Rock ‘N’ Raise Money To Build Kids’ Playroom

Rock on, baby. Rock to the rhythms of the Panhandle’s coolest musicians. Rock till your head bobs and your bottom cries for a cushion. Rock for the youngest generation.

In a chair, of course. And for money.

Plant yourself this Saturday in one of the 30 rocking chairs that Jennifer Flannery has scrounged from around Coeur d’Alene for the community’s first rock-a-thon.

She wants people to rock and raise bucks to build a playroom for the children stuck in St. Vincent de Paul’s women’s shelter. They have to play in a space the size of a freezer between a refrigerator and a recycling bin.

“We begged, stole or borrowed every rocking chair we could,” Jennifer says, giggling a little with her “partner in crime” at St. Vincent’s social services office.

Working for a nonprofit group, Jennifer has honed her scrounging skills - in the best sense. Money is tight, so she called Young Community Builders, a group that doesn’t charge for its labor.

The builders are part of the nonprofit Americorps program which teaches adults skills while they earn money for college. They’ll turn the shelter’s basement into a playroom if Jennifer supplies the materials.

Victoria Smallmon, 25, stayed in the shelter last summer with her baby and 5-year-old son. Now, she’s a Young Builder, saving for college and eager to work on the shelter she left behind.

“If I was there now, she’d drive me crazy,” Victoria says, pointing at the quickly disappearing back of her active 1-year-old daughter.

Jennifer needs to raise at least $1,000 for drywall, paint and other materials for the playroom. Rocking to nine hours of music seemed like a fun approach to fund raising.

Jim “Bossman” Brown, a blues artist who’s a neighbor and fan of St. Vincent’s, found 11 local musicians and groups, from acoustic folk to power punk, to motivate rockers. The bluesman may even perform himself.

Now all Jennifer needs are rockers - people who can collect pledges to sit on their keisters in the Coeur d’Alene Cultural Center all day and listen to good tunes.

Rock on, Coeur d’Alene.

To help “Rocking for the Homeless,” call 664-3095, extension 31. The rock-a-thon will be from 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $3 to watch and listen to the bands.

Swan lake

Remember the River City Swans water ballerinas (synchronized swimmers)? To prepare for competition, the girls have started a savings account to cover travel expenses, costumes and food.

They’re not begging for money though. They’re selling $1 certificates to McDonald’s. The “McBuck” certificates cost $1 each and will buy $1 worth of food, but the swans get to keep half the money they raise.

Everyone needs to eat. Call Linda Seed, president of the swans’ boosters, at 777-8938 for your McBucks.

Forget Thanksgiving

Christmas carols already are playing at Rustler’s Roost, which must mean the holiday season officially has started. So it must be OK to mention Coeur d’Alene’s Festival of Trees. Even if you’re not holiday-minded yet, it’s good to plan early for the festival.

The fun runs all weekend after Thanksgiving with a freezing torchlight parade in downtown Coeur d’Alene, The Coeur d’Alene Resort’s lighting ceremony, dances, incredibly beautifully decorated trees, splashy parties, fashion shows and teas.

The festival raises tons of money for Kootenai Medical Center. Call 666-8733 for details and tickets.

Coming soon

The cry for Spudnuts hasn’t stopped since Regina Zimmerman shared her story last week. Look for the recipe in Friday’s column.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: What North Idaho specialty can’t you live without? Describe it for Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene 83814; or send a fax to 765-7149, call 765-7128 or send e-mail to cynthiat@spokesman.com.