Pend d'Oreille Bay Trail wins grant

SANDPOINT — The Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail are another $30,000 closer to their goal.

Thanks to a grant from the Confidence Foundation, the nonprofit committed to raising money for the purchase of the final lakeside trail parcel is making excellent headway. Even better, the money will help the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail climb toward the maximum $75,000 in grant match-funding available from the Equinox Foundation.

“We’re excited and thrilled with the momentum that’s gaining around this project,” organization president Jon Sayler said.

The development puts them within $30,000 to $35,000 of obtaining the highest level of match-funding from the Equinox Foundation. Assuming the group raises the rest of that amount and obtains the full $75,000, they will have a total of $170,000 in collected and pledged donations, almost half of their $400,000 goal. Since the group still has more than two years to go before their deadline, that’s good progress.    

“All of us are really pleased about this, but we also have to realize that it’s not a slam-dunk,” Sayler said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

According to the group’s plan, they aim to purchase the fourth parcel of the lakeside Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail in 2014 and donate it to public use. Members hope the rest of the trail will fall into place with Sandpoint buying the second parcel this year and Ponderay taking care of the third next year. Sandpoint officials kicked the project off last fall with the purchase of the first section.

However, the final decision of both governmental bodies can’t be predicted with absolute certainty. According to Sayler, the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail need to be prepared for any contingency.

“These are all things that are tenuous, and that’s why we need to keep this on the front-burner and make sure the trail stays in the public eye,” Sayler said.

However, the new grant definitely helps move the effort along. According to Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail associate Susan Drunheller, planners first became aware of the opportunity when they learned that individuals associated with the Confidence Foundation lived in the area. A private, family organization based out of Pasedena, Calif., the Confidence Foundation only accepts grant proposals on invitation. Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail associates approached the local family members to request permission and were allowed to make their case.

Those seeking to get a better view of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail can join the Friends for guided walks at 9 a.m. the first Saturday of every month. In addition, residents can grab a beer while participating in a silent auction at Laughing Dog Brewery’s Sept. 7 Firkin Friday event.

Otherwise, Drumheller encourages residents to keep their ears to the ground for more good news.

“We have a lot of irons in the fire, and hopefully this won’t be the last announcement,” she said.