By Samantha Banuet
Organizer, Community Giving Turkey Drive
Wow! What an amazing success this Second Annual Community Giving Turkey Drive was on Saturday. This year really exceeded our expectations, with the incredible willingness of so many within our community. We successfully fed 200 families in Boundary County! YAHOO!!
All was made possible by the following contributions:
- Our incredible signup host, Community Action Partnership for being the signup location for all families in need of a Thanksgiving Meal. Liz and Becky, are the absolute best!
- Our event host, Mountain Springs Church. The entire church congregation and leadership team stepped up with total Christ-like willingness and grace to be a support in all the ways needed. Thank you MSC!
- P1FCU Bank donated 200 reusable tote bags to be utilized for the Thanksgiving food items.
- Safeway Bonners Ferry supplied all 200 turkeys at wholesale cost. Thank you meat manager Scott and meat department team for all your help!
- Boundary Shipping helped by provided all printing needs for flyers and meal tickets.
- Super 1 Foods supplied the majority of the canned goods items in direct/total no-cost donation.
- Chapa Chicken Ranch supplied 200 Samaritan Bread coupons for a Rustic Loaf of bread available in every bag.
- Accurate Northwest, Al Wilson’s Auto Repair, Beck’s Furniture and Far North Plumbing helped by providing transportation of all 200 turkeys from Safeway to our event host, Mountain Springs Church.
- Walmart’s Bakery department made collecting dinner rolls an absolute breeze the day before the event; rallying together and loading all 200 dinner roll sets in my vehicle for me.
- Grocery Outlet supplied 200 pies in direct/total no cost donation.
- American Heritage Girls Troop came together on Thursday afternoon to build 200 bags of Thanksgiving food items.
- Trail Life Boys Troop came together on the day of the event to help distribute all the 200 bags to those who arrived.
- Misty Mountain Pizza supplied pizza for all the volunteers helping the day of the event
In total, we raised $10,000 to support making these 200 turkey meals happen. We deeply thank the following local businesses and direct donors for their incredible generosity:
AGE Heating & Cooling, American Legion Post #55, Apo Family, BF Fredrickson’s Garbage, Branding Iron Logo Company, Brown Family, Bushnell Law, Caribou Creek Log Homes, Century 21 Four Seasons Realty, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 28, Ennis Family, Evergreen Home Loan, Garcia Family, Hank Willis DDS, Kaniksu Community Health, Lightning M Cheese, McCune Family, Mugsy’s Tavern & Grill, ProX, Western Building Center, Red’s Transmission & Performance, Rocket Mortgage, Linda Collier, Rotary Club of Bonners Ferry, including their Turkey Challenge, Selkirk Kennels, Selkirk Press, The Medicine Man Pharmacy, Veterans of Foreign War #3622, Will & Laura Realty, Wink Inc. and Wood’s BF Redi Mix.
It is with hearts full of immense gratitude for this absolutely incredible community, we wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.
We will be organizing another Community Giving Day for “Share the Light of Christmas” on Saturday, December 20.
This will combine efforts of the Boundary County Veterans Services Office, In His Image Group, Community Action Partnership, Rotary Club of Bonners Ferry, Boundary County School District 101, and Mountain Springs Church.
Together, we will host a Toy Giving Tree with a chance to meet Santa Claus himself, along with the high school middle school’s annual Ham & Turkey Drive and Warm Coats & Boots Drive.
If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact Samantha Banuet at (208) 889-1493 or email smcb9b@gmail.com.
Happy Thanksgiving, and many blessings to you!
