Raffle being held to help Priest Lake Food Bank

PRIEST LAKE — A raffle is being held to benefit the Priest Lake Food Bank. Tickets are $5 each.

The raffle, with the drawing set for Dec. 8 at the Inn at Priest Lake, features everything from a top-of-the-line wood stove donated by Jake’s Chimney Sweep and Mountain Stove, valued at $1,150, to a one-hour scenic flight over Lake Pend Oreille and the Selkirk Mountains that was donated by Bob DelValle Enterprises. The flight is valued at $250.

Other raffle prizes include a tandem parachute jump, donated by Sky Dive West Plains and Ball Electric, valued at $250; plumbing services to winterize and summerize your vacation home, donated by East River Plumbing, valued at $500; winner’s choice for a party of four for a wooden boat ride and beach picnic or a modern boat ride and lunch at the Priest Lake Restaurant, donated by Chris and Dick Winn, $250 value; a cord of mixed firewood, donated by Priest Lake Walls and Walkwahys Landscaping, $175 value; “thick and thin” meats (sausages, steaks, chops, ribs, filet and chicken) and Priest Lake Brewing Company clothing, total value $230; Cedar Hills fancy soaps, a $25 Shopko gift card and a $25 North 40 gift card, total value $100; all you can eat and drink and dessert for two at Ardy’s Family Dining and a two-night stay at the Coolin Motel and a day’s Crown Jewel boat rental, total value $500.

In addition, there will be decorated artificial mini-Christmas trees sold at a silent auction. The silent auction begins at 4 p.m. and ends at 6:15 p.m.

The event opens at 4 p.m. for folks to view items, bid on the Christmas trees and enjoy dessert. The drawing for the raffle prizes will begin at 6:30 p.m. but you do not need to be present to win.

The Priest Lake Food Bank was founded by a member of the Lamb of God Lutheran Church, and in 2004 became a separate nonprofit 501(c)(3). The church, on Highway 57, near milepost 26, generously allows the PLFB to use part of its facilities to fulfill its mission to provide quality and nutritious food products to its patrons. At the present time the food bank provides supplementary food each month to over 200 people in the Priest Lake area. The area the PLFB serves starts on Highway 57 at Bear Paw and Peterson roads, extends north to Nordman and the Coolin area, east to East River Road and west to the Washington state border.

To be eligible, patrons must be Idaho residents, live within the boundaries (described above) and have one income less than $1,300 per month. Income level criteria are slightly higher for two-income families. For more information about eligibility, call one of PLFB’s volunteers at 208-217-5087.

Food products distributed to patrons comes primarily from two sources. The first is the U.S.Department of Agriculture Food Surplus Program. USDA products are free to the food bank. The second source is the Second Harvest outlet in Spokane, Wash. That organization offers some free products and allows PLFB to purchase other products at discounted prices.

The PLFB is open from noon until 3 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month for food distribution at the Lutheran Church. All of the food bank staff are volunteers; some have been volunteering there for 10 or more years. Some of the volunteers are recipients of the food bank program at Priest Lake.

The Priest Lake Food Bank relies on grants, donations and fundraising in order to continue to serve its patrons. Past fundraisers include the St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage dinner and an outside barbecue at Ardy’s Café in Coolin.

Information: priestlakefoodbank.org