Learning to give
<p>Kalena Flowers, in green, and Charley Berrier, both fifth-grade students, laugh while filling mason jars with toys for children a the Union Gospel Mission during class Tuesday at Holy Family Catholic School in Coeur d’Alene. Flowers and a class mate created the charity concept and organized the project.</p>
<p>Students at Holy Family Catholic School sort through toys while filling mason jars to benefit children of the Union Gospel Mission.</p>
<p>Katy watches as classmates choose toys to put into jars.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - "From your fifth-grade friends at Holy Family."
That's what the sign read on the board in Katie Snow's classroom at Holy Family Catholic School.
Students filed into the room Tuesday and sat at desks with tops overflowing with toys, ribbons and mason jars.
The 23 children soon got to work filling 50 of the jars with goodies for the kids at Union Gospel Mission Center for Women and Children in Coeur d'Alene.
"I know I would feel sad if all my friends had awesome toys and I couldn't have any of it because I couldn't afford it or just couldn't get it," said Elizabeth Morris, 11.
UGM is a long-term residential recovery center for women with children, the first of its kind in Kootenai County. The center provides a warm, home-like setting for women in crisis as they explore and confront the issues surrounding abuse, addiction and homelessness.
Kalena Flowers, 10, and her classmate, Katy (at her father's request The Press is not publishing her last name), decided they wanted to give to children less fortunate. The idea of filling mason jars came from a lesson they learned in the classroom. Snow said the class was studying about Martin Luther King Jr. She gave the students an article to read about children who were considered "everyday heroes."
"Reading those articles, they were very inspired," Snow said. "It's nice to see what we are trying to teach them is sinking in and they are doing their little part to help out."
One of the articles discussed "joy jars" that a young girl would fill with goodies and take to children at nearby hospitals. After reading the article, Kalena and Katy decided to approach their principal with the idea. Kalena said they are also donating books, stuffed animals, socks and underwear to the children at UGM.
"It makes me happy to think about that they're going to have toys to play with and they're going to be able to have some fun instead of sit there with nothing," Kalena said.
She said they chose UGM after seeing a commercial on TV about the children who live at missions. She thought it was sad that the children had to live like that.
"It makes me feel happy," Katy said. "I can't wait to see their faces just, like, brighten up."
Holy Family held a donation drive to collect the toys and other items to give to the mission, Snow said. It was an all-school donation effort, she said, but the two girls organized the entire charity.
"It's nice that we're doing it to make people's lives happier," said Clare Franz, 11.
Peter Bukowski and Talon Mitchell, both 11, said it also makes them feel good to be helping the children in need at UGM.
Kalena's mother, Chrissy Flowers, said she is overjoyed by her daughter wanting to help these children.
"We always try to teach them to reach out and want to help others," Chrissy said. "I think she's pretty inspired to do good."
Snow said she thinks the two girls are a good example for the rest of the class.
"It's going to make a difference," Snow said. "That's the message I wanted to give when we were reading about kids being heroes."
The girls and their parents will deliver the mason jars and other goodies to UGM next week.
"I think it's good that we're helping them out because they need toys to keep them entertained," said Xzaver Martin, 11. "It makes me feel good."