Post Falls Chamber shows appreciation for education system

As school district staff nears the spring semester's finish line, the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce and business community showed their support in the form of 23 filled-to-the-brim gift baskets. 

At the turn of the year, chamber President/CEO Christina Petit said the organization's business and education committee began discussing the Post Falls School District's tireless efforts. 

"The superintendent (Dena Naccarato) is on our board, and she would share her stories on what was going on inside the district," Petit said. "Everything employees go through the push from parents and students to open or not open. They need love, and our committee wanted to help." 

Nineteen different Post Falls schools received the 23 baskets, with more staff gifts given to schools. Petit said the chamber wanted to ensure that everyone from the custodial staff, food service, maintenance, transportation, nurses and teachers could share the goods. Post Falls' three private schools, Genesis Preparatory Academy, Immaculate Conception Academy and St. Dominic School, also received gift baskets. 

"We tried to include everyone," Petit said. "We didn't want to exclude anyone that works in education because all parts play a role in a strong education system."

Friday marked the end of the first week of complete in-person schooling in the Post Falls School District since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year. Recognizing the strain this change puts on school staff, the chamber hoped the baskets arrived at just the right time. 

"It's been a challenging year. We've had a number of operational challenges, particularly at the beginning of the year," said Naccarato, Post Falls School District superintendent. "They (staff) have been great in their perseverance, their tenacity, and their amazing work with kids."

Even though Naccarato sits on the chamber's committee, she said she was unaware of the magnitude of gifts and thanks the business community would deliver. 

"It was just so fantastic," Naccarato said.

For the chamber, the education system is a significant component of the community.

"The business community is in strong support of the district's levy coming up May 18," Petit said. "We believe a strong education system makes the business community better."

Each basket included an assortment of seven or eight handwritten thank you notes, coffee gift cards, nonalcoholic drinks, other snack foods, North Idaho College swag, and other goodies. 

Gift basket contributors from the business community: 

• Northwest Specialty Hospital 
• Haddock Insurance
• First Interstate Bank 
• Sysco Foods
• STCU
• Kootenai Health 
• Seright's Ace Hardware
• Heritage Health 
• Murray Group 
• Grand Canyon University 
• University of Idaho
• North Idaho College
• Lewis Clark State College
• Knudtsen Chevrolet 
• Guardian Angel Homes 
• North Idaho Physical Therapy 
• Mountain West Bank 
• Bank CDA