Jack's gift inspires more giving
My new superhero is just 8 years old. He’s a handsome and charming third-grader who looks great in a suit.
I met Jack Pierce on stage at the Festival of Trees Gala on Saturday night, a meeting arranged by Kootenai Health Foundation President Shawn Bassham.
The story begins two years ago when Jack had a party for his seventh birthday. Following the example of his older sisters, Hailey and Julia, Jack’s party invites said he didn’t want birthday presents, instead asking his guests to bring a dollar to donate to a charity. After the party, Jack sent a handwritten letter and $100 to Kootenai Health’s Heart Center. He did similarly for his eighth birthday in March. In his letter he said he was donating to the hospital “where all the people I love go.” Those people include his friend Carol who is “getting rid of the cancer there.”
Shawn was moved by Jack’s generosity, and on Saturday Jack’s Birthday Club was unveiled. I promised Jack I would encourage my Main Street Birthday Club members to jump on his bandwagon throughout the year and joined his club myself. US Bank announced it would match up to $10,000 to Jack’s Birthday Club during the Festival of Trees weekend.
A most wonderful and incredible scene then unfolded in that beautiful ballroom at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. A sea of bidder paddles were raised throughout the room, so many that Jack and the auctioneer were a bit overwhelmed. When the dust had settled nearly $11,000 was raised for Jack’s Birthday Club and with US Bank’s match it totaled more than $20,000!
Main Street readers know how much I love birthdays — the Main Street Birthday Club wishes more thanº 2,000 people a year a happy birthday. When your birthday rolls around if you’d like to celebrate by making a donation to Kootenai Health via Jack’s Birthday Club, the link is at kh.org. The funds from his birthday club will be used for the greatest immediate patient needs at Kootenai Health.
We do live in an incredibly generous community and Jack’s pure and simple gesture of giving rather than receiving is a reminder that’s particularly timely at Christmas.
Happy birthday, Jack!
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Throughout a century of providing services to the community, the Post Falls Library exists and thrives due to citizen involvement every step of the way. It is said we each have something to contribute to the betterment of all — time, talent or treasure. Several organizations have given much of all three to the Post Falls Library, to the benefit of generations. As the second 100 years begin, it will be vital to the future of the library for citizens to continue to step up and join in to preserve this wonderful legacy.
Two groups devoted to support of the library are hosting centennial events this week. On Thursday the Post Falls Library Foundation is presenting Booked for the Evening at the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center from 6-8 p.m. Rare books and silent auction, drinks and dessert, $20 per person with tickets available at the door.
On Saturday the Friends of the Library hosts a 100th birthday party at the Post Falls Library from 1-3 p.m., free to the public with birthday cake and prizes.
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The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s annual Winter Blessing is a free event starting at 5 p.m. on Thursday with cultural entertainment, fireworks and “blessing” a dozen local charities with $15,000.
This coming weekend communities will officially light up for the holidays. Winterfest is Friday at Post Falls City Hall at 6 p.m. and will include the lighting of the tree in the plaza, Santa, along with cider, cookies and crafts.
Also starting Friday evening is December d’Lights in Rathdrum with hay rides on Friday, and on Saturday Main Street will be filled with activities for the whole family from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with the Lighted Rig Parade at 5:30 p.m.
The city of Hayden will hold its annual Hayden Lights Parade at 5 p.m. Saturday with Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Hayden City Park right after.
Lake City Triathlon is holding the 12Ks of Christmas 12k and 5k run starting at 8 a.m. Saturday morning at NIC. Registration at 7 a.m.
If you’ve been missing the Farmers Markets of summer, don’t despair. The Winter Market is on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jacklin Building at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Winter produce including apples, carrots, potatoes, leeks, green tomatoes, garlic, onions, eggs, winter greens, pork and much more. Fresh evergreens, gifts, refreshments and music. Admission is free.
On Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Artisan Craft Fair will be held at the Jacklin Arts and Culture Center. Everything handcrafted by local artists.
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Happy Birthday today to Lois Holom, Hope Connally, and Brandi Hague. Tomorrow, Carol Fairhust, Sandy Bradbury, Sandra King, Joyce Ekness , Brittany Morris and Jennifer Keefe will celebrate. On Friday, Carrie Cook, Bob Brooke, Tina McWhorter, Dirk Fredekind (40!), Bayley Brooks, Doug Shevalier and Barry Corigilano put on their party hats. Jennifer McGrath, Sharlene Scott, Marna Bateman, Annette Barstow and Anita Banta blow out the candles on Saturday. Happy birthday on Sunday to Jacki Ackerman, Kathy McDowell, Susan Riddle, Jennifer Hawkins, Hazel Day and Kylie Allen. On Dec. 7, Dean Opsal, CJ Deacon, Rhonda Newton and Randy Duncan will celebrate another trip around the sun. Tammy Schneider, Kelly Ferguson and Becky McIntire Bufeuillet are blowing out the candles on Tuesday.
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.