WOW, an Antidote to the Blahs

Just when some slight symptoms of "January Blahs" started off my morning, i.e., rainy, dreary, sloppy weather, I soon found several reasons to cast those blahs aside for yet another day and to echo my younger sister's Facebook pronouncement by saying, "WOW."

Pardon me, if a little family pride has generated my thrill of sharing each of the three stories below.  

Each deals with a different topic, but each demonstrates a wonderful example of someone making a difference through vision, hard work, consistency, caring, tenacity and good ol' humanity. 

I think of the horse lovers inspired by my sister Barbara with her many years of service as a teacher both in public education and as a teacher in the horse world.  

Barbara has risen to a national level as a horse woman, and on that lifelong journey, she continues to inspire others through her knowledge, her willingness to take time to educate and through her steadfast integrity. 

Meanwhile, Debbie, now director of the local food bank, has come into our Sandpoint community and, in just a few years, has become a much beloved "giver" in behalf of others.

Sometimes we family members have to get on Debbie's case about saying "yes," too many times.   

But that's Debbie, the lady endowed with one of the warmest hearts I've ever known,  and that's why she is so beloved.

This morning, I read the letter to the editor about the Food Bank to Bill.  Later, he read some quotes from Willie in a story about "wearing pink" at tonight's Bulldogs basketball games.

As I beamed with pride, listening to Bill read our son Willie's words, I thought back on something I shared when Willie and Debbie first moved back to this community:  this couple will make a positive difference. 

And, they truly have. 

So, enjoy the "WOW's" along with some photos I took while out and about yesterday. 

Also, thanks to all the WOW folks for pushing away the January blahs for one more day.  So proud of you all.   

from sister Laurie Tibbs in a Facebook post:  Wow!!! Congratulations to my sister Barbara Tibbs for being nominated as a semi-finalist in the AMATEUR WORKING WESTERN section of the APAHA (Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman's Association) 2017 Horseman Awards. 

These nominees excel in Horsemanship, Sportsmanship, Achievement, Excellence and Integrity. They are respected among their peers.

Pretty exciting to see this nomination for an award on a national level. I am so proud of Barbara and all she has accomplished!!"

Wow # 2, from Letters to the Editor in today's Bonner County Daily Bee: 

Hi, my name is Austin Smith. I am a Boy Scout in Troop 111. I just got done volunteering for the food bank and I had a wonderful experience with the other volunteers.

Debbie Love is a great director for the food bank and generously let me volunteer for eight hours. The food bank is a great place to volunteer for anyone that wants to help out their community. 

While I worked there, there were seven volunteers helping out where they can. The two main volunteers/employees were Dean, who drove the van to go pick up food, and John, who was the man who packed up the food and carried it out into the market. 

All of the volunteers are amazing, helpful, and give their time to help someone else out.

Also the food bank would love for some other volunteers because they always need them. People can still help the food bank by donating food or their time. 

This is a great community that we live in, and I am so thankful to be able to live here and volunteer here.

AUSTIN SMITH


WOW # 3:  from today's Bonner County Daily Bee:  The Sandpoint High School Bulldog varsity boys and girls basketball teams are encouraging fans to show their support in pink tonight rather than the usual red and white. 

During tonight's games, the teams will host the first "Breast Cancer Awareness Night" in support of Marilyn Ward. 

"We found out in the fall that Marilyn had breast cancer," said Will Love, assistant coach for the varsity girls. "She has meant so much to the team.  Being Coach Ward's wife, she's done a lot for the girls."

Ward's husband, Duane Ward, is the girls' head coach and she has a granddaughter on the team.

Some of the things she does for the girls, Love said, is make pillows for their road trips and shows her support for them at every game. 

Since her diagnosis, Ward has been ungeroing treament every three weeks in Spokane, Love said. 

"When we found out about that, I definitely wanted to do something," Love said. "This is something I have been wanting to do since I started coaching, and this gave us a reason to do it."

The event will bring awareness and support for all breast cancer patients, as well as raise money for Celebrate Life, a local nonprofit, so they can provide help for area cancer patients. 

In addition, it is a goal of the event to make the public awre of breast cancer and encourage women to get mammograms.  Love said they home to make it an annual event. 

Everyone is encouraged to come to tonight's game and wear pink to show support. Both the girls and boys teams  will wear pink shirts when they are playing and pink wristbands for when they are in the game. 

A drawing will be held during the evening for five pink shirts.  Tickets are $3 each and will be sold [today] at school and at the games.  One hundred percent of all donations will go to Celebrate Life. 

Bonner General Health's imaging department will have Laura (Faux) Donnelly, registered X-ray mammography technologist will be at a table to provide information and Celebrate Life will have banners and a table set up as well. 

The girls varsity game begins at 5:30 p.m., and the boys varsity basketball game begins at 7:30 p.m.