The 2023 Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment Award
We've been nationally recognized for our dedication to our community and the Subaru Love Promise.
We're honored to receive the 2023 Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment Award. This award nationally recognizes Subaru retailers who are making the world a better place while demonstrating an outstanding commitment to supporting passions and causes in local communities. These efforts are focused in important areas such as the environment, community, health, education, and pets.
What is the Subaru Love Promise?
Subaru and our retailers believe in making the world a better place and the Subaru Love Promise is our vision of respecting all people. This is our commitment to show love and respect to our customers and to work to make a positive impact in the world.
How is Don K Subaru dedicated locally to the Love Promise?
The Don "K" Love Promise is all about community and how we can contribute to the social needs and cultural well being of the Flathead Valley. There are many community partners and organizations that we support and we are proud to be involved in the community where we all live and work.
Flathead Valley Animal Shelter, Flathead Spay and Neuter Clinics, Flathead Humane Society
Glacier National Park Conservancy, Montana Land Reliance, Eureka, Tobacco County Community Park
Area Schools scholarships, Steinway Fund, Montana Athletic Association, Regional Title 1 schools, BackPack Assistance Program
Whitefish Winter Carnival, Glacier Challenge benefitting MT Youth Homes, Flathead regional Food Banks, Alpine Theater Project - Scholarship Program
Sunshine Mental Health Services, Pediatric Health Services, Kalispell Regional Medi
Love Promise Stories from Don K Subaru
Subaru and Don K Subaru believe in making a positive impact on the communities in which we live and work. We uphold that belief through our Love Promise Community Commitment. Every month, we select inspiring stories from customers and partners from around our area who strive to support our collective commitment and feature them here
Willow - Rags to Riches - Val I
Through our partnership with Don K Whitefish, Willow was spotlighted by both Don K Whitefish and the Humane Society of Northwest Montana during Subaru Loves Pets month on Facebook. Posted by Don K Whitefish after a visit to the Humane Society: “Talk about a transformation; from abandoned and in ill health, to glowing and ready for a home! Meet Willow, a homeless pet available for adoption at the Humane Society of Northwest Montana. We loved getting to meet this super sweet girl last week and know that whoever adopts her is going to be one lucky person. Willow's kennel tech says she loves to be loved, loves playing in water, and seems to be very even tempered.” From the Humane Society: "Willow is as sweet as they come. She came to us when she was found homeless and in terrible condition. Willow was very emaciated and had a horrible skin infection due to demodex mange. She weighed 55 lbs. when she came to us in July and weighed 68.5 lbs. at her adoption in October. Willow was adopted by a wonderful couple on October 26, 2022. “We absolutely adore Willow. She loves the snow, and especially enjoys doing zoomies in the flurries, chasing her dog friends, and burying her nose into snowdrifts on the hunt for smells. She is truly the sweetest dog, and we feel so lucky and grateful to have her in our lives. To have gone through whatever she went through the first tough two years or so of her life and to still be the sweetest dog... it truly shows how amazing creatures can be. Her sweet smiling face and wagging tail truly makes our days so much better <3 We look forward to continuing to spoil her with soft beds, lots of walks, play dates, squeaky toys, and only the prettiest of collars. We are very grateful to the Humane Society for taking such good care of her and for choosing us to care for her now. Thanks again!”
