Treasures in the Trunk sale returns to Coeur d’Alene Saturday

The trunks will open early at Unity Church, and Coeur d’Alene shoppers will get four hours to sort through bargains, odd finds and one-time deals in the parking lot at 4465 N. 15th Street. Treasures in the Trunk runs Saturday, June 13, from 8 a.m. to noon, giving Kootenai County residents a low-cost way to hunt for something useful while putting money behind a larger cause.

The sale is hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Chapter CB of P.E.O., the Philanthropic Educational Organization, a volunteer-driven nonprofit founded in 1869. Its work centers on women’s education, and the dollars raised in Coeur d’Alene help support women pursuing post-secondary education or certification, including those trying to finish a degree or gain marketable skills after an interruption in school.

P.E.O. says it provides grants, loans, scholarships and awards to help women continue their education. Its Program for Continuing Education, established in 1973, offers need-based grants to women in the United States and Canada whose education has been interrupted and who need to return to school to complete a degree or certification. The maximum PCE grant is $4,000, a concrete boost for someone facing tuition, books, licensing fees or other costs that can stall a career move.

The scale of the organization gives the local sale broader weight. P.E.O. says it has helped more than 125,000 women pursue educational goals with more than $435 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. The P.E.O. Foundation also reported more than $2.9 million in annual impact distribution in 2025, showing how small community fundraisers connect to a much larger network of support.

The Coeur d’Alene event fits the current cost-of-living mood in North Idaho, where shoppers are looking harder for value and neighbors are paying closer attention to where their dollars go. A similar Treasures in the Trunk sale was held at the same Unity Church address in June 2025, and this year’s return suggests the parking-lot fundraiser has become part of the local calendar. For anyone looking for a practical Saturday outing, it offers the appeal of a neighborhood sale with a direct payoff for women working to build better futures.