Good neighbor: Sloans active, involved in neighborhood, community

Many Spokane Valley folks have sung the praises of their neighbors over the years as part of the Good Neighbor contest.

Evelyn Van Horne took it a step further.

She wrote a poem about Shawn Sloan and his family:

“You want to know of a good neighbor? Well, I have one

“Just across the street. His name is Shawn.

“With a heart that’s true and a winning smile,

“He’s always willing to go that second mile.

“He works hard to make a living for his family

“And still finds time to help neighbors like you and me.

“He’s always there to lend a helping hand

“He is really a jack-of-all-trades, a real ‘fix-it’ man.

“His sweet wife, Joanie, is always there

“With a helping hand and tender loving care.

“Then there’s son Marcus, a real fine lad,

“Always trying to keep up with Dad.

“Not only do Shawn and Joanie help in the neighborhood,

“They work with Special Olympics, always doing good.

“They work with children and special adults, too.

“They touch lives and make a difference in things they do.”

“It’s not very good,” Van Horne laughed. “But I had fun writing it.

“Shawn and his family are wonderful neighbors, and they really deserve some recognition for all they do,” she said.

The Sloan family – Shawn, Joanie and Marcus – is worth the extra effort. The Sloans have been putting forth extra effort for years.

“Shawn and his family are the kind of people you can count on to watch your house when you go away,” Van Horne said. “And if Shawn sees you need something, he’s right there to help out.”

“My husband grew up in Libby, Mont., but I grew up here in the Spokane Valley,” Joanie Sloan said. “I think when you grow up in a community, you just naturally feel more a part of your neighborhood and it’s that much easier to help the people around you.

“We’re fortunate to have some great neighbors, the kind of people who make it easy to be a good neighbor,” she said.

Not only do the Sloans work at being good neighbors in their own neighborhood, but the Sloan family also dedicates time and energy to an expanded community.

“Our son is a special-needs kid,” Joanie Sloan said. “We’ve been involved in Special Olympics for quite awhile. Shawn coaches basketball and bowling, and our son is involved in bowling, basketball, track and field, and he occasionally plays soccer.”

It doesn’t stop there. The Sloans were instrumental in starting a Heroes Club in Spokane Valley.

“There really aren’t a lot of activities for kids with special needs out here in the Valley,” Joanie Sloan said. “My husband and I started the Heroes Club, and we have 30 members.

“We have to be a little careful with how many members we take in, but it’s a club where we do activities with the kids one night a month. We have a movie night or we’ll put on a dance. We just try to make sure we have something fun for them,” she said.

“The principal at North Pines Middle School has been very helpful and allowed us to use the school cafeteria. I just wish we had more to offer our kids with special needs out here in the Valley – most everything is geared toward the city. Maybe one of these days when I have more time, I can see about starting something,” she said.

Being active in the community is something he learned in the Air Force, Shawn Sloan said.

“I served four years and was stationed at Loring Air Force Base in Maine,” he said. “We were all active out in the community. It’s a lot like my family – if you see a need out in there and you can do something about it, you do it.

“That’s kind of how we became so active in Special Olympics. Our son has Down Syndrome and we needed to get him involved in activities, and we found Special Olympics. He started bowling, but they wouldn’t let me coach him because I wasn’t certified. So I got certified.”

These days, spare time is in short supply. But when she does have time, Joanie Sloan likes to relax by taking special-needs kids skiing.

“That’s my thing,” she laughs. “Shawn doesn’t do that one.”

Still, Joanie Sloan says, there is a growing need.

“Our son is a freshman at University (High School), and I have a lot of friends who have kids with disabilities or special needs,” she said. “As the kids get older and move out of the school system, there aren’t a lot of programs geared toward helping them.”