Philanthropy is a way of life for Sandy Mundahl.
As a single mom who knows the challenges of making ends meet, Mundahl doesn’t have the resources to write big checks. Yet that hasn’t kept her from making a big difference in the lives of others in the Flathead Valley. “I began volunteering as a way to cope with the loneliness of sharing my kids with my ex following our divorce,” Mundahl said. Over the years she has exercised her giving muscle in numerous ways in Kalispell, including as ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce, as an active Rotarian and even as bartender for special events at the Hockaday Museum of Art. She has a particular soft spot for the Flathead Youth Home, which cares for children and their families in crisis. She combined that passion with another &mdash golf &mdash by approaching her golf club about donating a season’s pass for a fundraising event to benefit the youth home. Her creative low-budget philanthropy paid off nicely. “That raffle made $3,000,” she said. Mundahl’s job as donor recruitment representative for the American Red Cross gives her a finger on the pulse of the community. “I know the community is hurting,” she said, “but it amazes me how people still want to do what they can to help.”
For those who are strapped for time as well as money, one-time events can be a workable, and satisfying, option.