Christmas Fund 1997 Woman Puts Spokane In Her Will $19,325.58 Christmas Fund Donation Will Buy A Lot Of Toys, Food

The generosity of some people is amazing. And when someone ensures that their good will will be extended beyond their life on Earth, it is even more astonishing.

Gretchen R. Jones was such a person.

Jones died last May. When she wrote out her will, she included The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund as a beneficiary.

What an incredible thing to do.

A check for $19,325.58 from her estate was received late last week.

Her generosity will help enormously toward meeting the Christmas Fund’s goal of $425,000. With Jones’ gift, Sunday’s receipts totaled $30,925.20, for a total thus far of $79,160.33.

On Wednesday, the Christmas Bureau will begin receiving thousands of our neighbors who need help this Christmas.

For 10 days, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays in the former J.C. Penney store in the U-City Mall, the area’s needy will stand in long lines to ensure their children, their families, have something to celebrate this season.

The only way some parents can fulfill their children’s “wants” is to stand in line at the Christmas Bureau where they can select a toy for each of their children and receive a food voucher to help provide a little nicer holiday meal.

Compare the wants of your children, of yourself, to the basic want of one toy and a small stipend for groceries.

It’s a pretty meager comparison, isn’t it?

But it takes a lot of money to meet even those basic wants because so many people are in need of them.

If you can help, won’t you please send in a check today?

Jones was 82 when she died. She retired in 1977 as laboratory director of the Spokane County Health District. She evidently had no children, which makes it all the sweeter of her to give such a substantial hand to thousands of children she never knew.

Another incredible gift came in the form of a $1,500 check from a couple who requested anonymity, and another couple who anonymously mailed checks for $1,000 and $300. Dr. Bill and Sharon Bronson, 1314 S. Kahuna Drive, gave $565.

The Lilac City Wings of the Gold Wing Touring Association donated $500, collected from the group’s entry fee of area motorcyclists attending the annual Motor Cycle Awareness Day. There was an anonymous donation of $500.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Cummings, 4214 E. Fairview, gave $350; the Christmas Fund’s friends at Cascade Mobile Home Community mailed in $300.

Members of the Inland Empire Mustang Car Club, regular fund supporters, have issued a challenge to all other Inland Northwest car clubs to match (or beat) their contribution of $250. Treasurer Jim Fox also wrote, “Your efforts to provide a brighter Christmas for those that might otherwise go without is heartwarming.”

The employees at JRM Texaco at Third at Division once again contributed to “this very worthwhile cause,” wrote James R. McGranahan. A check for $250 came from Mike Lax, Mike Gibbons, Dick Gow, Heather Brooders and Nicole Walloon.

And, James McGranahan wrote another letter - this one from JRM Wheelchair Transport, whose employees made their first contribution.

“Christmas is a wonderful time of the year,” he wrote with their $250 gift. “Hopefully, this year, every child in Spokane will have a very special and memorable holiday season.” Those employees are Rod Shaw, Karman Shaw, Mike Best, Charles King, David Love, Mark Goodno, Dennis Franco and Danita Shaw.

Bernard and Gertrude Habbestad, 803 E. 26th, gave a gift of $250, as did D.W. Cornwall Farms Inc., Fairfield.

Gifts of $200 came from David Crouse, Veradale; Ed English, 1014 E. 29th; Gail Burchett, 5928 N. Post, “in memory of Tim, from Mom and Dad.” There were two anonymous donations of $200, one from Spokane and the other from Deer Park made “In honor of my children and grandchildren for whom I am unable to shop. A happy Christmas to all.”

Burt Pendleton Jr. 3428 E. 13th, gave $150; R. Bruce and Charlotte Campbell, 2311 W. 16th, gave $125 in memory of their daughter Janice Campbell. An anonymous donation of $120 was received.

Gifts of $100 came from Glenys Valentine, 3503 N. Calispel; Harold Granlund, 2321 W. Second; Thomas and Elaine Pitzer, 7911 E. Woodview; Marshall Shore, 2616 E. 58th Lane; Ed and JoAnn Brown, Veradale; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Forsberg, 3316 W. Bismark; Karen and Steve Heaps, 17511 E. Montgomery, who “wish everyone a Merry Christmas.”

Averil Goff, a former Spokane resident now living in Milwaukie, Ore., mailed in $100 as she does every year. Other $100 gifts came from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Flynn, 1222 W. 17th; Doug and Ora Eller, 5205 W. Northwest Blvd., with this note, “just a token from us to you for someone else less fortunate than we.”

Arnold and Mardell Muth, 8620 N. Forest Blvd., gave $100, as did Melvin and Gloria McCuddin, Spokane; Roseline Rogers, 1508 E. Empire, “for those in need for a brighter Christmas”; Dr. Otto and Shirley Stevens, 7110 N. G; George and Erlene Manning, 6619 N. Stevens; Stuart Sherman, 4210 E. 80th; the Dantis Club of Spokane “to help with gifts and food for the needy.”

Giving $100 were Ted and Cindy Bruce, 15918 E. 21st, and the children in Cindy’s day care: Mikaela Cain, Dylan Stockman, John Gjendem, Shelby Janis, Morgan and Jacob Habel, Tyler and Cheyenne McCartney, Adrianna Ovnicek, Greg Van Doren, Colton Stratton, Elex Kuellen, Jordan and Molly Tabish, Daniel Jones, Shae Ford, Madison and Hayley Lydig and Frances Leonard.

There were two anonymous gifts of $100.

Dan Coyle and Valerie Smith, 1118 W. Eighth, gave $75 “in loving memory of Charlie Mace, Ed Loff and Beth Ann Kelly”; Catherine Lundberg, Elk, gave $60.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo