4th Annual Scenic Half

News Release

For Immediate Release

August 23, 2012

Media Contact:

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce

Mack Deibel, (208) 263-2161

4^th Annual Scenic Half

Big beautiful race in our small town takes advantage of the new edition of Sand Creek Bike Path and starts a positive initiative for local youth runners

Sandpoint- The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and partnering sponsor, Cor24 Fitness, are excited to present the 4^th Annual Scenic Half Marathon/10K/5K is rejuvenating runners by utilizing the brand new Sand Creek Bike Path. Happening Sunday, September 16^th starting at 8:30am and ending at noon.

Last year, more than half of our runners were from outside of Idaho. This means these runners brought in friends and families to eat, shop, stay and fuel their cars here in Sandpoint during a typically slow time for our community. This race adds to the economic vitality of Sandpoint and the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to allow the community the opportunity to have one last boost in business before fall gets into full gear.

This year, as a part of the event’s giving back program, the Scenic Half Marathon is purchasing the track suits for the Sandpoint High School’s Cross Country Race Team. These youth are our future and the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and Scenic Half Race Committee are excited to support local youth runners.

The Scenic Half course is a fast, hard out and back course which runners love. Offering a 10K and 5K race, along with the Half Marathon, makes the event something for all types of runners to enjoy and participate in. By implementing the new Sand Creek Bike Path into the mix, the course is going to be even more scenic and beautiful for all participants. This new change means the Sand Creek Bike Path will be closed to community citizens on Sunday, September 16^th, from 6am-1pm. We appreciate the community’s cooperation and support of this amazing endurance race which brings more than 400 runners in from outside of Idaho.

Early bird registrations prices are set to go up on September 1^st so if you or your friends are thinking of running, please sign up early. There are no day of registrations. Packet pick up and last minute registration is Sept 15^th from 2-6pm at the Chamber Headquarters, 231 N 3^rd Ave. Register online by visiting Active.com or going to www.scenichalf.com.

We appreciate the community’s support and would like to thank our sponsors: Partnering Sponsor: Cor24 Fitness; Silver Sponsors: Bonner County Daily Bee, Bonner General Hospital, Inlander, KPND, Litehouse Foods, Staples, Outdoor Experience, Taylor & Sons Chevrolet, Trinity at City Beach, Washington Trust Bank, Winter Ridge Natural Foods Market; Bronze Sponsors: D.A. Davidson & Co- Jim Zuberbuhler, Evans Brothers Coffee, Frontier Communications, Headache Hammock, Pend Oreille Health Care, Pend Oreille Midwifery and Birth Center, Sandpoint West Athletic Club, Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Sun Rype, White Cross Pharmacy; Supporting Sponsors: Allen and Karen McClelland, Chris and Judy Thompson, Clif and Carol Warren, Costco Wholesale, Eye Care For You, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, LaQuinta Inn & Suites, Jim Hutchens, PA, Mountain Horse Adventures, Panhandle State Bank, North Idaho Insurance, Ruby’s Lube, Specialty Auto Glass, Sleep’s Cabins, Xhale Pilates Studio.  

For more information, contact the Chamber at 263-2161 or scenichalf@sandpointchamber.com. Go online and connect with them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/scenichalf or www.scenichalf.com.

Sponsorships and Booths Available for Annual Community Health and Safety Fair

Are you in a health or safety related industry? The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is presenting the 5^th Annual Health and Safety Fair, organized by the Health and Safety Committee, to promote the well-being of area residents by partnering with health care professionals to provide needed services is the best place for you to reach and educated the community about your services. The fair was created with all of our community members in mind. Come meet Sandpoint's local health care community, explore their services and how they can help you with your health care needs. The fair is also a place citizens can go and find many services including, but not limited to: free screenings, lipid profiles, low cost testing other health services.

Located at the Bonner County Fairgrounds and happening on Saturday, October 20, during the hours of 10a.m.-2p.m. sponsorships and booth spaces are available for all budgets to promote your products and services. The fair is a premier event and a wonderful chance to promote your business and reach a group of core consumers.

The Health and Safety Committee has been meeting for the last two months gearing up for this event and expanding the offerings of the event. As the Chamber does every year, they’ve strived to innovate and evolve this event to make sure it is even bigger and better for the community. This year, to increase the number of citizens we are offering four different workshops and short sessions where speakers are going to tackle four topics and reach all age groups. The event is going to be advertised in the Bonner County Daily Bee and on KPND/K102, as well as to all the Chamber Members. Posters, flyers, social media and traditional advertising efforts working together will once again make this event larger than previous years.

