Record-breaking year
The generosity of the local community resulted in a record year for The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund, as donations totaling nearly $43,000 pushed the fund past $555,580 on Christmas Eve.
Donations to the fund in 2000 reached $543,385, the previous record.
Since 1945, the year the fund began, donors have given more than $11 million to the annual Christmas charity. The Christmas Fund pays for toys and grocery vouchers given to the area’s poor families at the Christmas Bureau. The newspaper partners with Catholic Charities and Volunteers of America, which operate the bureau at the fairgrounds.
More than 200 volunteers gave the fixings of Christmas to nearly 32,500 needy people, also a record, during the 12 days the charity was open earlier this month. The recipients included 16,000 children, who each received a toy and a book thanks to the Christmas Fund donors.
The bills will be paid in January, but the Christmas Fund is over for the year on Friday. Daily stories reporting the donations and donors today. All donations received by Friday will be reported on New Year’s Day; any donations that come in after that date will be applied to next year’s fund.
The daily tally was led by a donation from longtime Christmas Fund supporters Huppin’s Hi-Fi, Photo & Video and OneCall.com. The owners and employees of Huppin’s and OneCall.com gave $7,450.
“We are thankful to be able to make this holiday season a bit brighter for all of us. By providing the framework for recipients, donors and volunteers to come together, the newspaper truly helps us all build a better community. We are privileged to participate,” wrote Huppin’s and OneCall.com president Murray Huppin.
Following are the other donations and their donors (online donations are subject to a 3.2 percent PayPal fee):
Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories and its employees donated $3,126. “Our employees at Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories participated in our traditional fund-raising event for the Christmas Fund. On Dec. 17-19, employees were allowed to ‘dress down’ in casual attire as long as they made a donation to the Christmas Fund. The company agreed to match any employee donations. We know that through all of our combined efforts we can help those in need have a better holiday season,” wrote Andrea Boures.
The Wal-Mart stores at North Colton in Spokane and on East Broadway in Veradale, and the Wal-Mart Foundation in Bentonville, Ark., donated $3,000.
Nineteen employees of Worldwide Group, of Spokane Valley, collectively donated $3,290.
McClintock & Turk Inc., and its employees, of Spokane, donated $2,500.
Longtime donors Rings & Things employees, management and owners gave $2,500. “Like many businesses, Rings & Things employees participate in voluntary payroll deduction plan to make our year-end contribution nearly painless. With an additional match from the owners, we are able to contribute $2,500 to the Christmas Fund,” wrote owners Russ Nobbs and Dee Mueller. ” Rings & Things’ wholesale mail-order division in our new location at 304 E. Second continues to grow, serving craftspeople, jewelers and bead stores worldwide. We are reminded daily that too many people in our community do not have adequate income or decent housing. We hope that our contribution will help the Christmas Bureau to make this a holiday filled with sharing and joy for all of our neighbors in Spokane.”
Dupree Building Specialties, of Spokane, donated $2,000.
Worldwide Group, of Opportunity, donated $1,510.
The Slater family, of Spokane, donated $1,100, which included donations from the Slater children.
Cam and Laurie Seibold, of Spokane, donated $1,000 and Steven and Cathleen Frazier, of Spokane, donated $50, both in memory of Beata Seibold.
Cameron-Reilly LLC, of Airway Heights, donated $1,000, as did T.W. Clark Construction, of Spokane, and Wagstaff Inc. and its employees, also of Spokane.
Mark Walker, president of Walker’s Furniture, of Spokane, sent $1,000 and a note: “I remember watching my children’s faces light up upon seeing gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. Now that my girls are grown, it will be a blessing to see my grandson’s face light up when he sees toys under the tree. It is my hope that every child may have a gift waiting under the tree for them on Christmas morning, and that every parent will be able to share that joy with their child,” Walker wrote.
Joseph Walsh, of Spokane, who is deployed in Iraq, donated $970.70 via PayPal, as did Steve Duvoisin, in the names of Jacob and Colleen Meighan.
An anonymous donor gave $808.
Anonymous donors, of Spokane, gave $600.
Nancy Evans and Greg MacDonald, of Spokane, sent $500, “in support of services provided to disadvantaged adults and their children in the Spokane area during the Christmas season.”
