Panhandle Special Needs needs community's help

Panhandle Special Needs Inc. is a local facility that day by day helps improve the lives of persons with disabilities in our community. These people face challenges their entire lives that we can only imagine. They are often made to feel "less than," ignored, made fun of, and generally ostracized and not given the chance to prove their value. Within the walls of PSNI, life opens up for them and they are loved, respected, trained to work, communicate, learn skills that they need to become active, participating members of this community.

For the past year more exciting things have been happening there. Through the efforts of many, a project called "Pay it Forward" has brought about amazing changes to the old facility on Boyer to help improve the lives of the disabled even more. The building is gradually emerging from the "ugly duckling" to a beautiful, efficient, calm atmosphere where these folks can be taught their one-on-one classes without distractions.

Work is in progress to enlarge the Employment Services Department, where clients are trained to do sub-contract work for companies such as packaging, collating, sorting etc. Until now, they have been crowded in a space that has been difficult to accommodate materials and people. Upon completion of that addition, work will begin on the big room where all other activities take place. The room is noisy, cement floors and improvised areas for training. The dream is to make it warm and comfortable with lowered ceilings, better lighting and a library type atmosphere. This is where you come in!

Tax time is almost upon us and we implore you to remember Panhandle Special Needs when you think of giving. Your donation will be a tremendous help in seeing this project through to completion. And you will be helping to give a gift that will not only change the interior of an ugly old building, but that will help improve lives every day.

A donation to Panhandle Special Needs, Inc. is not only deductible to both state and federal tax returns, but qualifies the donor for a 50-percent tax credit. A person filing individually may take up to 50 percent of a gift of $200 (a credit of $100) A couple filing may take up to 50 percent of a $400 gift (a credit of $200) A corporation may take up to 50 percent of a $1,000 gift (a credit of $500)

We thank you in advance for remembering Panhandle Special Needs this year.

LOIS MILLER

Sandpoint