Great Falls, Mont. — Sandi Thares owns the O-Haire Inn in downtown Great Falls and serves as president of the Great Falls Police Community Foundation for nearly 10 years.
She said the work brought her a strong sense of purpose.
"The fact that I have been able to do this just makes my life so much better. It’s very rewarding," Thares said.
Her connection to the police department started 11 years ago when she attended her first Citizens Academy. After that class, she became a supporter of the agency.
"That’s when I realized how much the GFPD works for all of us in our community and I became a big fan," Thares said.
Thares explained that a board member with the Great Falls Police Community Foundation approached her about joining because the group believed she would be a strong fit to lead it.
During her time as president, the foundation raised more than half a million dollars through fundraisers. That money helped pay for training and equipment for the police department that the city budget did not cover.
She said helping officers do their jobs more safely remained a personal priority for her.
"To be able to do anything we can to help these officers do their job better and safer and get them home at the end of the night. Anything that we can do, we’re going to do," Thares said.
Thares also volunteers with the police department through jail call monitoring and the Citizens Academy. That volunteer work is where she met Adrienne Ehrke, the volunteer coordinator for Great Falls PD, who also works closely with Thares on the foundation.
Ehrke said Thares helped strengthen support for the department across the community.
"Her leadership has been pivotal to the amount of support this community has given the police department. It’s just astounding what she’s been able to create, build and sustain for so many years," Ehrke said.
After the summer, she plans to wrap up her time as foundation president while continuing to volunteer with the agency.