Christmas Fund 1995 Picture Moved Little Girl To Donate ‘One Monies’

The front page of last Tuesday’s newspaper showed a long line of people waiting to go inside The Spokesman-Review Christmas Bureau for a portion of Yuletime charity.

“In that picture was a little girl around the same age as my daughter,” wrote Kathleen Parrish.

“Natalie asked me, ‘Is she not going to get any toys or dinner for Christmas?”’

For days, Parrish had been trying to explain the Christmas Fund and its purpose to her 4-year-old daughter. It was the picture that spoke to the little girl.

Natalie “then promptly took ‘one monies’ from her clown bank and told me to send it to that girl’s mother,” Parrish wrote.

“I’m so proud of our town and its fund and so proud that you are helping my daughter learn the true meaning of Christmas so young. Please take her $1, along with our ($30) donation, to help others have as great a Christmas as we are going to have.”

Thank you, Natalie. That little girl will have a present and a good dinner.

Eileen, Delia, Phyllis and Marcia, staff members at Gonzaga University’s Jesuit House, sent $75 to the Christmas Fund rather than exchange gifts; Dorothy and John Tiffany, 11610 E. Maxwell, also gave $75.

Giving $50 was Melissa A. Wick, 627 W. 15; Paul and Clarine Baum, 11619 N. Madison; the Rockford Women’s Club; Darrell and Christine Larson, 12020 N. Vistawood Court; the Batts, Lewiston; Mr. and Mrs. Willard Haase, Otis Orchards; the Hueys, 1724 E. 61st; the Studebakers, 1429 E. Central; Kay Sharp and Wayne Bass, Newman Lake; and four anonymous donations.

Leigh and Ernie Hunter, 107 E. Greta, gave $40 in memory of their son-in-law, Todd S. Raynor, who died last summer. “We thank God for the gift of Todd in our lives, even though brief. He was a man with a big heart full of love, laughter and giving.”

An anonymous donor from Beverly, Wash., also gave $40; Lucile Hansen, 5119 N. Stevens, gave $35, as did Walt and Betty Knowles, Liberty Lake; L&S Engineering Associates Inc., 216 W. Pacific, gave $32; Carl Chorvat, Rathdrum, Idaho, gave $30.

Giving $25 was Sara Rowe, 2524 W. Houston; Silvio and Alvia Sacco, 212 E. Weile; members of Canniwai Grange 837, Marlin, Wash.; Agnes Ambler, 7124 E. 9th; Mr. and Mrs. A. Dale Schultz, 13615 E. Indiana; Josephine and Harry Stimson, 1822 E. 34th; Hazel Mueller, Spokane, in honor of her late son, William Mueller.

Other $25 gifts came from Mr. and Mrs. William Meyer, Reardan; the Erdahls, 10310 E. Empire; Luther and Melba Sandberg, 9024 N. Country Homes Blvd.; Brien R. Durrant, Valleyford; and six anonymous donors.

Those giving $20 were Betty Berger, 1731 E. Dalke; Donna and Jim Lewis, 3923 N. Whitehouse, “in memory of our friend, Ralph Perdue, who also believed in helping others”; and one person requesting anonymity.

Donations of $10 came from Paul and Lilly Essex, 302 E. Mission; Geraldine Barker, 6111 N. Douglas Drive; and two anonymous givers, one in memory of their wife and mother, whom they especially miss at this time of year - “but we know she is in heaven and that if she were still living, she would want to give to the Christmas Fund.”

The other $10 anonymous donor is from Four Lakes, who gave “because I used to wait in line for toys and a voucher myself.”

The “sweeper” at Washington State University’s Owens Library, collected $9.87 in pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters that students dropped on Floors 2, 3 and 4 this year.

Their “loss” is the Christmas Fund’s gain.

A $5 anonymous gift was made in memory of Florence Wasmer, “who did so much for children.”

, DataTimes