Seasoned food and beverage pro joins Sun Valley
Ski industry veteran Jim Snyder was hired recently to become Sun Valley Resort’s new food and beverage director. Snyder assumes overall responsibility for all Sun Valley Resort food and beverage operations, including village and mountain restaurants, banquets, catering and bar operations.
“We are very excited to have Jim on the team,” said Tim Silva, Sun Valley Resort’s vice president and general manager. “This is a key position for the resort, and Jim’s leadership qualities and deep experience will be a great addition.”
A seasoned food and beverage professional with more than 20 years of multi-unit responsibility in the resort industry, Snyder was most recently senior vice president of food and beverage for Intrawest. Based out of the Steamboat, Colo., Snyder oversaw six resorts in North America with more than 80 restaurants, as well as all food and beverage operations at the Steamboat Resort. He also held executive food and beverage positions at Canyons Resort and the American Skiing Company––both based in Park City, Utah––and Good Earth restaurants, a pioneering concept in the natural food industry.
“The opportunity to join the Sun Valley Resort, with its industry-leading food and beverage operation, is very exciting to me,” Snyder said. “The facilities and philosophies that the Holding family have developed, along with the cultural atmosphere created by Silva and the leadership team here, are a perfect fit for me, and I feel privileged to have been offered this position.”
Snyder and his wife, Nicole, and their two sons, relocated to Sun Valley.
Toys for Tots sought
Supported by the Sun Valley Board of Realtors Community Foundation since 2003, the annual Holiday Baskets program helps Blaine County children and their families with food, gifts of warm clothing and a toy during the holidays. This year’s toys are at an all-time low due to cancelation of the annual motorcycle Toy Run.
“The toy drive is so important for Holiday Baskets every year,” said Robin Christensen, director of Holiday Baskets. “The money we get from donors is used first on the necessities, like warm clothing, but we know kids want toys, especially at Christmas.”
In order to replenish the supply of toys, the Holiday Baskets program set up a Toy Drive to run from Monday, Nov. 28 to Friday, Dec. 2. Workplaces are encouraged to collect toys at their place of business at this time.
On Friday, there will be two toy drop-off locations for all toys collected over the week, as well as a third option the following day. Drop-off can be made from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sun Valley Visitors Center and at The Chamber of the Wood River Valley and Hailey, also from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Toys will also be accepted at the Winter Wonderland door 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Community Campus in Hailey.
Now in its 30th year, the Holiday Baskets program continues to be a reliable resource for families during the holidays. Last year, Holiday Baskets helped more than 400 families, including nearly 1,000 children. Every dollar donated to the program is immediately put to use, giving families in need the opportunity to have a joyous Christmas.
Monetary donations can be made at SBRHolidayBaskets.org.
St. Thomas to hold Taize Services
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, on Sun Valley Road, will hold Taize services, 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning Dec. 7 and continuing through Feb. 22.
These simple candlelight services, offering prayers, quiet times and chant, last about 30 minutes and will be held most Wednesdays except Dec. 28.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
The services are patterned on the worship style of Taize, a small religious community in France that was founded in the early 1940s to promote healing among divided Christians of all faiths, and among all religions in general. For more details on the history, visit taize.org.
There are two distinguishing marks of the Taize service: repetition and silence. This is a meditative prayer service that incorporates repetitive song and chant, scripture readings, and periods of silence, in a setting of peace and candlelight to foster communion with God.
After entering quietly, people are handed a service booklet and a candle to keep through the service. Individuals may be asked to read a short scripture passage, and the music director, Joel Bejot, will have a few choir members to help lead the song and chant.
At the end of the service, everyone individually brings their lighted candle to the altar steps and quietly exits the church.
For further information, visit stthomassunvalley.org, or joel.bejot@stthomassunvalley.org.
Winter shutdown on Big Wood River bridge
With work in the main channel of the Big Wood River complete, reconstruction of the Idaho 75 bridge over the river will take a break through the winter months beginning Wednesday, Dec. 1. Work will resume in the spring.
Traffic will remain limited to two lanes––one lane in each direction––for the remainder of the project. Traffic speeds will remain at 35 mph through the construction zone and drivers should use caution merging into the single lane from each direction.
The $5.48-million bridge replacement project should be finished by midsummer 2017.
Since January, the contractor, Concrete Placing Company, Inc., of Boise, has completed removal of the remaining section of the former structure, completed placement of the bridge foundations and in-river piers.
Remaining work includes placement of abutments, wildlife passage, bridge deck, and adjacent roadway for the northbound lanes of the structure.
When complete, the new Big Wood River bridge will facilitate four lanes of traffic with 8-foot shoulders and a 4-foot median. In addition to widening, the new bridge is longer to facilitate additional wildlife passage along the river.
Higher Ground to open new chapter
Founded in 1999, the Ketchum-based 501(c)(3) Higher Ground Sun Valley will expand its military-specific program to two new locales by the start of 2017. The first chapter officially opened this month in Patriotic Hall in downtown Los Angeles. The next chapter will be in Buffalo, New York, in December. Through demographic research, development planning and unique opportunities, HG identified the most effective programming locations across the United States to serve veterans in need.
Higher Ground is recognized as one of the premier rehabilitation programs in the country by the Department of Defense, military medical centers, and veteran service organizations. Higher Ground serves military personnel and veterans with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and other polytrauma.
“Los Angeles County is home to over 325,000 U.S. veterans, many of whom live with lifelong injuries,” said Kate Weihe, executive director of Higher Ground Sun Valley. “It’s poised to serve more veterans through our efficacious military programs. Our programs remain intact and stronger than ever in Sun Valley, and we are excited to be in a position to provide more services to our military community beyond our local Valley.”
