Christmas Day dinner planned

SANDPOINT — For the folks at Bonner Gospel Mission, there’s no confusion over the reason for Christmas celebration.

 Faith in Jesus Christ motivates everything volunteers, board members and administrators alike do, including their traditional Christmas Day dinner. Scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 S. First Ave., the meal will have all the trimmings of a Christmas dinner, including turkey or ham and mashed potatoes and gravy. The meal is free for anyone who wants to attend.

“We see it as a birthday party for Jesus Christ in his name,” Bonner Gospel Mission board member Sam Fisher said.

Despite mission founder Corky Kalben’s serious health struggles over the past several months, he and Fisher say there’s a lot to be thankful for this year. Work at Bonner Gospel Mission has proven productive and fulfilling as organization associates continue their faith-based approach to help troubled men break free of alcohol, drugs and homelessness.

Kalben doesn’t need any help knowing what people like that are going through. He admits to his own shady history with drugs and alcohol during his younger days in California. As an aimless individual with no real drive or focus, he said he would run into trouble with the law only to jump back into the same behavior.

“A lot of times we’d be stoned and drunk before we left the police parking lot,” he said.

All that changed when Kalben heard the gospel and became a Christian. Not long afterward, he was inspired to help individuals who struggled with the same issues he did. The problem that he saw was many individuals struggling with substance abuse had nowhere to go.

“I wanted to give them some place to go where they could stay out of trouble,” Kalben said.

After several years of planning and a few foundational ministry efforts, the Bonner Gospel Mission was born. The ministry helps men get back on their feet with its 20 beds and meals. However, individuals who seek out the ministry’s help shouldn’t expect a free ride. They’re expected to do chores, attend chapel services, abide by a curfew and give up all drugs, alcohol, pornography and more. According to Fisher, the ministry aims to help people who want to help themselves — not individuals looking for easy food and shelter.

Whether it comes to running the ministry or preparing the annual holiday meal, Kalben said the help of volunteers has been indispensable. That’s truer than ever recently, as the mission founder has been recovering from a heart attack and throat cancer. According to Fisher, everyone involved with the ministry is inspired by Kalben’s drive to continue his work even as he struggles with his health.

“Corky is a unique individual and a very hard-working man,” Fisher said. “He’s been preaching Jesus Christ for more than 30 years.”