Toys for All
<p>Kootenai County Fire and Rescue personnel gather with two local girls who collected about 200 stuffed animals to be distributed as part of Press Christmas For All. From left, Ryan Ahser, engineer, Taylor Winglikowski, 12, Brooks Brown, firefighter, Kate DuCoeur, 11, and Heath Sheppard, division chief.</p>
<p>The Cancer and Community Charities donated $1,000 to the Coeur d’Alene Press Christmas For All Wednesday. Pictured front row from left Judy Gardner, Babbi Freeman, Yvonne Hall, Caroline Crollard, Lucille Smith, Sally Cannon, Carol Peterson, back row Marcia Saunders, Cindy Shannon, Mike Patrick and Gwen Letson.</p>
POST FALLS - Hundreds of Kootenai County kids will receive an early holiday treat thanks to two sixth-grade girls who attend Sorensen Magnet School of Arts and Humanities in Coeur d'Alene.
Taylor Wenglikowski, 12, and Kate DuCoeur, 11, collected more than 200 toys - mostly stuffed animals - that will be given out during this year's distribution of Press Christmas for All gift envelopes.
"You have no idea how many smiles you've put on the faces of the kids who are going to walk out of here hugging those Teddy bears," Samantha Babich said to the girls Wednesday, when the toys were delivered to Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. Babich is director of administration at the fire agency, the Hagadone Corporation's partner in the 28-year-old holiday charity program.
Collecting the stuffed animals for Christmas for All was Taylor's idea for a one-week service project that was a November assignment for school. She asked Kate to join her in the effort.
"Lots of kids, they don't have as much stuff as we do, and we thought we could help them have a better Christmas," Kate said.
Taylor and Kate publicized their project at Sorensen. Announcements were made to all students several times a week, and the girls placed posters throughout the school.
The toy donations poured in, and not just stuffed bears. The piles of toys ready to be given away include birds, dogs, bunnies, snakes and more.
"Once we started collecting animals, we just wanted to keep giving," Taylor said.
So the girls kept the project going, after the original assignment was completed.
"I'm really proud of these kids, and proud of Sorensen as a school," said Taylor's mother, Jolie Wenglikowski. "At Sorensen, they really strive to teach kids the value of service, and when the kids do it, they find it meaningful and then they begin to do it on their own."
The Press Christmas for All gift card envelope pickup will take place today and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Kootenai County Fire and Rescue's training facility, 5271 E. Seltice Way, Post Falls.
Gift card envelopes will be available for those who applied for assistance from the holiday charity program before the Dec. 3 deadline. No late applications are being accepted.