Community Thanks

EVENT: Educates, promotes empathy

Dear Friends of Family Promise of North Idaho:

The committee of Cardboard Box/Tent City and Walk are especially grateful to provide an event for the community that educates and promotes empathy in children and adults. This year, Deacon Glenda Empsall and Dalton Gardens Mayor Steve Roberge both spoke to us about the need to give children the opportunities to practice empathy.

The fundraising event Cardboard Box/Tent City and Walk was held at Community United Methodist Church May 18. Prior to the event participants were encouraged to get donations for Family Promise of North Idaho. The walk was added this year and gave the opportunity to those who couldn’t spend the night to participate in a meaningful way. The day of the event, groups and families were asked to build either cardboard box shelters or pitch tents and decorate them for prizes. This year’s winners were: Burch Team — Most Durable; Emily’s Team — Most Creative and People’s Choice; Wood Team — Most Like a Home; Jesse Harland — Most Sponsorship by an Individual; Lauren Cuvala — Most Sponsorships by a Group; and all the kids won a good neighbor award.

Miki, a single mother of three girls, talked about how she became homeless and her determination to get a place of their own. She spoke about gratitude and the help she received from the staff and volunteers at FPNI. Thank you to our Sign Sponsors: Boulevard level Windermere Coeur d’Alene Realty; Avenue level Idaho Independent Bank; Street level Mountain West Bank, Green Professionals, Silver City Lumber, Select Properties, Apex Plumbing and Heating. Thank you to the in-kind donations that made for a fun evening with food and prizes: Photographer Liz Nunez; Caruso’s Sandwich and Artisan Pizza; Kootenai Urgent Care; Waste Management; Silver Creek Signs, Embers Pizza, Top This, Andrea Paroni, Mike Wood, Teri and Bill Burch.

Thank you to those Families Walking for Families participants, the overnight participants, volunteers, FPNI Board of Directors, and the event committee.

There are other opportunities for children to develop empathy through Family Promise of North Idaho. Families can share meals with the guests of FPNI, or spend the night at a church being used as a shelter to help keep the guest families feeling safe and secure. You can see if your church shelters FPNI guests to volunteer or call 208-777-4190 and talk to FPNI to see how inspiring it is to connect and empathize.

Sincerely,

TERI BURCH

Committee Member for Cardboard Box/Tent City and Walk