Love our kids, they are our future!! - Sherry O
Evergreen School Love Promise We want to express our most sincere gratitude for Don K Subaru and the entire team there whose donation to Evergreen School will go to provide much needed nourishing snacks for the children not able to provide this for themselves. The Love Promise program, and in particular, Subaru Loves Learning, has provided a substantial foundation that we intend to build upon to benefit the health of students. We cannot say enough about the team at Don K Subaru. You are well represented by their professionalism and humanity. Regards, Sherry Odegard, Superintendent
Money for our Veterans - Alan E
In recent months, the Don K Subaru donation given to the Northwest Montana Veteran's Food Pantry as part of the Subaru Loves the Community here in the Flathead has made a significant difference in our ability to extend our reach to more of Montana’s vets as they battle to return to their families and enjoy healthy civilian life. We continue to employ these dollars to fund essential improvements to Camp Ponderosa, a place where we are now, thanks to you. We are able to provide on-site therapeutic services ranging from job services to medical support. We could not have gotten this far without the incredible folks at Don K Subaru. Thank you. Alan Erickson, Founder
Don “K” Subaru donates to local animal shelter - Cliff B
Pets are a large part of many people's lives. They provide companionship and help provide support for those who are suffering; whether physically, emotionally, or mentally. Members within the Don "K" organization have personally seen the benefits of service animals first hand within their own homes. The additional stress and uncertainty from the recent Covid-19 pandemic has created even more need for these loveable companions. Unfortunately, in many instances, these valuable friends find their way onto the streets and eventually into a local shelter. Don "K" has partnered with local shelters in the past, providing services such as spaying and neutering, to prevent further overpopulation; as well as clinics to provide education for those who currently own, or are considering adding a new member to the family. Don "K" was proud to continue this effort by donating four thousand dollars to the Flathead County Animal Shelter. The shelter was able to find fur-ever homes for over 40 dogs and cats during the campaign period as well as provide some much needed equipment upgrades. Cliff Bennett, director of the Flathead County Animal Shelter said, "We are so grateful to Don "K" and Subaru for this donation that will make it possible to provide much needed diagnostic and supportive medical care for the pets that come into the shelter. Funds will go to purchase a newer radiograph machine that will help make it possible to return the lost and rehome the abandoned or surrendered. It is through such involved and caring partners as Don "K" and Subaru that is is possible to continue our heartfelt work." This is just one of the many examples of how Don "K" and the team at Subaru of Whitefish are giving back to our community.
Russell Elementary - Bill S
For Subaru Loves Learning the pick school was Russell Elementary in Kalispell, Montana. Russell Elementary is a K-6 title 9 school. The face of education has changed dramatically in the 21st century and especially during the global pandemic--remote learning, budget cuts, school shootings, bullying, student suicides and the list goes on and on. Community involvement from businesses like Don K Subaru have provided a real shot in the arm especially when teachers are buying a large percentage of their classes room supplies with their own money. So a $2500 donation from Subaru will really go a long way in helping teachers provide the necessary supplies for their students! If there were more companies like Subaru supporting the education of our children the problems that we face would be greatly minimized. Thanks to Don K Subaru and Subaru of America for supporting Russell Elementary!
Montana Land Reliance - Mark S
We at the Montana Land Reliance want to give a most grateful shout out the Don K Subaru for their recent generous donation of $3,300 to us as part of the Subaru Loves the Earth program this year. Our organization focuses on securing farmland and other valuable tracts of the Montana heartland from future development. We do this to protect these vital resources from unthinking development and to ensure that our beautiful Montana is not lost to future generations. The Subaru Loves the Earth program donation will be used to protect the Earth here in Montana. It is just such dedicated and locally involved business leaders like Don K Subaru that will make our goals into a reality for the future citizens of Montana. Mark Schultz Area Manager, Montana Land Reliance
Subaru Loves Pets Helps in Montana - Cliff B
Honored as the Shelter Partner for the October 2021 Subaru Loves Pets program, the Flathead County Animal Shelter would like to express its sincere appreciation to Don K Subaru for its love of pets and commitment to community support. As the Animal Shelter busily adopted homeless cats & dogs during October (20 cats and 20 dogs!), Don K Subaru committed a $100 donation for each pet adoption up to $3,100. This Subaru Love Promise provided a second chance at a healthy life for an 8-year-old Alaskan Malamute named Kona. Kona was surrendered by her owner and had a large mass hanging from her chest. Fortunately, the commitment from Don K Subaru allowed Kona to have surgery where her veterinarian discovered that her mass was malignant, but in a very early stage. After a short period of rest & recuperation, Kona was adopted and now lives in a loving household very familiar with Malamutes. Thank you to Don K Subaru for ensuring that love is felt not just by our adopters, but by all. Kona and all the home seeking pets at the Flathead County Animal Shelter are “fur-ever” grateful for your support!
Damaged Crosstrek Drives Better Than Toyota Rav 4 - Constance S
Damaged Crosstrek Drives Better Than Toyota Rav 4. By Constance See. Dirk Erekson bought his first Subaru Crosstrek in 2013 because he liked the look and the size. It was only the second Crosstrek to come into the Don K Dealership. He drove that car for five years. It was paid off and only had 52,000 miles on it, but the redesign in 2018 with EyeSight and other safety equipment, was the impetus to update to a newer model. "When I moved up 5 model years, my six month insurance premium only went up $12 due to all the added safety features," Erekson said. He drove his 2018 Crosstrek for 14 months. On December 30, 2019, the odometer only had a little over 10,000 miles when he got "T-boned" by a Jeep. "The guy hit me on the passenger side going about 35 MPH as I was crossing the highway," Erekson said. "My Crosstrek was extensively damaged, however, I was able to drive my car away from the accident. They put his Jeep on a flatbed and trailered it away. I drove that damaged car for three weeks even though the whole passenger side was pushed in. He'd hit me on the front end as well. I came out without a scratch. "The other driver's insurance company gave Erekson a 2018 Toyota Rav 4 as a loaner car. "That Crosstrek was totaled according to the Don K Body Shop, but it drove a lot better in the snow than the Rav 4 even with a bent frame," he said. Erekson came out well with the insurance settlement and now drives a 2019 Crosstrek, and he loves it.
