Chamber Honors Babs’ Pizzeria

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Babs’ Pizzeria as March’s Business of the Month. Babs and BJ, Babs’ mother, opened Babs' Pizzeria in October of 2007 in the little hut across from Farmin Park. They operated there for one year and then relocated to their current location on Hwy 2 near the Mountain West Financial Center.

Watch them accept their award, click here.

Their pizzeria is very involved in the local Relay for Life. BJ has served on the committee for 5 years and Babette has had a pizzeria team during this time as well. The Pizzeria team has donated over $18,000 to the American Cancer Society in the past 2 years. Babs' has also donated the dinner at the Relay for the cancer survivors.

Another Babs' Pizzeria supports local organizations is through an annual fundraiser for the Sandpoint High School football team to support SHS athletics. BJ is also a member of CAL and volunteers at the Bizarre Bazaar and the kaleidoscope art program for the Sandpoint grade schools.

There is no need to go all the way to New York for awesome and tasty New York style pizza. Babs' Pizzeria brings you delicious, hot and freshly-made pizzas and pastas proven to make your mouth water. If you’re not in a mood for pizza, Babs' also has amazing desserts, salads, heros, calzones and stromboli. Babs' Pizzeria was voted Best Pizzeria in Bonner County in 2010.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Babs’ Pizzeria for their success and thanking them for their commitment to our community. For more information, visit their website at http://www.babspizzeria.com/, connect with them on Facebook, or call them at (208) 265-7992.

In Photo: The Bab’s Family accept the award with Chamber Ambassador Erin Butler. 

Chamber Honors Kathy Chambers

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce honored Kathy Chambers as March’s Volunteer of the Month for her service to our community and many of our non-profit organizations. Her positive attitude and following of her heart has impacted the lives of many individuals in our community.

Click here to watch Kathy accept her award.

Since coming here in 1991 with her family, and husband of almost 25 years, this honoree has given freely of her passion, dedication, loyalty and persistence.  The community can always count on her to be there with a smile on her face, and a spark in her eye.

Kathy’s reach is extremely large. She has been on the Board of Women Honoring Women of Wisdom for 8 years, chairing the board of the event 6 years ago. She’s been on the Kinderhaven Board of Directors for 4 years. Now, as Kinderhaven’s Volunteer Coordinator, she uses her large network of friends to make sure they always have enough volunteers for their everyday tutoring as well as for their large fund-raising events. Also, she also keeps up the website and Facebook page for the organization. Kathy runs the Selkirk Association of Realtors (SARS) Giving Tree for 4 years after she joined and she quickly took it over three years ago. The Giving Tree provides a meaningful Christmas for so many needy families in our area. She has also coordinated the Zumba-thon Fundraiser for Community Cancer Services for 3 years. This wonderful event combines her love of music and dance, with a great cause. She spear-headed the event “Cash for Ashley,” an event that helped raise roughly $40,000 for a 20 year-old local cancer victim.

Now that the warm weather is returning, we all look forward to seeing this person with her adorable little dog, walking around town between her volunteer activities and her Zumba classes.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Kathy Chambers for being honored as the Volunteer of the Month and thanking her for all of her contributions to our community. Kathy’s hard work has done a lot for many organizations in our community. From the Greater Sandpoint Chamber, as well as the whole community, Thank You!

Photo: Kathy Chambers accepts her award with Chamber President Kate McAlister. 

Chamber Honors Gail Bolin

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce honored Gail Bolin, Native Plant and Environmental Science expert, as December’s Volunteer of the Month for her service to our community and many of our non-profit organizations. Gail is an all-star volunteer that cares about the environment, children and our entire community. Her work can be seen all over and her generosity is extensive.

Gail currently sits as the President of the Kinnikinnick Native Plate Society and of the Idaho Master Naturalist-Pend Oreille Chapter. She established and created a native project in the City of Dover. She is currently volunteering to assist in the replanting of the flower beds at Hickory Park in Sandpoint, the creation of the new park in Ponderay, behind the Animal Shelter, and is working on the Waterlife Discovery Center.

“This wonderful woman has helped me write three grants so the Panhandle Animal Shelter can plant native and has successfully recruited the assistance of native plant farms, adult volunteer groups and high schools students to help us complete our front yard,” passionately described Mandy Evans. “Not to mention she designed the new plan and has been working on this project with us for over a year.”

Jan Wasserburger commented that Gail was very generous with her time and expertise, making a concerted effort to impact the lives of at risk students in a positive manner. Gail teaches and volunteers to educate LPOHS students about native plants, and ultimately showing them people in the community care about them.

Bob Wilson of the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society said, “I am always amazed at how much good community work Gail manages to juggle and bring to completion. We are very lucky to have her in the area and I am thankful for her leadership.”

