When people imagine senior living communities, many still picture the outdated image of a “nursing home.” For Jennifer Whitmyer, that stereotype couldn’t be further from the reality of modern senior living. As the Executive Director of Luther Park in Sandpoint, Jennifer is passionate about reshaping how people think about assisted living. With more than 15 years of experience in senior care, she has dedicated her career to creating communities that feel vibrant, welcoming, and most importantly, like home. “It’s not sterile. It’s not hospital-like. It’s a way of life,” Jennifer says.  A Career Rooted in Compassion Jennifer’s path into senior living was somewhat happenstance. She originally came from a law enforcement family and spent time working in corrections. This exposed her to some of society’s most difficult realities. That experience made her eventual transition into senior living even more meaningful. “When I got into the senior care field, I thought, ‘Holy cow, this is beautiful,’” she says. “You get to hear incredible life stories and spend time with people who have lived through so much.” Jennifer’s career change was sparked by a deeply personal experience: caring for her uncle after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2010. As his condition worsened, Jennifer’s family began searching for memory care facilities. After visiting nine different communities, they finally found a place where he could receive the care he needed. But Jennifer struggled with being away from him. At the time, she was preparing to work at a prison in Spokane. Instead, she walked into her uncle’s care community and asked for a job. “I told them I’d never done caregiving before,” Jennifer recalls. “But I had taken care of my uncle, and I wanted to try.” That decision changed the course of her life. “The writing was on the wall,” she says. “I fell in love with the work.” A Community Built on Relationships Today, Jennifer leads Luther Park, a nonprofit senior living community that emphasizes connection both within the residence and with the surrounding town. The organization has deep ties to First Lutheran Church, which helped bring the community into nonprofit ownership in 2008. The church remains closely connected to the residence, even sharing an indoor hallway that allows residents to attend services and activities without leaving the building. “It’s wonderful for our residents,” Jennifer says. “They can just stroll down the hallway to church.” Luther Park currently serves more than 90 residents and can accommodate up to 110. The community provides a wide range of assisted living services, allowing residents to remain in one place as their care needs change over time . Some residents require minimal assistance, such as housekeeping or occasional reminders. Others need more involved support, including medication management or mobility assistance. The goal is continuity of care, ensuring residents can remain in a familiar environment rather than moving between facilities. Jennifer believes that stability becomes especially important near the end of life. “If someone is on hospice and nearing the end, we want to be the place that cares for them,” she says. “We want them to pass in a home-like setting where they feel comfortable and loved.” Community involvement plays a vital role in making Luther Park feel vibrant and welcoming. Volunteers regularly visit to spend time with residents in many different ways. Some bring music, like a local pianist who performs twice a week. Schools sometimes visit to sing or interact with residents. Other volunteers simply come to sit and talk. Veterans from the community occasionally stop by to serve coffee in the mornings and chat with resident veterans. Many volunteers enjoy listening to life stories, doing puzzles, or sharing quiet conversations by the fire. “You don’t need a special skill,” Jennifer says. “Just spending time with someone can make a huge difference.” One-on-one visits are especially meaningful for residents who prefer quieter activities or don’t often attend larger group events. Changing the Conversation Around Senior Living One of Jennifer’s biggest goals is helping people understand how much senior living has evolved. For many families, outdated perceptions still shape their expectations. The term “nursing home” often brings up images of sterile environments and impersonal care. But today’s assisted living communities are designed to be lively, social, and comfortable. “We want it to feel like home,” Jennifer says. “People don’t heal in a hospital-like environment.” Modern senior communities focus on quality of life, creating spaces where residents can form friendships, participate in activities, and maintain their independence while receiving support. Jennifer even compares the atmosphere to something like a college campus for seniors: a place full of activity, conversation, and shared experiences. After more than a decade and a half in senior living, Jennifer says the most rewarding part of her work remains the same: the residents themselves. Every person who walks through the doors carries a lifetime of experiences and stories. “These generations are incredible,” she says. “We’re lucky to hear their stories.” For Jennifer, helping preserve those stories and creating a community where seniors feel valued is what makes the work worthwhile. Because at Luther Park, senior living isn’t about institutions or facilities. It’s about creating a place where people belong. A place that feels like home.