Kelcey and Tawnya Bingham sympathize with the stress weighing on first-responders and health-care workers who are on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Before launching the Bear Mountain Builders construction firm in Whitefish nearly two decades ago, they both put in time as EMTs and volunteer firefighters. Tawnya, in particular, worked with a Conoco-Phillips refinery as a specialized firefighter, hazmat and high-angle rescue technician. She was one of five on the hazmat team to stay at the refinery when it was evacuated during 9-11.

Those past experiences of clocking in to “face the unknown,” Kelcey said, is what led the couple to launch a fundraising campaign aimed at giving back to local health-care workers as they take on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Having been on the font lines and seeing what these folks are going through right now — it’s something we wanted to give back to,” Kelcey explained.

“We’ve both been in their shoes — when you have your own family to go home to and you’re putting yourself in harm’s way for strangers. That’s hard, and we want to show our appreciation for those people,” Tawnya added.

Last week, the couple reached out to their colleagues at Whitefish-based Malmquist Construction to help launch the campaign. Malmquist Construction is well-known for building the HGTV Dream Home on Big Mountain last year, while Bear Mountain Builders has constructed more than 150 custom homes in the area.

Each construction firm put up an initial $8,000 pledge to purchase food vouchers from family owned restaurants around the valley. Those gift cards will be distributed to local health-care workers and first-responders. Both firms also agreed to reach out to their past clients to solicit contributions.

As of Monday, the two companies had raised more than $30,000, and the dollars were still coming in.

“We sent out letters on Friday and many of our clients got back to us very quickly,” Kelcey explained. “Our first donation was a very generous $5,000.”

“We expect it will keep climbing.”

Andrew “Bear” Barinowski, a project manager with Malmquist Construction, points out the campaign will have a double impact in recognizing health-care workers while also helping local restaurants that are suffering financially as a result of the pandemic.

Under a state directive from Gov. Steve Bullock, all restaurants and bars in the state are ordered to close their doors through April 10. They are only permitted to offer take-out or delivery. Bullock said last week that it’s likely the directive will continue for another two weeks.

A recent estimate from the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau showed Whitefish restaurants were losing nearly $200,000 a day during the stay-at-home order.

“Whatever we can do to help the medical folks and the restaurants,” Barinowski said about Malmquist teaming up with Bear Mountain Builders.

Kelcey said he didn’t think twice about asking a competing firm to help out in the fundraiser.

“We respect each other, as competitors and business owners,” he said. “If we get together on this, we get more coming in.”

Kelcey said they’re moving quickly to get the restaurant vouchers distributed by the end of the week, and said they’re working with hospital officials to make sure they get into the hands of the folks who need them most. The gift cards will go to nurses, as well as those on the maintenance staff or those working in reception. Anyone who is putting themselves at risk by simply going to work, Tawnya said.

“The fear of the unknown — that’s what these folks are feeling now,” Kelcey said of these health-care workers. “[The gift cards] are a small token, but anything we can do to help.”

Matt Baldwin can be reached at 758-4447 or [email protected]