United Way honors outstanding contributors
COEUR D’ALENE – A boy who collected lost golf balls and resold them to raise $7,000 to buy school supplies and Christmas presents for homeless children was named Youth Volunteer of the Year April 24 as the United Way of Kootenai County celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Kyle Rulley was among the individuals, businesses and services honored at a luncheon ceremony at the Coeur d’Alene Resort for helping bring to fruition United Way’s mission statement of, “…uniting our community to measurably improve people’s lives and build the most vital, caring community in America.”
Five businesses shared the Employee Participation Awards, with the Gold Award for firms with employee participation between 90 and 100 percent going to Agent Science, US Bank, Costco CdA No.773, Hecla Mining and United Way of Kootenai County.
Hagadone Corp., with 80 to 79 percent participation, received the Silver Award, and the Bronze Award went to Bank CDA, Harris Dean Insurance, Paine Hamblen Coffin Brooke & Miller and Hagadone Directories with 70 to 79 percent participation.
The Cornerstone Award plaques for businesses that contributed $5,000 or more included US Bank/US Bank Call Center, Kootenai Medical Center, Bank of America, UPS, Mountain West Bank, Hecla Mining, School District 271, Avista Utilities, Esterline-Advanced Input Devices, state of Idaho, Fortress LLC, Kootenai Electric, Hagadone Corp., North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene Mines, Macy’s Silverlake Mall, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney Silverlake Mall, Target, The Spokesman-Review, Hagadone Directories, Architects West, Post Falls School District and Costco.
Volunteer of the Year Awards were divided into four categories – Youth, Individual, Team and Senior – with winners selected by a committee. Committee members are Connie Young, Linda Holehan, John Herr, Patrick Smyly, Denise Wetzel, Lawanda Kingery, Richard Sauter and Joanne Wallace.
Youth Award winner Rulley, who sold the golf balls he found for 25 cents each, used the proceeds to buy school supplies for homeless children and to take their mothers shopping to buy them Christmas presents. He raised $7,000 dollars in four years and was nominated by Cherished Ones Ministries.
Special Needs Recreation nominated Aliah Lynn in the youth category.
There were six nominees in the individual category: Barbara Cunningham, nominated by Trinity Group Homes; Melissa Glaser, nominated by Project Safe Place; Marion Keating, nominated by Trinity Group Homes; Howard Martinson, by Fresh Start; Jim Prussack, by Big Brothers and Big Sisters; and Darla Trinkas by Cherished Ones Ministries.
Glaser was named winner for her support of high-risk teens by spending time with them, organizing basketball, and making homemade peanut butter and a “gooey green slime.” She works two jobs in addition to spending time with teens.
The team award went to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, nominated by St. Vincent de Paul. Team members Bob Runkle, The Rev. Pat Bell, Bob Peterson, Helen Lewerenz, Diane Tuttle, John and Phyllis Albee, Teri Radford, Betty Richard, Dave and Tammy Baxter, Farley Green, Janice Currie, Joyce Lovey, Jane Brooks, Jane Jackson, Georgianne Jessen and Victoria Barrett were on hand to receive the award.
Over the past two years, these people and others from the church have partnered with St. Vincent’s Transitional Housing project to bring stability to the lives of at-risk parents and their children. St. Luke’s outreach group work has included projects to provide books for children and playground equipment, mentoring children, applying for grants and helping families who “graduate” from St. Vincent’s program to settle in their own apartments.
Century Publishing, nominated by Post Falls Food Bank, and Gerald and Dorothy Sprouse, nominated by Cherished Ones Ministries, were the other nominees in this category.
The theme of the afternoon looked back to the decade of the Fifties when the organization began under the name “United Crusade” and women of the community went door to door seeking contributions. To add to the nostalgia of the ‘50s, John Juds brought his classic Chevy Impala and the Hot Rod Cafe provided decorations.
And, since it happened that this year is also the 50th anniversary of Swanson’s TV dinners, the resort chefs served luncheon TV tray-style.
Caryl Johnson, United Way executive director, recalled that in the beginning, the fledgling service organization served just four groups – the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Kootenai County Welfare and the Red Cross. “Today,” she said, “that number is 30.”
She said United Way is moving forward with plans to increase its ability to serve, and is forming a nonprofit resource and community volunteer action center which will kick off with a community volunteer festival June 9 at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Post Falls.
“The goal is to partner with all of the nonprofit organizations in the community and develop a list of volunteer opportunities, whether ongoing or a one-time need,” she said. “We’ll then post those opportunities on our Web site. People will be able to go to our site and match up their interests and time with much needed support activities in the community.”