SANDPOINT – A longtime business in the Sandpoint and Ponderay area, Staples has been active in the community since opening its doors.

The store, located at the Bonner Mall in Ponderay, was named as the June “Business of the Month” by the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.

Staples opened at the Bonner Mall in 1998. As a long-standing business in Sandpoint/Ponderay, they have remained consistently active in the community since opening their doors with their community involvement centering around two themes — kids and teachers, and supporting events which bring people to town.

They have partnered with local groups to get several events up and running, including the Scenic Half Marathon, Rotary Ducky Derby, Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail Fun Run, WaCanId ride, CHAFE 150, the Long Bridge Swim, and numerous soccer and lacrosse tournaments.

“Supporting and helping to promote these events brings people to town, thus boosting our local economy. It helps everyone,” said Ryan Wells, Staples general manager.

Their biggest and longest partnership started with Community Action Partnership almost 20 years ago to provide school supplies to low-income Bonner County students. Now the store’s employees workwith the Angels Over Sandpoint and supply 1,000 kids all over Bonner County with a backpack filled with enough supplies to ensure a successful school year. This relieves the pressure of local teachers and schools who would try to help students who arrived to school unprepared to start the year. In August, Staples delivers pallets of school supplies to the Farmin-Stidwell Elementary School gym, and Angels Over Sandpoint members sort and pack by grade level supplies for students in need.

Staples’ newest partnership is with the local teachers and their classrooms. When families are back to school shopping at Staples, they can designate their classroom and teacher to receive 5% of their purchase value. Teacher will get 5% of all back to school purchases up to $250 per classroom.

Staples is open seven days a week, located at 260 Bonner Mall Way in Ponderay.