Quite a week for the seniors center

By Mike Weland

What an amazing birthday I had, thanks not only this amazing community, but to amazing friends from years ago. The response to my request for relief from the misery of knowing that Amy Leach was cooking amazing meals for so many of our county’s treasured old-timers on an ancient stove and (sob!) one frying pan was amazing.

On a whim, on August 17, I opened a Go Fund Me account, now closed, and wrote a tongue-in-cheek article, expecting a few donations but more importantly to cast light on how hard Bonners Ferry Seniors Center staff works, making do with so little to accomplish so much.

Boy howdy, was I surprised!

Almost immediately, emails began rolling in of people who donated; Christin Knechtges, Katherine Braaten, Gray Henderson, Janis English, Desi Staples, Donald Rae, Jenny Graham, Stacey Frederickson, Kris Schnuerle, my Fletcher High School, Oklahoma, classmate and dear friend to this day Linda Armstrong, Bonners Ferry Mayor Rick Alonzo, Leila Shearer, whose most generous donation lifted the drive to the goal I never thought would be met … I upped that limit and $85 more came in, Jacqueline Bistline, two from that guy no one seems to know, Anony Mous, bringing the total donated to $1,085.

But wait, there’s more!

Anony didn’t just donate via GoFundMe, but met me at the center August 21 and set a big box of cookware in my lap, thanked me and drove away. A nice older couple, but both said they were Anony Mous … almost like they didn’t want folks to know which was which or who were who! I wheeled it inside.

And then I got a message from Darren Trumeter, with whom I served in Bravo Battery, 1/319th Field Artillery, 82nd Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg (now Liberty), North Carolina, more than 40 years ago. Long story short, a heavy box valued at $550 was delivered here at the Restorium Wednesday. I thought I’d be able to put it in my lap and drive it to the senior center, but I was wrong … I couldn’t budge it.

This ain’t no ordinary set of cookware, I surmised correctly. I asked help putting the box in my lap.

You done went and gone crazy again, administrators Diane and Janay surmised simultaneously and correctly. Janay graciously loaded the box in her car and drove it over.

Kitchen magician Amy Leach was at the dishwasher washing the last of the dishes and center director Linda Lederhos was at her desk finishing up another day.

Both came out, and Amy set about unpackaging the set, marveling at how heavy each piece was … and that besides being bundled well enough to withstand falling off a galloping Badger and run over by a Sherman tank, each piece came in its own cloth bag!

Were it closer to Christmas, Amy’s smile would have equaled in radiance that of Cindy Lou Who and the Grinch’s heart would have grown twice again as big.

Today, I will be delivering the $1,085 donated through GoFundMe, rounded up to $1,100 because I’m not good at math and I have trouble spelling “eight,” as well as an additional $400 in cash and check donations.

And it wasn’t the first good news of the week, nor the last. On August 27, a contingent showed up and began carting in meats donated during and before this year’s fair; beef, pork and mutton that poured in after Linda put up a brief post saying donations would be welcome.

When they left, the senior center freezers were full … and there’s more to come!

Sherwin Williams, the Bonners Ferry Rotary, Northwest Autobody, Panhandle Towing, Wood’s Meat Processing, Maas Designs, Turner Plumbing, Foundation School and 9B Family Foundations gave a total of $2,585.74 in fresh beef, processed to USDA standards by Wood’s Meats. Except for chicken, it’s almost enough for a year’s worth of great meals!

And next week, the finishing touch — though it isn’t quite paid off, the commercial stove will be installed ahead of time, thanks partially to the amazing way the community has rallied around the seniors center in its hour of need.

My thanks to all who contributed and made this a birthday to remember!