'Tots' drive a sign of love
For the first time, Emily Andrews got to tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas.
Emily, who is profoundly deaf, got to meet the Jolly Old Elf while attending an event at her brother's school in Goole, East Yorkshire, in England.
The Airmyn Park Primary board had heard about Emily and took to social media for help, according to a story on the Good News Network website. Melanie Boyeson, who is a trained sign language interpreter, saw the post and offered to help. Soon Boyeson was dressed as an elf and helping at Santa's side when Emily came to let him know what she wanted for Christmas.
Soon Emily, 4, was chatting away with Santa — with Boyeson's help — and letting him know she wanted a doll, a baby carriage, some earrings and a blue dragon.
“It was just a magical experience," Tanya Andrews, Emily's mom, said. "Emily being able to communicate freely with the elf and tell Santa what she wanted was just amazing."
Being able to be a part of the moment and see her daughter's excitement was amazing, she told the reporter.
“It was just a magical experience," the story quotes her as saying. "Emily being able to communicate freely with the elf and tell Santa what she wanted was just amazing. After the experience, I was in tears. It was so magical to see Emily’s face light up."
That is the kind of magic that the Sandpoint Lions want for every child in Sandpoint.
And, with just a few days left until Christmas, time is running out to hit their $75,000 goal.
Today’s generous donations, totaling $6,370, come from Barbara and Robert Shupe, $200; Ron and Maryann Giddings, $100; Jeanette Schandelmeier, $100; anonymous, $25;
Steven Shearer, $100; Curtis and Vicki Douglas, $50; Daniel and Debra Butler, $50; Christine Joyce Kratz Klatt and Paul Klatt, $100; Marlin and Patricia Turinsky, $50; Mark Calkins, $200;
Steve and Debbie Crain, $100, "in honor of our grandkids;" Eileen Keller, $25, "to honor the Idaho Family Circle;" Kevin and Darlene Sawyer, $200; Sand Creek Schweitzer Conoco, $2,500; Employees and Customers of Travel America Plaza, $370; Eva May Whitehead, $2,000; and John McPherson, $200.
To date, $48,350 has been raised toward the amount needed to ensure all local youth have the merriest of Christmases.
The Lions make the most of the money donated by bargain shopping and with the assistance of generous local businesses.
Funds raised during the annual campaign go to purchase new toys for area children — or gift cards for older youth — who live in the Lake Pend Oreille School District. Every Christmas, the Lions help almost 1,000 area children, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points in between.
In addition, the Lions give a gift card to a local grocery store so that families can get supplies for their Christmas dinner.
Demand for the program is well above last year's total, with 100 more applications submitted during the first week than in 2022.
The last day to submit a Toys for Tots application for this Christmas was Friday, Dec. 15.
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 (checks and cashier's checks) at Umpqua Bank’s Sandpoint branch, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Bonner Mall Way; and at the Ponderay Starbucks.
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 mention that in your 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, or online at bit.ly/SandpointLions