Tragic loss brings hope to animals in need

PONDERAY — Erik Bruhjell loved animals, even those critters that were too tiny to be seen with the naked eye. To be fair, he also loved all people and plants.

To honor Bruhjell’s memory, and support one of his favorite causes, Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters is hosting a fundraiser benefiting Panhandle Animal Shelter on Saturday, Dec. 28. It’s the second annual event in honor of Bruhjell, a 22-year-old Sandpoint resident who passed away in July 2018.

A portion of sales from all three Evans Brothers cafes — Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene and Spokane — and online shop will be donated to the shelter. Bruhjell, who loved Evans Brothers in part because the coffeehouse has the same initials, was a regular customer in the Sandpoint cafe. To commemorate the event, Randy Evans designed a special EB-style ball cap branded with Erik Bruhjell’s name for this year’s fundraiser. The hats will be available at all three cafes and in the online shop. The cafes are open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and the online shop will continue to collect proceeds and offer hats until midnight.

Mandy Evans, Panhandle Animal Shelter executive director, said in a press release that Bruhjell is remembered as being a light in the world who cared about people, the environment, and animals.

In just 22 years, he made an impact on things he cared about, she said. One of his passions was animal welfare and the need for spay and neuter services for dogs and cats. In Bruhjell’s memory, proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to top up the shelter’s spay and neuter fund, which provides spay and neuter services to cats and dogs through the shelter’s Pets for Life program, the Trap-Neuter-Return program, and the low-income spay and neuter program.

This year, Mandy Evans said the shelter has provided these services to over 2,800 cats and dogs. As a result, the fund is empty for the first time in almost a decade.

“Erik’s spirit and his passion for animals lives on through this event and the proceeds from the fundraiser will positively impact the lives of dogs, cats, and the people in our community who love them,” Mandy Evans said. “It’s an honor to be the recipient of donations in Erik’s name.”

At the Sandpoint location, shelter staff will be present from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with information about the shelter. In addition to the fundraiser, there will be a tribute to Erik, donation jars, and beeswax candles to light in his memory. This is an opportunity for Erik’s friends, family, and the community to gather, celebrate his life, share a story about him, and remember him together, Evans said.

Friends who can’t make it to an Evans Brothers location that day can shop online from the company’s website — evansbrotherscoffee.com — or make a gift directly to the shelter using the “Donate to PAS” tab in the online shop.

Info.: http://bit.ly/2SkrRxw