Community's elves help 'Tots'
SANDPOINT — Santa got a bit of help in Canton, Mississippi, last week when an anonymous individual paid off several hundred layaway tickets.
In total, the individual paid the 330 layaway tickets the department had, according to a story on goodnewnetwork.org and WMC5 in Mississippi.
One woman, who had several items in layaway said the generosity means she can hold off working some days and get her son what he wanted for Christmas.
And even after the layaway tabs were paid, a Walmart representative said there was money left over after price adjustments on the items. The store donated the remaining funds to two local toy drives and an offering to the hunger relief organization, Feeding America.
And just like the anonymous elf who gave Santa a helping hand in Mississippi, the Sandpoint Lions Club also gives the Jolly Old Elf an assist at Christmas time through their annual Toys for Tots campaign.
Today's donations total $2,181.57 bringing the total amount of donations received to date to $14,625.01 of the $50,000 goal set by the Lions for the annual Christmas campaign.
Generous donations were received an anonymous person in loving memory of Baby Aaron on his 46th birthday with the note,” God bless all the children,” $46; Barbara Buchanan &Rick Dalessio, $250; Marian & Robert Rust Jr. M.D., $150; Richard & Steve Neuder, $25; Jack & Shirley Parker, $200; Marguerite & Thomas Suttmeier, $150; Randy & Kim Powers (In memory of dad and our daughter Kara), $150; Mark Hoekema (in memory of Melinda Hoekema), $200; Steve & Tamara Verby, $500; Juliette, Victoria and Rebecca Johnson in loving memory of our brother William, $200; Peter's Appliance Service, $100; and anonymous, $175; as well as from coin jars: Coleman 76, $24; and Dairy Depot, $11.57.
The Toys for Tots program provides free new toys for children living in the Lake Pend Oreille School District, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points in-between. A Christmas dinner for the family is also provided. If you know someone, or need help yourself, the Lions are taking applications for the 2020 Toys for Tots program.
Applications are being accepted — more than 40 have been received already. The forms are available at the Lions Den, 609 S. Ella St., Sandpoint, on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; online at the Sandpoint Lions Facebook page, facebook.com/SandpointLionsClub; or at Bonner Community Food Bank, 1707 Culvers Drive, Sandpoint. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, Dec. 14.
Masks are required to enter the Lions Den building or those dropping them off may also place them into the red box next to the door.
Toys may be dropped off at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint; Farmhouse Restaurant, 477227 U.S. 95, Ponderay; Columbia Bank — Sandpoint branch, 414 Church St.; and Ponderay branch, 300 Kootenai Cutoff Road; Walmart, 476999 U.S. 95, Ponderay; and North 40, 477181 U.S. 95, Ponderay.
There are a host of coin jars around the community where spare change can be donated. In addition, monetary donations may be dropped off at both branches of Columbia Bank and the Bonner County Daily Bee during normal business hours. 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.
Information: Sandpoint Lions Club, 208-263-4118
Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee. com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.