April 2020 recap: COVID, mask-making and senior celebrations

SANDPOINT — By April, Bonner County was beginning to feel the effects of COVID-19 news.

On the first, a front-page story titled “Community dives into mask making” detailed locals’ efforts to supply masks for Bonner General Health, which, like many hospitals across the nation, needed to ration N95 masks.

The fabric masks work on top of the N95 masks and helped to keep them in use longer, allowing staff to wash and reuse their fabric masks and extend the life of the N95s.

“We wanted to do something to help,” Connie Burkhart said. “So we called the hospital to see what would help the most and the answer was making masks.”

In addition to the fabric masks, some community members also donated monetarily to help purchase needed supplies including nitrile gloves, plastic/vinyl gloves, surgical masks, bouffant

caps, isolation gowns, N95 masks and hand sanitizer.

On the same day, another article described how a magnitude 6.5 earthquake 45 miles west of Challis was felt in Bonner County the Tuesday afternoon before.

According to the article, The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at 4:52 p.m. local time at the epicenter, and the quake had a depth of 10 miles. It generated 6,308 responses from the public from Idaho, Washington, Montana and Utah.

Jennifer Lorayne of Priest River said the quake gave her vertigo.

“I’m so done with 2020,” she wrote.

On April. 2, an article came out about how the Ventilator manufacturer Percussionaire was appealing to the public for masks to keep its employees safe. A local dentist, and a woman in Athol quickly stepped up.

“I am just amazed. I am overwhelmed,” said Sam Shield. “It’s unbelievable.”

Another story on the second explained that as schools and businesses closed, the Bonner Community Food Bank saw a roughly 30% increase in need.

Another article on Sandpoint’s City Council detailed their approval of a preliminary plat to allow the Timber Creek subdivision a 22-lot subdivision for residential use.

On the third, an article ran about a mobile food drive organized by Christ our Redeemer Church and 2nd Harvest Food Bank for those affected by the pandemic.

“We truly want to help feed our neighbors through this crazy time,” said Kessin Drews, the church’s office manager.

Another article noted that Pend Oreille County recorded its first confirmed case of novel coronavirus the day before, and that that individual was in isolation at home, and a third recounted the challenges teachers were facing as they began instruction of sometimes young children online.

A story in the sports section featured Payton Bokowy, a 2018 Sandpoint High School graduate and WSU swim team member whose season was cut short. Although Bokowy couldn’t compete or take classes in-person, she was continuing workouts and studies at home. She also met over zoom meetings with her teammates, she said.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” she said. “We’re just so close and we go through so much together. We know each other so well and we can get each other through the hard practices and the hard days ... They’ve really been the reason that keeps me going.”

On the fourth, an article featured the Eureka Institute and Sandpoint Curry’s partnership to provide free meals for residents who were impacted by the pandemic, and a another discussed BGH’s support of the governor’s stay-at-home order at the time.

On the fifth, an article about another mask making effort, this time for the community at large, was published. A local sewing group banded together, and found creative ways to source elastic for ear loops, which was in short supply at the time. That included seam bindings, elastic from

fitted sheets, bungie cords and hair ties.

Some members of the group had already made dozens of masks, including one woman who had made 87 at the time.

“Grocery stores, pharmacy workers and senior center workers have already requested more than I can make,” she said.

On April 7, an article reported that a third case of COVID-19 had been reported the day before, and another detailed precautionary measures local grocery stores were taking to reduce the spread of infection, including reducing the number of customers allowed in at once, and offering services like curbside pickup.

On the same day the Sandpoint boys basketball team announced their awards for the season, which included the academic award for freshman Arie VanDenBerg, the Defensive Player of

the Year award senior Christian Niemela, Offensive Player of the Year for Ryan Roos, the “Most Inspirational” award to senior Brandon Casey, the “Bulldog Award,” which is given to the player that most embodies what it means to be a Sandpoint Bulldog to senior Will Treadaway, and the MVP award to Senior Kobe Banks.

On the eighth, an article was published about the Lake Pend Oreille School District cutting 59 employees. That cut applied to classified employees working less than 20 hours, and affected about 7% of the staff.

Another article discussed Sandpoint High School and Clark Fork High School joining high schools statewide to honor their 2020 seniors by turning on the school’s stadium lights for 20 minutes in the “Be the Light” campaign.

On the ninth, an article titled “IBE project seeks used laptops for students” detailed work by over 200 Idaho business leaders with Idaho Business for Education to collect donated laptops, clear them of data and get them into the hands of students.

"We have a digital divide in Idaho and across the United States. We have kids with resources and kids without resources," IBE president and CEO Rod Gramer said Monday. "The virus is starting to poke holes in certain areas where we had gaps."

On April. 10, an article announced the spring refill of Lake Pend Oreille. Another mask-masking effort, this time by the Sandpoint Rotary’s “Project 2,000,” was also underway to provide masks to frontline workers including hospital staff, elder care, and food distribution workers.

Sandpoint Rotary member Bev Kee led the effort after hearing about another mask project by Kirsten Longmeier, the owner of Sandpoint Medical Massage, who had donated money and rallied a network of friends and co-workers to make 200 masks that were quickly put to use.

“The labor was out there, but the supplies and monies were depleted,” Kee wrote in an email to The Daily Bee. “As the Sandpoint Rotary treasurer, I contacted Kirsten and asked if money would help. The answer was YES!”

Numerous individuals donated fabric for the masks, and the group put together kits for mask-making including fabric and other supplies needed for volunteers to make masks.

In addition, another article covered the efforts by a local group of volunteers, organizations and

area restaurants in their “Get a Meal, Give a Meal” program, which allowed customers at participating restaurants to also pay for an extra meal for someone in need.

