The Idaho High School Activities Association announced that Stein's Markets has been selected as the statewide recipient of the Duane D. Wolfe Memorial Award, given to an individual or business that has supported high school activities either financially or through service for at least 10 years.

"It means a lot," said Larry Stein, the company's co-owner and president. "We were humbled and felt really good about the fact that we were recognized by local districts in Idaho."

In fact, he said, it was an honor just to be nominated locally.

Stein is a third-generation owner of the company, and he said his family has always focused on local youth. Winning this award was a "neat reminder" of how important supporting local business is, because often, money is poured back into the community.

Stein's Market was first established in Kellogg in 1929 and later expanded to Osburn in 1958 and Rathdrum in 1977. For more than five decades, the Stein's Markets have been providing cash donations, personnel donations for help with various projects, space in the store for fundraisers, raffles, purchasing advertisements and direct donations of food, gift cards and other prices to five Idaho high schools including Mullan, Wallace, Kellogg, Lakeland and Timberlake.

Osburn, Kellogg and Rathdrum have Stein's Markets locations, as well as Troy and Eureka, Mont.

Stein's Market will be officially honored at the annual Idaho High School Activities Association Hall of Fame banquet at the Riverside Hotel in Boise Aug. 1.