'Tots' drive continues slow start
SANDPOINT — Growing up, Adam Armstrong had little to nothing.
Living in a mostly government-subsidized apartment complex in Harrisonburg, Va., they were poor very poor. When he was 18, Armstrong was sent to jail for distribution of marijuana, according to an NBCNews.com article. When he was released, he knew he needed to make some serious changes and turn his life around.
He recalls, the article relates, seeing inmates at the jail greeting each other “like old friends” from previous stays behind bars and acting as it was normal.
“It was like, `Hey I remember seeing you at such and such,’ and I said to myself, ‘This is nuts, I can’t do this,’” he told the website. “I made a choice that I was not going to live like that.”
He worked a variety of jobs, dedicating to improving his life, to do better, to be better, until he got into the mortgaging business and now makes a good living selling vacation properties.
As he became more financially successful, Armstrong — now the father of a 3-year-old — told NBC News that he was determined to give back to those living in poverty — just like he had all those years ago. He began donating toys to various charities around his home.
This year, he reached out to the property manager of the apartment complex where his family had lived and asked what she was doing that Saturday. He wanted, the 35-year-old philanthropist told her, to bring toys to give to the children living there.
Wary of Armstrong’s promises, the story on the news website and one on goodnewsnetwork.org said Sara Lewis-Weeks, the property manager of the complex, figured the toys would be a few stuffed animals and cheap plastic dolls.
Instead, Armstrong drove up in a 26-foot moving truck packed with bicycles, remote-controlled cars, real Barbie dolls and more — more than $12,000 worth of toys.
Just like Armstrong, the Lions are dedicated to making sure all in the community have a merry Christmas, working tirelessly to make sure there is enough money to buy presents and working with local stores who give them great deals on toys.
But to make that happen, they need all of us to donate what we can — whether it is a few pennies dropped into a coin jar at a number of businesses around town or a few dollars or a $100 or more — it all adds up and helps the Lions brighten the holidays for all of our community’s youngsters.
Unfortunately, there were no new donations Thursday, keeping the Toys for Tots campaign at a total of $11,015.85.
The goal for this year’s campaign is $50,000 — the same as it has been in past years, but with Christmas in less than two weeks, time is running short.
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 Orielle 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 2018 Toys for Tots program. Members are at the Lions Den, 609 S. Ella Street in Sandpoint, on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, until Monday, Dec. 16 Applications are also available until that date at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare office, 207 Larkspur St., Ponderay.
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.
Information: Sandpoint Lions Club, 208-263-4118
Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.