Theme park donates over $38,256 to local food banks

It's been a Silverwood Theme Park tradition for at least 15 years.

A portion of ticket sales from Community Appreciation Weekends in September are collected and distributed to area food banks, which in turn help community members who are struggling to make ends meet.

This year, Silverwood and its guests raised more than $38,256 to support the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Athol and Bonner Community food banks as well as Second Harvest, which serves 280 independent agencies across the Inland Northwest. The park contributed $4 from every general admission ticket and $1 from youth and senior tickets to support the food banks.

The total is about $3,400 more than was raised last year.

"Wow, thank you so much," Community Action Partnership Coeur d'Alene Food Bank manager Darrell Rickard said Wednesday afternoon when he opened a sealed envelope with a $9,064 check inside.

"You get goosebumps," he said.

Silverwood public relations manager Sara Meddock and Director of Marketing and Entertainment Jordan Carter met food bank representatives at Revival Tea Company in downtown Coeur d'Alene to distribute the funds.

The theme park has given more than $400,000 to area food banks since 2010.

Rickard said he thinks it's important people know how much Silverwood does for the community.

"It's unbelievable," he said.

Sherry Wallis, senior leader for Second Harvest, said these efforts don't go unnoticed.

"The need and the demand in food pantries is up higher than it was before the pandemic and during the pandemic," Wallis said. "We're seeing people come to the pantries for their first time ever, and a lot of it's the working poor."

The Third Avenue Marketplace in Post Falls recently surpassed its previous record of most families served in one day.

"With us moving into a new building and not having sold our old building yet, the budget's definitely suffering a little bit right now," development and volunteer coordinator Brana Cully said. "We're just happy to put this toward the programs that feed over 130 families a day through our market and senior programs as well."

Carter said Silverwood is privileged to enjoy the fun part of the fundraising that allows its guests to help the community.

"Especially with the holidays coming up, we know that's always a stressful time for people," he said. "We know it's not just food. Food's a big part of it, but there's so much more than just that. We're honored to be able to help out any way we can."

He said distributing the food bank donations is always one of the best days of the year.

"These people work really hard for the people out there," he said. "It's a blessing for us to be able to do that."

    Darrell Rickard, food manager for the Community Action Partnership Coeur d'Alene Food Bank, shares a heartfelt thank you Tuesday after receiving a donation check from Silverwood Theme Park. Silverwood distributed over $38,256 to area food banks after successful Community Appreciation Weekends in September.
  

    Silverwood Theme Park contributed $4 from every general admission ticket and $1 from youth and senior tickets during Community Appreciation Weekends in September to support area food banks with more than $38,256. Donation checks were distributed Wednesday. From left: Jordan Carter, Brana Cully, Darrell Rickard, Sherry Wallis and Sara Meddock.