Couple donate supplies to Kootenai Health; first-responders in need of sanitation products

We are all in this together.

"When something like this hits, you realize how interconnected we really are," Don Birak of Coeur d'Alene said Monday.

He and his wife, Megan, had this thought and decided to reach out to Kootenai Health to donate cleaning and sanitation supplies.

They just wanted to help.

"We didn't really know what they wanted. They didn't ask," Birak said. "We just brought whatever extra we had. We were attentive to the fact that we needed to bring things that had been unopened."

The Biraks donated a few shopping bags packed with nitrile gloves, bottles of bleach, packets of cleaning wipes and Lysol spray.

"We went out and bought some supplies and said, 'Why don't we donate these? Why not let somebody share what we've got?'" Don said. "Any little bit helps. We're all in this together."

Kootenai Health officials expressed their appreciation for the help.

"We are very grateful for Mr. Birak’s donation and for his eagerness to jump in and help support an important community resource,” said Trevor Bober, director of Kootenai Health’s supply chain operations. “Thankfully Kootenai Health is in a good place right now and not having to actively seek additional supplies from community members. We hope we won’t get to a point where that’s necessary, but it feels good to see the support is out there should we need it.”

To help with the response, people can donate to Kootenai Health Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Donations will be directed toward Kootenai Health’s highest priority needs. Call 625-4438 or email foundation@kh.org.

"What I'm seeing happening around the world is the generosity and kindness of people is coming out in droves. Unfortunately that’s coming along with a lot of people in denial or they're pooh-poohing this," Don said. "Even a little bit has to make an impact. If you can share, do it."

While Kootenai Health is not experiencing a big need for donations at this time, the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management announced Monday that the Kroc Center in Coeur d'Alene in conjunction with the Kootenai County Emergency Operations Center is accepting donations.

Items needed for first-responders include hand sanitizer, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, disinfectant spray, cleaners and safety eyewear.

Donations will be accepted at the Kroc Center Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.