Lions at heart of 'Tots' drive
SANDPOINT — The Sandpoint Lions Dens is a cheerful place at Christmas time.
Shelves are packed full of toys fresh from Santa’s workshop, cheerful chatter fills the air and members are hard at work raising the money needed to ensure all children in the Lake Pend Oreille School District have a merry Christmas and holiday season.
As the time draws nearer to Christmas, the hustle is busier, the volunteers increase as others in the community join in to packed holiday dinner boxes and to ensure everyone has what they need.
“Christmas is sneaking up fast,” Lions Club members note on their Facebook page, and encouraging those who need help to come in to the Lions Den to fill out an application for new toys and a box of food for Christmas dinner.
“Everyone has some time in their life when they just need a little help so don’t be shy about letting us get you going through the holidays,” the members state in the posting. “That’s what our program and the Lions Club motto is. We serve the community and especially the children.”
If you know of someone who needs help, make sure they sign up so Christmas is a happy holiday for everyone in the community.
With such dedication to ensuring a merry Christmas, it’s no surprise that Lions Club president Tom Dabrowski and vice president and Toys for Tots chairwoman Judy Dabrowski personally support the program. This year, the couple generously donated $500 to the Sandpoint Lions’ campaign.
In addition, Ken and Cis Gors contributed $10 and Sandpoint Property Management contributed $100 as well as a storage unit worth $75 for the Lions to store their flags during the Christmas season, freeing up valuable room to prepare Christmas boxes.
Today’s donations add up to $610. To date, $7,237.38 has been raised. The goal for this year’s campaign is $50,000 — the same as it has been in past years.
The Toys for Tots program provides free new toys for children living in the Lake Pend Oreille School District. A Christmas dinner for the family is also provided.
Those who need help this year can apply at the Lions Den, 607 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint (west of Memorial Field next to the Bonner County Historical Museum.)
Donations for Toys for Tots can be dropped off at the front desk at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also drop off donations at Columbia Bank’s main branch in Sandpoint, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Bonner Mall Way.
Donations may be mailed to the Sandpoint Lions Club, Box 414, Sandpoint, ID 83864.
Donations made by check are preferred. Be sure to include a note with your check indicating that it is a Toys for Tots donation. If you wish to make an anonymous donation, please include a note.
If the donation is being made in someone’s name, be sure to also include a note.
Donations of new, unwrapped toys may be made at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St.,; Northland Communications, 1305 Highway 2, Suite 1B; Stacey’s Country Kitchen, 469000 Highway 95, Sagle; Washington Elementary, 420 S. Boyer Ave., Sandpoint; Farmin Stidwell Elementary, 1626 Spruce St., Sandpoint; Sagle Elementary, 550 Sagle Road; Southside Elementary, 1 Southside School Road, Cocolalla; Valley Vista Care, 220 N. Division Ave., Sandpoint; Sagle Fire Department, 2689 Gun Club Road, Sagle; Sandpoint Fire Department, 1123 Lake St., Sandpoint; Walmart, 476999 Highway 95, Ponderay; North 40, 477181 Highway 95, Ponderay; and at Columbia Bank’s main branch in Sandpoint, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Bonner Mall Way.