A Heart for Children

Lois used to be a kindergarten teacher. That probably says it all. Lois loves kids. Her husband, Everett, loved children, too. The couple lived life side by side for over 60 years – raising children and growing several businesses from the ground up. “We worked all hours of the night together, and that was all right because we were always working together.”

Lois and Everett also shared a heart for the less fortunate. “If there was anybody that was down and out, he was there for them.” So when Everett died, Lois wanted to honor his memory by investing in the lives of the children at the UGM Center for Women & Children in Coeur d’Alene.

“I was so thrilled when I heard that UGM was going in here. When I heard about the women who were just cast out of their homes and were homeless, I realized how much this would mean, and I got so excited.”

Lois’s regular gas station is just around the corner from the Center, so during construction, she would drive by the site on a regular basis, watching the progress.

On a recent visit, Lois had the opportunity to see the children’s area she helped to create, and even better, she got to meet the children who call the Center home.

“It’s such a thrill because my heart’s in there.”