KELLOGG — Every community has businesses that help power its economy. In the Silver Valley, some also help power the programs, schools and organizations that keep the community moving forward. 

For more than 60 years, Dave Smith Motors has been one of the largest and most successful businesses in Shoshone County and North Idaho. Beyond the jobs it provides, the Kellogg dealership has invested millions of dollars into the community it calls home, supporting local schools, nonprofits and community events. 

“In such a tight knit community, it is important to us to be involved and give back to the community that has given us so much,” Dave Smith representative Braden Thomas said. 

Thomas works in the company's marketing department and serves as one of the dealership's primary connections to the community. 

The dealership's partnership with GMC helped fuel significant growth during the 1990s, helping establish Dave Smith GMC as one of the brand's largest dealerships. As the business expanded, so did its ability to support community projects throughout the Silver Valley. 

While community involvement has always been important to the company, additional funds from its co-operative agreement with GMC have allowed it to increase that support. 

According to Thomas, Dave Smith GMC has donated or committed more than $406,609 in 2026 alone to 105 causes, organizations and community events across the region. 

One of those recipients was the Kellogg High School football program. 

When first-year head coach Sam Mailou arrived, he inherited a program in need of basic equipment, uniforms and training resources. Local businesses rallied to help, and Dave Smith GMC contributed $8,000 toward the effort, helping provide players with the equipment they needed for the season. 

“This support was essential,” Mailou said. “It enabled us to provide team cleats and new jerseys for every athlete, giving them a renewed sense of pride and identity on the field. As we work to build a fresh culture and a new football mindset, having proper training equipment such as tackle bags, sleds, agility ladders, and weight room strength bands has been transformative. Paired with the right educational materials to develop football IQ, this support has truly allowed us to build well prepared, high caliber athletes.” 

For Thomas, stories like Kellogg football's are exactly why community giving remains a priority. 

Rather than viewing donations as a marketing opportunity, he said the dealership sees supporting local organizations as part of its responsibility to the community that helped build the business. 

“The Silver Valley has an incredible network of non-profit organizations and school programs that work to create opportunities for everyone that calls this place home,” Thomas said. “It is a privilege to be able support those organizations and provide the assistance where can.”