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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

A gesture of warmth

Lake City students collect slippers as tribute to teacher

Tenth-grader Samantha Pierson helped collect slippers to donate in honor of Lacie Hedahl, a choir teacher who died recently. (Kathy Plonka)

On Tuesday night, during a concert teacher Lacie Hedahl would have directed if not for her sudden death last month, Lake City High School students presented a nonprofit organization with the slippers they collected in tribute.

The “Slippers for Lacie” project grew out of the sadness students felt after Hedahl’s death, English teacher Peggy Mieren said. During a classroom discussion, sophomore Samantha Pierson came up with the idea to collect slippers. She said she remembered how much Hedahl loved to wear slippers, because they made her feel like she was at home, warm and cozy, Pierson said.

More than 50 pairs of slippers were presented to Emily Carroll, an LCHS freshman who recently started the North Idaho Clothing Exchange in the basement of Project Safe Place in downtown Coeur d’Alene. The nonprofit provides free clothing to young people who are homeless, in foster care or living with relatives.

LCHS students decorated slipper collection boxes, and students, faculty and community members contributed slippers in Hedahl’s memory. Two boxes stuffed full of fuzzy animal slippers, sheepskin slippers, soft bright green slippers and some flip-flops were ready to be delivered to the clothing exchange.

“I just wanted to do something for Miss Hedahl,” Pierson said. “It turned out to be even bigger than I thought.”

Hedahl, who was 39, died Nov. 22 from reportedly natural causes. The award-winning choir teacher had taught at LCHS for 10 years. In that time, her choirs and students garnered numerous awards at music festivals and state competitions. Hedahl also was known for her ability to relate to students, especially at-risk kids. The students trusted her and confided in her, other teachers said.

“She would’ve liked that we did this,” said Pierson, and donated eight pairs of slippers.

The slippers were presented Tuesday night at the packed LCHS Choral Christmas Concert. Karlene Behringer, Emily Carroll’s mother, said her daughter was thrilled to have so many slippers to give away, “especially now that it’s so cold. People have been generous, very generous.”