A Kamikaze Moose takes on an Ascent - Constance S
Kamikaze Moose Takes on an Ascent By Constance See. Nature Photographer Kevin Sink was driving along an isolated road on Glacier National Park's western edge scouting for good images when an unusual accident changed his life forever. "I'd been in the area for weeks and just before impact, I was thinking, I'd hardly seen any wildlife on this trip," Sink said. "Perhaps it was a premonition." As the sun was starting to set, a huge cow moose's head popped out of the adjacent willows. A moose can travel up to 35 MPH. This female was coming right for the front of Sink's 3-day-old new Ascent. "I remember freaking out," he said. "I knew I had to start braking, but I didn't have a chance. Time slowed down. Everything went white as I felt the impact of the airbags and the impact of the moose slamming onto the car. I was in suspended animation." Kevin said he 'submarined' it. The front of the car went under the moose's belly. A moose can stand six-feet-tall and weigh over 1,000 pounds. The windshield caved in right in front of him, as the animal slid down the driver's side of the car, leaving behind a moose face print on the side of the car and plenty of hair. In shock, but fully conscious, the next thing Kevin remembered was a female voice asking if he needed an ambulance. The Subaru Starlink system reacted quickly to airbag deployment. The hood of the car buckled from the strike like an accordion, but the Kevin was fine, no bruises, no pain, just shock. "I didn't want to leave the car too fast in case the moose was still alive and would start kicking me," he said. A few minutes later, he got out to assess the situation. The animal was lying prone in the ravine. Shivering from cold (20 degrees) and trauma Kevin was standing in the middle of the road, when another car pulled up. Returning from a hunting trip, dressed in camouflage, the husband, wife and 8-year-old welcomed Kevin into their car to warm up and stayed with him until help arrived. He started to relax in the backseat with the family's pup on his lap while the father checked on the moose, to make sure the animal was not still alive and suffering, but the impact killed it instantly. Hours later, when the park ranger arrived, the first thing Kevin said was how bad he felt about killing the magnificent animal. The ranger said he didn't remember ever investigating a high speed impact with a moose that was not a fatality for the driver. If it was any other car, the result could have been deadly. "It was a life-changing event," Kevin said. "I didn't have a scratch on me after the accident, but I drive totally different now, particularly at dusk when deer, moose and other wildlife are moving around. You don't take anything for granted, especially all wildlife. It's their property, not ours." Kevin's crunched vehicle was towed to his dealer, but the insurance company declared it a total loss. He went to Don K Subaru to order a replacement car to match his first Ascent, same features, different color. "All the people at Don K did such a tremendous job from my salesman A.J., to the body shop staff, and the owner, Don," Kevin said. "I feel indebted to everyone there for helping me so much. I'll never own anything other than a Subaru."
Subaru Loves Pets Program Helps Homeless Pets - Lori H
Honored as the Shelter Partner for the October 2020 Subaru Loves Pets program, the Humane Society of Northwest Montana would like to express its sincere appreciation to Don K Subaru for its love of pets and commitment to community support. As the Humane Society busily adopted homeless cats & dogs during October, Don K Subaru committed a $100 donation for each pet adoption up to $3,100. This Subaru Love Promise provided a second chance at a healthy life for a 12-year-old cat named Andie. Andie who had recently arrived at the Adoption Center inside a gunny sack couldn't fully open her right eye and was being treated with meds. Fortunately, the commitment from Don K Subaru allowed Andie to have eye surgery where her Veterinarian discovered that her eye problem was worse than suspected so her eye was removed. After several weeks of rest & recuperation, healthy Andie was adopted and now lives in a cat loving household. Thank you to Don K Subaru for "ensuring that love is felt not just by our customers, but by all." Andie and all the homeless pets at the Humane Society of Northwest Montana are fur-ever grateful for your support!
