Schweitzer Snow Ghost Chairs Used To Raise Money For Local Non-Profits

Since the summer of 2019, Schweitzer’s “Chairs for Charity” program has raised over $174K for a variety of local non-profit organizations in the greater Sandpoint area. “The response to the initial fundraiser was overwhelming,” says Schweitzer’s Director of Family Programs, Dani Demmons. “We knew we were asking a lot with a donation amount of $2000 per chair, but the community really rallied behind ‘Chairs for Charity’ and we were extremely grateful.”

“The Snow Ghost chairs haven’t lost their appeal and we continue to get requests for them all the time,” continues Demmons. “We’d really like to be able to continue supporting our non-profits in the area, especially since a lot of fundraising events were cancelled this past year due to Covid. That’s a big reason why we think now is a great time to repeat the ‘Chairs for Charity’ fundraiser.”

This round of fundraising will have 40 chairs available, each set with a donation amount of $2000. When a person or an organization decides to acquire a chair, they will write a check directly to a pre-approved local 501(c)(3) organization. Schweitzer will then gift the chair to the donor, and they can do as they wish with the chair.

“People understand the huge impact that these chair donations can have for our local non-profits so we are optimistic we can raise more money for these deserving groups this time around,” states Demmons. “Once again it’s nice to see a part of Schweitzer’s history helping our community’s future.”

Here’s how it works:

• Each chair is worth $2000
• A person (or organization) chooses a local Sandpoint organization listed in the ticket options that they would like to support and makes a request to participate on that organization’s behalf through Schweitzer (by clicking on the link above). Then simply wait until the chairs are ready in July.
• Once chairs are available for pick up, you will be contacted with dates/ times for pick up parties. Simply show up with a pick up/ trailer/ or other vehicle suitable for transporting your chair and bring a check for $2000 written directly to the organization you have chosen with your ticket. You are donating money directly and writing a check direct to that specific charity/ organizations. Schweitzer will send the check on your behalf with some information about the program (and maybe some stickers too).
• Schweitzer gifts a chair to the donor (you) and you can do as you wish with it; keep it for yourself, give it away, etc. (it is your chair now!)
• Schweitzer makes no commitment to verify that each donation qualifies the giver for a tax break. It is the responsibility of the donating party to verify this information.
• Each organization on the recipient’s end is only eligible to receive 1 financial donation of $2000 from a chair per year.
• An organization could potentially receive two Schweitzer items in a year. One, they may request one donation item per year for their event/ cause such as tickets, passes, gift baskets, or even a chair of their own! Two, they may receive one payment of $2000 from someone donating money on their behalf in order to get a Snow Ghost chair.
• Donors will not be able to choose the number of chair. (you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit)

FAQs

• I'm ready, can I hurry and give someone my money? Please wait until the chairs are available for pick up. When you come to pick up your chair, you'll bring the funds with you to pass on.
• What if I want to pay in a different manner? We'll work with you to make sure you can support your organization with the financial payment method you desire.
• How do I get my organization on the list? We're sorry, but the organizations have already been picked. We have chose to support organizations in our community that fit our donations criteria and those we have historically worked with.
• How much is Schweitzer taking? Nothing! Schweitzer wants 100% of the money to go into the Sandpoint local community. Chairs are highly sought after and we thought what better way to use the demand than by passing it on to charity.
• What if three people want to buy a chair and give my organization the funds? Sorry, in an effort to spread the love, Schweitzer limits donations to 1x per year for each organization.
• Are there other ways I can get a chair? Perhaps, chairs are sure to pop up at fundraising events and other local events. Keep your eyes and ears open!
• Can my organization have a chair to auction off? Perhaps, organizations are welcome to request a donation through the Schweitzer website. All donation requests are reviewed by a committee and divvied out appropriately. While some organizations may receive a season pass, others receive items such as gift baskets with tickets.
• I'm signing up, now what? Hurry up and wait! We need some time to begin construction and gather chairs for you. No need to reach out to your receiving organization, we'll team up with you when you come to pick up your chair to make sure each recipient understands that they're getting some money and why.