Donating the bear necessities

Stuck in self-isolation with the shows at which she would normally display her work cancelling left, right and center, artist Kathy Sigle of Spearfish came up with an idea. Crook County Food Pantry, one of the beneficiaries of her brainwave, received a check for $250 last week as a result.

According to Cheryl Wales, Sigle came up with a way to make use of her talents to help those in need. She created small original paintings of six by six inches and auctioned them online, announcing that the proceeds would go to food banks in Rapid City, Belle Fourche, Spearfish and Crook County.

Her painting of a bear was auctioned on the week dedicated to Crook County, with all proceeds sent to the food pantry.

Says Hugh Palmer, chairman of Crook County Council of County Services, Sigle’s generosity is but one example of how people have stepped up during the pandemic to make sure their neighbors in need could access assistance.

Local businesses have offered continual support, he says, and people who are hard up themselves have been coming in with sizeable checks for the pantry. Others, he says, have made monthly donations, or left donations at the food station in Deckers.

It all counts, he says, and has gone a very long way to making sure the pantry can serve its community during this time.

“Some people feel really good about helping out, and thank goodness we have those kinds of people in this county,” Palmer says.

If you would like to make a donation, please contact Palmer at 307-680-9837. The pantry is able to accept long-life food and monetary donations as well as toiletries, processed game and even fresh fruits and vegetables from your own garden.