For the kids

COEUR d’ALENE — After Mike Hamilton pushed and then emptied yet another wheelbarrow of bark at Children's Village, he stopped for a moment.

"I think nothing's better than helping kids," he said. "I think children’s innocence is one of the most important things in the world."

It was that sentiment that saw about 50 volunteers carrying out tasks all around Hamilton on a sunny Friday. It was a smooth operation, with duties planned and assigned in advance.

They weeded, raked, trimmed, planted, hauled, cleared and cleaned for about five hours on Windermere Realty Coeur d'Alene's Community Service Day.

Windermere real estate agents, managers, owners and staff from over 300 offices across the western United States gather in June and devote a workday to making a positive change in their communities, a press release said.

The Coeur d'Alene crew once again reported to Children's Village, where Corey Ray repaired about 40 bikes and made them roadworthy again.

He fixed flats, adjusted brakes and oiled chains. While it sounds like a grind, for Ray it was a pleasure.

"Everyone loves riding a bike as a kid," he said.

Ray said some of the bikes had names on them.

"Makes you think back when you were a kid, maybe what you did with your bike," he said.

Heidi Miller weeded the volleyball court, which was a chore the volleyball player gladly took on.

"I wanted to do that for sure because I know the kids would appreciate it," she said.

Vanessa Moos, Children's Village chief executive officer, said without the volunteer workforce, it would be difficult to maintain their 15 acres.

"Windermere's community day is crucial to us, making our campus look as homey as we want it to look for the kiddos who live here," she said.

Moos pitched in, setting up an art shed and doing some weeding, too.

"We’re all hands on deck," she said.

Windermere’s Community Service Day was established in 1984.