Local man nails community spirit

PRIEST RIVER — What’s better than a ray of sunshine to brighten your Saturday?

Having a handyman take care of a badly-needed home project for free.

That’s what happened this past Saturday at the Beardmore Avenue home of Evelyn Delaughter.

Scott Whitman, owner of NBR Home Services picked Delaughter for his first community service project since announcing his free handyman for a day project in February. Whitman credits his blessings in the past year with wanting to reach out and help others with a service he is passionate about.

Delaughter applied with a request for stairs leading to the upstairs of her garage. Since moving to Priest River in 2006 from Iowa, she hadn’t been able to access her “treasures” stored up there because of the deteriorated state of the existing stairs.

“My friends wondered why I bothered to apply because they didn’t think I’d get chosen,” Delaughter said. “I am so happy. These people are just angels to me.”

Family members joined Delaughter for the day.

Jamie Eberle of Northern Sky Marketing in Bonners Ferry was also instrumental in making Delaughter’s wishes come true by coordinating donations and getting the word out.

The new steps give Delaughter access to the things she holds most dear in life, memories of her time with her late husband and family and friends. The project — and what connection to her memories means to Delaughter — was more than he could  hope for in what is the first of 12 planned goodwill projects in Bonner, Boundary or Kootenai counties.

“This was wonderful,” Whitman said. “It was so much fun. It is completely how I envisioned it. It was a group effort and I had great help and support.

“It was a great feeling when it was done, and I enjoyed the hug from Evelyn, too.”

Helping make the March 6 project possible were Stimson Lumber, which donated lumber;  Sandpoint Building Supply, Home Depot, which donated $50 shopping credit; lunch was donated by Kelly’s Vay Mart and Hoodoo Creek Cafe; Northern Sky Marketing, which gave a cash donation; and also materials and cash from NBR Home Services.

Nel and Jerry Gordon from Vay also volunteered their help on the project.

Whitman is accepting nominations for projects in the area by e-mailing scott@nbrhomeservices.com or mailing to NBR Home Services, 3043 Bandy Road, Priest River, ID 83856.

For more information about NBR Home Services, which serves Bonner, Boundary and Kootenai counties, go online to www.nbrhomeservices.com.