Christmas Fund 1997 12 Siblings Gather Coins For Charity Kids Pool Birthday, Chore Money For Christmas Fund

Ten of Stacy and Duane Casto’s children brought in a can of money for The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund on Saturday.

The can was filled with $44.92 in bills, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies.

The 12 Casto kids pooled their money from a variety of sources: earnings from chores, such as gathering eggs; birthdays; and “found” money - money found in ashtrays, crevasses of the couch, etc.

Loose money like that is fair game in the family, Stacy Casto said. So, when one of the kids doing laundry found $17 in dad’s pants pockets, the money was claimed for the Christmas Fund. (A new meaning for laundered money?)

When Stacy and Duane Casto were married 18 years ago and began their family with a child of their own, they never dreamed their household would one day be so big and varied and busy and noisy and wild, Stacy Casto said. They adopted their way into such bliss.

Their first adopted child was biracial, and the couple wanted to adopt a second biracial child soon so there would be at least two children of similar heritage in the family, Stacy Casto said. Then came four more children, one by one, year by year.

The Casto family continued to grow until there were 11 adopted children, each considered a blessing from the Lord, their mom said.

The children are: Bobby, 15; Kaitin, 8; Christian, 8; DeAngelo, 7; Jon, 7; Eddie, 6; Oliva, 7; Sam, 5; Max, 5; Sade, 4; Jackson, 4 and Caleb, 2.

Gifts of $50 each for the Christmas Fund came Monday from Thomas Russell, 401 E. Magnesium Road; Buddy and Coletta McWatters, Veradale; Wanda and Roger Coumbs, 2311 W. 16th, who said, “Wish it could be for a million”; Nancy Mahoney, 8409 E. South Riverway; Milan and Bernadine DeRueve, 12515 N. Fairwood Drive; and Barbara Williams, 524 W. 17th.

Other $50 gifts came from Colleen Eccles, Issaquah, Wash., “in loving memory of my dad and brother, Walter and James Johnson”; Jean Rabe, 3804 S. Alder Drive, “in loving memory of my parents, Marie and Art Rabe”; Mr. and Mrs. William Siers, 4016 W. Bismark Place; and Bob and Janet Waldron, who wrote: “Our family is so blessed and we want to share our blessings with others.”

Earl and Evelyn Hylton, 5011 N. Normandie, also gave $50, as did Patricia Stewart, 2707 E. 37th; Mr. and Mrs. K.R. Trease, 5906 W. Chippewa Court; Ellen McDermott, 312 W. Hastings Road; Larry and Barbara Anderson, 1509 S. Maple; and Meredith and Leslie Hilby, Liberty Lake.

“We spend hundreds of dollars for football souvenirs. Let’s hope we can do as much for our children,” wrote Patricia Schliesser, 5111 S. Regal, who sent a $50 gift.

Dick and Ann Collins, 8715 N. Kelly Court, gave $50, as did the family of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Czechowski, 334 E. 16th; Mark Howard, Spangle; and the Mitchell family, Colbert, who wrote: “Please accept this gift and do ‘your magic’ for those who are less fortunate. This morning, I heard a tender version of ‘Silent Night’ by Garth Brooks and felt thankful for what God has entrusted to me.”

There also were six anonymous gifts of $50 each.

Julia, Tulli and Rosine Dobler, 4116 S. Hogan, gave $40; G. Wells, Worley, Idaho, donated $35 in memory of Richard Adams; Emil and Mary Gehrman, 13316 E. Cataldo, gave $35; Marlene and Werner Westhoff, 5317 N. Walnut, donated $30.

Gifts of $25 came from Lavon and Robert Montelius, 11218 N. Stevens, “in memory of our grandson, Stuart W. Rands, who would have been 24 years old Dec. 1. We still miss him.”

“Holy, happy and healthy holidays” were wished by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Robson, 8314 E. Marietta, with their gift of $25. Others giving $25 were Loretta Thompson, 2303 S. Fawn Drive; William and Gelene Griffiths, Nine Mile Falls; Corrine Nottingham, Colville, Wash.; Doris Matsch, 13720 E. 15th; and Bernard Murphy, 4228 N. Madison.

Nadine Klobusicky, 3612 E. 16th, gave $20, as did Edward Dick, 6207 N. Howard; Eleanor and Edward Puhek, Otis Orchards; and an anonymous donor.

Kevin Robinson gave $10, and an anonymous donor gave $5 “in memory of my friend, Cody Taylor. His band always donated every year before he was killed.”

, DataTimes