Silverwood donates $50K to Children's Village

COEUR d'ALENE - Train robbers, turns out, are the good guys.

At least at Silverwood Theme Park.

The actors responsible for collecting donations by gunpoint from passengers on historic Engine No. 7 at Silverwood this summer raised a record $50,000 that was presented to Children's Village this week.

"This isn't Silverwood giving money, it's our guests giving money," said Layne Pitcher, Silverwood spokesman. "We really appreciate the generosity of our guests."

Janie Givas, Children's Village development director, said the money was "an answer to prayers."

She said toward the end of each year, the Village reviews its budget. This year, need is up, while donations have been slightly down.

The gift from Silverwood will go directly toward care of the kids at the Coeur d'Alene facility.

"That money will not only help us get through to the end of the year, but be able to focus on the kids, not on where are we going to get the funds to finish," Givas said.

While Children's Village also received money from Silverwood last year, this year's donation was a surprise.

"Silverwood has always been so generous with what we need," Givas said, "but we had no idea that it would be $50,000 from the train robberies."

That money topped last year's $45,000 that went to Children's Village.

The robbery has long been part of the traditional train ride that takes guests on a three-mile tour of the park. Near the end, it stops in front of an old mine, where two brothers, referred to as the Bungling Bandits, board the train and demand money. It's a light-hearted, short skit with shots and explosions.

It is explained to guests their contributions will go to a charity.

"They play along with it. They let us rob them of some change," Pitcher said. "That little bit all adds up, amazingly enough, to quite a bit of money."

The total take by the robbers was $49,000.43. Gary and Jeanne Norton, Silverwood owners, donated the rest to round it off at $50,000.

"We want to make sure we're treating that money like it's special," Pitcher said. "We try and find people who will take care of it and put that money to good use. Gary and Jeanne really feel like Children's Village does that."

Givas said the Nortons visited Children's Village and met some of the toddlers and teens there.

"They absolutely had an interest in their heart for Children's Village. I think that is just amazing," she said. "It's very much from the heart."