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been performed for centuries, but every generation finds new ways to interpret it. In an upcoming production directed by Tim Bangle for Lake Pend Oreille Repertory Theatre, the classic comedy is being reimagined with a modern setting, contemporary music, and creative staging that gives the familiar story a completely different atmosphere. Cast members Sydney Carlson, who plays Puck, and Angel Rogers, who plays Lysander, recently sat down with Tim and interviewer Connie Kiehn to talk about the production, the challenges of performing Shakespeare, and why this version of the play may surprise audiences. A Classic Story of Love, Mischief, and Chaos At its core, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a story about love. The plot follows four young lovers whose romantic entanglements become chaotic when they wander into a magical forest. There, mischievous fairies and a group of amateur actors create confusion and comedy before everything is ultimately resolved and the lovers are united. Angel describes it as a messy love situation that quickly spirals into chaos. Tim explains, "Ultimately it’s a love story. The fairies kind of mess things up. They toil and tinker with the affairs of men and cause problems." The decision to produce A Midsummer Night’s Dream came at a time when the theatre organization needed a practical solution for its next show. Shakespeare’s works are in the public domain, meaning they do not require royalty payments. That made the play a financially sensible choice. At the same time, Tim had always wanted to direct a Shakespeare production as a creative challenge. His only previous experience performing Shakespeare was playing Theseus in high school, but he felt familiar enough with the play to take it on as a director. Setting the story in modern New York One of the biggest changes in this production is its setting. Instead of ancient Athens and an enchanted forest, the story takes place in modern-day New York City. Tim says the city provides an interesting backdrop because of its many different personalities and social layers. The fairy characters in this production take inspiration from street life in New York. Some appear as everyday city figures such as a hotel housekeeper or a person experiencing homelessness. Titania is portrayed as a news reporter, while Oberon becomes a Russian mobster. The human characters also reflect different social classes. The Athenians represent the upper class, while the mechanicals represent blue-collar workers trying to put on a play. Puck, one of the most important characters in the story, is portrayed as a mime clown who moves through the streets of the city while interacting with the audience and other characters. Music and creative staging This version of the play includes elements that go far beyond traditional Shakespeare staging. Before any of the original dialogue begins, the show opens with two musical numbers that help introduce the world of the story. A montage set to Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” is used to establish the New York setting. The production also incorporates projections, choreography, and a ballet performance created with Cocolalla Conservatory . Even the transformation of the character Bottom is handled differently than usual. Instead of using the traditional donkey head prop, the production uses shadow effects and lighting to suggest the transformation. Because the story takes place in a nighttime city environment, shadows and silhouettes help create the illusion of what the other characters believe they are seeing. Casting the community For Sydney Carlson, being cast as Puck was a major surprise. Although she had been involved in theatre since she was young, most of her experience came from children’s theatre where everyone receives a role. Auditioning for competitive productions was still new for her. When she auditioned for this show, she intentionally avoided choosing a specific role so she would not get her hopes up. After callbacks, Tim called her late at night to offer her the part of Puck. Sydney initially thought he might be joking because of how important the role is in the play. "I had a really amazing time auditioning,” Sydney recalls. “I was scared out of my mind, and then they want me to come back to callbacks, which is great. I really was not expecting a role at all." For the director, however, the choice felt clear. Sometimes when casting a show, the excitement of the actor on the other end of the phone says everything. Tim remembers hearing Sydney's surprise and joy when she realized the role was really hers. Angel Rogers faced a different surprise when the casting announcement arrived. She expected she might be cast as one of the female lovers, but instead she was given the role of Lysander, a male character. At first the role caught her off guard, especially when explaining it to friends. When people asked which part she received, she would say she got one of the lovers but it happened to be a guy. Over time she has embraced the role and the challenges that come with it. Portraying Lysander requires adjusting body language and vocal delivery to create a convincing character on stage. Even something as simple as laughter can require adjustment. Rogers says she has been practicing lowering her natural laugh to better fit the character. "For a while I was pretty taken aback, but now it's super fun and I'm really glad that