The Community Assistance League was founded in 1979 with a mission to contribute to the well-being of the community. Our purpose was certainly challenged in 2020.

March and April brought the closure of Bizarre Bazaar, CAL’s “upscale resale store.” Club meetings stopped, social events were non-existence and committees for upcoming grants and scholarships were delayed. Following closely the COVID-19 news and the restrictions in place, the board met via Zoom and hammered out policies, grant and scholarship committees quickly learned to do their work remotely, communicated with members via our monthly newsletter, and began the road back to some normalcy.

Store managers Diane Arrants and Cheri Warber reopened the store in May with shorter hours and COVID-19 restrictions in place. The grant committee did give out grants, and scholarships were awarded, as well as some special emergency grant to organizations that were providing COVID support for the community. Some volunteers participated in The Healing Garden at Bonner General Hospital and we were again able to donate gently used items to Healing Hands Healing Hearts.

A small group led by CAL member Julia Kern and Sandpoint Furniture entered CALs’ tree for Kinderhaven’s Festival of trees. The tree raised $7,500 as well as all of gifts under the tree were donated back to the children at Kinderhaven. More happy news in 2020, we were again voted into the final round of the Best of the Best in Bonner County, taking second place for the best thrift store and third place for our jewelry department.

It would be naïve to say that 2020 was not a difficult year but as with so many in the community faced with the same obstacles we can say, “We are still here.”

We finally were able to have a membership meeting via Zoom in March 2021, reflecting on that we had not met since February 2020. Our April 2021 meeting will be in person and Zoom, in support of our various members’ comfort levels. A spring social is in the works! The Healing Garden will get underway and Bizarre Bazaar will be decked out for spring.

Though Bizarre Bazaar was closed for two-and-half months and reopened with shorter hours in May 2020, donations and sales were strong and the mission of CAL continued. Our combined efforts of our donors, customers and volunteers have resulted in $130,000 for CAL to give grants and scholarships to deserving organizations and students in spring 2021.

Carol Visger is publicity chair for the Community Assistance League.