Meet and greet for senior center makes a difference
Donors, Rotarians, seniors and others gathered as the first shipment of beef was delivered. Marcia Vee is seated in the middle of an impromptu gathering after a fundraising effort led to a donation of more than 400 pounds of beef a ton of goodwill.
Photo courtesy DAVID KEYES
It seemed like a good idea at the time…and by the time Casey Gannon got off the phone on that particular Friday, the Boundary County Senior Center ended up with what could be more than 400 pounds of beef as well as a ton of goodwill.
Gannon, the manager of Accurate Northwest in Bonners Ferry, had an idea the senior center might need assistance after he talked to a few Rotarians and other people around town.
“We were too late to buy an animal at the fair,” he said. “But the need was real as I found out.”
He started calling, and after a few hours, he raised $2,585.74.
“Everyone I talked to wanted to help,” he said. Sherwin Williams, the company that sells paint to Accurate Northwest, jumped in.
Others followed; among them Northwest Autobody, Bonners Ferry Rotary, Panhandle Towing and Recovery, Wood’s Meat Processing, Maas Designs, Turner Plumbing, Foundation School, Inc., and 9B Family Foundations
There is no doubt that if Casey had a few more hours, he could have raised even more funds.
Bonners Ferry Rotary President Sandy Johnstone immediately loved Gannon’s plan.
“How could I say no to Casey and this great idea?” she said. Johnstone committed the club to $500 and then went to her board of directors. “Thank goodness the board wanted to make it happen.”
Johnstone was also aware that uber-volunteer and uber-Rotarian Marcia Vee loves the center and was the 90-year-old’s lunch guest there recently.
“We decided to honor Marcia Vee’s dedication to the center with our donation because it is her favorite place,” Johnstone said.
On Tuesday, donors, Rotarians, seniors and others gathered as the first shipment of beef was delivered. Marcia Vee was seated in the middle of the impromptu gathering.
“This is a win for everyone in town,” said Marcia Vee.
Linda Lederhos, the immediate past president of Bonners Ferry Rotary and the director at the senior center, received accolades from all in attendance about the difference she has made in the short time she has taken the lead at the center.
“We are honored and grateful you all thought of us,” she said. “This community is amazing.”