Woodchick is her name and chopping wood is her game!

Kay Burke, known to all as the "Wood Chick," has been volunteering in our community for about four years. She was first introduced to ElderHelp of North Idaho through her service with Heart of the City Food Bank, where she met the President of the ElderHelp organization. At that time, Burke had been transitioning from a disability caused from physical production work to being retrained with administrative and data entry skills. She was fortunate enough to be eligible for the Experience Works Program and was able to transfer her volunteer placement job to the ElderHelp office. After recruitment, she was trained in all aspects of the organization's office duties, and has become an integral administrative part of the ElderHelp wood crew.

"I started to get to know the seniors who were calling in for help," states Burke. ElderHelp's community of volunteers and seniors has changed my life."

Each Saturday, usually in the morning, Burke heads down to Grace Tree Farm in Hayden to meet other volunteers. Donations come from all sources: tree services, community neighbors that have just felled trees, Avista Utilities crews, and many more. Together, volunteers chip away at logs using chain saws, axes and wood splitters, making bundles of firewood for senior citizens in the community. Burke is in charge of procuring the wood, gathering the supplies, directing the wood crews, and finally scheduling the deliveries.

Burke volunteers between 20-30 hours per week. "I love helping people," shares Burke. "It wasn't easy at first. Stress made it difficult to learn, but I tried hard. I had a lot of support in the beginning, which made me successful."

Low income seniors tend to be the most vulnerable to freezing temperatures and many will go without heat and electricity because of limited funds. "It was November of 2011," remembers Burke. "We scrambled through mud and snow just to scrape up even the most rotted wood to warm my seniors."

It is the mission of ElderHelp of North Idaho to assist senior citizens with limited resources to live comfortably and independently by providing assistance through caring community volunteers.

"It was Kay's dream to run the wood ministry," claims John Corcoran, President of ElderHelp of North Idaho. "She fell in LOVE with those seniors, and that is what drives her. Today, she is totally in charge and indispensable. Without her, we would not have the wood ministry today."

When asked how her volunteerism has impacted her life, "I came from a difficult past, and someone told me once that I was a miracle story and had traveled 10,000 miles to finally be HERE! I found where I belong; doing the work that is so needed. The best part is that I get to see all the happy and grateful faces, and I get to hug them too! I truly am the lucky one."

Volunteer Opportunity: Oh! Christmas Tree

Anchor House, a program of the Idaho Youth Ranch, has sold Christmas Trees every winter holiday season to benefit their program. This year, Anchor House is partnering with the Coeur d'Alene Idaho Youth Ranch thrift store, and will be selling trees on the thrift store lot. Anchor House is looking for volunteers to help during the three week period of Nov. 29 to Dec. 22, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. on Sundays. Volunteers would be assisting in customer service and loading Christmas trees into customers' cars.

There will be 2-3 volunteers scheduled each day for shifts of a few hours.

Your time and energy will go to those who need it most and will help to spread Idaho Youth Ranch's message of hope!

All volunteers will need to be at least 13 years old, will need to sign a waiver and submit to a background check.

Please visit www.kootenaiunitedway.org, click on the "VOLUNTEER" link to view other volunteer opportunities in YOUR community, or contact Jeanette Laster at United Way of Kootenai County, (208) 667-8112, Ext. 101.

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The United Way of Kootenai County Volunteer Center

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* "One-Stop Volunteer Resource Center" for the whole community

* Ongoing and one-time volunteer opportunities

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(208) 667-8112

Visit the United Way's Volunteer Center website: www.kootenaiunitedway.org

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