Couple donates $1,000 to help provide warmth

COEUR d'ALENE - After reading an article in the Coeur d'Alene Press about the dire forecasts for this year's homeless population, Carl and Lyndall Cook wanted to help.

So the couple donated $1,000 to Dirne Community Health Center to be used to purchase sleeping bags to keep people warm and dry this winter.

Dirne has partnered with local outdoor retailer Black Sheep Sporting Goods to purchase the sleeping bags at a discount.

"The folks at Black Sheep have been amazing to work with, through their generosity, we were able to stretch the value of this donation and purchase some high-quality sleeping bags. They even donated a few extra bags to help us keep more people warm" said Mike Baker, CEO of Dirne Community Health Center.

With a long, wet winter being forecast this year, many service providers are preparing for the worst. St. Vincent DePaul and Fresh Start are preparing to open their warming centers.

Each of these organizations will need money and volunteers to help staff them. Others are scrambling to find extra sleeping bags and warm winter gear.

"We need people to dig in to their surplus and find items to donate this year - donate that extra sleeping bag, bring in extra gloves, socks and hats, we don't care if they match. They'll keep our community warm this winter," said Patty McGruder, outreach worker for Dirne Community Health Center.

If you have donations or would like to help, please contact Dirne Community Health Center at (208) 292-0256.