I got this role,” Angel says. Target audience Shakespeare’s plays often contain adult humor and innuendo that can be interpreted in many ways. Because several of the central performers are teenagers, the creative team chose not to emphasize those elements. The production focuses instead on storytelling, humor, and creative staging while keeping the content accessible for most audiences. The show may fall around a PG to PG-13 level, but it remains largely family-friendly. For Sydney, one of the biggest revelations from this production has been realizing how flexible Shakespeare’s stories can be. "I for sure love the way Shakespeare is being interpreted,” says Sydney. “It is so much more interesting. There’s so much creative freedom that I have learned through this show." Her earlier experiences with Shakespeare mostly involved reading the plays in school. Performing the work on stage has shown her how creative interpretation can transform the material. Show details The production opens April 3rd and runs for six performances.  Show dates are April 3rd and 4th, followed by April 9th through 12th. Tickets are twenty-five dollars and can be purchased at LPORep.com or Panida.Org . With its mix of Shakespeare’s original language and modern theatrical creativity, audiences may discover a completely new way to experience a familiar classic.

Dorothy Prophet was raised on Broadway so it comes as no shock that theatre and the performing arts generally are a huge part of her life. Born in New York City, her father was a firefighter, and after her parents divorced, she grew up between two very different worlds. She spent the school year in Montana with her mother and her summers in New York with her dad. Those summers shaped her life. “My dad would take me to the theater all the time,” Dorothy says. “I was just enamored with it.” After high school, Dorothy chose a somewhat unconventional path. College did not appeal to her. “To me that just seemed like a high school with ashtrays,” she says with a laugh. Instead, Dorothy auditioned for a traveling nightclub band. She got the job and spent five years on the road, singing in bars across the country. When the band eventually broke up, she settled in Seattle, one of her favorite stops along the way. Like many artists, she pieced together work to survive. She bartended, waitressed, and kept singing and performing when she could. She eventually married and had children while doing community theatre on the side when she could. Dorothy ended up in Sandpoint almost by accident. “One day my son came home from preschool and said that he had to have Nikes,” she recalls. “He said, ‘I can’t have just regular shoes. I have to have Nikes.’” That moment hit her hard. It was not really about the shoes. It was about values. She and her husband realized they did not want their children growing up in a culture where status and brand names carried so much weight. Soon after, while driving back to Seattle from a trip to Montana, they passed through Sandpoint. The kids were misbehaving, so they pulled over and ended up staying a few days. Those few days were enough. They decided to move to Sandpoint and made it happen about a year later, in 1994. She’s been here ever since. While in Sandpoint, she became involved with a long-established local company called Unicorn Players. She eventually served as vice president. As her children grew older, she shifted to directing more. “I found that I really liked directing,” she says. “Unless there was a part that I absolutely loved, I was going to volunteer to direct.” Dorothy was not interested in putting on shows simply for light entertainment. “To do a show that’s purely for the entertainment of it is a waste of time for me,” she explains. “I want something that makes people laugh, but also makes them think or makes them cry.” Dorothy’s life changed forever when her son, Cade, died in an accident. The grief was overwhelming. “When you’re steeped in that much grief, you have a couple of options,” she says. “You can shut it all down and do nothing. You can go even more inward.” Instead, Dorothy chose to create. “I thought, shutting down is not honoring his life and what he stood for and who he was,” she explains. “What can I do to honor him?” The answer was theater. She founded Cade Prophet Memorial Productions in his memory. The organization produces intimate, thoughtful plays and donates proceeds to Better Together Animal Alliance in Cade’s memory. When Dorothy’s children were young and money was tight, they would visit the animal shelter for something inexpensive to do. They read to the animals and spent time with them. Cade affectionately called the animals “the inmates.” “Up until just weeks before he passed away, whenever he would come back to Sandpoint, he’d say, ‘Hey mom, let’s go see the inmates,’” she explains. Today, her biggest challenge is not finding actors or scripts. It is finding space. Sandpoint has seen many theater groups come and go since she moved there in 1994. Venues are limited and often expensive. She dreams of a small, dedicated performance space in town, something intimate and accessible. Dorothy’s vision is not about applause or prestige. It is about connection, emotion, and honoring her son’s life in the most meaningful way she knows how. Through every script she reads and every show she stages, Dorothy is still doing what she learned to love as a child in New York. She is stepping into a theater and inviting others to feel something real.

