1991 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Presented to Nancy Flikkema
KUSM, Boseman, Montana

Nancy Flikkema played a critical role in the creation of KUSM-TV, the only PBS affiliate based in Montana.  Before 1984, Montana was served via cable system only by KUED, Salt Lake City.  Ms. Flikkema, having no access to cable was concerned that her children and thousands of others could not be exposed to the positive influences of Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers and other public television programming.

In 1982, Nancy formed Montanans for Children's Television and approached Montana State University about providing public television service to non-cable rural citizens of the Gallatin Valley and Bozeman areas.  On October 1, 1984, the dream became a reality.  Thanks to the efforts of Ms. Flikkema, MSA and KUED, Montana Public Television signed on the air with the first Montana based PBS service, the last of the 50 states to have its own public television station.  Since then, KUSM has been connected via cable into 24 communities across Montana and now serves nearly 300,000 citizens.

Ms. Flikkema then reorganized MCT into the Friends of KUSM, Inc. the fund-raising arm of the Montana PBS Service.  Under her leadership, the group secured corporate and membership support for the fledgling station, organized pledge drives and advised station management on the needs of the viewers.  She has served as board chair and is now board treasurer.  Without her tireless efforts, Montana, geographically the fourth largest state in the union, might still be the only state without its own public television service.