'The voice of our community'

COEUR d’ALENE — Other than being “completely flabbergasted” at being named the 2020 Citizen of the Year by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber, Mike Patrick had this to say:

“It’s gotta be a mistake.”

“There are a whole lot of readers of The Coeur d’Alene Press who agree it’s a mistake until I get the Hunter Biden scandal on the front page of The Coeur d’Alene Press,” he said as the crowd laughed.

The managing editor of The Coeur d’Alene Press since 2001 received the award Thursday night during the chamber’s annual meeting at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

Emcee Heidi Rogers, chamber board chair, called Patrick “the voice of our community.”

“As the editor, Mike has been a daily part of our morning. For the last 19 years, he has given us the opportunity to reflect, inspired us to hope, provided us laughs, you know those April 1st jokes, and he unapologetically tells us the truth no matter what,” she said.

Rogers thanked Patrick for “19 years of inspiring us to lean in just a little bit more and get involved. We hear you Mike.”

She said, "The best thing about Mike Patrick is what his wife says few know about him: How much he does for others, behind the scenes.

"In his position, he is privy to a lot of inside information about other humans, and when he sees one with a problem he can do something about, he jumps in with both feet, without letting anyone know. Including the person he’s doing it for."

Patrick, who watched the event on Zoom from The Press, was stunned and humbled by the Citizen of the Year honor.

"When I heard Heidi announce my name I thought it was the worst Ghastly Groaner of the year or maybe just a whopper of an error,” said Patrick, who is married to columnist Sholeh Patrick. “But after the year we've all had, I'll take it — with gratitude and the admission that I absolutely don't deserve this."

Wanda Quinn, who nominated Patrick, said he does. She wrote this:

“I believe the local newspaper still remains the glue that holds a community together and reflects the community. The Coeur d'Alene Press has been the voice of this community for 133 years. I think the role of The Press was best reflected as we navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Press gave us information and comfort during this once-in-a-lifetime epidemic.”

Before coming to The Press, Patrick worked at the Daily Herald in Provo, Utah; the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff; and the Daily Record in Lawrenceville, Ill.

The "unrepentant" Chicago Cubs fan is a serious journalist who has won numerous writing awards and public service awards. He is described as "a reporter through and through, thriving on every high-pressure moment."

“Forty years of asking who, what, when and where and most important: why. And taking the heat, from both sides. That’s how Mike says an editor knows he’s doing his job: when nobody’s totally happy with him,” read a description of Patrick.

Several other awards were also presented during the meeting, including:

Small Business Partner of the Year went to Naomi Boutz, owner of Vine and Olive and the recently opened Vicino Pizza, both in Riverstone.

“Despite everything that is happening, I would not want to be anywhere else but in Kootenai County,” Boutz said. “So thank you so much for the support. It’s important that we continue to power through, come together and be bold and know that failure is not an option.”

The Volunteer of the Year (Ed Abbott Award) went to Rogers, CEO/executive director, Northwest Council for Computer Education.

“Heidi was fully committed in everything she did with the chamber this year, including championing a membership drive right in the middle of the pandemic and finding/recruiting almost all the key individuals to make it a huge success given the craziness we are in. She is always upbeat and her enthusiasm is contagious," wrote Rick Rasmussen, who nominated Rogers.

Derrell Hartwick, chamber president and CEO, said Rogers “is one of the most amazing, caring people I have ever met.”

“It’s such an honor to work with you. This award is so well deserved,” he said.

Nonprofit Partner of the Year went to United Way of North Idaho.

Mark Tucker, executive director, said rising up to meet the challenge of the coronavirus crisis this year, helping in many ways, “really shows what United Way is about and what we’re here for, and that’s to react and respond to what the greatest needs are.”

“Most importantly, it’s doing that in partnership with the rest of our community,” he said. "We know that we can’t do what we set out to do alone.”

The Large Business Partner of the Year award went to Kootenai Health, which has been a leader in caring for the community, especially this year, with the coronavirus. It has been stretched to the limits of its capacity, and yet, Kootenai Health and its staff answered every call and will continue to do so.

“Starting in 1956 as Kootenai Health District, Kootenai Health has expanded from a county hospital to a level 2 trauma center and regional hospital,” wrote Wanda Quinn, who nominated Kootenai Health.