How One Question Sparked a Nonprofit That’s Changing Lives in North Idaho When explaining how North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund (NIMSEF) came to be, Executive Director Jeff Rouleau kept circling back to one powerful idea: Can I solve that problem? That simple question is how NIMSEF was born. Years before the organization existed, Jeff was working as a ski instructor at Schweitzer Mountain. After hosting local fourth graders for a free ski day, instructors received thank-you notes from the students. One letter stopped Jeff in his tracks: “Thank you for the best day of my life ever, but I’ll probably never see you again, so goodbye.” That sentence revealed a quiet truth: for some local kids, skiing wasn’t a seasonal activity; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not long after, Jeff found himself on a chairlift making casual conversation with fellow community members. When he asked how often they had skied that season, their answer surprised him: “This is our only day. We just can’t afford to ski more than that.” These were people who lived and worked in the community, raising families and contributing every day to the place they called home. Yet access to mountain sports was still out of reach. That was the moment it clicked. “That just didn’t seem right to me. So I asked myself, ‘How do we fix this?’” Jeff reflects. Why Access Matters Jeff believes communities only function when everyone belongs. The mountain economy depends on restaurants, shops, banks, gas stations, roads, and first responders. Every role matters. So why should some kids grow up able to participate in mountain sports while others sit in school on Monday morning listening to stories they’ll never get to tell themselves? “This program isn’t just about skiing. It’s about giving kids a sense that they belong here,” says Jeff. Jeff brought the idea to Schweitzer’s leadership: a program designed to remove financial barriers and give local kids real access to skiing and snowboarding. They said yes. In its first year, NIMSEF served 22 kids. Today, the program supports roughly 90 students each season and has provided more than 1,000 scholarships to local youth. “We’ve now given out over a thousand scholarships. That’s something I’m really proud of,” says Jeff. Teaching Responsibility, Not Entitlement From the very first year, NIMSEF asks students to have skin in the game. New participants are required to earn and contribute their first $50 themselves. Parents are encouraged to have kids work for it, whether that means walking dogs, shoveling snow, mowing lawns, cutting firewood, or doing extra chores. Jeff has watched kids arrive with jars of coins earned 25 cents at a time. He’s seen kids show up still dirty from a day of hard work. “When kids work for something themselves, it means more. They value it differently,” he explains. Each year, the required contribution increases slightly, preparing students to eventually take full ownership of their participation. Kids also help by selling raffle tickets. Through NIMSEF, students receive: Eight weeks of lessons Loaner gear (skis, boards, boots, helmets, goggles) A season pass to Schweitzer Coaching, structure, and access they otherwise wouldn’t have Participant Adeo Laboy shares what the program has meant to him. He started out skiing, then discovered snowboarding and everything changed. Over the years, he progressed through multiple coaches and training levels, selling raffle tickets and working jobs to earn his contribution. Adeo recently received a scholarship to join the Snowboard Northwest competitive team. That opportunity would never have been visible without NIMSEF. Snowboarding has become more than a hobby. It’s become a passion and a dream for the future. How the Community Can Help NIMSEF relies on community support to continue its work. Donations can be made through the organization’s website via PayPal or by mailing a check. Financial support is critical; each season requires a substantial payment to Schweitzer for lift access alone. The organization also accepts: Gently used outerwear Helmets and goggles Newer equipment that meets safety and insurance requirements Each year, NIMSEF hosts a gear night at Schweitzer where students are outfitted, sometimes for the very first time, with everything they need. A Problem Worth Solving The North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund exists because someone noticed an unfair gap and refused to accept it as inevitable. What started with a child’s letter and a chairlift conversation became a solution that continues to change lives, one student, one family, one season at a time. Sometimes, making a difference doesn’t start with a big plan. It starts with a question: Can I solve that problem? And sometimes, the answer reshapes an entire community.

