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Cure for Cabin Fever: Kim Coates chairs an evening of great escapes

By Mary Owen

Kim Coates strongly believes in contributing to her children’s schools, so much so that she was elected to chair the Booster Club Auction at Stayton High School.

The mother of five – three who attended and one a junior at SHS – has her hands full handling the particulars of the annual event, on Jan. 22.

“Both my husband and I have always been active in school functions, including booster clubs and scholarship committees,” said Coates, who moved from Idaho to Stayton in 1994 and works at Stayton Family Practice. Her husband of 37 years, Tom, is also employed locally.

“We have supported our children in all their sports and other school functions,” Coates said. “The Stayton Booster Club is an excellent example of parents and families giving back to the school in support of school functions, and we just naturally felt compelled to support it as well.”

Coates said SHS has provided “many excellent opportunities for our children to participate athletically and academically.”

Coates accepted the chair position for the annual auction, because, she said, “I felt like I needed to contribute more to our schools, and with the help of many, make the auction as successful as possible.”

The theme for this year’s event is “Cabin Fever,” and Coates and her crew hope to raise in the mid-$40,000 range.

“The needs are greater this year than they’ve probably ever been because the school district hasn’t money to pay for the things they have in the past,” said Dick Morley, who is on the auction committee.

Morley called Kim “a great person. She certainly had some obstacles this year, but she’s been toughing it out, doing all things for the auction that need to be done.”

The couple’s son, Orrin, coached Stayton High football before his death earlier this year, and they are still dealing with the loss.

“Every though she has been going through a very difficult time in her life, she still has it in her to do for others,” said Jodi Hack, communications coordinator for the North Santiam School District.

“That’s how truly great she is!”

Hack, who has been her friend for almost a decade, called Coates “a very kind, hard working and supportive person.”

“She always wants people to feel included and a part of things,” Hack said. “She wants them to feel valued and supported. She knows how much people care about their kids and how much it means to people to be able to help out. She values them and their opinions and efforts.”

Hack said she couldn’t think of a better, more giving person than Coates to chair the auction, but Coates feels the Booster Club members deserve all the credit.

This year’s auction items include: Italy vacation packages, a motorcycle, casino packages, a hot air balloon excursion, Ski Hoodoo package, Blazer tickets and much more.

“As a parent of sports participants, I feel that the full experience of a high school education is complemented by athletics, therefore, support of an organization such as a booster club is important,” Coates said. “I believe we all need to give back as much as we possibly can. “We hope the community will come out and support the auction and have a fun evening!”