Light on the Mountains Spiritual Center will award the fourth annual Ann and Doug Christensen Humanitarian Award to Hailey residents Char Roth and Bruce Tidwell, at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at the Sun Valley Lodge Dining Room.
The Humanitarian Award was created by Light on The Mountains to honor people whose work in local and regional communities are examples of the principles promoted by A Season For Non-Violence, which annually runs from Jan. 30 through April 4. Inspired by the memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, it's a national 64-day educational and inspirational campaign dedicated to the idea that nonviolence is a compelling way to transform and empower lives and communities.
In 2004, Ann and Doug Christensen of Ketchum were honored with the award, which now carries their names. Sally Donart, of Ketchum, was the recipient in 2005 and in 2006 Rob and Kris Cronin were the honored humanitarians.
Roth and Tidwell, who have been married for three years, are both longtime residents of the Wood River Valley. They make quite a pair. Dedicated, fun and smiley, they are opposites in size. Tidwell is a tall man, while Roth is barely taller that her students.
She has been a first-grade teacher at Hemingway Elementary School in Ketchum since moving to the valley from McCall in 1989.
"That in itself is worth an award," Tidwell laughed.
Before coming to the valley, Roth was the action coordinator for the National Organization for Women (NOW) in Salt Lake City. In McCall, where she next lived, she taught for six years and was the founder of Survivors of Domestic Violence.
She is an active, long-term member of the Idaho Conservation League, former board member of Citizens for Smart Growth and, with Julie Caldwell, was the co-founder of the Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence, based in Hailey.
"It was a big commitment then. We were on call. It was before we had the shelter in Hailey," Roth said.
Her charitable sensibility is ingrained and informed because of her surroundings. "We're so blessed with the outdoors here, the freedom, space and the passion to be outdoors. You get the feeling that we need to take care of the planet and each other. We want to give that back and share it."
Tidwell, who grew up in Meridian, first came to the Wood River Valley 27 years ago and moved here permanently in 1986.
In 1999, he started the Building Material Thrift Store, a supporting organization for the Wood River Land Trust, of which he was a 10-year board member, and onetime board president. The Building Material Thrift Store, located in Hailey, recycles usable building materials to keep them from going into the local landfill. Income from the thrift store helps fund open space preservation and wildlife habitat through the Wood River Land Trust.
Tidwell also serves as an appointed commissioner to Idaho Flood Control District No. 9.
"I thought, 'Christensens, Cronins, Sally Donart ... but me?'" Tidwell said about the Humanitarian Award. "I've won sports awards, but nothing like this."
Roth, who is member of Light on the Mountains, agreed.
"I was shocked, when I was told. I didn't know what to say. It's such a shared honor. It exposes the amount of people in this community who serve in many ways, It's like the parents in the classroom, and all the non-profits who carry torches for causes, like the Darfur event (last week). We're so blessed to be in a community when serving at the forefront. "
Tidwell does have a speech down, however, since he accepted the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber of Commerce award for Wood River Land Trust when it won Non-profit Organization of the Year in 2004.
"That was so meaningful," he said.
The Building Material Thrift Store continues to grow and expand as it recycles more materials and appliances, and brings more people to the concept. It not only accepts building supplies, it also welcomes donated vehicles and houses. Donating is a great alternative to demolishing a house—90 percent of the funds generated by the auctioning off of these homes go to the land trust. The homeowner receives a tax deduction for the house's market value.
Among its new projects, the thrift store will open a new space next door to test appliances before selling them, and a workshop for repairs. It will also continue working with the Wood River High School Jim Woodyard Residential Construction Academy, donating props to theater companies and hauling items for The Family Connections and other nonprofit groups.
"You're always willing and wanting to help," Roth said fondly to Tidwell.
"I look forward to doing more with the construction academy and community service kids by getting them more lumber so they can make things with recycled wood," he replied.
His "ultimate dream" is for people to be able to shop on the Building Material Thrift Store Web site.
As a teacher, Roth is part of the fabric of the community. "When kids come back from college and say, 'Do you remember me?' That's so fun. I love it. It's such an honor."
The luncheon is $30 for adults and $7 for children under 12. To reserve space, call Judy Hall at 726-7692 or e-mail judy6238@cox.net. To find out more about A Season for Non-Violence events, call 727-1631 or visit lightonthemountains.com.
Courtesy photo
