Chamber Honors Sandpoint Senior Center

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Sandpoint Senior Center as February’s Business/Non-profit of the Month.

“This month, I have the honor of recognizing a business that goes above and beyond for the seniors in our community,” said Ken Wood, Chamber Ambassador and the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce’s Chair-elect announced the attendees of the Chamber’s February General Membership Luncheon.

There’s an enormous amount of pride the staff of 15 puts into the business. Last year, the Senior Center delivered over 15,000 meals to local seniors in our area. These meals are delivered Monday-Friday using an all-volunteer effort. It should be noted, many of the seniors they deliver to would not receive quality daily meals if it was not for the efforts of the Senior Center.

In addition to the Meals on Wheels program, they served more than 10,000 meals at their physical location. Those who attend or frequent the Senior Center are able to socialize and develop friendships, as well as participate in activities like bingo and billiards.

Another large focus for the Senior Center has been the Daybreak Center. This center provides relief for caregivers that are dealing with people who have dementia, Alzheimer’s and other types of aging medical issues.

“They truly care about our local seniors,” Ken Wood went on to explain.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Sandpoint Senior Center for their success and thanking them for their commitment to our community. For more information, call them at 208-263-6860 or stop by the Senior Center at 820 Main Street.

New Director Hired for DayBreak Center in Sandpoint

Care taking adults with memory impairments is an arduous task; a labor of love that takes a very special kind of person.  Its demands are endless, so re-fueling and re-energizing are priority.  In a nutshell, that’s what the DayBreak Center in Sandpoint does; it gives Caregivers time for a mental reprieve.

The DayBreak Center, an adult daycare program operated by Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc. is excited to announce a new member to their team.  Liz DeWolfe, CNA, a seasoned professional in the adult daycare business has accepted the position as the Director of Daybreak Services.

Ms. DeWolfe is no stranger to adult daycare.  She comes to the DayBreak Center with 18 years of adult daycare management experience, especially with seniors with memory impairments like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.  She designed and implemented an advocacy and daycare program for the Skagit, WA Adult Daycare Center and oversaw the creation of a second site in 2009.  “Ms. DeWolfe’s experience is a blessing for our Daybreak Center,” said KC Rokstad, DayBreak Committee Chair.  “She has the experience and expertise to promote and manage this essential service for our community.  We are excited to see how the program will evolve under her direction.”

When asked what her future plans for the program hold, Ms. DeWolfe commented, “Building the program so that we can offer more days and expanded hours will be my first priority.  It’s a matter of finding the right volunteers and staff to continue to create an environment that supports our high standards of care as well as the warmth and understanding of the special needs of this population.  I look forward to networking with area agencies and businesses to build a program that is vital and flourishing and ready to meet the needs of the families of our community.”

For more information about DayBreak Services or volunteering please call Liz at 208-265-8127.  

Pictured from Left to Right: Julie Rowland, DayBreak Activities Assistant, program participant George, New DayBreak Director, Liz De Wolfe, program participant, Lela and volunteer Carol Keller.  

Leadership Sandpoint and CAL team up to help Kinerhaven

Kinderhaven has a new base for its play area, thanks to the Leadership Sandpoint Class of 2012-2014 and a generous grant from the Community Assistance League. Leadership Sandpoint, a program of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, has a goal to motivate leaders toward greater involvement in our community and make a direct impact through projects. Assisting Kinderhaven with a much needed upgrade was a proud moment for the current Leadership Sandpoint class.

On July 2, eleven Leadership Sandpoint class members provided over 50 hours of hard labor, on what was the hottest day of the summer. Over 10,000 pounds of rubberized mulch was moved and spread. A forklift donated by Sun Rental of Sandpoint assisted, but each bag then needed to be hoisted over a fence and another 50 feet to the 43 x 22 foot play area. After the site was cleaned of old mulch and prepped with weed-proof fabric and new edging, then the new mulch was spread.

The rubberized playground mulch provides a safe play surface, doesn't decompose and never freezes, which means it will be around for a long time.  Additionally, the 130 feet of new rubberized edging replaced the old decaying wood edging, making the play area safer and keeps the new mulch in place.

“This project is especially meaningful to Kinderhaven because our play area offers the wonderful opportunity for unstructured play, which is extremely therapeutic for the children in our care,” stated Phyllis Horvath, Kinderhaven Executive Director.   “Abuse leaves deep wounds in its aftermath, affecting areas such as brain development, self-concept, and the ability to form healthy attachments.  Play is so essential for the development of all children, and especially so for ours.  It helps them begin to heal and, at the same time, have fun — just getting to be kids!” continued Horvath.

The project was funded by a 2013 grant from the Community Assistance League, which also provided a 2012 grant for the swings, monkey bars, and rings, in the play area.  So the entire play area was funded, built, and finished by community members.  

“This project was a great opportunity for the Leadership Sandpoint Class to work with Kinderhaven to provide an important improvement to their facilities,’ stated the Class President Eric Grace.  “The programs offered by Kinderhaven are vital to our community, so it was great that we could help out in this small way.”

Leadership Sandpoint is a program which identifies leaders in the Greater Sandpoint area and provides them an interactive experience to gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a citizen-leader in our multi-faceted community. Each class selects one service project to be completed during the program and fundraises to benefits their project or a cause the class chooses to support. For more information, contact the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce at 263-2161 or leadership@sandpointchamber.com.

