Save Our Soles

Save Our Soles is a community drive to provide area families with essential footwear.

Every year we have children wearing shoes that are falling apart, do not fit or are inadequate for the cold winter months.  Also, many parents require appropriate footwear to get back into the workforce.

YOU CAN HELP!!!

Donate your cleaned and gently pre-owned shoes during the week of October 5th – 9th

Look for S.O.S. drop boxes at neighborhood schools and community partners.

If your family is in need of shoes, please leave a request at the school in a sealed envelope c/o: Save Our Soles

Please include: Student/Parent Name (Male/Female)
School:  __________________
Shoe Size:  _______________
Type of Shoe Needed:  ______

All requests will remain confidential.

“Something Worth Doing” – Doing good for children in Coeur d’Alene and around the world

Today’s speaker was Tyler Fouche from Something Worth Doing.  Aiming to be the anti-CNN, Something Worth Doing’s goal to do it “For the Love” of those around them who are in need.

Tyler shared several of the group’s projects, which they document by video and then post to their website, found here.

A local project, which would be good for people in our community to know more about and possibly get involved with, is their coming “Fresh Tracks ‘09″ – which aims to pair young people in the community with a mentor and hit the highland to snowboard and just hang out.

To learn more about “Something Worth Doing” please visit their website at: www.somethingworthdoing.com.

Juvenile Justice Outreach – Offering memorable relationships and rewarding projects

Today’s speaker was Jeff Cheeseborough, Chaplain with the Juvenile Justice Outreach program.  The JJO serves at-risk teens and young people in the five North Idaho counties.  Kootenai County accounts for roughly 87% of incarcerated adolescents in North Idaho.

The JJO’s vision is to be available and accessible in order to provide encouragement, support and spiritual guidance to youth, their families and the communities who serve them through Idaho’s Juvenile Justice system.

According to Jeff, the deteriorating mental and behavioral health of U.S. children is being caused by a lack of close connections to other people, and deep connections to moral and spiritual meaning.  The JJO offers nururing relationships as a core principle for poisitive moral and spiritial development.

If you know a young person at-risk, are interested in learning more about the JJO, or possibly becoming a mentor to a young person who might need you, please feel free to contact Jeff at 208-660-3168, or through his email at: cheese4youth@yahoo.com

Day of the Child: Celebrating Children and Literacy

Every Wednesday different members of the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene read to children at the North Idaho College Head Start Program.  For that reason, we jumped at the opportunity to join in their celebration for  “Day of the Child and Books: Celebrating Children and Literacy!”

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 30, 2009 (from 10 am to 2 pm) at the Harding Family Center (located at 411 N. 15th Street in Coeur d’Alene), various Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene members will be joining in the fun and having “A DAY AT THE FARM”

Free, fun farm-themed activities for children will include:

• Create your own trail mix
• Hook a Book
• Puppet show
• Arts & crafts projects
• Make bread and butter
• Free play area
• Story time

Please feel free to join us at the Harding Family Center tomorrow to celebrate children and literacy!

Woodland Middle School (School Within-A-School program)

Today’s speaker was Melissa McKenna from Woodland Middle School here in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.  Melissa introduced the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene to a great program that she has been involved with for the past 6 years.

What is “School Within-A-School” all about?

“The SWS Program was designed to meet the needs of students who may not have found success in a traditional school setting.  SWS attempts to build a sense of community and belonging amongst its student by recognizing and honoring individuality and by providing a safe and positive environment in which to learn.”

Melissa recognized a need within her student body.  She noticed that several students were being dropped off for school early (in some cases, up to 2 hours before school even began) and then returned home at the end of the day without parental supervision (whether due to work loads, other demands placed on parents, etc.)  Therefore, SWS provides Woodland Middle School students with a safe place to eat breakfast each morning and help with homework after school.

The program is in its 6th year and students who qualify for it are identified by other teachers at Woodland.  Typically, these students have challenges in one of the following areas:

1. Attendance
2. Academics
3. Attitude

SWS, also, stresses community involvement by providing service projects in which the students can stretch their brain power by finding creative ways to help others around them.

If you are interested in learning more about the SWS Program, please contact Woodland Middle School at 208-667-5996.

Kids Day in the Park – SAVE THE DATE (Saturday, July 18th)

Every year the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene sponsors a worthy event to celebrate being a kid!  This year’s “Kids Day in the Park” will be Saturday, July 18, 2009 (from 10 am – 1 pm) in City Park, downtown Coeur d’Alene.

The first planning meeting is Wednesday, April 22nd.

For more information, contact Kiwanis Club member Debbie Lawton or visit the North Idaho AEYC website.