KOOTENAI — Two years ago, a 6-year-old Addie Brewington handed KXLY 4’s Kris Crocker a $100 bill in the Bonner Mall. The youngster had chosen KXLY’s Coats 4 Kids as her charity, saving her allowance specifically for the cause.

“I noticed when I was in kindergarten that some kids don’t have enough money for nice coats for the winter,” 8-year-old Addie said on Thursday.

Since that night at the Bonner Mall, Addie has rallied her classmates at Kootenai Elementary, challenging them to raise at least $200, which she would match with her allowance for a total of $400.

As the Kootenai Pirates reached their goal for the second year in a row, KXLY’s sports director Keith Osso, nighttime news anchor Aaron Luna and photographer Jim Hazelton delivered pizza to Addie’s third-grade class on Thursday.

As Osso riled the kids up, yelling “pizza, pizza,” Addie presented the check for $200 that came from her allowance. She then pushed the button on the clear “boot” that held the cash donations from her classmates, lighting it up to indicate that their goal had been met.

“It’s exciting and it warms my heart that the school has taken this on like this,” said local Coat’s 4 Kids organizer Karen Battenschlag. “I think it’s just an awesome program for kids to care.” Several coats were donated in addition to the cash, and Principal Kelli Knowles said it “always amazes” her how generous the community is. At Kootenai, the kids had really stepped up this year as she had not put any notices out to the families about their goal at the school. She had only told the kids during daily announcements, and they had taken the initiative, bringing in coats and cash.

“The kids have such kind and generous hearts,” Knowles said.

This was proven just minutes before while Addie was being interviewed in the Kootenai hallway by Hazelton. One of the younger students approached Knowles, who was holding the “boot,” and began emptying handfuls of change out of her pockets.

“It means something to them that they are helping,” Knowles said. “We talk a lot about, ‘we are helping our community, and that’s what good pirates do.’”

Osso told the Daily Bee that when he and the others were told about Addie earlier this week and how she rallied her classmates, they were impressed that the kids took on the mantle, making it their goal to raise money and items for Coats for Kids. And upon arrival at the school, Addie’s “nana,” Jodi Brewington, told him a little bit about Addie and how she doesn’t like to see kids without a coat when it’s cold outside.

“That’s an emotional thing, and you’d be proud of your kids for thinking of others the way that she has, so for us to be able to come up here and meet her, it’s pretty cool for us,” Osso said. “Coats 4 Kids doesn’t happen without people giving their time, and to see a kid give her time and care about others is pretty special for us.”

The segment featuring Addie and the pizza party with her classmates aired at 11 p.m. Thursday on KXLY 4.

While collection has ended for the season, distribution of the coats and other winter items will continue through Nov. 11 in the Bonner Mall.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.