Community gives big to local kids
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Marines Dennis Corbitt, Tim Orr, Frank Butler, John Miller and Rick Marquart stand outside a Toys for Tots donation center with two volunteers.
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Marines Chuck Lewis, Mike Dennison and Dennison’s daughter Allison deliver toys to a Lake County family Dec. 20.
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Frank Butler gestures toward a wall at Super 1 Foods in Polson containing Lake County residents’ donation trains.
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MISSION VALLEY — Despite continuing economic woes at nearly every socio-economic level, donations to local nonprofits Share the Spirit and Toys for Tots remained high throughout Lake County and helped bring joy to thousands of children.
“I think we did just as well this year as we did last year, which is surprising considering the economic conditions,” said Lake County Toys for Tots Coordinator Mauri Morin.
Morin said that while the official numbers are not yet in, he estimates Toys for Tots helped make Christmas a little brighter by delivering around 4,000 toys to more than 800 families in the county — some delivered personally.
On Dec. 20, Morin, joined by two Marines and the Ronan Fire Department, helped Santa with a few of his deliveries in the valley.
“We had a great time,” Morin said. “It was a great evening and it was great to see the smiles and appreciation on the faces of the children.”
Even so, Morin said some years aren’t as filled with love and joy.
“(Toys for Tots) has had trouble in the past supporting all the tribal kids,” Morin said.
In response, the Toys for Tots foundation created a special shipment of toys specifically for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Members.
“It was a banner year and the foundation came through big for us. They really supported the tribe,” Morin said. “That allowed us to increase the number of toys we could give to Share the Spirit.”
In addition, several local businesses like Super One Foods in Polson and Willard’s Bar in Ronan solicited donations from customers. These two local businesses generated more than $2,000 for the cause.
Share the Spirit and Toys for Tots have worked together to aid those in need during the holiday season for the past several years. Share the Spirit founder and director Toni Young said the organization helped 411 families with 1,045 children. Every single child got three presents for Christmas.
“The response from the community was great,” she said. “They do a remarkable job looking out for people.”
Young said Share the Spirit saw several dozen people who’d lost their jobs shortly before Christmas this year. In a bleak economy when a family might have to choose between food and toys, “It’s really nice that we have this program.”
“We had a tremendous number of people who lost their jobs this year, and they were pretty desperate at the last minute. It wasn’t a good situation for them. We know that we can help, and it makes a big difference for them,” Young said.
Every child got two books, stocking-stuffers, and if they asked for them, outfits and coats. Holding true to every 5-year-old’s dream, books don’t count as presents.
The organization also helped several homeless families in the valley. Because many of these families were split up and living in different locations throughout the valley, many children were sleeping on a relative’s living room floor.
Young saw to it that the children received a little something extra — sleeping bags, fleece blankets and pillows in a duffel bag.
“The homeless ones that we knew about — we went a little extra for those kids,” Young said. “It’s a really cool organization and we’re really lucky to have it in this community. It’s a huge effort to get that many kids and that many families taken care of.
“It’s a big county, but you know, it makes it all worthwhile when you do it, and I have an unbelievable group of volunteers.”
