Covering the Special Olympics World Winter Games for the Statesman was a whirlwind — wrangling press passes, weathering high decibel youth rallies, dodging the assignment that loomed, to interview Olympic skater Scott Hamilton about his eight rules for good living (rule number two: heed the "Almighty Coach!")

But it was heartening, too.

The Idaho Nonprofit Center surveyed more than 270 nonprofits across Idaho in January to find out how they were faring in these uncertain times. Unsurprisingly, the news wasn’t good:
- 64 percent have suffered revenue declines
- 52 percent report increases in expenses in 2008
- 52 percent have experienced increases in demand for services

The future doesn’t look a whole lot brighter:

BRONCO BIDS FOR BUCKS
The Bronco Athletic Association and Boise State Alumni Association host an online fundraising auction and you have until 5 p.m., March 9, to go to www.boisestateauction.com to bid on items, some with starting bids as low as $10.

A game football used in Boise State’s Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma in 2007 autographed by Ian Johnson and a golf outing with former Bronco and current Green Bay Packer Korey Hall are some of the prizes up for bid.

Table of Contents: non-profits meet culture; non-profits meet pancakes; women; animals; volunteers; news from the hunger and housing fronts

NON-PROFITS MEET CULTURE

Get a true perspective from inside an African refugee camp
You may remember the charismatic doctor, Ashis Brahma, from his visit to Boise back in October of 2007. Brahma practices medicine under dire circumstances — dire, as in thousands of patient, few supplies, gunfire — in a refugee camp.

Readers share favorite moments from the games

The few blue and white scarves we had knocking around the newsroom have been given away to readers. The last Special Olympics stories are in the can, and the Flame of Hope has been doused.

But I got a couple last emails from readers who had good experiences during the games. I thought they were nice, and wanted to share them here:

Table of contents:  Volunteers; Non-profits meet culture;

VOLUNTEERS 

Be a DIRT Clod
We like to call United Way of Treasure Valley's "Direct Impact Response Team," or "DIRT" for short, an underground team of elite, guerrilla volunteers.

Take your valentine out for a fun evening and support a good cause at the same
time. Tickets are still available at the door on Saturday, Feb. 14, for the
Wishing Star Foundation's Wine Tasting Extravaganza. The party starts at 7 p.m.
at the Hilton Garden Inn on Spectrum Street in Boise. Tickets: $25, $50/couple, $160/table of eight.

You might want to remember the name Laura Stockman. She's an 11-year-old from Buffalo, and may very well be America's youngest philanthropic blogger.

I interviewed her this morning about her blog, "25 Days to Make a Difference." She started the blog back in 2007 as a tribute to her grandfather, Albert Stockman, who did a lot of charitable work himself, through his church, and with the homeless, before he died.

There was a time, not too long ago, when the blue and white scarves, signature souvenirs of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, were flowing into the local Special Olympics office at a crazy pace, threatening to bury everyone in a sea of blue (and white).

“Helping Works” is your one-stop site for all things non-profit,
updated throughout the week, to keep you caught up with volunteer
opportunities, events, news, and more to help your neighbors and
community.

To be part of this blog, email information to Anna Webb at
awebb@idahostatesman.com. Write "Helping Works" in the subject line of
your email.

JOURNAL: Feb. 9

She's not First Lady of California for nothing