Sawtooth Society hire to help with new projects
The Sawtooth Society recently hired Greg Travelstead as stewardship coordinator to organize youth and community groups, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and other organizations. Travelstead will help facilitate, identify and complete on-the-ground projects within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA).
Travelstead, who lives in the Wood River Valley, graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., with a B.S. in geology, and then received an MBA from the University of Colorado Boulder.
“We’re very fortunate to have someone with Greg’s professional background and hands-on experience in this important position,” said Gary O’Malley, Sawtooth Society executive director.
The Sawtooth Society works to preserve, protect and enhance the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Formed in 1997, it’s the only nonprofit group dedicated exclusively to serving as an advocate for the SNRA, preserving open space and enhancing its recreation facilities and services.
For details and more information, visit sawtoothsociety.org or contact Greg Travelstead at (208) 721-7665 or greg@sawtoothsociety.org.
School board to begin using district cellphones
During the Nov. 8 Blaine County School District Board of Trustees regular meeting, newly appointed trustee Ellen Mandeville made a motion suggesting board members use a district-paid cellphone to conduct school district business. The board approved the motion. The cellphones will allow the trustees to keep their district calls separate from their personal calls, should there be a request to provide phone records. All administrators currently have a district-paid cellphone.
Teresa McGoffin, the district’s director of technology, said that the district uses a Verizon corporate account with unlimited minutes, texting and data. The cost per phone is $36 a month. The five new lines will be added to the existing account for an additional cost of $150 a month. The funds will come out of the district’s general operating budget.
The trustees have received the new phones and their numbers will soon be added to the district’s school board webpage.
Find lost life insurance policies
The Idaho Department of Insurance and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners are now connected to a national service that provides consumers with search capabilities to help find a deceased person’s lost life insurance policies and annuities.
The NAIC’s Life Insurance Policy Locator provides nationwide access for assistance with finding life insurance policies and annuities. An estimated $1 billion in benefits from life insurance policies are unclaimed, according to Consumer Reports. The new tool builds on the life insurance policy locator programs developed separately in a number of states before this launch.
“Many people don’t know where to begin when searching for a lost life insurance policy or annuity,” said Dean Cameron, Idaho Department of Insurance director. “The life insurance policy locator streamlines and simplifies the process for consumers and insurance companies.”
Consumer requests are encrypted and secured to maintain confidentiality. Participating insurers will compare submitted requests with available policyholder information and report all matches to state insurance departments through the locator.
For more information, visit eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator/#/welcome.
Baldy to open as planned
Sun Valley Resort announced Tuesday, Nov. 22, that Thursday, Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Day, will be the kickoff of the resort’s 81st winter season with the opening of Lower River Run on Bald Mountain at 9 a.m.
“If it snows on Wednesday night, and we can open up with a quality product for our visitors, then we’ll open other runs,” said Kelli Lusk, Sun Valley Resort public relations and corporate communications manager. “Besides skiing, the traditional Thanksgiving buffet and plenty of activities will keep the family busy during the holiday weekend.”
Tickets are still available for the Thanksgiving buffet at the Sun Valley Inn and at both Gretchen’s and The Ram. Buffet tickets can be purchased online and reservations can be made at Gretchen’s by calling (208) 622-2144 or at The Ram at (208) 622-2225.
Two burglaries reported in Bellevue
A brand new store, 213 Studio, at 213 North Main Street, in Bellevue, was broken into, vandalized and burgled late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Immediately afterwards, the same perpetrators moved on to the Silver Dragon Chinese restaurant and did much the same. Connecting the two crimes were 213 Studio items found on the floor at the Silver Dragon.
Jewelry, artwork and beading materials were stolen from 213 Studio. At least $300 in cash was stolen from Silver Dragon.
An employee found the damage at 213 Studio on Monday morning. A brick was thrown through the back, items were thrown outside, and a mannequin had been thrown over the hill behind.
Glass is all over pottery wheels, co-owner Diane Walker said. “We feel so violated, but we’re extremely grateful for all the love and support of the Valley. The magic and love in this job is intact. Carry on.”
Bellevue Marshal Larry Clark said that both crimes remain an ongoing investigation. Anyone who saw or heard anything having to do with these crimes is asked to call (208) 788-3692.
Wood River Insurance earns award
PHOTO: From left to right: Lissa York, Wood River Insurance; Sandy Kelly, Wood River Insurance; Kat Theobald, Wood River Insurance; Jennifer Cortez, Wood River Insurance; Sher Foster, Crisis Hotline; Mark Balcos, Wood River Insurance; Christina Pendl, Wood River Insurance; Felicity Roberts, Wood River Insurance; Shawn Myers, Wood River Insurance; and Danielle Seigfreid, Wood River Insurance.
Wood River Insurance in Hailey earned a 2016 Safeco Insurance Make More Happen Award for its community work with the Crisis Hotline.
The award includes a $4,000 donation to the Crisis Hotline from Safeco Insurance. Wood River Insurance agent Hailee Blomquist and the Crisis Hotline also had a story featured on Safeco.com, which awarded the nonprofit an additional $1,000. For the organization to win the extra money, at least 50 different individuals had to leave a virtual “cheer” on the Safeco.com story.
Safeco’s Make More Happen Award recognizes independent agents who demonstrate extraordinary volunteerism for a nonprofit organization. Wood River Insurance was selected for the Make More Happen Award based on a photo and application demonstrating its commitment to he Crisis Hotline, which serves Blaine County.
The Teen Outreach Program is a prime focus area of the Crisis Hotline, with volunteers visiting schools and educating students on issues such as bullying, depression and the warning signs of suicide. Wood River Insurance employees volunteer at events each quarter, including school lunch hours, to hand out flyers.