CEP: Appreciation event a success

Tuesday, Nov. 19 marked the Coeur d'Alene Education Partnership's first Member Appreciation Event. The event thanked CEP's current members for their continued commitment to education in Coeur d'Alene. The event also honored the CEP Volunteer Program for all of its many contributions over the past year.

We would like to offer a big thank you to our sponsors for making this event such a success: Azteca, Lil Henry's Chocolates, White House Grill, Mackenzie River Pizza Company, Pita Pit, Texas Roadhouse, Calypsos, Fort Ground Grill, Rustler's Roost, Temptations Cupcakes, Stacie's Cakes, Fiesta Mexicana, The Cellar, Wildcat Pizza, Greenbriar Inn Catering, Fire, Java, Sargents, Slate Creek Brewing Company, Coeur d'Alene Cellars, the UPS Store in Liberty Lake, and School District 271. All leftovers were donated to area food banks and charities.

We would also like to thank the Human Rights Education Institute for hosting our event and the Hayden Meadows Harmony in Motion Choir and Lake City High School Jazz Band for their wonderful performances. Thank you to photographer Emily Mittman for donating the evening's photos. Finally, thank you to Dr. Charles Buck, Associate Vice President of the University of Idaho, for his presentation on Idaho Education, and the Coeur Group's Jimmy McAndrew, who spoke with the audience on the joy and fulfillment he and his group give and receive through the volunteer program.

In closing, we would like to thank our members and volunteers for their continued dedication to EP's mission.

JASON WING

President, Coeur d'Alene Education Partnership

MEAL: Thanks for picking up MCL tab

We, the members of the Marine Corps League, would like to thank the person or persons who picked up the tab at the Blue Plate Cafe in Hayden on the 18th of December, 2013. Much appreciated.

RICH BURBINE

Marine Corps League

SSGT USMC (RET)

DENTAL PARTY: Thanks to all involved

Thanks to volunteer dentists and dental hygienists, 43 teens had their teeth screened for oral health and protected against bacteria that cause tooth decay at Panhandle Health District's Holiday Teen Dental Party on Dec. 5.

The services were donated to teens who qualified. The middle and high school students also received educational materials, dental supplies and door prizes. Nineteen received vouchers for follow-up dental care.

PHD thanks Drs. Rachel Davidson, Sara McVey and Justin Rader from Heritage Health Dental for donating their time and dental skills to screen teens. PHD also thanks Emily Petrie, a registered dental hygienist instructor, and the five EWU dental hygiene students she brought to help with educating, fluoride varnish applications and the application of dental sealants.

PHD thanks Laser Dentistry, Dr. Kent McVey of Coeur d'Alene Dental Center, Post Falls Family Dental and Brumbach Family Dentistry for donating vouchers for follow-up cleaning and restorative care. Thanks also go to the following donors: Coeur d'Alene Kiwanis, Oral Health America, Burkhart Dental Supply, Albertson's in Hayden, Stein's IGA, Super One Foods, Idaho Dairymen's Association, Papa Murphy's, Red Robin, Chili's, Kroc Center, MacKenzie River Pizza, Azteca, Little Caesar's in Coeur d'Alene, Noodle Express, San Francisco Sourdough on Sherman, Caruso's Deli, Qdoba, Domino's Pizza, Frontier Ice, Hayden Discount Cinema, Triple Play and the Coeur d'Alene Resort Cruises.

A survey of the teens attending the dental party showed that all brushed at least once a day. About a quarter of the teens responded that they never floss and nearly two-thirds said they brush their tongue. More than half said they didn't know that bacteria that cause tooth decay can be passed from person to person.

Thanks to Idaho Distance Education Academy, North Idaho Eye Institute and Eye Care for You, PHD was able to offer a Dental and Vision Day for home-schooled students in Kootenai and Bonner counties. Forty-two students received donated oral health services.

Panhandle Health District appreciates the generous community support of oral health care for teens. Many teens will smile brighter this holiday season.

LINDA HARDER

Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program Coordinator

Hayden

GRATITUDE: Heroes event a success

Post Falls Police Department extends our gratitude to everyone that helped make Holidays & Heroes a wonderful success on Dec. 8.

