Carol Deaner named top chamber volunteer

SANDPOINT— The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce recently Carol Deaner as May’s Volunteer of the Month for her service to the community.

“Carol has been extremely supportive and engaged in our community, as well as being a tireless advocate for the arts in our community,” said chamber executive director Kate McAlister. “Carol has a long past of being engaged in one cause of another around our community.”

Deaner is a past president of Pend Oreille Arts Council and has served as a board member for more than 10 years. She also has board member for the Hope Memorial Community Center and was instrumental in building of the Hope Fire Station. In 2007, she was named the 2007 Woman of Wisdom.

For POAC, she led the nonprofit through the growth of the Kaleidoscope program, which helps put art in the schools, expansion of the visual arts programs to include more artists and more venues to display the art and continue the excellence in the Performing Arts programs.

Deaner, who been an integral part of MCC for years, she coordinates the area-wide Christmas Giving Program for local families, awards college scholarships to local students, spotlights local artists through art presentations, runs a preschool program and hosts various group meetings.

Currently, Deaner is the chair of Sandpoint Arts Commission and is directly responsible for the Sandpoint arch, art in the roundabout on Boyer and soon-to-be installed Second Avenue public art pieces. She is also a Panhandle Alliance For Education board member where she chairs the annual PAFE gala committee, which raises money for grants programs.

Also, she is a trustee of the Bonner General Hospital Foundation and is instrumental in planning the annual Heart Ball, as well as co-chairs the BGHF Awareness and Fundraising Committee.

“She doesn’t just get involved or attend meetings, she takes on major roles,” said Kim Diercks, who presented Carol with the award. She also added, “As with all of Carol’s commitments, the value she adds and her energy and creativity are impactful and unequaled. Her civic contributions continue to be an inspiration to, and motivator for, many people. She’s a rock disguised in the form of the Ever-Ready Bunny.”