Community powers annual 'Tots' campaign
When a flight from Orlando to Knoxville was canceled recently, a group of the passengers took to the road instead of the skies.
In a story posted by Good News Network, one of the passengers, a young woman named Alanah, shared that her mother immediately tried to book them on another flight. However, airline officials advised the pair that they couldn't guarantee if they would be able to fly out that night.
The teen said her mom then went to the help desk, where she began speaking with another passenger in the same boat — they needed to get to Tennessee for an appointment in the morning. It was then that her mom and their stuck-in-the-terminal compatriots decided to rent van to drive the 10 hours to get to Knoxville.
“I was off to one side because I didn’t want to be involved, my mom just turned to me and said ‘we’re headed downstairs to get a van, come on people!'” said Alanah told the website. “Like 15 people followed her, I was just wondering what was happening.”
Pretty soon, 13 of the passengers were onboard a 15-passenger van and headed toward Knoxville, according to the website. Among them were Alanah and her mother, a police officer, a pair from Mexico, a woman headed to a farming convention as a keynote speaker and a young man just trying to get home.
The website notes that, while it started out of necessity and convenience, the 650-mile journey ended with a lot of laughter, conversation and a number of new friendships.
“We made our 10 a.m. appointment, all because of a community that came together,” said Carlos — the police officer — in a video he posted to his TikTok.
Alanah agreed.
“It was not a quiet ride,” she told the website. "No one was getting any sleep on that drive, I think I slept around 20 minutes. I really couldn’t have picked a better group of people to make the trip with.”
“The whole experience really confirmed my faith in humanity for a little bit — in the States right now we’re going through a period of division, so it was nice to see.”
As with the passengers bonding as a community so they could all get to where they needed to go, the Sandpoint Lions are also all about community. It is, after all, why the club bands together with locals and businesses on an annual Christmas drive.
Today's generous donations total $39.43 and were received from Arnie's coin jar.
The donations bring the amount received thus far to $8,539.43.
Each year, the Sandpoint Lions set a $50,000 goal — same as it has been in past years — to buy Christmas gifts for children living in the Lake Pend Oreille School District, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points between.
The Lions make the most of the money by shopping bargains, and with the assistance of generous local businesses.
If you know someone, or need help yourself, the Lions are taking applications for the Toys for Tots program. Applications are available at Bonner Community Food Bank and on the door of the Lions Den.
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 Sandpoint branch, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Bonner Mall Way; the Ponderay Starbucks and the Ponderay Mountain West Bank.
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