ASSOCIATION

Meet the Bannack Association

Board of Directors

The Bannack Association is managed and represented by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Otis Anderson currently serves as President of the board.


Board Member Bios:

Otis Anderson – President

Otis Anderson is a retired educator who has been a Bannack Association member since 2004 and a board member since 2011. He has served the board as treasurer, vice president and is currently president of the board. He has been actively involved in Bannack Days activities and events as an association member. The Bannack Days Sunday church service and the annual May clean-up day are two activities that he is especially involved with. Like all members of the association he recognizes the uniqueness and value of Bannack State Park to our cultural heritage and its value as a tourist destination. And it is for these reasons that he is grateful for the opportunity to be able to serve on the board and to be able to contribute to maintaining this wonderful historic site.

Linda Mazejka – Vice President

I’ve been a Bannack Association member for many years. I love Bannack. I organize and serve both at the the ice cream counter in the Skinner Saloon and for the Volunteer Dinner during Bannack Days. I think Bannack State Park is one of the best places in Montana. I hope to serve the Bannack board and Bannack Association to the best of my ability for a long time.

Karyn Dingley – Secretary

I have been a loyal and enthusiastic participant of Bannack Days since 2014. My husband is native to Dillon and not only did he bring me to this beautiful part of the country but also introduced me to the fun and enriching world of volunteering at Bannack State Park. I helped with the Gold Panning activity for a few years and have now transitioned into gaming demonstrations. In 2017 I became involved with the Ghost Walks, an historic recreation of events with a fun and spooky twist. I very quickly became as proud of the local heritage as this community is and am glad to be able to do my small part in preserving its history and telling her story. I have had the opportunity to serve on the board since 2018 and am impressed with just how dedicated and helpful our board members, association members and community members are in maintaining and preserving our state park and history. I have been asked to help monitor our Facebook page, to help maintain the Bannack Association page of the Bannack State Park website and to perform the duties of Secretary in keeping the minutes and correspondence.  I am honored to take on these responsibilities and will perform my duties to the best of my ability.

Mary Anne Wofford – Membership

As a dedicated vendor and volunteer at both Bannack Days and Montana Living History -Bannack, I have a proven dedication and desire towards the continuing protection and preservation of our treasured State’s first capitol. My work with Montana Living History has allowed me the privilege to conduct research into the lives of Bannack’s first residences in order to accurately portray what life was like for the women who lived in Bannack. My work at Bannack Days has given me a strong desire to continue to promote the event and to participate in making it all happen year after year. I have worked at Bannack Days since 2010 and with Montana Living History since 2016. Additionally, I have frequented both events for several years before becoming actively involved.

Fran Schisler

I first went to Bannack in 1968.  I don’t think it was a park at the time. I loved being there then because you could drive through town and see everything in a very realistic setting, including people who still lived there.  Years later, as a 4-H leader, our club would volunteer to help with the clean-up in May.  We would sweep out the Meade Hotel and set up the Rayburn House to look as it might have looked when lived in, and we helped wash windows.  After our day of cleaning, we would have a picnic in front of the Rayburn House.  When teaching at Grant and at Polaris, I took students to Bannack on field trips and we would enjoy Dale Tash as he told us stories about growing up in  Bannack. I have been a part of various projects at Bannack during Bannack Days.  I helped with serving ice cream in the Skinner Saloon, helped make prairie dolls, did organized games and art projects with children and I have taught old time dancing for the past several years.  Because of my love for Montana and the exciting History it holds, I continue to give support to Bannack and hope to serve the Bannack Association as a member to the best of my ability.