The speakers and workshop sessions include: Christina Hefley, DPT, Cornerstone Physical Therapy & Aquatics, “Preventing Work & Sports Related Injuries”; Brian Casey, B.S., M.Ed., Alzheimer’s Association, “10 Warning Signs of Dementia”; Trevia Rawlins, LCPC, Rawlings Community Counseling, “Staying Sane While ParenTEEN”; Audrey Buck, RD, Bonner General Hospital, “Stopping Diabetes in Our Children.”

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank the generous sponsors of the Health and Safety Fair. Partnering Sponsor: Bonner General Hospital; Major Sponsors: Life Flight Network.

Join the action at this year’s Health and Safety Fair, highlight your business, and show the community what you have to offer as a healthcare or safety business. For more information or to register as a sponsor, please call (208) 263-2161 or visit www.sandpointchamber.org/healthandsafety.html to download the form.

20th Annual Schweitzer Fall Fest Celebration September 1-3

News Release

8-21-2012

For Immediate Release

Media Contacts: 

Sean Briggs - 208.255.3031

Marketing Coordinator

Dave Kulis - 208.263.9555 x2210

Marketing & Sales Director

20th Annual Schweitzer Fall Fest Celebration September 1-3

Three Days, Eight Bands, 50+ Microbrews, Discounted Lift Tickets

Sandpoint, ID- Schweitzer Mountain Resort is going all out for their 20th annual Fall Fest Celebration! The music and beer festival is extended to three days this season, September 1-3, and will feature 50+ Northwest Microbrews, ciders, wine tasting and free live music including; Pickwick, The Jerry Joseph Band, and Larry & His Flask.

Microbrews from eight states and over 20 breweries will be available. Festival highlights such as Rogue’s Hazelnut Brown and Ninkasi’s Nuptiale will likely be crowd favorites, and due to high demand they’ll disappear quickly.

The festival begins each morning with a “Beereakfast” from 8am – 11am where Chef Brett will cook up a delicious breakfast served with a morning brew. Afterwards the music and beer will flow from 11am – 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, 11am – 4pm on Monday.

Discounted lift tickets will be offered for the mountain’s last summer weekend - an unlimited lift ticket will be offered at the price of a single-ride ticket at just $12 per adult.

“The stage has been set for the largest Fall Fest in history” said Brandon Peterson, Schweitzer’s Events Manager. “Everything is larger this year, more beer, more bands, and an additional day – I’m beyond excited”.

The Great Escape Quad and zip line will be open from 11am and run until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, 11am – 5pm on Monday. Saturday’s concert will start with Justin Lantrip at 11am, followed by Adrian Xavier at 1:30pm, and closing with Pickwick from 4pm – 6pm.  Sunday kicks off with Cedar and Boyer at 11am, Emily Wells at 1pm, closing with The Jerry Joseph Band at 3pm. For the closing day, Not Quite Punk will be on at 11am and Larry & His Flask will close the festival down from 2pm – 4pm.

In addition to the Fall Fest fun, this will be the last weekend to take the zip line, play mountain-top disc golf, cruise down lift-access mountain bike trails, and simply enjoy the summer scenery from the top of Schweitzer before it is covered in snow. All hiking and biking trails will close for the season on September 3, 2012.

Lodging is still available for the event, but filling up fast. Guests can take advantage of Schweitzer’s “Third Night Free” package available in the White Pine or Selkirk Lodge.

Admission to the festival is free. Beer tasting packages range from $10 - $45. Soda sampling is $8 for a 12oz mug with 3 samples. Single beers, wine, and soda options are available as well.  For complete pricing options, beer & wine list, and schedule of events please visit www.schweitzer.com

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About Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Schweitzer Mountain Resort is quickly rising in the ranks of the nation’s top destination resorts with 2900 acres of amazing terrain and renowned tree skiing. Located in the rugged Selkirk Mountains of the northern Idaho panhandle and the northwest Rocky Mountains, Schweitzer overlooks the town of Sandpoint and Lake Pend Oreille. Schweitzer is well known for its two massive bowls, breathtaking views and amazing gladed terrain. For more information about Schweitzer Mountain Resort call 877.487.4643 or visit www.schweitzer.com.

