Thrift store joins fight against SIDS
<p>From left to right, Vice President or Inland Northwest SIDS Foundation Mary Byrne, secretary Nicole Dorman and her daughter Savannah, and Executive Director Liz Montegomery talk about plans on Friday for the layout of a thrift store run by the organization opening next week at 1130 North 4th St. in Coeur d’Alene.</p>
<p>Brian Rauscher stands in a storage shed full of donated household goods on Friday at the Inland Northwest SIDS Foundation thrift store, located at 1130 North 4th St. in Coeur d’Alene. Rauscher is the manager of the thrift store, which will be opening next Tuesday.</p>
The Inland Northwest SIDS Foundation is opening a new store today in Coeur d'Alene.
Thriftique, 1130 N. Fourth St., will offer gently used items similar to other secondhand stores, but the nonprofit it benefits is the only one of its kind in Idaho.
The foundation shines a light on sudden infant death syndrome and works to educate communities about the risks that might lead to SIDS. The organization also offers a support group for people dealing with pregnancy and infant loss.
Liz Montgomery, the foundation's executive director, understands the pain of losing a child to SIDS. She lost her own son and now champions the cause in his memory.
Montgomery, along with a small group of community members, started the foundation in 2012.
Since the foundation's inception, the organization has grown and is now served by 50 volunteers. The organization holds two large annual fundraisers, weekly group meetings for families, educational workshops and now the thrift store.
Brian Rauscher, of Rathdrum, is the Thriftique store manager and Montgomery's fiance. Rauscher said he plans to use his love for Pinterest to inspire the refurbishing of furniture and items donated. He said he plans to take time to make thrift store shopping at Thriftique a unique experience.
"We won't have old broken furniture and clothes that are stained with holes in them," Rauscher said.
The Rathdrum man said he was worried about taking on such a huge endeavor.
"I was worried about just getting the inventory to open up," Rauscher said.
Community members came through with plenty of donations, so on Friday, Rauscher and some volunteers were able to focus on sorting and stocking shelves.
"It's been a blessing," he said.
After today's grand opening, Thriftique is scheduled to be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.
The Inland Northwest SIDS Foundation is also holding the fourth annual Run for the Angels Fun Run and Family Day at McEuen Park on Oct. 4. The 5K is open to all ages. The event provides about 40 percent of the foundation's funding each year, Montgomery said.
"We will have activities for kids and families," Montgomery said. "We will also have a silent auction and are still in need of donations for that."
Registration for the fun run will continue until the day of the event. Those registering before Sept. 20, will receive an event shirt. For more information about Thriftique or to register for the Angels Fun Run, visit www.inwsids.org.