North Idaho has a new option for families seeking a high school that combines rigorous academics with intentional Christian formation: Valor Christian School in Sandpoint. Valor offers a learning environment designed to cultivate students’ minds while enriching their spiritual well-being, preparing them not just for a career, but for a life that seeks to glorify God in both challenging and prosperous times. Building a School from the Ground Up The idea for Valor began with a simple and obvious observation: the area lacked a local Christian high school. After founders Luke Patterson and his wife, Kiersten decided to pursue filling the gap, the next question was whether to start from scratch or build on an existing curriculum or school model. They decided to build from scratch. Starting from scratch allowed the founders to design the school intentionally. “We really wanted to take our time to evaluate what it is that we were going to build. Classical education is a big part of our focus, as well as worldview formation,” Luke explains. Dusty Smith, who joined Valor as principal at the beginning of its second year, was impressed by the attention to detail in a young school. “When I read through the website and some of the school documents, I was very impressed with the amount of detail that existed for a school less than a year old,” he says. Name and Mission: Why “Valor”? The name Valor was chosen deliberately. “Valor points first and foremost to courage. But it’s also about conflict. The conflict of values, vision, and purpose in our culture. We want to prepare students to live well in that conflict on behalf of truth, goodness, and beauty. That’s why forming habits of thought, communication, and moral character is so crucial,” Luke explains. Valor emphasizes that Christian values are not abstract or optional; they are anchored in Christ as the source of wisdom and knowledge. “Our students are learning that values are attributes of a person, not floating ideas. At Valor, we encourage students to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ in every area. That takes courage, self-sacrifice, and commitment,” Luke says. Community and Culture Though Sandpoint is a small town, Valor has found a strong base of support. Probably unsurprisingly to most, there is a larger demand here compared to other communities of similar size for an education that doesn’t follow the traditional public school model. “North Idaho families tend to be independent thinkers. Many feel a personal responsibility for their children’s education and want a school that aligns with their values and goals,” Luke says. The school even attracts families from outside the immediate area, including students commuting from just over the Montana border. Education with a Purpose At Valor, academics are inseparable from purpose. Luke emphasizes that the school’s Christian worldview shapes everything. “What is the purpose of life at all? That’s the core foundation piece. We believe the end goal of life is to glorify God and enjoy Him. Everything else is built on that,” he says. While college and career preparation are part of the picture, they are not Valor’s sole aim. College can be a noble goal, but the mission of Valor is not limited to, or even prioritizing college prep. The school seeks to impact other aspects of life that are equally, if not more, meaningful than earning a college degree. Dusty notes that this broader perspective is part of Valor’s appeal to parents. Families in this area often come from a homeschooling background and are looking to transition their students into a school where the teachers know their child, are teaching in a biblical worldview, and provide academic expertise in subjects that may be more challenging for a home educator. What Is Classical Education? A hallmark of Valor is its classical education approach, which emphasizes wisdom, critical thinking, and deep engagement with ideas. Valor staff place great value on the lessons of the past. In a culture that often seeks to disconnect from history, Valor intentionally leans into the wisdom of civilization’s foundations, drawing from original philosophers, early church fathers, and forefathers across disciplines. Students engage directly with the source material, reading original texts in full rather than summaries. “Classical education helps students learn how to learn. The content is a tool for teaching thinking skills: reading, writing, debating, and connecting ideas across subjects. Students learn to evaluate knowledge, consider different perspectives, and think critically about what they read,” explains Dusty. This approach aims to build not only knowledge but also