Chamber Honors Paul Graves

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce honored Paul Graves as July Volunteer of the Month. Paul moved to Sandpoint 25 years ago to become the pastor of Sandpoint United Methodist Church and later decided to make it his family’s special life-long home. After retiring from the parish ministry, he has refocused his purpose.

Watch Paul accept his award, click here>>

Since 1996, he has written a faith-and-values column for the Spokesman-Review. He later started writing two age related columns contributing to the Bonner County Daily Bee with the, Dear Geezer, and United Methodist Conference newsletter, Nurturing Elders, since 2009. In January of 2012, Paul started hosting biweekly Geezer Forums which explore and discuss aging issues. In 2006, Paul helped develop the Bonner County Circles Initiative, a relationship-based strategy for getting people out of poverty. For the last six and a half years they have held weekly dinner meetings with people in poverty who have the intent to develop their inner and community resources so they can become more economically, socially and emotionally self-sufficient. The other part of their mission is to reach out to community groups to advocate for changes that will eventually eliminate the complex barriers to keep people in poverty.

‘Service in the community has always been part of who I am, from my teen years until now,’ said Paul. He added, ‘I count it a high privilege to be in community with other persons and we have so much to learn from each other and to honor each other with our caring for one another.’

Paul’s efforts are large and his roles are vast. He is also a founder of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, and served as a volunteer chaplain for Bonner Community Hospice for 22 years and a City Councilman and Mayor of Sandpoint. He is currently part of a multi-disciplinary team focused on elder abuse and domestic violence.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Paul Graves for being honored as the Volunteer of the Month and thanking him for all of his contributions to our community. From the Greater Sandpoint Chamber, as well as the whole community, Thank You! 

Photo: Paul Graves accepts the award from Chamber President Kate McAlister.