SCAFCO among new fund donors

Hundreds of Christmas Fund donors have made their gift to the newspaper’s charity an annual tradition. Their names appear year after year in the list of generous donors to the fund. But new donors, as well as those who have consistently supported the charity, are needed to reach the goal of raising $485,000.

SCAFCO Corp. is among the new donors, sending $5,000 to the fund.

“On behalf of SCAFCO Corporation and our employees, we are pleased to enclose a check for the Christmas Fund to assist children of the Spokane area to have a brighter and merrier Christmas holiday,” wrote Bruce Katahira, director of human resources. “We are honored that we are able to share with others during this season of giving.”

Katahira said the president of the multinational corporation chooses the charities that will be supported. “He donated personally last year and thought it was a worthy cause,” Katahira said. The 53-year-old Spokane-based corporation manufactures steel framing materials and steel silos and has facilities in 66 countries.

The donations of SCAFCO and dozens of other contributors totaled $18,282, bouncing the Christmas Fund to $85,482.

Much more will be needed to pay for the food vouchers and toys that will be given to needy families starting Saturday when the Christmas Bureau opens at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center.

Three semi-trucks loaded with more than 16,000 toys will be backed into the Ag Building at the fairgrounds this morning. During the day, several dozen volunteers will unload the toys, set up the tables and chairs, network and test nearly 20 computers, empty boxes of children’s books onto tables, and help build a child care area and toys rooms. The House of Charity donated hot casseroles to feed the volunteers today since the heat cannot be turned on in the Ag Building until all of the trucks are unloaded and the big doors closed.

Following are additional donations and their donors (online donations were subject to a 3.2 percent PayPal fee):

The owner and employees of Carr Sales sent $1,500 and a note: “We know that you will find some well-deserving families whose Christmas could be a little brighter. Thank you for founding and continuing this wonderful program. May you all have wonderful holidays with your families and loved ones and a joyous New Year.”

Bailey and Benson, two dogs who live on Rockwood Boulevard, sent $1,000 in honor of doctors Douglas Wysham, Mandya Vishwanath and Stephen Murray, the women and men of Sacred Heart Medical Center, Rockwood Clinic and St. Luke’s Cardio Rehab. “Our community is richly blessed to have the exceptional gifts of talent, time and thoughtful kindnesses they provide. We deeply appreciate them and wish joy and peace to all from the bottom of our hearts,” said a note from Bailey and Benson’s owners.

Spokane’s Early Ford V-8 Club of America donated $1,000, as did an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

Terry and Kathryn Deno, of Spokane, donated $550.

Toby’s Body & Fender, of Spokane, donated $500, as did an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

Mike McKinnon, of Spokane, sent $400 in memory of his parents, Marge and Joe McKinnon. Helen Mitchel, of Spokane, also donated $400.

An anonymous donor, of Deer Park, gave $300 in memory of Milton and Fay Echelbarger.

Gust Abariotes, of Spokane Valley, donated $300.

An anonymous donor, of Post Falls, sent $260.

Mortgage Default Services, of Spokane, donated $250.

Allison Sherwood donated $242.45 via PayPal, in memory of Ray and Dorothy Heglar, Ernie Helt and Evelyn Newburger.

Barbara and Steve Stoyanac, of Mead, donated $200, as did Dennis, Patty, Sheila and Rebecca Doyle, of Spokane.

Jeffrey and Evelyn Tichacek, of Medical Lake, donated $150 in memory of Rudolph, John and Ruth.

John and Peg Hasstedt, of Spokane, sent $150.

Shirley Ann Walters, of Spokane, donated $150 in memory of her husband, Marvin Walters, “who always believed in this need.”

Sarah and Frank Wasicek Jr., of Spokane, donated $100 in honor of Dr. Greg Loewen. “Without this medical hero we would be facing a Christmas without hope. Thank you so very much, Dr. Loewen, your expertise and kindness are greatly appreciated,” they wrote.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $100 in honor of doctors Carol Wysham, Mel Lindauer, Larry Milsow and Richard Bale. “It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a medical community to keep a person living,” she wrote.