the ability to reason, communicate, and engage thoughtfully with the world. Valor sees itself as an extension of the family and church, partnering with parents in the spiritual and moral formation of their children. They view themselves as a tool in the hands of parents. The idea being that a student can’t be fully transformed just by what they’re learning at school. School lessons need to mirror what they’re being told at home and at church. Valor wants to partner with parents who share the same goals for their students. Valor’s enrollment window opens each February, starting with returning families. The process includes an online application followed by an interview with the principal. Prospective students may even spend a day in classes to experience the school firsthand. Tuition rates for the 2026/27 school year will be published in February, and scholarships are available to make the school accessible to more families.  Valor Christian School isn’t just a high school. It’s a vision for a community of learners who are intellectually curious, morally grounded, and prepared to engage the world with courage and wisdom. Families interested in enrollment, scholarships, or visiting the campus can find more information on Valor’s website .

The Pend Oreille Arts Council (POAC) has long been a hub for creativity, connecting artists, students, and the wider community through exhibitions, performances, and educational programs. Whether you’re an aspiring artist, an art lover, or just curious, POAC offers a wide range of opportunities to engage with the arts. Supporting Artists at Every Stage POAC supports artists at every stage of their journey. Even those who may be hesitant to share their work will find support and encouragement. “Artists can drop off their work and leave. We’ll hang it, handle promotion, and just trust the process together,” explains Arts Coordinator Claire Lutz. This philosophy removes the pressure from the creative process, allowing artists to focus on what they do best: creating. Whether it’s a single piece in a group show or a solo exhibition, POAC provides a platform for local talent to shine. POAC’s commitment to the arts goes beyond visual media. The council also sponsors performing arts events, bringing music, theater, and interactive performances to venues like the Panida Theater and The Hive. These events are often tied to educational programs, allowing students and community members to experience live performance in an accessible way. Bringing Art to Kids Education and community outreach are at the heart of POAC’s mission. Through the Kaleidoscope program, volunteers visit 5-6 local elementary schools each month, teaching art lessons to students who might not otherwise have access to creative instruction. Claire notes, “Volunteers don’t have to be professional artists; they just need to care about art and working with kids.” By providing supplies, curriculum, and training, POAC empowers volunteers to make a meaningful impact while inspiring a new generation of young artists. These lessons are often the only formal art instruction the students receive, making the program a vital part of their educational experience. We’ve written about their Kaleidoscope art program that you can read about here. A Class for Every Interest For adults and youth, POAC offers a diverse range of classes and workshops. From oil painting and sculpture to creative, multi-medium sessions, there’s an opportunity for everyone to explore and develop their skills. “You can do a one-off project or commit to a longer-term class to really develop your skills,” Claire says, highlighting the flexibility that allows everyone to find a class that fits their interests and schedule. For newcomers and long-time residents alike, POAC is more than a gallery or performance venue. It’s a space where community and creativity meet. With exhibitions, performances, classes, and outreach programs, the Pend Oreille Arts Council continues to make a meaningful impact on the community, bringing art to life, inspiring creativity, and fostering a thriving cultural landscape.

For more than 45 years, Community Assistance League has quietly strengthened Bonner County through grants, scholarships, and volunteer-powered generosity—led by members who serve with heart.

In Priest River, two dedicated women are strengthening community through the local senior center—creating connection, meals, and vital caregiver support in a town where belonging matters.

A lifelong Sandpoint local, Jody Azevedo shares her 22-year journey at Numerica and how purpose-driven corporate giving is investing millions into kids, literacy, and community impact across North Idaho