By Reader Staff
The community is pulling together to support the family of Ponderay Detective Sgt. Mike Victorino who was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident near Lewiston on Aug. 15.
Victorino was on a narrow stretch of road when he encountered loose gravel causing him to lose control of his bike. He was taken to Saint Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston where he underwent brain surgery as well as additional follow-up surgeries.
Detective Sgt. Mike Victorino. Courtesy photo.
Because of the long recovery ahead, and the financial impact this will have on his family, the community has rallied to hold a fundraiser in his honor this Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.
The event, scheduled from 3-9 p.m., will feature a pulled-pork dinner and a full bar (courtesy of Sweet Lou’s), silent and live auctions, Support Victorino swag, raffles, activities for kids, face painting and a special SPOT bus route for safe transportation to and from the fairgrounds.
Donated auction items include a 2020 KTM 300xc TPI dirt bike, a butcher hog with processing, Yeti Coolers, a Traeger BBQ, a Dover Bay stay package, a two-hour scenic flight over Bonner County, “Honey Do” service from local firemen, Pend Oreille Shores Resort stay package and much more. Monetary donations can be made at Columbia Bank into the Mike Victorino Benefit account. Winners will be drawn during the event for numerous raffles.
Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door or can be purchased in advance of the event online at Eventbrite or in person until Friday, Oct. 16 at Ponderay City Hall, Ponderay Police Department and Copper Moose Coffee. All proceeds will go to benefit Victorino, a 24-year veteran of law enforcement (serving Ponderay since 2001) and a veteran of the United States Air Force.
The SPOT bus route will stop in Kootenai, Ponderay (multiple locations) and Jeff Jones Plaza in Sandpoint regularly between 3-9 p.m. For the SPOT bus special route schedule, visit the city of Ponderay on Facebook or the Benefit Fundraiser for Sgt. Mike Victorino Facebook event.
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