It takes a theme park
Silverwood Theme Park's Chief Operations Officer Paul Norton and staff present a $100,000 check to Children's Village on Wednesday. Children's Village, in turn, presented Silverwood with thank you for its support over the years that has totaled more than $1 million. Front row from left, Griffen Turnbull, Jamie Green, Vanessa Moos, Paul Norton, Stephanie Sampson and Jennifer Fowler. Back row from left, Jordan Carter, Rosa Mettler, Jeannie Steele, Delilah Ebberts, Kris Mills and David Minerath.
BILL BULEY/Press
COEUR d’ALENE — When Vanessa Moos opened the envelope containing a donation from Silverwood Theme Park, she did a double-take.
She looked again at the check, smiled and shook her head, almost in disbelief.
“We don’t get $100,000 frequently,” said the delighted chief executive officer of Children’s Village. “We are appreciative, deeply.”
Paul Norton, Silverwood’s chief operations officer, presented the six-figure check on Wednesday. It will go toward Children’s Village’s general operations.
Moos said it was their largest single donation this year and it will have a big impact on the children they serve.
“It shows the commitment to the kids of the community,” she said. "It's the Nortons stepping up to say, ‘We're here for the kids.’”
The donation brought Silverwood’s total contributions to Children’s Village over the past two decades to more than $1 million.
Silverwood enjoyed a record summer season, with 803,000 visitors, the Seattle area forming its biggest market. For October, to celebrate Halloween, it turns the ride and amusement park into Scarywood, which also set attendance marks.
Norton credited the nice summer weather, the staff and Silverwood’s growing recognition as the reasons for its continued success, even in the midst of COVID-19.
“I think a lot of people were just anxious to get back outside and do these kind of things again,” he said.
Each summer, on its train ride, Silverwood’s costumed and colorful robbers collect donations from passengers that go to Children’s Village. This year, due to COVID-19, the robbers let passengers keep their wallets and purses.
To make up for it, Silverwood’s owners, Gary and Jeanne Norton, and the rest of the Norton family, donated $100,000 themselves.
“We didn't want their gift to be taken away from the kids,” Paul Norton said. “We wanted to keep it going.”
While Silverwood and its more than 70 rides and attractions are some 20 miles north of Coeur d’Alene, Norton said it's very much linked to surrounding communities.
“Silverwood is not an island,” he said. “It means a lot to our families and these kids.”
Children’s Village, now in its 31st year of service, has two residential homes. It's a haven for children who have been abused, neglected or are in a severe family crisis.
It is the only nonprofit children’s residential care facility in Kootenai County and houses the only crisis nursery in North Idaho.
The 24-hour residential facility is fully staffed at all times “to meet the needs of all children, including those with complex behaviors rooted in trauma.”
It generally has 10-15 children onsite during a normal week.
Moos said Children’s Village has added a mental health component to try to break the cycle of abuse and neglect.
“So now we have residential therapists really changing the way that these kids are being served and it's really with the Nortons’ help and Silverwood’s help,” she said. “We can't do it alone.”
Moos and her family, which includes two children, visited Silverwood this summer. And yes, they had a blast.
“We could have spent every day there,” she said.