Dow donates leftover campaign cash to charities

Havre Daily News/Zach White

Rick Dow, left, hands a donation to Mike Neubauer, founder of Branded By Fire Ministries.

It may have been Rick Dow's victory last week, as he was elected to the Havre City Council, but he felt like spreading the joy, by donating the remainder of his campaign funds to local charities.

Dow was so appreciative of the attention that was paid to the money coming into his campaign that he wanted to make sure people knew the last $250 of it would be split between two local Christian organizations: Branded By Fire Ministries and the Hi-Line Pregnancy Resource Center.

"They are two examples of charities that are not seeking government funding, " Dow said. "They are paid for by private money. They are Christian in nature, and that's something that resonates with me and most of the contributors to my campaign. "

On Friday afternoon Dow, Loretta Park from the Resource Center and her husband John were led on a tour by Mike Neubauer, Branded By Fire founder, of the ministry's building at 2nd Street and 6th Avenue that they rent and hope to buy from the Salvation Army.

"We need it, " Neubauer said. "We have a lot of need here. "

Neubauer said a number of donations, from furniture to lumber and even pledged cash, would be used to help people when the center gets up and going, hopefully before winter hits so they can help when needs are more dire.

Park, whose center opened in August to replace Heartbeat of Montana, said that she and her organization appreciate Dow's contribution.

"I think it's marvelous, and I wish more campaigners would do this, " Park said. "It's going to be put to good use. "

Dow, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democrat Bob Kaul in Tuesday's voting for Ward 3 councilman.