Healthy heaping of toys
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 1 month AGO
Kevin Johnson of Les Schwab Tire Center carries a toy truck into the Kootenai Health lobby on Monday.
BILL BULEY/Press
School Resource Officer Craig Wade carries bags of toys into the Kootenai Health lobby on Monday.
Kenny Carver, manager of the Les Schwab Tire Center in Hayden, carries bags of toys into the Kootenai Health lobby on Monday.
Coeur d'Alene police and Les Schwab employees pose with some of the toys they delivered to Kootenai Health on Monday.
Coeur d'Alene Police Sgt. Shane Avriett waves as an entourage of police vehicles arrive at Kootenai Health on Monday to deliver toys.
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | December 21, 2022 1:00 AM
COEUR d’ALENE — Yes, police are there to serve and protect, keep the peace and maintain law and order.
Monday, Coeur d’Alene’s finest once again went above and beyond and delivered hundreds of toys to Kootenai Health.
“We’re privileged to partner with Les Schwab and the people in our community,” said Lt. Johann Schmitz.
A long line of police cars and Les Schwab Tire Center trucks followed an armored vehicle — with a blue-suited Santa waving from the top hatch — into the hospital's parking lot.
As KH staff watched and applauded, officers and workers carried in bags of games, dolls, race cars, dinosaurs and balls into the lobby, where they were placed under a giant Christmas tree.
In minutes, the pile of presents rose high.
Cara Nielsen, president of the Kootenai Health Foundation, called it “an amazing act of generosity.”
“All I can think of it, I’m overwhelmed with what this is going to mean for our kids,” she said.
Some toys will go to children who are admitted over the holidays and some will be given through Andrea's Closet, a Kootenai Health program that provides toys for children in the hospital.
Schmitz said police are about serving the people, but also dedicated to brightening Christmas for boys and girls through the Coeur d'Alene Police Foundation Children's Hospital Toy Drive.
Police collected toys in front of Walmart for three weekends, while Les Schwab employees and customers in Kootenai County contributed toys and more than $10,000, which police used to buy even more toys.
Kenny Carver, manager of the Les Schwab in Hayden, said this is the third year they have been part of the program and it’s grown continually.
“We enjoy it. We know it benefits the kids the most and that’s the best part,” he said.
Some of the gifts will go out on Christmas Eve and most on Christmas day. Many will be distributed throughout the year as kids come to the hospital.
Dr. Hinah Parker said Kootenai Health appreciates what police and Les Schwab do for the children.
“It’s great to have that kind of support,” she said.
Schmitz and Carver said it’s a joint Christmas mission.
“We couldn’t make this level of gifts happen without partners like Les Schwab,” Schmitz said
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