Merlin Receives $10,000 Social Services Nonprofit Grant from Montana Department of Commerce & DPHHS

Much gratitude to the Montana Department of Commerce and the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services for awarding our organization a grant as part of their Corona Virus Relief program.  This grant will help to support  every day operations, existing programing and future programming viability.  Thank you so much!!!

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2020 Merlin Mailer Mid-Season Newsletter

Well….2020 has been a doozy thus far. That’s putting it beyond lightly. Every one of his has been affected in some shape or form from the world events. This is what it has felt like for us! Amidst this whirlwind, it’s our sincere hope that you and your loved ones are well, safe & healthy. We’ve been doing our best to respond & adapt accordingly (and not get too grated in the process!). Here’s a newsletter highlighting what we’ve been up to & things on the radar this Fall. Read more here!

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July 2020 Philosophy Walk: Into the Wild with Muir & Pinchot

What a gorgeous day for our July philosophy walk with author and journalist John Clayton.  And what a great group of people. Through a combination of storytelling, biography, and philosophy, our walk took us into the wild (up Davis Gulch) with John Muir & Gifford Pinchot. Access audio recordings & photos from the walk here!

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Jim “Poz” Posewitz: He was the Real Deal

There was no B.S. about Poz.  He was the real deal.  His best shots” have made Montana a better place.  And his legacy will continue to do the same.  These are the marks of a great teacher.  Someone who walks the walk.  Someone who inspires greatness in others.  Someone whose “best shots” never end. It has been an honor and privilege knowing you, friend. Here’s to continuing kicking up dust!

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Merlin Receives $3,500 Grant from Humanities Montana for their 2020 “Thinking as a Community” Project

Our “Thinking as a Community” public philosophy project stems from our belief in the importance of staying connected as a people, the richness and power of thinking together, the value of philosophy and philosophically driven dialogue across disciplines, the importance of cultivating of our personal and civic selves, and the vital role the humanities plays in this process. Our project will offer opportunities for communities to think together (on-line/digitally and in-person) via philosophy workshops and philosophy “walk”shops over the course of 2020 into 2021.  We are tremendously grateful to Humanities MT and the National Endowment for the Humanities for their support of our project and for all of the amazing work they are doing in Montana! 

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June 2020 Philosophy Walk: Leisure & Loafing

How nice it was to be outside in the elements after being cooped up for several months (for obvious pandemic-related reasons)! With the sunshine on our backs (coupled with a few bouts of rain), we explored Mount Helena by way of the Daisy Hill, Bitterroot Way, and Prairie Trails and talked about leisure & loafing with philosopher David Nowakowski.
Access audio recordings & photos from the walk here!

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Merlin Receives $5,000 CARES Grant from Humanities Montana

Understanding ourselves and the world we live in is critical to our well-being – as individuals and communities.  The questions (and answers) that arise from this sort of seeking — why we do the things we do, how we make meaning of our experiences in the world, what things we ought to strive for and how to best go navigate life – fall largely within the domain of the humanities.  It is for these reasons alone (though certainly many more arguments in favor of the humanities can be made), that funding for the humanities is imperative.  We are deeply grateful for organizations like Humanities MT and for their efforts to help keep the humanities alive and thriving in Montana.

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Merlin Receives $2,000 Grant from PLATO for their “Thinking as a Community” Program

The Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization (PLATO) is amazing!!!  We are so grateful for their continued support of our organization and public philosophy programs!!  

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