Honors Rocky Erickson of McCone County as Montanan of the Week
BOZEMAN, Mont. — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Rocky Erickson of McCone County for his long run as the voice of Montana sports. McCone County is the 56th county Daines has recognized as part of his Montanan of the Week program.
On April 30, 2015, Daines announced a new effort to recognize Montanans who exemplify the Treasure State’s strong legacy of community spirit and leadership. In this effort, Daines has stopped across the state to recognize Montanans in all of the 56 counties.
Daines recorded a video earlier today announcing the wrap up of all 56 counties and the start of the next round of Montanan of the Week:
Click HERE to download Daines’ remarks.
Some honorees include:
- Sergeant Tim Lingle of Roosevelt County on August 4, 2016
- Jaydyn Child of Dillon on June 12, 2015
- Pete Gardzina of Montana City on November 6, 2015
- Louis Armentaro, WWII veteran at the Livingston Rodeo on July 2, 2016
- Russ Fullmer of Sidney Sugars on September 25, 2015
- Joan Eliel of Broadwater on September 23, 2016
- Belle Wendelburg of Ekalaka on January 27, 2017
- Ben Steele, Bataan Death March survivor and artist of Billings on July 10, 2015
- Riley Slivka of Winifred on September 11, 2015
- Rocky Mountain Rifle Club on December 11, 2015
- Jeremiah Kennedy of Glacier on November 18, 2016
- Jim Weber of Helena on June 5, 2015
- Big Timber Grade School on March 18, 2016
- Principal Jacob Rancom of Troy on September 18, 2015
- Caley Clark, a teacher in White Sulphur Springs on July 31, 2015
- Paul Kanning of Flaxville on April 8, 2016
- U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sergeant Blake Wombold of Heart Butte on January 22, 2016
Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here.
Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress.
Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form on Daines’ website: http://www.daines.senate.gov/connect/email-steve
The following is the statement submitted to the Congressional Record:
MONTANAN OF THE WEEK
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the distinct honor of recognizing Rocky Erickson for his long run as the voice of Montana sports. When traveling along the many roads in Big Sky Country, or stopping in at a local watering hole for a bite to eat, if you are in earshot of a radio, and that radio is tuned to local sports, there is a good chance that Rocky is on the other end of the broadcast.
Rocky grew up on his family’s wheat farm in the small McCone County community of Vida. After high school, he studied telecommunications at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Shortly after completing his degree, Rocky returned to eastern Montana and began to provide Montana sports fans with high quality commentary. Rocky’s distinguished broadcasting career began in the early 1980s, and continues today. This past weekend he was calling the play by play for the Montana High School State Basketball Championship tournament games. Rocky’s Montana sports program is broadcast daily on forty stations and he has been recognized by his peers as the Montana Sportscaster of the Year on nine separate occasions. The native son of Vida, population seventy, has gone on to do great things within his industry. His broadcasts are sincerely appreciated by sports fans across Montana.
Attending a Montana sporting event helps one appreciate how valued, and unifying, local sports can be to our communities. Rocky has shared these treasured experiences with many Montanans by giving his audience a rich texture and personal touch in each broadcast. Thank you Rocky for your outstanding work, and I hope to hear you again soon.
###