PONDERAY — There was no coincidence that the day Mary Hutter received a free roof from SkyRight Roofing and Gutter was also her late husband's 64th birthday.   

When Hutter was told that several officers from Sandpoint Police would be stopping by her house, she assumed it was to honor her husband, former Sandpoint Police officer and Ponderay Police chief Mike Hutter, on what would be the first birthday celebration since his passing Oct. 16, 2025.  

When a few extra visitors from SkyRight Roofing were also in attendance, she couldn’t help but be shocked that she was nominated by Sandpoint Police Chief, and friend, Corey Coon and had won a free roof from the company. 

“It’s super exciting that I’m getting another roof,” Hutter said. “And it’s really cool that it’s on Mike’s birthday. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.” 

Hutter was overjoyed when presented with the gift. She said it would be a major financial relief, finally having her roof fixed, in addition to the added security of a new roof. Her current roof, according to Coon, had damage that was sealed by a tarp, among a handful of other remedies.  

“It’s just so nice that they nominated me,” Hutter said.   

SkyRight announced its second roof giveaway in late February and asked the community to nominate a public servant in need of a roof but who may not have the means to replace it. Coon said when the giveaway was brought to his attention by his wife, Lindsey, they knew Hutter was a perfect nominee.  

“Mike and I have been trying to get this roof done for probably 15 years. We’ve patched it; I think we’ve put two or three different tarps on it, but it just never got done. And so, when he passed away last year, I told Mary a couple months ago, ‘we’re gonna get it done, even if I gotta come do it myself, we’re gonna get it done,’” Coon said. “So, when my wife saw it, she said we should nominate Mary, which I thought was perfect, so we did it.”  

SkyRight executive coordinator Kaitlyn Wilkinson said the company received a handful of nominations but added that Hutter’s story stood out among the submissions due to the recent loss of her husband, who served in both the Sandpoint and Ponderay police departments.  

“Mike served this community with honor, compassion and unwavering dedication, both as an officer for the Sandpoint Police Department and as the former chief of police in Ponderay,” Coon wrote in a Facebook post, honoring Mike Hutter. “He was more than a fellow officer; he was a friend, a mentor and someone who cared deeply about the people he served.”

 Mary Hutter opened her door to see local law enforcement and SkyRight Roofing officials. The crew gathered to congratulate her on winning a free roof and honor her late husband, Mike Hutter.