Of gardens and gifts
DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 4 months AGO
Coeur d'Alene Garden Club Garden Tour co-chair Cathy Evjen presents a donation check to Bill Griffiths of Turkeys and More during a funds distribution event Tuesday in Dalton Gardens. This year's Garden Tour raised more than $12,000 for 11 local charities.
DEVIN WEEKS/Press
The Coeur d'Alene Garden Club on Tuesday presented 11 local nonprofits with funds raised during the 2022 Garden Tour. This year's event raised more than $12,000. From left, standing: Tina Hood, Roberta McKinney, Kurt Neely, Pamela Noah, Vicky Nelson, Vanessa Moos, Sally Wynn, Tiffinay Walker, Becky Georgious, Jessica Gross, Kristen Nesser, Gigi Grant, Bill Griffiths, Sandy Armand, Dianne Lipscomb and Vickie Davison-Best. Seated, from left: Linda Juergensen, Jill Marfice, Bonnie Warwick, Cathy Evjen, Kathie Strinz, Marge Hoyt and Cheryl Sorenson.
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | September 14, 2022 1:05 AM
Every summer for the past 24 years, community members have enjoyed traipsing through fragrant, vibrant and eclectic gardens on the Coeur d'Alene Garden Club's Garden Tour.
Proceeds from this event support different local causes, from dual-enrollment scholarships at North Idaho College to helping senior citizens through ElderHelp of North Idaho.
This year's event brought nearly 900 guests to six area gardens, raising more than $12,000 that was distributed to 11 recipients during a club meeting Tuesday in Dalton Gardens.
"We're very grateful and appreciative," One More Time Northwest founder Tiffinay Walker said.
One More Time Northwest is a nonprofit that makes dreams come true, similar to the Make a Wish Foundation, but for adults with life-limiting conditions or ailments. A first time Garden Tour funds recipient, Walker said the money will be used to continue the organization's mission to fulfill bucket list items and create legacy videos for families to cherish.
"I do the interviews, the videos are edited, pictures and music are added," Walker said. "It’s people talking about their lives in their own voice."
Garden Tour co-chair Bonnie Warwick said the 2022 Garden Tour was "very successful and very lovely."
"And those things happen because we have such a wonderful crew of volunteers and those that help make it happen," Warwick said.
She gave a shoutout to Tina Hood, past club president, for her work on the tour. Club member Jill Marfice will take the baton and chair the 2023 event, which is also the Garden Tour's milestone 25th year.
"It's such a fun event — a great way to meet your neighbors and meet new people who probably share your love of plants," Marfice said. "In addition to seeing beautiful garden design and flowers, and supporting these charities, it's just a great way to build community."
The Garden Club is seeking gardens in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Post Falls to be featured on next year's tour, planned for July 9. Email cdagardenclub@gmail.com or visit www.cdagardenclub.com to nominate a local garden.
"Your garden does not have to be perfect or 'done,'" Marfice said. "We're looking for all types of gardeners' gardens that our guests can learn from and enjoy."
Other 2022 Coeur d'Alene Garden Club Tour funds recipients:
• Children's Village
• ElderHelp of North Idaho
• NIC Dual Enrollment
• Relatives as Parents
• Safe Passage Violence Prevention Cnter
• Safety Net Inland Northwest
• Second Chance Pet Rescue
• Companions Animal Center (formerly Kootenai Humane Society)
• Silver Angels for the Elderly
• Turkeys and More
ARTICLES BY DEVIN WEEKS
Post Falls Middle School one of two local Name a Snowplow Contest winners
Post Falls Middle School one of two local Name a Snowplow Contest winners
It's big. It's bad. And if "The Berminator" could talk, each winter it would say, "I'll be back." "It's pretty sweet," Post Falls Middle School eighth grader Griffin Dooley said Wednesday after jumping out of the driver's seat of an Idaho Transportation Department snowplow. "It's awesome," he said. "It was really cool. It was comfortable. A lot of controls."
River City Middle School students prep care packages for cancer patients
River City Middle School students prep care packages for cancer patients
In colorful Crayola marker, "You are resilient," "Keep fighting," "Your spirit is unbreakable" and other encouraging messages were written on bright construction paper cards. Ryan Heasty's leadership students at River City Middle School paired off or grouped up Tuesday afternoon as they collaborated on notes of love and positivity that will be sent to those recovering from surgery at Cancer Care Northwest.
North Idaho man's musical message of hope, unity translates to listeners around the world
Mike Baker's musical message of hope, unity translates to listeners around the world
Thirty-one languages and counting, a diverse expanse of instrumental sounds, one unifying message: "The Light We Share."