Year Round Thanksgiving

The North Idaho community always helping others. By Colin Anderson. Photos by Jamie Sedlmayer.

November marks the season of Thanksgiving; a time when we all reflect on the many blessings we have that many around the world do not. It’s a time we give thanks for family, food, friends, and faith and prepare ourselves for the Christmas season and all we have planned for 2015.

This is a time of year when people donate the most to food and coat drives, put money in a red kettle bell and buy an extra gift for Toys for Tots. It’s a wonderfully generous time of year, but for many in the North Idaho community, generosity and helping others is a year round affair. Over the years we at Living Local have met dozens of these selfless individuals who are dedicated to improving our communities, and it is a privilege to share their stories. You, our readers, have pointed us to many great organizations and community members, and it is a joy to learn about these stories and share with our community what makes North Idaho such a great place to be. Here are just a few examples of the people, businesses, and organizations that are giving of their time and resources to make a difference in our communities.

“I sat down and thought ‘how can we make a difference and teach our son good values,’ and then it was decided that this was the right thing to do,” said John Malee, owner of The Fedora Pub & Grille in Coeur d’Alene. Instead of a day off from the daily grind of running a restaurant, for the fourth year in a row Malee will be providing a free Thanksgiving dinner to anyone who walks through the door. The wait staff and kitchen staff all donate their time, and by partnering with the local United Way and ElderHelp of North Idaho, roughly 100 volunteers will also spend their holiday helping others. There are no questions asked, anyone who stops in will be greeted and seated. Guests receive a beverage and a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings plus a dessert. Last year 1,300 meals were served and Malee is anticipating around 1,500 this time around. “It’s a humbling experience for me. Both guests and volunteers come by, shake my hand and say ‘thank you.’ It’s really made me look at our community in a different way,” said Malee. Dinner is served from 11am to 4pm. There will be live music and football on the TVs as well. Donations are accepted on site and go to benefit local non-profits. The KROC Center, Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Centennial Distributing, Digital Lizard, Pepsi, and Craven’s Coffee have all pledged their support to this wonderful event.

Another group making a difference in North Idaho is Soroptimist International, which has 1,300 clubs in 20 different countries, including a North Idaho Chapter. Founded in 1948, the Coeur d’Alene Chapter was the first civic service club for women in the area. The purpose of the club is to enable women and girls to take control of their lives and live their dreams. The club raises worldwide awareness on domestic violence and trafficking and offers funding for women and girls suffering though natural and man-made disasters. For 32 years, Soroptimist has publicly awarded their “Women of Distinction” awards to women whose achievements and dedication to community service set them apart. Award nomination categories include: arts and culture, business and professional, community service, education, health, public service, seniors, and community activist. Soroptimist will be holding its 32nd Annual Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony on November 21, 2014, at 11:30 a.m. at the Cedars Floating Restaurant in Coeur d’Alene. Proceeds from the event help support local women and girls through monetary awards and scholarships, as well as contributions to local services such as the North Idaho Violence Prevention Center (formerly the Women’s Center). To date, Soroptimist has provided over $300,000 to the Women’s Center and the Soroptimist’s Children’s Counseling Center to fund space, supplies and a counselor for intervention to children who witness to or are the victims of domestic violence.

Lynn Rinker has always been a busy person. The mother of five worked as a nurse at Kootenai Medical Center for 18 years and also owns two Memory Lane antique store locations. Being someone who appreciates taking one person’s trash and turning it into another’s treasure, Lynn stepped in when she started noticing perfectly good medical supplies piling up in dumpsters. “I realized there was such an abundance of usable goods, I just couldn’t let that all make its way to the trash.” By law, medical items that are outdated or have torn packaging cannot be used at the hospital, but Lynn soon realized there were plenty of other places to use the clean, new, and uncompromised equipment. When Lynn first started recycling 15 years ago, she and her helpers would load up a truck and drive the supplies to clinics in Mexico. Because of ongoing border violence this is no longer done, but on her own dime, Lynn has traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, and Africa. “We took 800-pounds of supplies to Africa which supported four clinics helping with childbirth,” explained Lynn. “By the end there were a lot of babies named Lynn so that made me smile.” Clean syringes, gowns, stitches, sterile gloves, braces, crutches, and casting molds are just a few of the items Lynn is able to repurpose. A lot of the equipment stays local as well going to the Humane Society and Washington State University’s Veterinary School for training purposes. Lynn and her husband Steve have storage units filled with supplies and are always planning their next big run.

In Sandpoint, for many the Thanksgiving holiday starts out with the annual Turkey Trot sponsored by the City of Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Department as well as Sandpoint West Athletic Department. The event takes place at Travers Park and is free to those who bring a donation for the Bonner Community Food Bank. Check in begins at 8:45. It is always a popular event and the benefit to the community reaches far and wide.

November also marks the kick off to Pend d’Oreille Winery’s Sip ‘n Shop fundraisers that will go through the holiday season. They are a great opportunity for Sandpoint residents and visitors to enjoy a wonderful evening and give back to the community as well. On certain nights the Winery donates a percentage of proceeds to a chosen local non-profit organization. The first Sip ‘n Shop this holiday season will be November 11th and will benefit Panhandle Animal Shelter.

While enjoying your Thanksgiving holiday, take a moment to remember those doing thankless work in our community each and every day. It is their dedication that makes our city a community and they are not thanked enough for it. Happy Thanksgiving.

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