'Tots' drive nearing goal

SANDPOINT — In “Horton Hears a Who,” it was the tiniest of Whoville residents who made the difference.

While Horton the elephant could hear the Whoville folks from the beginning, vowing to protect them and keep them safe, no one else could hear them. They doubted their existence and did everything they could to separate the tiny world perched on a clover from its fierce elephant defender.

The clover is eventually dropped onto a field of clover, seeming indistinguishable from the rest. Horton, however, doesn’t give up. He searches, calling for the Whoville populace until his voice is hoarse. As he finds the right clover, the miscreants catch up with Horton and threaten to boil the clover in oil. He implores the mayor of Whoville to have everyone yell as loud as they could to help him convince the others of their existence.

They yell and they scream. They stomp and the holler. Nothing works — nothing that is until tiny JoJo is found hiding and is carried to the top of Eiffelberg Tower and yells “yopp” as loud as he can that everyone finally hears him.

The point of the story, in Dr. Theodore Seuss’ words, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

And for the Sandpoint Lions, there is no such thing as too small a donation ... or the package that carries them into the Lions Den.

Hard at work handing out toys and making sure Christmas is merry for all the community’s youngsters, Lions got a surprise visit from a pair of young Sandpoint residents determined to make a donation.

Unable to find a coin jar to make their donation, brothers Bradye and Landyn Bohrn convinced their dad to take them to the Lions Den to make their donation in person.

Won’t you join them in making a donation — it doesn’t matter how big or how small — and help the Sandpoint Lions Club reach its goal for Toys for Tots?

That donation helped the Lions take another step closer to meeting their $50,000 goal.

Today, the Lions have received $2,751.47 in donations, bringing the total for this year to $43,703.92.

Today’s generous donations come from: Roxy’s coin jar, $361.47; Farmin Stidwell coin jar, $20; Robert and Susan Puckett (in memory of Jim Lippi), $25; Idaho Forest Group and employees, $2,000; Members at The Shed, $20; Bob and Susie Puckett (in memory of our grandson, Bryce Robert), $50; Bob and Susie Puckett (in memory of Betty Abromeit and Helen Labowski), $50; Mary Verdal, $25; and Sally Suppiger, $100; and Barbara and George Gauzza, $100.

The goal for this year’s campaign is $50,000 — the same as it has been in past years. The Lions make the most of the money by shopping bargains, and with the assistance of generous local businesses.

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.

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.)

The Lions Den will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

If you have any questions about Toys for Tots sign-up, call Judy Dabrowski, 208-290-5314.

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. Donations also can be mailed to the Sandpoint Lions Club, P.O. Box 414, Sandpoint, ID, 83864.

You can also drop off donations at Columbia Bank’s main branch in Sandpoint, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Kootenai Cutoff Road.

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.

New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at:

Sagle — Stacey’s Country Kitchen and Travel America Plaza-Conoco.

Sandpoint — Farmin-Stidwell Elementary, Eagles, Sandpoint Fire Department, Columbia Bank, and Wells Fargo.

Kootenai and Ponderay — Columbia Bank, Bradley Insurance, North 40 Outfitters, and Samuels Store and Blue Heron Cafe.

Hope — Holiday Shores.