Edward Van Vliet, of Spokane, sent $500, as did Elizabeth and David Ulmen, and two anonymous donors, also all of Spokane.
Carolyn Soderquist, Leslie Segi, Michael Hargreaves and Margaret Toji donated $400 in memory of their dad, Robert Hargreaves, who died in March. “This is our first Christmas without him and we miss him. He loved the holiday season, especially Christmas in Spokane,” they wrote.
Smitty and Sandy Myers, of Spokane, also donated $400.
Diane Larson, of Almira, Wash., donated $350, as did Mark Wagner and family, of Spokane.
Acosta Sales and Marketing, of Spokane Valley, donated $304.82. “We divided the company into three teams and held a contest to see what team would donate the most. The winning team donated over $135,” wrote Gordon Leek of Acosta. “We hope this donation helps families in our area have a very Merry Christmas.”
Elise Otto, of Spokane, gave $300.
Vincent and Margaret Moore, of Spokane, donated $250, as did Bruce and Ann Penske, of Spokane, in memory of their 2-year-old granddaughter, Lillian Lael Orr.
Peggy Lew Eberly, of Spangle, Wash., donated $200 in memory of her husband, Lee W. Eberly.
Leonard Wolf, of Spokane, donated $200, as did Keith and Janet Walker, and an anonymous donor, also all of Spokane.
Vera Banta, of Spokane Valley, donated $200 in memory of her husband, Dean, and her son-in-law, Jim Shively.
Heather Sullivan, of Spokane, sent $160 in honor of Carol and George Sullivan, from their grandchildren.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $150.
The servers at Brooklyn’s Woodfire Grill, of Spokane, donated $125.
Gordon Bolster, of Liberty Lake, donated $100, as did Robert Mueller, and Lee and Kathryn Irving, all of Spokane Valley; the Mojo Law Firm, of Coeur d’Alene; an anonymous donor, of Liberty Lake; an anonymous donor, of Spokane; and an anonymous donor, of Mission Viejo, Calif.
Jon and Judith Gardner, of Spokane, donated $100, as did Virginia Harger, Beverly Lyson, the Spokane Sunrise East Lions, Frank and Jean Ann Armstrong, the White Rose Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star; and the Rettenmund family, all of Spokane.
Judy Ashley, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of Rose Gunderson.
Jim and Beth Rivard, of Spokane, sent $100 and a note: “Merry Christmas to Douglas and Kathleen Rivard from their children and grandchildren.” The Murphys, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of Barbara A. Smith. An anonymous donor, of Cheney, donated $100 in memory of Frances Risdon.
The Social Ministries Commission of Our Lady of Fatima Parish sent $100 and a note: “The members of our parish community are most appreciative for the work you do for the vulnerable members of our larger community. We are pleased to make this contribution to support your efforts and wish you blessings and joy in the coming year,” wrote Mary Murcar
The Spawn family, of Spokane, gave $100 in honor of Mrs. McCann, Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Durheim, teachers at St. Thomas More School. Veterinary Surgical Specialists, of Spokane, donated $100.
Mildred Hamilton donated $96.80 via PayPal, as did Ann Nault, of Bellevue, Wash.
The Rockford Women’s Club, of Rockford, Wash., donated $75, as did Jackie and John Richardson, of Spokane.
Dan Olson donated $72.52 via PayPal.
Mr. Winslow’s fifth-period chemistry class at Central Valley High School donated $55.
Fran Waddell, of Spokane, donated $50 in memory of her husband.
Christopher and Karen Sherfey, of Spokane, sent $50, as did Gary Selner, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane. An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $50 as a Merry Christmas greeting to Emily and Dave.
Nancy McDowell donated $48.25 via PayPal.
Wendy Holmes, of Spokane, gave $40.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $30 in memory of her parents, John and Emma Peereboom.
James and Dorothy Brown, of Spokane Valley, donated $25, as did two anonymous donors, both of Spokane.
Carol Taylor, of Spokane, sent $20, as did two anonymous donors, also both of Spokane.
Megan, Kiralyn and Harrison Maulloy, of Spokane, gave $17.
Christmas Bureau volunteers donated $16 from a raffle.
The Price family, of Fairchild Air Force Base, sent $10, “in memory of a young boy named Gage Crouse, who left us too soon this year. He was a kind and generous child and we know he would have donated the same had he been here with us this Christmas.”