In sports, a feature on SHS graduate Farli Boden, who had recently won her second U.S. National Telemark [skiing] Championship in New Hampshire, told the story of how she started telemark skiing when she was five, and her hopes to compete more in the future, and possibly even in the Olympics, if telemark Skiing is added as it almost was for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

“If that’s an option that would be awesome but I’m also kind of focusing on World Cups right now just to see how that goes because that is like the next step,” she said.

The athlete, who is also an architecture major at Montana State, said she wants to focus on college and leaving her options open.

“I want to continue racing and see how far it will go but I also really enjoy doing other things in life,” she said.

On the eleventh, a story covering the “Be the Light” campaign celebrating high school seniors got the spotlight.

Dozens of cars had driven by War Memorial Field that night, with SHS Bulldogs shouting with excitement and horns honking.

“we saw a lot of smiles,” Sandpoint Athletic Director Kris Knowles said, “and we haven’t seen a lot of smiles in a while so some people may not think it’s the greatest thing ever but I think it is because we saw some kids happy tonight.”

On the twelfth, the Bee reported that the Bonner County commissioners were contemplating a personnel policy to adapt to the novel coronavirus pandemic, including reduced staffing, limited interpersonal contact, telecommuting and pay for nonessential employees.

In addition, two Hayden residents were charged with burglary, and an article on the front page offered advice from local therapists for maintaining mental health.

We have a choice about how to look at everything that happens,” said local therapist Brenda Hammond. “That’s the only way we can be in control. Every challenge can either make us greater — if we use the strong qualities we have — or it can bring us down if we allow ourselves to stay in our ‘survival brain’ — thinking that the only solutions are ‘fight, flight or freeze.’”

On April. 14, an article reported that Bonner General Health was approved for COVID-19 testing. Another article that day featured a birthday surprise for 8-year-old Jackson Reynolds by more than two dozen police cars, EMS vehicles and fire trucks.

Originally, Reynolds had a birthday party planned at Triple Play — but that had to be canceled because of the pandemic.

“Neighbors were coming out and were wondering why there was a parade,” Jackson said. “All of the neighbors were saying happy birthday to me.”

On the fifteenth, an article featured Tamarack Aerospace’s efforts to help provide masks to BGH by connecting with a source for N95 masks in their supply chain, and using their 3D printers to create reusable masks with a small industrial filter that provides the same protection as an N95 mask.

“When we heard that our local hospital, Bonner General Health, was running low on some vital protective gear, we tapped into our resources to see where we could help meet their needs,” said Tamarack President Jacob Klinginsmith.

On the sixteenth, another article covered efforts to build a mask disinfecting station, which was built by a team of professors and graduates at the University of Idaho, including Sandpoint native and biological engineering research support scientist Chad Dunkel.

That sanitization, Dunkel said, helped doctors and nurses who were unable to change out their N95 masks daily as shortages continued.

On April 17, an article featured the “adopt a senior” program, which aimed to provide a special experience for high school students who missed out on high school experiences like prom and homecoming.

Melissa Irish, the mother of now-graduated senior Jaycie Irish, created the “adopt a senior page,” which allowed members to comment on posts by parents or loved ones of seniors and say they’re willing to send a letter or care package.

“Creating the Adopt a Senior page is something I did to not only help my daughter and her classmates, but help lift the spirits of our community,” Irish said.

On the nineteenth, an article featured the Mill Town Distillery’s work to craft hand sanitizer.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Jessie Vachon. “We were stuck at home and it felt like there wasn’t anything we could do but then we heard people talking about the hand sanitizer. We talked it over and well if they can get this going there then maybe this is an option for us.”

On April 21, the Bee wrote about Sandpoint resident A.C. Woolnough being appointed to be an ambassador for the World Parkinson Congress.

Woolnough, who was a high school teacher in California, Alaska and Sandpoint said he sees the role as just another way to teach.

“I try to be an advocate, I try to inform, educate and just talk about what it means,” Woolnough said.

An April 23 article noted the beginning of the Idaho Gives campaign, which helps raise money for local nonprofits.

Toward the middle and end of the month, COVID-19 cases started going up slightly, with two to three new cases reported several days in a row. On the twenty-fourth, three new cases were added to the tally, bringing the total in the region to 63 and the total in Bonner County to four.

On the same day, the Bee featured the Johnson family from Sagle, who made over 1,000 face masks for anyone who needed them.

“We jumped into mask making with both feet and the other two kiddos joined in the making,” said Trina Johnson.

The family produced over 800 masks in four days, and surpassed 1,000 on the sixth.

On April 25, the Bee reported that “Project 2,000” was nearing its goal at 1,500 masks.

“The recipients have been so appreciative,” said Bev Kee. “The sewers have been so thankful for the kits and an opportunity for a community project during these stay-at-home days.”

An April 26 article featured the Tango Cafe’s new Zoom ordering system, and on the twenty-seventh another article featured Leo Hunsaker, the founder of the nonprofit “Come Together, North Idaho.”

The organization helped over 5,000 people with things including baby wipes, care packages, grocery and gas, and even assisted an Idaho resident with thirty days of shelter in a motel room while sorting through rental payments.

“I was homeless for three years in Boise and it got to the point where I was sleeping on park benches going to convenience stores and stores like Walmart and going to their trash at night to get food to eat,” Hunsaker said. “So, part of this is I don’t want anyone to struggle with what I went through and I know how hard it is to ask for help.”

On April 29, SHS graduate Arianna Terry was featured for her work becoming a professional helicopter pilot.

“From the day I met her she said she was going to be a helicopter pilot and she did,” said Ken Larson, advisor of Aerospace Center of Excellence Sandpoint.

Rachel Sun can be reached at rsun@bonnercountydailybee.com and followed on Twitter @RachelDailyBee.