West Shoshone firefighters support CASA with annual fundraiser

KELLOGG — The members of West Shoshone Firefighters Local Union 2034 have once again given back to the community with their second community fundraiser.

On Thursday morning, Union President Nick Waites and Secretary/Treasurer Abe Hanna presented representatives with the Shoshone County Court Appointed Special Advocates group a check for $3,056.74.

CASA is a mostly volunteer organization that trains advocates to investigate child protection cases and report their findings to the court. They talk to anyone that is involved in their assigned child’s life to get a sense of what their needs are. These reports can then be used by judges when determining what course of action to take in legal matters involving that CASA represented child.

Waites explained that L2034 selected CASA as the beneficiary of their fundraiser because the union wanted to support a local group where the funds would go back into the community.

In addition to the funds being raised through the sale of specialty T-shirts, the union also held a charity event on July 24 that had approximately 150 attendees come and support the cause.

"This year, we held an event at Radio Brewing where we brewed a beer with them and held an event there," Waites said.

At the event, complete with dinner and live music, money was also raised through an auction for custom-made tap handles and other donated items. One of the more special aspects of the event for Waites was the location of the event itself — the former longtime home of Shoshone County Fire District No. 2.

"I thought it was pretty cool!" he said of the venue. "I liked that it was in the old station because not only did it pay homage to where we used to work, but also it was just a great space for it."

Upon receiving the check Thursday, Kristin Ludwig, Director of Development for North Idaho CASA, was incredibly thankful for the donation from the union.

"We always love when local groups do what we call 'external fundraisers," she said. "So they come to us and say 'hey, we support the cause and are going to do this for you.' So we get to show up, tell our story, and they raise the money-which is awesome!"

Ludwig and CASA Advocate Trainer Jessica Cagle explain that the money donated will go to costs associated with CASA cases in Shoshone County. This also includes extended services such as offering a CASA learning lab — which provides tutors to kids who may need them, Project Permanency — which provides family stabilizing/tangible items such as a kitchen table, and even fun items for children in certain circumstances.

Shoshone County currently has three active advocates that handle 12 cases involving 17 children.

L2034 hopes to keep this fundraiser an annual tradition to benefit different groups in the coming years.