Free pizza and good tidings, too

Jim Hightower and Domino’s giving away 500 pies this month

Domino’s Pizza driver Craig D. Bruce rolled up to Kootenai Health with 25 hot, fresh pizzas Thursday morning.

As expected, he left all 25 behind. What was different, he didn’t collect any money.

They were free. A gift. Every one, courtesy of Jim and Missy Hightower, owners of several Domino’s Pizzas in North Idaho.

And there’s more where that came from. You could say they’re just getting started.

“We’re trying to give away 500 pizzas this month and put a smile on a lot of faces that otherwise are stressed out,” Jim Hightower wrote in an email to The Press.

Another 11 were bound for the graveyard shift Thursday night, plus a half dozen marbled cookie brownies and another half dozen Cinna Twists.

“This will feed all of the ICU and ED and administrative and non-medical staff that is working,” Hightower wrote.

The Hightowers and the North Idaho Domino’s team delivered free pies to Northwest Specialty Hospital on Monday. They have also fed police, firefighters and first responders. The folks at Safe Passage and Union Gospel Mission are on the list.

When Gov. Brad Little issued his stay-home order, Domino’s was among those in the food service industry allowed to stay open, as it offers delivery and carryout programs.

It was doing well before the government-ordered lockdown and has continued to do well.

Jim and Missy Hightower own Domino’s stores in Rathdrum, Hayden, Post Falls, and Coeur d’Alene, and are building a new store in Kellogg.

“We felt very fortunate,” Hightower said.

He said if anyone can think of other worthy folks who deserve a free pizza, let him know.

“This is a lot of fun,” Hightower said. “We feel so fortunate to be open and doing well. It’s really neat to spread some tidings of joy around in these times.”