Grand marshal a community treasure

SANDPOINT — "We try to get someone who has contributed to the community," said Judy Dabrowski, spokesperson for the Sandpoint Lions Club.

Each year, the local Lions put on a Fourth of July celebration that features a grand parade, and each year, the group elects a grand marshal. The selection process is a simple one. The club gets together for a meeting and members make nominations.

"People bring up all kinds of people they think are worthy to be grand marshal, and each person tells about his or her nominee. Then we vote on them," Dabrowski said.

"This year, we felt Wendy was deserving of the honor for all she does for the Lions’ Club and for the community. Anybody who comes along who needs benefits, she’s happy to help them," said Judy Dabrowski, spokesperson for the Sandpoint Lions Club.

This year's designee, Wendy Sater, is a second-generation Sandpoint native. She has owned and operated the Hoot Owl Cafe on Highway 200 in Ponderay for nearly 21 years.

"I’m just really floored that they chose me. I always thought (a grand marshal) was an older person or a politician," she said.

Sater does more than cook and serve great food. The Hoot Owl doubles as the headquarters for a veterans' ride share program, which helps vets get to medical appointments and other destinations. On Monday evenings from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., the cafe morphs into a soup kitchen, with volunteers contributing crock pots of soup to serve free to patrons. Proceeds go to purchase clothing, dental care and other necessities people cannot afford on their own. Sater's daughter, Savannah Mort, and her son-in-law run the soup kitchen.

The Hoot Owl is also the setting of an annual spaghetti feed fundraiser to benefit the Lions Club's Toys for Tots program.

"She and her staff donate the restaurant, the time and all the food for the spaghetti feed," said Dabrowsky. "They give us the money that comes in that night. She’s been very generous."

When asked what her duties as the parade grand marshal will entail, Sater was uncertain.

"I have no idea," she said. "They haven’t said anything about what they need. They said do you want a float or a car? I chose a car."

Dabrowsky supplied a more detailed job description.

"She rides in a convertible and waves her hand," she said. "First, the color guard goes through and then the Lions. The grand marshal is right at the front of the parade. It's our way of honoring the person."

Past grand marshals include the Sandpoint High School student body in 2015, veterinarian Dr. Jerry Lewis in 2014, and the Ambrosianis of the Ambrosiani-Pastore Foundation.

"I feel like there's other people who are more deserving," Sater said. This will be the first time in a long time she has taken time off on the Independence Day holiday. "We're normally super busy on the Fourth."

As a lifelong resident of the Sandpoint community, Sater volunteers time and resources to help individuals like veterans and seniors, organizations like the Lions and Panhandle Special Needs, and families with children. However, she believes more work is yet to be done.

"The community has grown a lot since I was a kid. It used to be you knew everybody and who needs what, but now it's harder. A lot of people that come in are families — people with lots of kids. They can sleep outside at some times of the year, but in winter months, they can’t," she said. “I would like to see more resources for people with children, like family shelters."

The grand parade, headed by marshal Wendy Sater, gets underway on the Fourth at 10 a.m. Anyone wishing to take part should register in advance. The registration fee is $25 before the Fourth and $35 the morning of the parade. The children's parade starts at 9 a.m. and entry is free. Children should decorate their bikes or wagons and meet at the city parking lot at Church and Third streets at 8:45 a.m. Fireworks starts at dusk at City Beach.

Information: www.sandpointlions.com or call 263-4118.