Parks and Rec Department hosting eagle viewing

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation will host “The Eagle View” at Higgens Point on Lake Coeur d’Alene during the next two weekends between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Park staff will be available to answer questions and provide information on the migration of bald eagles on Lake Coeur d’Alene. There will be a covered area with spotting scopes to aid viewing of the eagles. In addition, hot chocolate and coffee will be served.

The event will be held just east of the Higgens Point boat launch.

For more information, contact the Coeur d’Alene Lake Park Ranger at 208-699-2224.

Holiday party for foster kids, families

All foster children in Kootenai County and their families are invited to a Christmas party from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at North Idaho College. Set in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Room upstairs in the Edminster Student Union Building, the party will include refreshments and gifts with Santa.

Sunrise Rotary Club of Coeur d’Alene volunteered to sponsor the event with gifts and donations from Borders Books, Embroidered Corporate Image, Post Falls Theater and NIC. Other donations will be greatly appreciated. A similar program planned by other organizations was canceled when funding wasn’t available.

For more information, contact Michelle Fink at North Idaho Title at 765-3333 or Jim Headley at NIC, 769-3351.

NIC Foundation names grant recipients

The North Idaho College Foundation announced Tuesday the recipients of $50,072 in grant money awarded this year through the NIC Foundation Grant Program.

Funded by gifts received throughout the year, the NIC Foundation has awarded $719,594 to fund 168 grants during the past 14 years.

Of the 22 grants submitted this year from NIC faculty, staff and student organizations, 15 grants were awarded. A committee of representatives from the Associated Students of NIC, Staff Assembly and Faculty Assembly, Student Services, Instruction and the NIC Foundation chose the recipients based on each grant proposal’s relationship to the college’s strategic plan and its potential to advance the vision and mission of NIC.

KHS hoping to win shelter makeover

Kootenai Humane Society is asking local animal lovers and others to join them in a contest to win a $1 million shelter makeover. The internet contest is sponsored by www.ZooToo.com and designed to encourage KHS supporters to visit the ZooToo site for a number of internet-based activities. Each visit earns KHS points, and the top 20 point earners at the contest’s close in March will be cash winners.

The ZooToo site provides users opportunities to review and purchase pet products, and link to other pet lovers, veterinarians and service providers.

The top 20 shelters (Point Earners) will receive cash prizes. The top prize is up to $1 million for a shelter makeover. Second place garners $10,000. The next 18 shelters earn $5,000. Nearly 4,000 shelters have joined up to date.

For more information, contact Michael Regan, KHS director of volunteer services, at 818-4535.

Grant to be used for Camp Allstars

Specialized Needs Recreation recently received a grant of $5,000 from the Stimson-Miller Foundation to be used for Camp Allstars. The Stimson-Miller Foundation grant will allow an additional 50 disabled, low-income children ages 4 to 21 to attend 10 days of Camp All-Stars Summer Day Camp.

Currently, more than 180 children with disabilities are served through the Camp Allstars Program of day camps during school breaks and summer vacations. The program offers children who suffer from head injuries, Down syndrome, autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, etc., a chance to “just be kids.”

– From staff reports