Koats for Kids gives away 1,500 items

On Jan. 21, Kiwanis International turns 100. The club has charters in more than 80 countries around the world, with the Kootenai Kiwanis Club joining the ranks on Nov. 8, 1978.

“The basic thing we love and work for are kids,” said Pam Peppenger, president of the local Kiwanis chapter. “We’re a small club, now we only have 15 members, but we do a lot more than even the big clubs do. Of course the biggest thing we do is Koats for Kids.”

The first year for the Koats for Kids program was 2002-2003. That year Peppenger said 560 winter items were collected at donation drop-off bins and made their way to children, and some adults, in need of coats, hats, scarves, gloves, snow pants and boots. Since then, with the support of the community, the program has given out more than 1,000 items each winter.

So far this year Koats for Kids has dispersed 1,500 items in the Libby and Troy communities said Kate Huntsberger, a Kiwanis member and chairperson of the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program.

Members of the Retired Seniora Volunteer Program staff the inventory room at the Asa Wood building, which is now open Tuesdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. The members receive, pick-up, sort and hang the donated items.

Those items have to pass Huntsberger’s stringent requirements for quality. “I try to be picky, we have some very nice stuff,” Huntsberger said. Items that don’t make the cut are passed on to Pets for Life and are used as bedding for shelter animals.

The name Koats for Kids belies the fact the program also has some items for adults, which volunteer Ricki Yeager said many don’t realize. Yeager said she got involved because, “I have the time, I know some of the gals involved, and so when they asked me to do it, I did.” Though the programs numbers show an impact Yeager said, “It never really feels like enough.”

Huntsberger said several local clubs have started donating items instead of having white elephant gift exchanges during the holidays. “When a lady has 12 candles, the last thing she needs is another one,” she said.

“It takes a lot of money to support this program,” Peppenger said. “We get a lot of stuff in the bins, but we purchase lots and lots of boots.” Securing enough boots for the older kids is by far the biggest challenge for Koats for Kids.

“If anybody goes cold in Lincoln Country, it’s not our fault,” Peppenger said, “‘cause that’s what we do.” The program usually winds down at the end of January, but with winter just arriving Peppenger said they plan to keep the donation room open into the month of February.

With membership dwindling across the nation in clubs like Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary, Peppenger said the situation is the same for Kootenai Kiwanis. “We’re always looking for members,” she said, “but just because we’re disappearing doesn’t mean we’re giving up, cause we’re not.”

Things have changed during the years for Kootenai Kiwanis. There used to be a Kiwanis Park in Libby where a demolition derby was held, but the club could no longer pay the participants enough to make it worthwhile for them. Kiwanis is holding a meeting today to make some tough decisions about their participation with Libby’s Nordicfest celebration.

Another celebration supported by Kooteani Kiwanis is Family Fun Day in the Park. The event is held on the first Saturday after Mother’s Day in Fireman’s Park. She said about 350 people attend the annual event with free hot dogs and chips and numerous vendors from the area.

Kiwanis also owns a snow-cone machine that shows up at several events during the summer, including Logger Days and area rodeos. “If it’s hot outside, we’re probably there,” Peppenger said. The profits from snow cones help to support the activities of the Kiwanis Club.

The Aktion Club is a Kiwanis program that gives developmentally disabled kids an opportunity to be active in community events. Those kids often help with Family Fun Day and events where the snow-cone machine is making flavored ice.

Kiwanis has a couple programs with Kootenai Valley Christian School, and hopefully with Libby Elementary in the fall, Peppenger said. The Bring Up Grades and Terrific Kids programs gives recognition to students who improve their scholastic performance and go above the basic requirements expected from them.

Kootenai Kiwanis Club also gives one deserving graduating senior a $500 scholarship.

Peppenger said nearly all graduating students are deserving of such an award, but they look for students who also give back to their community. That’s something Kiwanis has been doing for almost 100 years.