It was a glorious day, one more than three years in the making! On March 17, 2023, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation cut the ribbon and officially reopened its Elk Country Visitor Center.
Closed for more than three years because of COVID-19 restrictions and two different broken sprinkler pipe flooding episodes in the office building, RMEF welcomed outdoor industry members and the Montana community for the festivities.
Below is a photo montage of the day’s events.
RMEF headquarters several hours before the grand reopening
Activities included retail specials, gear giveaways, raffle & membership offers, food trucks and kids activities
RMEF President & CEO Kyle Weaver leading a “State of the RMEF” roundtable discussion
More than 40 outdoor industry partners from across the country took part in the roundtable and participated in a tour of the RMEF campus
Randy Newberg, long-time RMEF volunteer, former RMEF board member and well-respected public lands hunter, served as emcee for the ribbon cutting
A standing-room only full house packed the rotunda for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony
With scissors in hand, Kyle Weaver takes aim…
…and cuts the ribbon, officially reopening the Elk Country Visitor Center
Outdoor industry partners were on hand with product samples and exclusive giveaways
RMEF volunteers provided a series of membership specials and raffles
Two food trucks from the greater Missoula area offered a tasty lunch on a sunny Montana afternoon
Yes, T-A-S-T-Y!
Crowds swapped smiles and even some hunting stories
Kyle Weaver chats with Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana
Shoppers had (and still have) plenty of retail options from RMEF partners Browning, Eberlestock, Kenetrek, Leupold and the Montana Knife Company…
…as well as RMEF apparel
The newly expanded retail section of the Elk Country Visitor Center (open Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 5705 Grant Creek Road in Missoula, Montana – admission is free)
It was Friday & St. Patrick’s Day so why not start the 4 o’clock happy hour fundraiser 30 minutes early?
The day-long party kicks into another gear
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation lucky hunting t-shirt