Appointment of the new International Selkirk Loop Executive Director

The Board of Directors of the International Selkirk Loop (ISL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Sims as the organization’s new Executive Director, effective August 1, 2012. Stephanie’s past experience includes managing an international membership-based non-profit organization as well as other excellent qualifications making her well suited for this assignment. Stephanie will be based in Bonners Ferry, ID.

After providing 11 years of strong leadership to the organization, Carol Graham, the International Selkirk Loop’s current Executive Director, is retiring and the Board takes this opportunity to recognize and thank Carol for her outstanding leadership and commitment to the organization.

“It has been my pleasure to be part of such an outstanding organization and watch it grow from infancy with a hand full of member businesses to well over 300 supporting businesses and organizations.  The Selkirk Loop is on firm ground and I am confident that Stephanie will provide the leadership to take the Loop to the next level.” says Carol Graham. 

The International Selkirk Loop was formed in 1998 as a non-profit corporation in the US and as a non-profit Society in Canada in 2001. Recognized as a model of cross-border cooperation between two States and one Province in both Countries, ISL is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of stakeholders from Washington, Idaho and British Columbia.  The primary purpose of this Organization is to diversify and enhance local economies in the region through the promotion of tourism development in communities along the ISL routes in the US and Canada. The International Selkirk Loop is membership based and is supported by Federal, State, Provincial and Regional Government funding in the US and Canada.

The International Selkirk Loop is a 280-mile scenic route through Northern Idaho, Southeastern British Columbia, and Northeastern Washington, and was recently been selected as one of only five “Best of the Roads” in North America by Rand McNally Road Atlas.

Contacts:

USA: Kate McAllister

Tel: (208) 263-2161  
Email: kate@sandpointchamber.com

CANADA:  Graham Edwards

Tel: (250) 509-0556                                            

Email: graham.edwards@shaw.ca

Chamber honors Eric Ridgway as Volunteer of the Month

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce honors Eric Ridgway as August’s Volunteer of the Month for his service to our community. Eric, as many of us know, is the director of the Long Bridge Swim, an event he founded in 1995 when he talked 68 of his closest friends into swimming across the lake next to the Long Bridge.  At the time, a lot of people thought he was crazy, but the event has grown over the years and last Saturday there were 881 swimmers registered for the event! 

The Swim is a very complex event to stage, requiring the efforts of over 300 volunteers and the assistance of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Department Marine Division and regular deputies, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Bonner County EMS, Bonner General Hospital, over 100 kayakers, logistics, food, music, timing, registration, transportation, etc.  Additionally, this past year the LBS made the transition to being a year-round program with the development of their swim lessons initiative that has been so generously supported by their sponsors and swimmers. 

Eric was born in Roanoke Virginia, and grew up in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia.  Eric attended Colby College in Maine where he studied geology and was the captain of his college swim team.  When Eric was 13 he had gone to Africa for a month and as a young adult, taking a break from studies, he returned to Kenya for about a year as a teacher. This experience was what led him to eventually become a therapist.  Eric began working with struggling and at risk teens, moved west to be in the mountains and completed his Master’s Degree in Counseling at WSU.  Eric has been a professional counselor in Sandpoint since 1991.  

He continues his love of swimming by devoting much of his free time as the director of the Long Bridge Swim.  Eric hikes a great deal and enjoys rock collecting and bird watching with wife Cindy, who proposed marriage to him after she completed the 9^thAnnual Long Bridge Swim. They were married the following year in 2004.

Eric has volunteered tirelessly in the Sandpoint Area, with the Long Bridge Swim, Festival at Sandpoint, Human Rights Task Force and Panida Theater, to name just a few. He also aided the local High School lacrosse team, by offering to become a referee to assist the organization in getting started here in Sandpoint. He helped found the Sandpoint Vegetarians and along with the Swim, his dearest passion is supporting the Panhandle Animal Shelter. 

“Eric is the most enthusiastic, positive, energetic and fun person I know!” exclaimed Jim Zuberbuhler. “Eric, I can think of no other person more deserving of the Volunteer of the Month award.  Congratulations!”

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Eric Ridgway in being honored as the Volunteer of the Month and thanking him for all of his contributions to our community. His hard work has done a lot for so many causes and the economic vitality in our community. Thank you Eric!

  

Photo: Eric Ridgway accepts the award from Chamber Board Member Jim Zuberbuhler.