Eleven different law enforcement, fire, and medical agencies from Kootenai and Spokane counties participated, along with numerous other volunteers and sponsors, to provide a festive and magical holiday experience to one hundred children throughout our community.

Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug and Christopher after their finished Christmas shopping.

Event organizers chose the names of children to participate based upon recommendations from School Resource Officers, school counselors, patrol officers, deputy sheriffs, and firefighters.

With shopping lists ready, emergency personnel were paired with the children and took them shopping at local Walmart stores to purchase Christmas gifts for their family members. Other shoppers secretly chose gifts for the children. After bags were loaded into patrol cars, everyone met at the Greyhound Park and Event Center in Post Falls where more activities awaited the children.

Volunteers wrapped all the gifts. Children decorated an ornament, took pictures with Santa, and ate lunch, including Nate's New York Pizza and dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Children continued to shop. Girl Scout Troop No. 2035 stocked tables with free clothing, books, and toys. The Ladies of Trinity Lutheran Church and Peach Lutheran Church brought stacks of handmade quilts for each child to select. There was also a table filled with free toothbrushes, toothpaste, plush bears, and D.A.R.E. bags with goodies. In addition, the Coeur d'Alene Casino donated frozen turkeys to help fill Christmas dinner food boxes for each of the children to bring home to their family.

A crowd of adults and children alike gathered outside to watch Spokane County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit's Air-1 helicopter land on the grass field. Children were allowed to sit inside the helicopter. The SCSO also brought their SWAT team and armored vehicle for show.

Post Falls High School boys basketball team members loaded up wrapped gifts and food boxes onto carts and squeezed it all into patrol cars for the children to take back home to their families.

Holidays & Heroes continues to be an exceptional event each year because of the dedicated volunteers and sponsors, who so generously give of their time and resources to bring joy into the lives of as many children as possible. Thank you to all of our partners. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you to the following emergency agencies: Coeur d' Alene Police Department, Coeur d' Alene Tribal Police, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, Mica Kidd Island Fire District, Northwest MedStar, Post Falls Police Department, Rathdrum Police Department, Spirit Lake Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff's Office, and Spokane Valley Police Department.

Thank you to the following commercial and civic sponsors: Barney's Harvest Foods, Body by Scotty, Chipmasters, City of Spirit Lake, Coeur d' Alene Casino, Coeur d' Alene Sunrise Rotary, Eckness Catering, Findlay Hyundai Mazda, Fire Local 4336, General Mills, Greyhound Park and Events Center, Ground Force, Horizon Credit Union, Hugh Investments, IAFF Local 2856, KCFR Firefighters Local 2856, Kiwanis Club of Idaho Panhandle, Ladies of Trinity Lutheran Church, Lakeland Sunrise Rotary Club, Midway Automotive Group, Nate's New York Pizza, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Office Depot, Peace Lutheran Church, Post Falls Food Bank, Rathdrum Lions Club, Rathdrum Power, Silver Lame Manufacturing, Spirit Lake Police Department, Spirit's Mini Shop, Spokane County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Spokane Federal Credit Union, Spokane Teacher's Credit Union, Sunshine Minting, Timberlake Litter Control, Twin Lakes Activities Committee, and Walmart.

Thank you to the following private sponsors: Joe and Donna Arrotta, Mert and Winifred Barth, Duncan and Sherry Bell, Scott Brown, Mary Button, Dave and Janet Carpenter, Robert and Judith Collett, The Rod Colwell Family, Donald and Barbara Davis, Cheryl Dittman, Mr. and Mrs. Dorn, C. Fisher, Jody and Debera Gambles, C. Grubbs, Charles Guess, Gregory and Debbie Hart, Dr. John Hintz, Ron and Susan Jacobson, Everett Lawson, Warren and Dana Merritt, Joanne Moore, Fran Nocella, Mr. and Mrs. Quakkelaar, S. Quakkelaar, Colleen and Andrew Reese, Ann and Darryl Rholl, Drothy Satchwell, Brian Thurlow, Mr. and Mrs. Tilley, Mr. and Mrs. Wandrocke, and Guy Wilson.

Thank you to our many individual volunteers and to the following group volunteers: Cub Scout Pack No. 206, Girl Scout Troop No. 2035, Post Falls High School boys basketball teams, Psomas, Bourekis, and Warnica DDS staff.

POST FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT