He's known as "the Bluebird Man."

And, for roughly 50 years, Idaho resident Alfred Larson has been on a mission.

Back in 1978, Al was looking for something to do to keep his busy during his retirement and happened upon an article in National Geographic after crafting wooden nest for bluebirds. The nests, the article noted, helped save them from decline. Al knew he’d found his hobby and got to work building nest boxes on his ranch in southern Idaho.

Most folks might built a nest here or there or now and again. And be well content with their efforts. Not Al — Al, well, he had a something a little bigger in mind.

An article on sunnyskyz.com notes that in the years since Al — now 100 years young — took up the challenge, he’s built and is monitoring almost 350 nest boxes on six different bluebird trails across southwestern Idaho.

“I got carried away,” Larson told Audubon, the website reported. “I settled on a simple design that (was) easy to build and easy to monitor. I kept adding more boxes on these trails, and these birds responded.”

Through the years, Al has banded ten of thousands of birds.

Al’s work has been captured in a half-hour documentary, “Bluebird Man” by filmmaker Matthew Podolsky, and he's been the subject of dozens of stories.

“Al is a living example of how much one person can achieve when they set their mind on a task. But he’s also an example of the benefits that a project like this can have for people,” the website reports Podolsky as saying. “Bluebirds have given meaning to Al’s life, and they are truly the secret to his longevity.”

One man, one idea, but a tremendous impact in the world.

We can all have a similar impact in our little corner of the world by  donating to Toys For Tots today. Each dollar is wisely spent by the Sandpoint Lions to ensure local youngsters have a merry Christmas. Just think of how that joy will ripple into the future in the years that come.

Today’s generous donations, totaling $750, come from Sue Vogelsinger, $100; Esther H. Inselman, $50; Delbert A. Bader, $100; and Wood's Meat Processing, Inc., $500.

To date, $12,950 has been raised. The goal for this year’s Toys for Tots campaign is $75,000, an increase over past years due to the number of people needing help.

The Lions make the most of the money by bargain shopping and with the assistance of generous local businesses. 

Funds raised during the annual campaign go to purchase new toys for area children — or gift cards for older youth — who live in the Lake Pend Oreille School District. Every Christmas, the Lions help almost 1,000 area children, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points in between.

In addition, the Lions give a gift card to a local grocery store so that families can get supplies for their Christmas dinner.

The Lions started taking applications earlier this month, and demand for the program is already well above last year's total, with 100 more applications submitted during the first week than in 2022.

The club is accepting Toys for Tots applications until Dec. 15. Applications are available on the Lions' website, and printed copies are available on the door of the Lions Club, 609 S. Ella Ave.

Donations for Toys for Tots can be dropped off at the front desk at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also drop off donations (checks and cashier's checks) at Umpqua Bank’s Sandpoint branch, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Bonner Mall Way; and at the Ponderay Starbucks. 

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 mention that in your 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, or online at bit.ly/SandpointLions