Letters

‘Shoe Box Treasures’ important to children

We are pleased to inform you of the thoughtfulness and generosity of the city clerk’s office and the fine community members of Coeur d’Alene.

Recently, Susan Weathers and other employees of the city clerk’s office began their yearly project of collecting “Shoe Box Treasures” for children in crisis. Every year, Susan and her gang go out into the community to solicit these boxes full of wonderful and necessary items for children of various ages. A “Shoe Box Treasure” may hold age- and gender-specific items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, gift certificates for haircuts, hairbrushes, combs, small games, trucks, dolls, jewelry, makeup, underwear, socks, soap, hand/body lotion or any number of hygiene items. The purpose of gathering all these boxes is to deliver them to the Children’s Village so they can be distributed to children as they arrive at one of the homes. This treasure box may be the one thing that will stop a frightened child’s tears or give a feeling of security to a youth who has been taken from an unsafe home and doesn’t even own a toothbrush or any underwear. The box and its contents belong solely to that child. They will take it with them when they leave.

To most people these “Shoe Box Treasures” are just a box of things that we can run to the store and pick up without a second thought. But, to some of the youth who call Children’s Village home, it may be the only thing they own.

Sheilah Stone-Dorame

Administrative Director, Children’s Village Inc.