FāVS Religion News Roundup: Feb. 8
Learn about how Spokane Public Library will celebrate the Year of the Dragon, how you can help unhoused women during the seventh Mardi Bras fundraiser, how Idahoans think about abortion and library books in a new survey and how a new support center in Coeur d’Alene will help families in this week’s religion news roundup.
News Story by Staff | FāVS News
Spokane Celebrates Year of the Dragon
Shadle Park Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave., will be ringing in the Lunar New Year Saturday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The library will host a series of five cultural and educational events. They range from a children’s storytime focusing on a variety of Asian tales to a K-Pop fashion show and dance and onto a cooking demonstration.
The holiday — known as the “Spring Festival” to about two billion East and Southeast Asians — is rooted in the changing of seasons as it relates to the cultivation of land. People celebrate the same general ideas today in the joy of sharing resources, strengthening relationships, storytelling, taking time for rest and the presence of community.
This year is the Year of the Dragon, one of the two most favorable signs in the Chinese Zodiac. The Year of the Tiger being the other. Celebrants consider these months a time of great transformation.
The event is free and accessible and will include the support of many community partners with donations to free tutoring, gift certificates to Asian grocery stores and restaurants and more.
Information about the event can be found online.
Mardi Bras Turns 7
Volunteers of America (VOA) and Transitions are partnering again this year for Mardi Bras, a donation drive supporting women experiencing homelessness in Spokane. Now in its seventh year, Mardi Bras aims to remove barriers to obtaining essential hygiene items and undergarments for unhoused women in the area.
This year’s drive seeks tampons, bras, underwear, toiletries and bus passes. Community members can help by hosting virtual parties, donating through the Amazon wish list, and attending the Drive-Thru Drop-Off event on March 1 from 2-4 p.m at Hope House, 318 S. Adams St.
Idahoans Surveyed on Libraries and Abortion
Most Idahoans trust public libraries and want changes to the state’s strict abortion law, according to a survey released last month from Boise State University.
The survey found 69% of respondents trust librarians to choose books, despite recent debates over “harmful” materials. It also showed 58% want to expand exceptions to Idaho’s abortion ban. Currently, abortion is illegal except for rape, incest or to save the mother’s life.
On education, 37% rated Idaho’s K-12 system as fair. Just 29% called it good, while 24% rated it poor. Top concerns were quality and funding. Nearly half supported letting parents take $8,000 out of public schools for private schools. But 42% were less supportive if it hurt public school budgets.
Finally, 43% said Idaho is on the wrong track — the most pessimistic view in over a decade. The economy, jobs, housing and abortion access were top concerns.
A New Family Support Center in Coeur d’Alene
The Children’s Village in Coeur d’Alene recently added a brand-new family support center to their list of services. KXLY interviewed Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Moos who said its mission is to help families avoid long-term trauma by serving them before they get to a crisis point. This includes helping families proactively instead of reactively in the form of support classes to meet a their needs before an emergency arises.
The Children’s Village is a Kootenai County non-profit that serves kids displaced from their families due to abuse, neglect or severe family crisis. For 30 years, the Children’s Village has supported families free of charge thanks to community support.
The new family support center building was funded entirely through grants from the state of Idaho and other organizations.
