Operation Warm (Coat) hits Coeur d'Alene
CAROLYN BOSTICK | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 weeks, 5 days AGO
Thanks to a special free event, Mayson Mitchell, 11, walked out of the Lola and Duane Hagadone Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County on Friday with a brand-new navy coat.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press
Finley Scott, 11, selects a teal jacket from the selection of free coats for kids at the Lola and Duane Hagadone Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County.
Finley Scott and Carmen Yadao show off their new coats through Operation Warm on Friday at The Lola and Duane Hagadone Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County.
Carolyn Bostick has worked for the Coeur d’Alene Press since June 2023. She covers Shoshone County and Coeur d'Alene. Carolyn previously worked in Utica, New York at the Observer-Dispatch for almost seven years before briefly working at The Inquirer and Mirror in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Since she moved to the Pacific Northwest from upstate New York in 2021, she's performed with the Spokane Shakespeare Society for three summers. | November 17, 2025 1:06 AM
COEUR d’ALENE — Colorful coats for ages 6 to 15 spanned tables at the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County in Coeur d'Alene on Friday as kids picked out free new coats ahead of winter.
Mayson Mitchell, 11, was excited to put his name on his coat before stowing it in his cubby to get back to playing.
“It’s comfortable and I like the color,” Mayson said.
Lola Hagadone was excited to volunteer and help guide kids to the best fit and colors to suit them through the season.
“It’s just a joyous occasion for the young people to get coats, especially right when it’s getting cold out," she said.
Rita Case, president and CEO of Rick Case Automotive Group in Florida, obtained the coats for local kids through nonprofit Operation Warm.
Operation Warm has served more than 5 million children across North America with new coats and shoes since 1998.
“It brings me such joy to be able to do this each year, knowing that our youth will be warm this winter,” Case said.
Making sure that the kids get a variety of vibrant, never-worn coats is a cornerstone of Operation Warm.
Finley Scott, 11, was thrilled to try out her new “cool” teal coat she loves.
Her friend, Carmen Yadao, 12, joined her in putting away her pink new jacket.
“It’s really warm and fuzzy and I enjoy the colors,” Carmen said.
Finley Scott, 11, selects a teal jacket from the selection of free coats for kids at the Lola and Duane Hagadone Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County.
Finley Scott and Carmen Yadao show off their new coats through Operation Warm on Friday at The Lola and Duane Hagadone Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County.ARTICLES BY CAROLYN BOSTICK
Winterfest a source of holiday cheer in Post Falls
Attendees faced a wet and rainy Winterfest Friday, but families kept up their holiday spirit as they waited to meet Santa at Post Falls City Hall, but with burn barrels to keep them warm and roast marshmallows over.
McGuire annexation passes after heavy debate
After a long back and forth about adding the McGuire annexation into the city of Post Falls Tuesday night, the council ruled four to one in favor of adding the 18.11-acre parcel into the city with an R2 designation.
Post Falls City Council considers changing fowl language
Post Falls City Council considers changing fowl language
The Post Falls City Council meeting ended on a fowl note Tuesday night as city officials asked staff to look into possible revisions of the regulations concerning duck ownership in the city limits.