Region Gives Till It Helps Donations To Kootenai County Charities Regularly Surpass Goals

Janna Kellas, 16, wanted her modest earnings to count for something more than a new teen magazine on her nightstand. So she gave her money to charity.

“I thought it’d be cool,” says the Lake City High School junior, who donated $100 to United Way this fall. “And it makes me feel really good to know it’s going to help someone.”

Kellas’ attitude pervades North Idaho, a region charity directors call generous by any standards.

They cite as evidence United Way of Kootenai County, which has met its ever-growing goal for seven consecutive years. Or the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Coeur d’Alene, which is so well supported that it offers more social programs than most chapters in the nation.

Then there’s Kootenai Medical Center, where donations neared $1 million last year, and North Idaho College, where donations already have topped $1 million this year.

That goodwill money flows freely from businesses and organizations as well as steadily from individuals at every income level.

“There’s a gentleman in Hope who sends us a $100 check every month,” says Paula Neils, director of the Anchor House group home for wayward boys. “I think it’s a self-imposed tithe.”

Whatever the reason for donations, charity directors depend on the largesse to continue.

“We desperately need the community,” says Tinka Schaffer, director of Children’s Village.

“We have no huge cash reserve to fall back on.”

Lucinda Ade took over as director of United Way of Kootenai County in 1987, shortly after the county’s 60,000 residents poured a paltry $225,000 into the charity.

Ade immediately asked for more from people and got it. She found people willing to give even when United Way of America’s national president was found guilty of squandering $1.2 million of the charity’s money on his teenage girlfriend and personal perks.

This year, Ade is shooting for $450,000 or about $6.25 for every person in the county. That amount is far below United Way’s national average of $13.72 per person or the amount Boise raises - $16.25 per person.

But Ade says the fact that Kootenai County has doubled donations to her organization speaks louder than per capita comparisons.

“It doesn’t seem to matter what the economy is or what the rest of the nation is doing,” she says.

“We see steady small increases every year. I think the people of Kootenai County are incredibly generous.”

Lynn Gustafson at St. Vincent’s agrees. Her organization raises more than $700,000 a year selling donations of used goods at its thrift store. That money pays for a homeless center and training programs as well as emergency shelters.

“This store chalks up extremely high per capita compared to stores in Spokane, Boise and Great Falls,” she says. “We all want to know where our money is going, and here they can see it in action.”

When Jim Faucher took over Kootenai Medical Center’s foundation 12 years ago, the silver mines had just closed and timber prices were down.

“I was told I couldn’t raise a plug nickel in Coeur d’Alene at the time, and I wasn’t sure that was wrong,” he says with a chuckle.

But when Faucher asked, people gave. That generous spirit has made KMC’s Festival of Trees one of the most successful in the nation in a per capita comparison, Faucher said.

Last year, donations of money and gifts to KMC totaled $835,992.

Such support enabled the hospital to build a health resource center, buy vans to transport patients and constantly upgrade departments.

The money comes from golf tournaments and the Festival of Trees, organizations, bequests, gifts, pledges and individual donations.

“I think there’s a tremendous amount of community pride, from locals to the people moving in,” Faucher says.

“We’ve been successful beyond imagination.”

Charity directors partly credit themselves for the free flow of dollars in their direction. They say people don’t continue to give if they don’t like how their money is spent.

Donors agree that accountability is important when they’re deciding where to distribute their money.

But it isn’t the reason behind their generosity.

“I think it’s important to give money back to your community,” says a Coeur d’Alene woman who sends a monthly check to St. Vincent’s. Like most donors, she wants to stay anonymous.

She learned in church long ago to share, and chose St. Vincent’s because “they do so much for homeless people.”

Bob and Roxy Davis decided at the beginning of the year to give regularly to several charities, including Children’s Village.

The Coeur d’Alene couple previously had donated to random causes that solicited through the mail or over the telephone.

“We decided to live a little more simply and do a little more for others,” Bob Davis says, a bit self-conscious about publicizing what he views as a private commitment.

Duty partly prompts his donation. Davis says he’s learned in church to tithe for the benefit of others. But common sense also motivates him to write his monthly checks.

“I feel if this country’s going to turn around and become the country we want it to be, we have to put our money where our mouth is,” he says.

“We have to grab hold of kids at a young age and help them through so they grow up to be good citizens.”

Like Janna Kellas. As she grew into a teenager, Kellas watched her mother, Paula Smyly, gladly donate her time and money to United Way of Kootenai County.

Smyly didn’t know she was establishing a family tradition. But Kellas showed she knew what to do when the United Way representative visited her workplace.

Her reason for giving may be the soundest explanation behind North Idaho’s generosity.

“It makes me feel really good.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Charitable donations