Photo: Leadership Sandpoint class and Kinderhaven employees pose for photo at Kinderhaven taken after the project was completed. In photo from left to right; Matt Diel, Daniel Moering, Stacey Darley, Crystal Gunter, Mandy Evans, Geraldine Lewis, Karen Robinson, Phyllis Horvath, Tami Stormo, Darcy Bilbo, Eric Grace and Steve Holt.

Chamber Honors Rotary Club of Sandpoint

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Rotary Club of Sandpoint as June’s Business of the Month. Sandpoint chapter of Rotary International is striving to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise. In 2011, Sandpoint’s Rotary Club has 70-plus members and is part of the larger Rotary International organization, with 1.22 million members in 33,976 clubs in more than 200 countries. The Rotary Club of Sandpoint has two states and two countries in their district.

Watch Rotary Club of Sandpoint accept their award, click here>>

‘When Sandpoint and Nelson, BC became Sister Cities, the Rotarians became dearest friends,’ explained Jerri Anderson, Past-President of Sandpoint Rotary Club.

This year, they have stepped up to take on and facilitate the CHAFE 150 bike ride, benefiting the Lake Pend Oreille School District. They give $12,000 a year in scholarships for high schoolers. Recently they gave $48,000 project in India to provide medical equipment to those in need. Currently, they are embarking on a $10,000 Friends of Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail and a SPOT Bus Shelter project. Also, they donated and built the beautiful Bandshell in Farmin Park, recently turned over to the City of Sandpoint.

Among the many local past projects they’ve completed are playgrounds at Travers Park, the patio at the library, stairs from Bridge Street to the boardwalk, outdoor bathrooms at Farmin Stidwell, the clock tower at Farmin Park, assisted with funding for bathrooms at Jeff Jones Town Square, assisted with patio installation at The DayBreak Center, and a picnic shelter at Memorial Field. Host the Great Sandpoint Flatwater Regatta.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Rotary Club of Sandpoint for their success and thanking them for their commitment to our community. For more information, connect with them on Facebook www.facebook.com/SandpointRotary. They meet Wednesdays at 12:00 PM in the Panhandle Bank Community Room, located at 414 Church St.

In photo: Sean Fitzpatrick and Jerri Anderson accept the award with Chamber President, Kate McAlister.

Chamber Recognizes Kiwanis Club as April’s Business of the Month

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce recognizes Kiwanis Club as April’s Business of the Month. Kiwanis Clubs motto is “Serving the Children of the World”. This year Kiwanis International won a Blue Ribbon at the Rose Parade for their Float titled, “A Childs Magic Carpet Ride.”

Watch them accept there award, click here.

Kiwanis Club in Sandpoint has been serving youth of our community since their beginning. Things the Kiwanis Club sponsors or supports currently or in the past includes the Key Club at the high school, scholarships, Boy Scouts, Camp Stidwell Bonner County Fair, Kinderhaven and the Backpack Program in the schools.

‘When Boy Scout Troop #111 was in need of a sponsor, Kiwanis stepped up to the plate and to this day sponsors that same troop,’ explained Kiwanis Club Member Dick Vail. ‘Kiwanis owns about 2,000 acres of land around the lower end of Mirror Lake. The facility is called “Camp Stidwell”. The resident, Kiwanian caretaker, stated that last year over 1,600 young people took advantages of the facilities at Camp Stidwell.’

In order to make these items happen, Kiwanis has their own fundraising activities that include selling of Cotton Candy at major events, as well as selling raffle tickets for a pig, selected at the Bonner County Fair, and tickets for other worthwhile causes. When you see someone from Kiwanis selling cotton candy, a raffle ticket for a pig, or an award card to be cashed in at a store of your choice, they hope you look at it as an investment in the youth and young people of Bonner County.

‘It takes a number of various working organizations to make up a whole vital body,’ said Vail. ‘Kiwanis is pleased and proud to be part of the body that makes up a great place to live, work, and raise children.’

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Kiwanis Club in being honored as April’s Business of the Month. For more information or to reach out to them, call 208-255-6645.

Chamber Welcomes 2nds Anyone? Thrift Store to New Location

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome 2nds Anyone? Thrift Store to their new location!  2nds Anyone? Thrift Store was created as a teaching site for the Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School students and started because of a grant almost five years ago. It is still, today, a teaching site for these students.

‘We have students come to the store for class periods during store hours to obtain work skills,’ explained Barbara Phillips. ‘We are a non-profit 501(c)3 and operate at no cost to the school district or tax payers.’

The students are involved in every aspect of the store from cleaning, sorting and money handling.  All of the items in the store are donated from the wonderful citizens of Sandpoint and they accept almost anything they can get in the door. They tell their shoppers that they are a different store every day because they are continually putting out new-to-you items. 

‘Our prices are very low and our claim to fame is our Super Sack Sale,’ said Barbara. ‘We try to have one every week, it all depends on the volunteer help that we have available.’

The store is always in search of volunteers. They are located at 503 Cedar Street suite E in the Cedar Street Station. They send out email notices to anyone on their mailing list and they also make announcements of special items or sales on their Facebook page, Seconds Anyone, always seeking new Facebook ‘Fans’.

Please help the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce welcome 2nds Anyone? Thrift Store to their new location. Visit their store in the Cedar St Station during regular business hours of 10am-5pm Monday through Friday and 10am-3pm on Saturdays. Reach them by phone at  (208)263-3247.

Photo: Executive Director Barbara Phillips and Chamber Ambassadors cut the ribbon.