LETTER: Thanks for support of fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders

Once again we wish to thank the entire Flathead Valley community for its multidimensional support of the 14th annual sale for Doctors without Borders and The International Rescue Committee. We were fortunate to receive many very good donations, and, thanks to public service advertising in the Inter Lake, the Pilot, KSAM and Whitefish Community Radio, we attracted many enthusiastic buyers.

Altogether we raised over $15,000 for the first time, to be split evenly between the two charities. Both are deeply involved in the refugee crises throughout the world.

This year was unique in that Bruce Chadwick, of Kalispell, donated his much beloved sports car (a 1963 Karmann Ghia) to the sale. For the last few years it has been his vehicle for delivering Meals on Wheels to elderly neighbors who particularly appreciated the means of delivery.

Because of the outstanding response of the community, this sale was a very large job. and we could not have made it such a success without help. We would like to give special thanks to volunteers Kaye Haller, Pat Linton, Dan and Betsy Kohnstamm, Dee Wagner, Nanda Ten Ham, Sara McHale, Dawn Gray, Jolene Smith and to many other friends and neighbors who volunteered their time by sorting, and displaying goods, and even providing us with some much-appreciated meals.

We had help from all generations. Our neighbor Laelia (now 4 1/2 years) sold hot chocolate on chilly mornings, and ninth-graders Jade and Vivian freely donated pockets full of quarters to the sale.

It is the wonderful support from our unique community that makes this sale successful year after year. Thanks to all of you, —Sam and Ruth Neff, Whitefish