Sowing seeds helps out seniors

SANDPOINT — The new spring fundraiser for the Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., "Sowing Seeds for Seniors," is a growing success.

"It's been very exciting," said Ellen Weissman, executive director of SASi.

Weissman said the group has sent out about 700 mailings since last month, which include a letter, a donation form and a pack of wildflower seeds for the recipient to plant at their leisure. So far, SASi has raised about $6,000.

SASi has to raise $80,000 per year to stay open Weissman said, so the group hosts several fundraisers throughout the year. 

Instead of doing a dance, dinner or auction for a spring fundraiser, Weissman said she and SASi volunteer Julia Kern came up with the idea to send out seeds. This way, people who want to help out can stay home or go on about their regular activities while making a donation — and they can grow something beautiful. "Sowing Seeds for Seniors" was modeled after a fundraiser by the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force where they send out a bag of tea for people to relax, put their feet up, have a cup of tea and make a donation, Weissman said.

Kern said she got involved with SASi particularly to help with fundraising, and she came up with the idea to do something with seeds after Weissman mentioned the tea fundraiser.

"I got together with Ellen and we worked on the project; it was easier than doing something else and it turned out fantastic — I'm so excited about it," Kern said.

Weissman said the seeds came from a company in Vermont with a similar climate to North Idaho, but next year, as she plans to do the fundraiser again, she hopes to find a local company to work with.

The money raised go into the general fund to support things SASi's activities and administration; the DayBreak Center, which provides daytime care Tuesday through Thursday for individuals with memory issues and provides respite for caregivers; and the food program, which includes in-house meals at SASi and the DayBreak Center, as well as the Home Delivered Meals program. SASi serves about 2,000 meals each month through those three programs. While the in-house meals remain fairly steady, the number of meals delivered by SASi volunteers to seniors who are isolated in their homes is climbing "a lot," Weissman said. 

Weissman said SASi is in the running for a $10,000 grant, which has been narrowed down to nine possible recipients. The money would go to repairs on the fire suppression system, countertops and airconditioning in the kitchen at SASi, finishing the interior of the garage and a backup generator.

"If those grants don't come through, we might use some of this money for repairs, but hopefully we are going to get the grants so we can use this to buy food — which we do a lot of," Weissman said.

People are welcome to go to SASi and pick up a packet of seeds and make a donation at anytime throughout the spring, Weissman said. She said people can also send a donation with a note stating they would like a packet of seeds, if they have not received one yet.

Kern said the goal for this fundraiser is $10,000, and she is planning four different fundraisers for SASi each year — one for each season.

"I just love these people," Kern said. "It's so neat going over to the senior center and getting to know everybody and talking to people, and you know, we are all going to be seniors someday ... this is a need in our community."

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.