Food and Foster

 

My travels took me two directions yesterday. On one short trip, I headed north, driving a few short miles to Center Valley Veterinary Hospital with Foster by my side.

During an exam a few weeks ago regarding his loss of vision, Foster also had a complete battery of blood tests which indicated he's in good shape for an older pup.

Dr. Kellner also noticed some teeth problems and suggested we take care of them.

So, yesterday Foster went for surgery.  At the end of the day, he came home minus three teeth and REALLY hungry.

Poor little guy had to fast from 9 p.m. Sunday night until after the surgery.  And, while anesthetics wore off, he had to wait even longer before his first meal.

Finally, last evening he enjoyed a couple of small meals of chicken noodle soup.  He'll have to eat softened dog food from now on, and we discovered we need to get some weight back on him.

Foster spends most of his days constantly racing back and forth down the aisle of the barn, thinking that eventually he'll come in contact with Sunny, the cat and nowadays, even Mooch.

So, it's usually a very busy and active day for the little guy, and we're thinking all that activity may be contributing to his weight loss.

We'll be enhancing his desire to eat his meals and hoping he puts those pounds back on his little frame.

My other trip took me to town and to the Bonner County Community Food Bank where the place was bustling with activity.

Clients were shopping for and picking up their Thanksgiving dinner goodies, including spuds and hams and some good-looking pies.

The folks mentioned in the news release below were helping out at tables outside, handing over some of those holiday dinner delights.

Debbie asked me to show up for a photo session with representatives from the two entities who so generously donated, a rep from the governor's office and local volunteers.

While waiting for the photo op and even afterward, I enjoyed some great conversation with some of the participants in the event.

Among those, two could tout ties to Idaho governors.

That was kinda neat because we were standing just across a couple of fields from the home of another Idaho governor, Don Samuelson, with whom I had worked several years ago when he wrote his memoir.

Yesterday I spent time with Serena Carlson whose father Chris worked as Gov. Cecil Andrus' press secretary and as an aide Andrus while he served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Serena's dad also wrote a book about Andrus, a Democrat who served as Idaho's governor for 14 years. The book is entitled Andrus: Idaho's Greatest Governor.

Serena and I agreed that we share a lot in common.

I'd met her once before at an Idaho State Forestry Contest so she knows Bill.  She's also a writer and a lover of horses. Plus, she's friends with my friend and former student Erica Curless.

We enjoyed swapping stories and agreed that this must continue.

I also enjoyed meeting Jake Garringer, a young man from Coeur d'Alene who serves as field director in North Idaho, representing Gov. Brad Little. Jake and I also shared a story or two.

His background is impressive, in that he once served as the youngest member of the Coeur d'Alene planning and zoning commission.  He earned his Master's Degree in London. He also worked as an intern for Sen. Mike Crapo.

It was a pleasure meeting and visiting with this nice young man who serves as great representative for  state government.

When I left Jake, he was headed off for a quick tour of the Food Bank with Debbie.

Twas a busy Monday, and in both cases, some happy endings, especially for those in need here in Bonner County.

 

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BNSF Railway and Ames Construction give thanks to Bonner County by teaming up with Bonner Community Food Bank

 

Thanksgiving is a time of sharing and compassion, and thanks to the Bonner Community Food Bank, BNSF Railway, and Ames Construction, families in need in Sandpoint and the surrounding community will celebrate with a traditional turkey dinner.

 

Bolstered by a $25,000 grant from the BNSF Railway Foundation and a $5,000 gift from Ames Construction, the Bonner Community Food Bank will distribute Thanksgiving meals starting on November 14^th at 11:00 AM. 

Volunteers from both companies will be on-site handing out the dinners, made possible through donations not only from BNSF and Ames, but also other generous businesses, organizations, and individuals throughout the region.

 

“We are grateful for all donations, especially during the holidays,” said Debbie Love, executive director of the Food Bank. “The contributions ensure families will enjoy a delicious, traditional meal without worrying about how they will pay for it.”

 

The BNSF and Ames donations are, in part, a thank you to residents of Sandpoint and the larger Bonner County area for their patience and support throughout the five-year construction of the second rail bridge over Lake Pend Oreille. 

 

The new bridge will help reduce congestion and move current and future freight traffic more efficiently.

 

According to Matt Jones, Director of Public Affairs for BNSF: “We are committed to investing in the communities across our 32,500-mile, 28-state track network. The citizens of Sandpoint and Bonner County went the extra mile while the new bridge was built, and we are thrilled to thank them with some Thanksgiving cheer.”

 

The Bonner Community Food Bank has been serving the local community since 1981. As of September 30, 2022, they have distributed 360,539 pounds of food through donations from grocery stores and individuals.

 The food bank had over 24,000 visits in 2021 and is already over 28,000 as of the end of October of this year.

 

The BNSF Railway Foundation, the charitable arm of BNSF Railway, Inc, contributes to causes and organizations which support and improve the quality of life for thousands of communities across the BNSF rail network. 

 

For more information, visit www.bnsffoundation.org. For Sandpoint Junction Connector construction project updates, visit www.keepsandpointrolling.com.

 

Jake Garringer from the Idaho Governor's Office

Local volunteers extraordinaire, Roz Holland and Judy Thompson, helped hand out ingredients for Thanksgiving dinners at the Bonner Community Food Bank yesterday. 

Mr. One Antler gets around.  Yesterday while coming home from the vet hospital with Foster, I saw him hanging out at Gary Finney's farm.

 

Later, while walking out to put the horses in, he was peeking around the service berry bush at me.  He didn't seem to know if he wanted to stay and visit or if he should run off. 

Finally, the tail went up and he trotted leisurely toward the barn, through the field by the lane and finally over the fence into Pasture No. 2.  

Then, he stood and watched as I put the horses in the barn.  No doubt he was soon back in the yard after I went to the house.  

Maybe one of these days I'll see him headed out of the garage like Mooch the cat's visit last week. 

Happy Tuesday.