Lowell and Shirley Mouser, of Otis Orchards, donated $100, as did Ralph and Peggy Rau, of Deer Park; Dick and Mary Schroeder, Tom and Marcia O’Leary, Eric and Martha Erickson, Theodore and Margaret Byers, Harold Wilson, David Williams and Cathy Mirich, Dolores Hein, Robert and Joyce Bublitz, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane.

Chuck and Delores Crabtree, of Spokane, sent $100, “to help someone have a merrier Christmas,” as did an anonymous donor, of Deer Meadows, Wash., and two anonymous donors, of Spokane Valley.

Grace Nissen, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of her son, William White. “As always, this is my favorite charity at this time of year, as it’s for children most of all,” she wrote.

An anonymous donor, of Liberty Lake, sent $100 and a note: “I have been blessed with good friends, a loving family and enough abundance to live comfortably. May those helped by the Christmas Fund know such blessings will someday be theirs.”

Dick and Barbara Siers, of Spokane, sent $100 in honor of all their family and friends.

Dana and Mary Besecker, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of their parents.

Bertha and Arthur Hansen, of Rathdrum, Idaho, donated $100, “in memory of two good men, Terry E. Booth and son Terry D. Booth, who believed in and lived by the Golden Rule. Thank you for the opportunity to put a little magic in and to help brighten so many eyes this Christmas season,” they wrote.

Tracy and Susan Anderson, of Spokane Valley, donated $100 in honor of their grandparents, Ray and Rozella Mohney.

Gary Kelly donated $96.80 via PayPal.

Tony and Kathleen Roche, of Liberty Lake, donated $75, as did Edward and Eileen Looker, of Spokane Valley, and an anonymous donor, of Liberty Lake.

Joyce Callaway, of Medical Lake, donated $50, as did Tom and Sue Eastman, and Fran Christman, all of Spokane Valley; Tim and Marcia Dorwin, Peggy and Charles Estey, Ann Sanders, Bob and Pat Loomis, Dick and Ann Collins, Sheri and Kimball Barnard, Roberta Forsberg, William and Virginia Selzer, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $50 in memory of Saichi and Tsuwako Sasaki.

Rovella Vawter, of Spokane, sent $50 “in hopes of giving someone a better Christmas.”

Members of Chapter IT P.E.O. sent $50 and a note: “We are happy to help you make Christmas brighter for many families in our community. We challenge the other P.E.O. chapters in our area to make a contribution. Many blessings to all the wonderful volunteers who make this possible.”

Jean Supinger, of Medical Lake, donated $50 in memory of Jim Supinger.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane Valley, donated $50 in memory of her son, Jim, “who loved Christmas.”

Jennifer Calvert, of Spokane, donated $48.25 via PayPal.

Rob and Pansy George, of Spokane, donated $45.

Gary and Cheryl Allen, of Spokane Valley, donated $30, as did Thomas and Besie Pope, of Spokane.

Frederick and Bette Becker, of Pullman, Wash., donated $25, as did Mary Wilson, of Newport, Wash.; Barbara and Michael Dooley, Bill and Dianne Kersey, Mary Jett, Neil and Betty Maxwell, Mike Hughes, and three anonymous donors, all of Spokane; an anonymous donor, of Liberty Lake; and an anonymous donor, of Spokane Valley.

An anonymous donor, of Rockford, Wash., gave $25 in memory of Bruce.

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

William and Loralee Silverthorne, of Spokane, donated $20.

Jong Soon Whang brought $10 and a note to the newspaper office: “To all the workers and volunteers at the Christmas Bureau, I want to express my heartfelt thank you for all these years you’ve got me through tough times. Now I want to return the favor. Thank you and God bless. My heart goes out to the poor.”