Fund makes Christmas merrier for 17,060 people

More than 4,800 families will have a merrier Christmas thanks to the generosity of the community. During the first week of operations of the Christmas Bureau, the fixings of Christmas were given to 17,060 people. Today, the bureau will open for the final five days this year.

Bureau organizers estimate that $500,000 will be needed to pay for the food vouchers and toys being distributed at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. Last week, $149,730 in food vouchers and more than 9,000 toys were handed out.

The Christmas Fund is the fund-raising end of this effort. The newspaper’s readers and area businesses send contributions, and we publish their names as a way to say thanks.

Donations of $5,985 brought the Christmas Fund total to $159,402.52 Sunday. And while those generous contributions are appreciated, much more is needed if we’re to meet the needs of our community. While the bureau closes Friday, the Christmas Fund will continue to welcome donations of all amounts through Dec. 30.

The following are the donations and the donors for today’s tally:

The owners and employees of Taylor Engineering, of Spokane, donated $1,000.

“In 2004, our clients completed some significant projects in and around Spokane and that kept us quite busy. Because of those public and private investors, and some excellent work by our talented staff, once again we have an opportunity to share,” wrote the company partners, Mike Taylor, Stan Stirling, Mark Aronson, Dave Larsen and Ron Pace. “The Christmas message is about caring and sharing. The Christmas Fund team lives those ideals. Certainly the need is there. The time and effort you donate really helps make a difference.”

Carole Anderson, of Spokane, donated $1,000 “for the children of Spokane, in memory of my son, Krist Anderson.”

William and Tracy McCluskey, of Spokane, donated $500.

Jack and Micki Saad, of Spokane, donated $350.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $300.

Smithmoore Myers, of Spokane, gave $300.

Bobbie and Rick Robinson, of Rosalia, Wash., gave $250.

A large group of people sent $200 and this explanation: “There is a group of families that go every year and as a tradition we cut down our Christmas trees together. We caravan to the tree farm. Many times there are as many as 20 trucks. We have a party afterward. We have done this for years and years. Earlier this year a very good friend, son and brother to this group was killed in a car accident. This was our first year without Jared and it was very difficult. He was the life of the party and this year a little piece of all of us was missing.

“A group of us decided, unbeknownst to his family, that we wanted to do something especially for Jared this year. We decided to take up a collection and donate it in honor of him. So this $200 is in loving memory of Jared Ball. From his friends.”

Larry Shook and Judy Laddon, of Spokane, donated $200, as did Tak Petroleum Inc., of Spokane; and an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $200 in memory of Daphne Adams. Albert Materi, of Spokane, donated $200, “in memory of many loved ones to help some very deserving people and wishing God’s blessing on all.”

Susan Stachofsky and her daughter, Heather Lanning, of Spokane, gave $100, as did Carol McNabb, of Coeur d’Alene; James Dallen, Miriam and John Finnegan, and Donald Head, all of Spokane. James and Christine Gamble, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of Joan Morrison.

The Spokane Mushroom Club donated $50, as did Joan Casey, of Priest Lake, Idaho; William and Louise Yocom, of Newman Lake; Marlene and Werner Westhoff, of Spokane; and Gary Fiscus, of Liberty Lake.

Kimberly and Tedd Rothman, of Spokane, gave $50 in honor of Don Herren, “beloved minister of Southern Hills United Methodist Church in Lexington, Ky., who died Dec. 4.”

Allen and Lola Thompson, of Spokane, sent $35.

Craig and Jeneen Hanson, of Newman Lake, gave $25, as did Ronald and Karen Peterson, of Odessa, Wash.; James and Marjorie Ryan, of Nine Mile Falls; and an anonymous donor, of Spokane. Jim and Sandy Southwick, of Spokane, gave $25 in honor of their 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Marie Holliday, of Spokane, donated $25 in memory of her husband, Uhel E. Holliday, Jr.