Museum, Khq Team Up For Book Drive
The Children’s Museum of Spokane, in partnership with KHQ-TV, will host its second Success6 book drive at the museum, 222 N. Post, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 20.
Presentation of a new book will gain free museum admission for up to four family members. Free admission for up to eight family members is available for two books.
All books should be targeted for children from birth through 6 years old.
Partnership with the television station is exciting, said Carole VanderWilde, the museum’s marketing chairwoman.
“We share the same goal for children in our community - to expose them to the components that are important for their successful development,” VanderWilde said.
Books are fundamental to meeting that goal, she said.
The books will be included in Success6 Raise-A-Reader kits, which will be given early next year to all parents of newborn children in Spokane County.
The books also will help stock a “book bank” created by Success6 and the Kiwanis Clubs of Spokane.
Opening in 1997, the book bank will distribute books through groups, organizations and agencies.
Success6, a nonprofit organization, is a collaborative effort of more than 200 community leaders who work to ensure that all children come to elementary school ready to learn.
United Way of Spokane County and Momentum formed a partnership to bring the program to Spokane. KHQ-TV is helping create the Raise-A-Reader kits, and also has provided promotional support to the Children’s Museum.
Fund-raising, gift requests
Nearly everyone has a stockpile of loose change - a cache of quarters between the sofa cushions, dimes piled on the dresser, nickels in the bottom of coat pockets, or pennies tossed in junk drawers.
Make-A-Wish of Washington State Spokane is asking people to start collecting “Coins For Kids.”
So, round up those coins and help create magic, memories and wishes for Eastern Washington children battling life-threatening illnesses.
From Feb. 18 to March 14, loose change may be taken to any of the 60 US Bank branches in Eastern Washington. One lucky donor will win a grand prize trip to Disneyland for a family of four.
Make-A-Wish will provide corporations, clubs and schools with promotion packets that include the program’s framework, timelines, activities, logo art, newsletter ideas, ideas for coin-collection drives and activities, and eligibility rules for the grand prize.
For more information, call Judy Rogers, 458-2618.
Ronald McDonald House wants help to make Christmas a little merrier for families residing at the house this holiday season.
Families staying there often face tremendous medical, emotional and financial strains. Ronald McDonald staff tries to lighten their burden by providing toys and clothes for their children.
Toys, dolls and other gifts for newborn babies to children through 12 years old are needed. Sweat pants and shirts for adolescents are being collected for holiday distribution. Newly-released videos, Legos and blocks would help children have some fun during their stay.
For more information, call Julie Moyer, 624-0500.
Tomlinson Black Valley, Inc., Smith Signature homes, Finch Family Homes and Landreth Construction are teaming up to help families who need to stay at Ronald McDonald House.
Through “Share-A-Night,” these companies will donate a weekend stay at Ronald McDonald’s for every home purchased this month from Tomlinson Black Valley, Inc. at Autumn Crest, Dhaenens Square, Evergreen Point or Parkside.
Last year, more than 575 families from Eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon stayed at the house while their children were patients in area hospitals.
While many families cannot afford the room rent, no one is ever turned away due to inability to pay.
Gifts received
The Children’s Ark has received $7,562 from the Knights and the Setons, service organizations from Gonzaga University. The money was raised from local donors, a charity ball and an auction last month.
The Knights (sophomore men) and Setons (sophomore women), long have been active in providing funding and volunteer assistance for Spokane-area charities.
The Children’s Ark is a unique program that combines the protection and nurturing of a foster family home for young children with a residential support and education program for their mothers.
Founded in 1995 by Janet and Paul Mann, the program provides foster care for children, 2 years old and younger, along with their mothers for a year or more.
Members of four churches - Spokane Valley Baptist, Millwood Community Presbyterian, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic and Redeemer Lutheran - worked together to sponsor a Habitat for Humanity home in the Valley, which will be dedicated at 2 this afternoon at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3606 S. Schaefer Road.
In sponsoring the project, the churches collected more than $52,000 in cash and in-kind material donations. Church members donated more than 2,000 hours of volunteer labor. xxxx
This sidebar appeared with the story: REMEMBER THE ‘70s? The Spokane Interstate Fair is looking for someone with a catchy phrase from the ‘70s rattling around in their head. The contest to pick a theme for the 1997 fair has begun. The theme needs to be related to the 1970s era and limited to 15 words or less. Entries must be written on a 3-by-5 card and mailed to the fair office at 404 N. Havana, Spokane 99202, by Dec. 31. Only one entry per person is allowed. The theme must be specific, as it will be used in promotions and advertising. The winning entry will be picked by the Interstate Fair Board, based on its brevity, appropriateness and the amount of excitement it conveys. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate from Safeway and become eligible for a grand prize in the year 2000, along with other contest winners.