Accurate Northwest and a gaggle of customers made a huge doe-nation just in time to help friends and neighbors in need during this season of giving.
Accurate Northwest donated $50 from every animal versus vehicle repair in November to the Community Action Partnership, which oversees the local Food Bank distribution.
The promotion has been called everything from Deervember to Doevember to Bucktober by those who participated. It really should have been called a success because when the month was over, $1,075 bucks went to help feed local neighbors and friends this holiday.
“This donation will pay for three months of food boxes. This is awesome!” said Liz Bigsby, community engagement liaison with CAP. “This is all about community and I am so glad Accurate Northwest recognized the need here and stepped up.”
Accurate Northwest repaired 15 qualifying vehicles during Deervember and made some new friends in the meantime.
“We had two people donate $50 each when they heard what we were doing,” said Casey Gannon, Accurate Northwest manager. “They didn’t even have repairs that were included but wanted to be part of something good.”
Jason McNutt, owner of Panhandle Towing, also loved the idea of giving back during the food bank’s busiest time.
“This is all about turning something that could be a bummer and making it into something positive,” said McNutt. Panhandle Towing donated $325.
During a check-passing ceremony, Bigsby thanked all of the local Accurate Northwest employees who had assembled for helping out.
“We are all on earth to make a difference,” said Accurate co-owner, Eric Donenfeld. “We just feel lucky to have a business that helps so many and provides us with an opportunity to help people we may never even know.”
Since purchasing the business three months ago, many people have come to Accurate Northwest.
“Kay, the former owner, had great employees and loyal customers,” said Accurate co-owner, Cory Donenfeld. “We are so glad the technicians all stayed with us through the transition and we are finding out Boundary County residents are just awesome.”
Deervember started several years ago at Northwest Autobody in Sandpoint. Employees wanted to give something back to the community as a way to thank the locals who needed assistance. November is usually the busiest month for collision repair facilities mainly because it is getting darker earlier, there is bad weather and deer are in rut or have been flushed out of their usual spots.
Accurate Northwest thanked everyone for participating and reminded everyone there is still a need to help our neighbors and friends.
The company also vowed to continue Deervember next year and into the future.
There will always be deer, and there will always be vehicles, said Accurate Northwest manager David Keyes. “There are two types of people who live in these parts — those who have hit deer and those who will.
