SANDPOINT — Never doubt the power of love and community.

Take 13-year-old Rylee Brooke Kamahele from Mililani, Hawaii, for example. The teen grew up volunteering with her parents in a program for at-risk youth. Rylee didn't need her parents pushing and prodding her to help others; she's wanted to make a difference on her own since she was 8.

“We had to fight for me to get involved,” she said in a story on goodnewsnetwork.org, “because programs didn’t want to babysit kids during community service.”

But, with perseverance, Rylee convinced groups in her community to let her volunteer. From there, the teen launched "Love Is A Verb," which has organized everything from beach cleanups, Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless, and entertained kids at shelters. During Thanksgiving week, Rylee and her team passed out 320 turkeys with the NFL running back Marshawn Lynch.

And then there's the "Secret Santa Project," which Rylee co-founded. The program, which raises money and gets donations for gifts to give to kids staying in shelters, now includes three shelters and a youth program and has helped give gifts to more than 300 kids.

In addition, according to the 2020 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards website, Rylee co-founded “Promise To Our Keiki” an about the impact people have on the planet.

All of her initiatives, the Prudential website says on the teen's profile page, fall under “The Catalyst Club,” an organization Rylee founded to equip young people to be agents of change.

If that isn't enough for you, take the example of Jack and Mary Jo Ambrosiani. The couple is involved in numerous groups and nonprofits, from community to the homeless and everything in-between. They don't seek attention, instead operating behind the scenes and helping out because that's who they are and because they want to make the community a better place.

So when the Ambrosianis saw the Sandpoint Lions Club's Toys for Tots drive was under the club's $50,000 goal, they reached out to the Bee on Christmas Eve.

"Are you going to be there for a bit?" When told the office was closing early to allow employees to go celebrate the holiday with their families, they asked if the staff could wait. When assured that they could, the couple got in their car and came right over — delivering a $3,000 to take the Toys for Tots over the top to $50,0157.34.

The power of community — from donations from spare change dropped into coin jars to large checks — all made this happen. Each and every donation is amazing — as is this community. So, thank you all — for your kindness, generosity and compassion. You are what makes this place so special.

The Toys for Tots program provides free new toys for children living in the Lake Pend Oreille School District, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points in-between.

Toys may be dropped off at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint; Farmhouse Restaurant, 477227 U.S. 95, Ponderay; Columbia Bank — Sandpoint branch, 414 Church St.; and Ponderay branch, 300 Kootenai Cutoff Road; Walmart, 476999 U.S. 95, Ponderay; and North 40, 477181 U.S. 95, Ponderay.

There are a host of coin jars around the community where spare change can be donated. In addition, monetary donations may be dropped off at both branches of Columbia Bank and the Bonner County Daily Bee during normal business hours. 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 include a 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

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.