Nancy and John Hastings of All Seasons Garden & Floral said, “Gail is always a pleasure to work with and is always organized, thorough and inspirational!”

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Gail Bolin for being honored as the Volunteer of the Month and thanking her for all of her contributions to our community. Her hard work has done a lot for so many organizations in our community and the environment. From the Greater Sandpoint Chamber as well as the whole community, Thank You!

Photo: Gail Bolin accepts the award from Panhandle Animal Shelter Executive Director, Mandy Evans.

Chamber Honors Sandpoint Lions Club

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Sandpoint Lions Club as December’s Business of the Month. Tom Dabrowski, Vice President, was present at the Chamber’s Annual Holiday Luncheon to accept the award and cheer on the fundraising the Chamber did on their behalf for Toys for Tots. The Chamber raised $645 for Toys for Tots and topped last year’s contribution to the Sandpoint Lions Club initiative to make sure every child had a toy on Christmas.

The Sandpoint Lions Club has been serving the community since 1953. Their legacy is continued and their reach is still great. In the past, the Sandpoint Lions Club built City Beach and donated it to the City of Sandpoint. They also built and installed park benches throughout the City of Sandpoint.

The club has many annual initiatives including the Toys for Tots Drive which goes to help about 1,000 children. Those other initiatives are: providing about 500 food boxes at Christmas time, support and fundraise for the 4^th of July Celebration (parade, games for children at City Beach and fireworks), supply and place 200 American Flags on 8 difference holidays throughout the year, charging the businesses $40 per year, hold an Easter Egg Hunt at Memorial Field for over 500 children, give scholarships, provide hearing aids to those in need,  and sponsor sight programs by giving out eye glasses and contribute to the ‘Leader Dog’ program.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating the Sandpoint Lions Club for their success and thanking them for their commitment to our community. For more information, visit them at the Lion’s Den, 607 S Ella Ave, visit their website at www.sandpointlions.org/  or call them at (208) 263-4118.

In Photo: Tom Dabrowski accepts the award from Chamber Ambassador Carol Warren.

Chamber Honors Litehouse Custom Printing as February's Business of the Month

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Litehouse Custom Printing (LCP) as February’s Business of the Month. Mark and Roxy Fuller, owners, started Litehouse Custom Printing in 1987 when Mark was managing Litehouse Foods. The Fullers and Hawkins family had been friends since the 1960’s and started LCP as a partnership until 6 months into the project when it was decided the printing should go solo with Mark at the helm. 

Watch them accept their award, click here.

The business was imprinting items which you could drink from, mugs. Starting with mom and pop and large corporations as customers, the start was slow. Renting warehouse space from Litehouse Foods, Mark would print their jars during the day and come back at night to print mugs for LCP. Steady growth saw them move into the old Jones Warehouse in Kootenai, 1991, and then purchasing the old Sneaky Building in 1995 on Industry Drive, their current location, with 35,000 sq feet

As their custom base continued to grow, some of their top clients included Caterpillar, UPS, Bank of America, and Google to name a few. They peaked in 2007 with 32 employees and 2 million dollars in sales. They have had to scale back production and their team but continue to provide top notch customer service, good quality products and always deliver on time.

‘It’s our pleasure and blessing to be able to give back to the community because all that we have accomplished is through the community,’ explained Mark. ‘Our success came from the community, and we love it here, and it is our pleasure to give back into it.’

Being a part of the community is very important to the Fuller’s and giving is a part of it. They offer non-profit discounts and donate to and/or support Chafe 150, Festival at Sandpoint, Festival of Trees, Holly Eve and Sandpoint Rotary.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Litehouse Custom Printing for their success and thanking them for their commitment to our community. For more information, visit their website at www.lcpmugs.com or call them at (208) 263-9745.

In Photo: Mark and Roxy Fuller accept the award from Chamber Ambassador Carol Warren.

Chamber Honors Kim Diercks as February Volunteer of the Month

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce honored Kim Diercks, Panhandle State Bank HR Generalist, as February’s Volunteer of the Month for her service to our community and many of our non-profit organizations. Her positive attitude and willingness to jump right in has impacted the lives of many individuals in our community. 

Watch Kim accept her award, click here.

Kim has lived in our community for over 10 years and is currently a Board Member for the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, Pend Oreille Arts Council and Kinderhaven, which she is a former President of. She was instrumental and very involved with the formation of Powered by Community, Panhandle State Bank’s non-profit and community oriented education and advocacy efforts.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Kim Diercks for being honored as the Volunteer of the Month and thanking her for all of her contributions to our community. Kim’s hard work has done a lot for many organizations in our community. From the Greater Sandpoint Chamber, as well as the whole community, Thank You!

Photo: Kim Diercks accepts the award from Chamber Board Member Amy Whalen.