KELLOGG — Lori Sawyer has a heart for kids and for her community. As Kellogg High School’s cheerleading coach, she has always advocated for community involvement and school spirit and now she’s combining them.

After seeing a commercial for a Teddy Bear toss at a hockey game, Sawyer started thinking about ways to incorporate the striking visual of items being tossed in a local setting.

A basketball game scheduled for Dec. 14 at Kellogg High School will provide the perfect venue. 

Whenever the Wildcats host their neighbors from Wallace High School, the crowd and energy tend to be bigger than a lot of their other contests. It also allows the entire Silver Valley community to participate in the event, which is exactly what Sawyer is hoping for. 

Sawyer isn’t looking for Teddy Bears though. Her goal, along with the support of her cheerleading team and the Kellogg High School Boys Basketball Program, is to make sure that no children in Shoshone County have to be cold this winter. 

Coats, hats, gloves, socks, boots, sweaters, sweats, blankets — anything that could be used to help keep a child warm during the long cold winter months — would be accepted.

“I am very well aware of how much of a need there is for the school-aged kids to keep warm during the winter,” Sawyer said. “Being involved in the school district for so many years, I have seen the need for these items.”

The Sawyer family has purchased and donated items like these for the kids in the Kellogg School District for years, but they recognize that times are tough across the entire Silver Valley. Prices for these types of items have increased substantially over the past few years and it can be hard for families in need to justify purchasing them when they’re already struggling to make ends meet. 

“The reason I chose the Kellogg/Wallace game is because I really want to be able to supply these items from Canyon Elementary School to Mullan Elementary,” Sawyer said. “I felt like the more local people the better it would be.” 

Sawyer brought her idea to Kellogg High School Athletic Director Scott Miller and boys basketball coach Mike Martin, who loved the idea and are happy to be supporting Silver Valley youth. 

“I'm really proud of our cheerleaders and coach Lori Sawyer,” Miller said. “They have a history of doing things for our community and the Silver Valley and we look forward to this event when we play Wallace.” 

Once the first half between the Wildcats and Miners is finished, both teams will clear the court for a moment and when they’re given the signal, everyone in the crowd will throw their items from the bleachers onto the basketball court. Once they’re done throwing them, the cheerleaders and basketball players will help gather them. 

Items being donated should be purchased new, so they’re clean and ready to be handed out. 

Sawyer is looking for items of all sizes, but most specifically for elementary school-aged kids. 

“I love kids and am always dreaming up ideas and thought 'what a great way to help out and keep those kids warm this year,'” Sawyer said. “I hate the thought of kids being cold and parents worrying about how to supply those items when times are tough.”

Sawyer hopes this can become a yearly tradition when the schools play one another.

Kellogg will host Wallace for the basketball game Thursday, Dec. 14, at Andrews Gymnasium at 7 p.m.