasn’t sure she wanted at first, but Libby’s Tabitha Viergutz is very thankful she eventually became the Libby Community Officer for the LOR Foundation.

“I initially turned it down,” Viergutz said in a recent interview with The Western News. “But I have family in Lander (Wyoming) where LOR has a community officer and after talking to some of them and learning more about the foundation, I was convinced it was the right move.”

Viergutz, who previously worked for the state of Montana helping folks through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, resigned her government job. Her co-workers recommended her for the Libby Community Officer position and after a five-month interview process, she was hired.

The LOR Foundation was launched by co-founders Amy Wyss and Ed Jaramillo in Taos, New Mexico. Its mission is to work with small communities in the mountain west, specifically Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

“The founders realized that in several places, land preservation was being done but people were being left out of the equation and no was listening to the locals,” Viergutz said.

Saturday, June 21, Viergutz, family and friends got together at Fred Brown Pavilion in Libby to celebrate LOR’s third anniversary. While three years may not seem like a long enough span to celebrate, the work the non-profit has done since the summer of 2022 is nothing short of remarkable.

LOR and Viergutz have distributed $1.9 million in grants, also known as solutions, to Libby area schools, law enforcement agencies, first responders, county and city governments, places of worship, youth sports, health care facilities, shooting sports, community theater and many others. She expects the grant total to hit the $2 million mark in August.

While that’s great news, the best may be yet to come because the foundation has decided to extend their stay for another two to three years.

"Libby Schools would like to thank the LOR Foundation for their generosity and intentional compassion," Libby Superintendent Ron Goodman said. "The LOR Foundation has been thoughtful in their approach to invest in projects that solve problems. Because of this approach, we see actions that improve our community. This approach has fostered a feeling of "others first" in our community, and we see more people caring about public spaces and increased pride in our community! Thank you so much for your impact in supporting "My Kind of Libby!"

In total, nearly 80 entities have received grants as small as $171 (Jerry Dean Park) and as large as $30,000 (to Em Kayan Water and Sewer District, Lincoln County Health Department, Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana (CAPNWMT) and CASA of Lincoln County).

Viergutz professes to not have one favorite solution and she appreciates how they have helped her learn the history of the area.

“We’ve had 155 solutions and every single one of them has meant something to me,” Viergutz said. “But getting to learn more about the history here has been one of the biggest rewards.”

The foundation has a budget of $200,000 per quarter and it appears it will be operating in Libby until 2028.

“Private philanthropy will never cover all the expenses, but we’re pleased to do what we can,” Viergutz said. “One of the other things that I’m happiest about is that the community is the deciding factor of where the money goes and what is most impactful. Recognizing the work that needs to be done, we’re looking forward to doing more.”

LOR’s first solution came on the heels of an event that drew national attention.

When Ryker Webb, 3 years old at the time, went missing in early June 2022 in the Bull Lake area from his home, local authorities and volunteer group David Thompson Search and Rescue began to look for him. 

The SAR team didn’t have enough radios to properly communicate with each other during the search. Fortunately, he was found safe a few days later. 

Local game warden Jon Obst is also the president of DTSAR and he met Viergutz following an introduction from county Sheriff Darren Short.

That led to the group getting a grant to buy enough new radios and five mobile repeaters, which were installed in DTSAR’s rescue vehicles and can boost radio signal across dozens of miles.

“This opportunity emerged as a priority because of collaborative efforts to find a lost little boy,” she said. “It’s inspiring to see the community come together like this.”

LOR’s smallest solution came about as the result of a young woman who wanted to solve the litter problem at Jerry Dean Park, south of Libby.

Fifteen-year-old Crystalina Noble began walking with her own broom and trash bags nearly a mile from her home to clean the park three to four times per week. Each trip required her to carry trash to and from a distant dumpster multiple times, a draining effort that she thought would be easier if the park had trash bins. LOR’s funding helped Libby’s most dedicated local purchase trash bins for the park and put up a sign encouraging residents to keep the space clean, clearing the way for more residents to visit.

"LOR has had such a positive impact on the Libby community by providing funds for much needed, but not always affordable projects for local nonprofits," Libby Mayor Peggy Williams said. "When the city was looking for help funding new playground equipment LOR stepped up and provided an ADA accessible piece of feature. More recently, LOR provided funding for the new skateboard element at Fireman’s Park. LOR has provided the city with funding for better ADA access to its public spaces and radios for improved communication between crews. The city anticipates future collaboration with LOR on needed projects."

Among their biggest solutions was the issue of trace asbestos contamination at an outdoor space in Em Kayan Village, a residential area outside of downtown Libby contamination and the cost-prohibitive measures needed to remove it. 

Members of the neighborhood talked about ways to address the problem when a board member for the subdivision reached out to the LOR Foundation. With LOR’s help, the Em Kayan Village Water and Sewer District will be able to hire contractors to remove contaminated soil, replace it with grass, and restore a community space that will feature fields and playground equipment.

Another large solution involved Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana. It was able to hire landscape professionals to design and install outdoor gathering spaces, play areas and green spaces around the new housing complex on Commerce Way, giving residents a safe place for children to play and adults to gather.

Also, the county Health Department was able to purchase a small SUV that can navigate difficult terrain and reach homebound residents throughout the Libby area, allowing health department staff to provide services like vaccinations, health inspections and mental health support directly to people who can’t make it to the annex for care.

For CASA, its volunteers regularly check on the safety and well-being of dozens of Libby children who are placed in temporary homes due to abuse and neglect concerns, some as far away as Kalispell. 

But, a main problem is many volunteers struggle with the long-distance travel required to perform these vital checks, using their own cars and finances for trips. Staff with CASA of Lincoln County saw how transportation challenges affected volunteers’ ability to serve children, so they came up with a solution: a car for volunteers.

A LOR grant helped it purchase a dedicated vehicle, ensuring the group’s 12 volunteers can continue to advocate, connect and build relationships to support Libby’s vulnerable children.

Viergutz has an office at the Libby campus of the Flathead Valley Community College where she can be reached or contact her at 406-250-5218 or tabitha@lorfoundation.org. Also, see the foundation website at lorfoundation.org.

“I want people to contact me with project ideas so we can keep getting things done,” Viergutz said. “We’ll fund projects between $5 and $30,000, but $10,000 is kind of the sweet spot.”

Projects are typically approved in four to six weeks, much less time than most agencies take to approve a grant.

    Troy musician Ethan Crowe performed at the third anniversary gathering Saturday, June 21, 2025, of the LOR Foundation at Fred Brown Pavilion in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)