CHS rises to Jingle Books challenge

COEUR d'ALENE — After Lake City High School's donation of thousands of books, Jingle Books coordinator Dave Eubanks challenged students at Coeur d'Alene High School to top the efforts of their crosstown rivals.

And, over the course of two weeks, the Vikings did just that — donating more than 3,000 books to the holiday program focused on eliminating childhood illiteracy in Coeur d'Alene.

"It was an amazing, inspirational effort on the part of both schools," Eubanks said. "Together they account for a whopping 5,282 donated children's books."

That total, Eubanks added, makes approximately one-quarter of the drive's overall goal to received 20,000 Jingle Books donations by Dec. 10.

"CHS students like to help out their community," said Makendra Patzer, a senior who is vice president of the Key Club at Coeur d'Alene High School. "Donating books to support the community is one way a high school can make a positive impact during the holiday season."

Patzer added the Vikings' drive was organized by the school's Key Club and leadership classes. The Jingle Books drive, she said, made students at Coeur d'Alene High School feel more invested in their community and a part of the bigger picture.

Last year's inaugural drive received 15,462 books from members of the community, which gave each kindergarten through third-grade student the chance to select three books at a book fair before Christmas break. If this year's goal is met, Eubanks said each student in the targeted grade-levels will have the opportunity to choose five books.

"We still have about two weeks to go in the book drive, and would like to encourage any church or other organization to help us reach our goal," Eubanks said. "Working together, we can make it happen."

Eubanks added students at Venture High School in Coeur d'Alene have chosen to support the Jingle Books program in a different way.

"They have undertaken the enormous task of counting and sorting all of the books for delivery during the week of Dec. 14," he said.

Jingle Books organizers will be accepting used books, the content of which is intended for elementary students, through Dec. 10. Every school in the Coeur d'Alene School District, as well as participating businesses and organizations, will have a wrapped box where residents can drop off titles.

For more information on where to drop off used books, how to get a donation box, or on volunteering with the drive, contact Greta Gissel at (208) 819-8345 or by email at greta.gissel@gmail.com.

"I have had people specifically emailing me asking to participate as volunteers by helping collect and sort through books, so that's pretty exciting to me," Gissel said in a previous article. "But we still need more."