PF Chamber celebrates its helpers

Although he's done serving as a Post Falls City Council member, Lynn Borders is not done contributing his time and talents to the River City.

“He hasn’t quit," Post Falls Mayor Ron Jacobson said Thursday evening. "He’s retired from the city, but he hasn’t quit."

Jacobson has known Borders for nearly 44 years. They lived a few doors apart when Jacobson and his family first moved to Post Falls, so their daughters grew up together.

One day, Jacobson was working on a pontoon barge.

“As soon as he saw me, he came down to help,” Jacobson said. “I mention that because that’s what he does. He helps.”

"You talk about a perfect neighbor, his name would be in the book,” Jacobson said of Borders.

His selflessness, desire to serve his community and natural drive to assist in any situation are just a few reasons why Borders was named the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Citizen of the Year.

“I love living in Post Falls," Borders said as he accepted the award at the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce's Recognition Gala, held at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn.

Borders started out as a chief of the Post Falls Fire Department when it merged with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, then he served as the emergency medical services chief. He also served on the Post Falls Planning and Zoning Commission, eight years on the city council and he was Jacobson’s appointee to the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization. Borders also helps with the upkeep of maintenance at his church and has taken a role as a volunteer with Post Falls Police Department's code enforcement.

"I love doing whatever I can do, but I love more challenges,” Borders said. "From my time on the city council, I was looking at all of our departments over and over, and kept asking, 'How can one person be doing code enforcement in Post Falls, for almost 50,000 people?' And so I figured there might be a niche there that I could help out with.

“I’m happy to help out there and look forward to down the road," he said.

This was the 34th year for the recognition gala. The evening was attended by about 140 people who enjoyed mingling and dining as Post Falls Chamber officials shared their gratitude for those in the business community and individuals who enhance Post Falls' vibrancy.

"This event is one of my favorite things that we do," Post Falls Chamber President and CEO Christina Petit said. "There's a lot of people that have been in the community 30, 40, 50 years, and then we have a lot of new members and they're all coming together to celebrate the stories that make our community special."

Other 2024 winners:

• Heritage Award: Joe Doellefeld
Doellefeld purchased Stateline Speedway in the 1980s and has since contributed his vision, leadership and generosity to the River City. He twice served as chairman of the Post Falls Chamber's board and was active in establishing the chamber's Tourism Committee, which he led. He served a four-year term on the Post Falls City Council and donated every one of his monthly paychecks to local nonprofits such as the Post Falls Senior Center, historical society and food bank. He served in leadership of the Post Falls Historical Society and was instrumental in bringing Post Falls' associate city, Herborn, Germany's city band to perform in Post Falls. Doellefeld was a founder of the Post Falls Community Volunteers, he served on the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Board for 22 years and he currently serves on the North Idaho Fair Board. In 2014 Doellefeld and his wife Cindy opened Tilly's on Seventh where they work side-by-side in the business. He also celebrated his 76th birthday Thursday.

• Business of the Year: Ziply Fiber
This award recognizes a member business with 50 or more employees for action, generosity and service on behalf of the community. Ziply Fiber started in 2020, employing 60 people in Kootenai County, nearly half of whom live in Post Falls. In the past two years the company has donated nearly $60,000 to local youth sports sponsorships, $20,000 to Toys for Tots and another $50,000 directly to area nonprofits.

• Small Business of the Year: The Bunker Bar
This award recognizes a member business with up to 49 employees for action, generosity and service above and beyond on behalf of the community. Trace Miller and Jammie Jannisse opened the Burger Bunker Food Truck in 2019 with a military theme. It soon expanded to include the brick-and-mortar Bunker Bar, a full-service bar on Spokane Street and Seventh Avenue. Army veteran Trace and his partner in life and business, Jammie, have been committed to routine donations to local nonprofits, focusing on veterans services. Newby-ginnings of North Idaho has been a recipient multiple times of the Bunker’s generosity, as has the cause of veteran suicide prevention. In support of the chamber's Tourism Committee, the business hosted a travel writer during a weeklong visit and when the Post Falls Community Forest fires happened, they provided burgers to the first responders on site.

• Volunteer of Year: Jerry Lyon
Lyon is an influential leader whose time on the chamber’s board of directors ended in December. When he retired from his professional career, he did not retire from his role in the community. In times of celebration or times of tragedy, Lyon embodies the Mr. Rogers’ quote: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

• Spirit of Post Falls: Post Falls Kiwanis
Founded in 1947, Post Falls Kiwanis serves the community not just by the number of its dedicated members but by its programs of support and protection for youth. It sponsors Post Falls Parks and Recreation teams and athletes and supports the the Post Falls Food Bank’s weekend backpack program. Its members work with local high schoolers through Key Club, they deliver Meals on Wheels and ring the bell for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign. They rally for Interstate 90 and the Treaty Rock Park spring cleanup. The club purchased and delivered food and water to fire fighters in the Community Forest fire over the summer.

    Post Falls Chamber Recognition Gala attendees give a standing ovation to former Post Falls Chamber board president and past Post Falls City Council member Joe Doellefeld, who was honored Thursday evening with the chamber's 2024 Heritage Award. The award is presented to a business or individual with over a quarter century of impacting the community in a variety of ways.
  

    Post Falls Chamber President and CEO Christina Petit hands a joyful Rick Rasmussen an award Thursday evening for being the Boys and Girls Club's 2024 Volunteer of the Year.