Support For Symphony Will Send Couple On Sailing Trip

Monique and Jim Ehli believe in miracles, thanks to a phone call last Sunday from the Christmas Tree Elegance office.

Monique was in disbelief when she was told she had won Tree No. 8, “Changes in Latitude.”

The nautical-themed tree was one of 10 raffle trees in the holiday fund-raiser to support the Spokane Symphony.

“It still hasn’t hit that we won,” said Monique, who dropped just one ticket in the brass barrel next to the tree. “When Jim and I got married four years ago, we didn’t have the time or money for a honeymoon. Now we can take it.”

In May, the Ehlis will board a private, chartered yacht for a seven-day sailing trip in the Caribbean. In addition to winning the island-hopping vacation, they received gift certificates, household appliances and $1,000 cash (for that new tropical wardrobe).

A poignant postscript to the couple’s story adds a touch of holiday magic:

“A few weeks ago, Jim lost his mother to cancer,” Monique said. “Before she died, she said to him, ‘You’ll take a tropical honeymoon trip someday.’ Not even a month later, we won this trip. I believe she’s an angel pulling for us.”

Of the thousands of raffle tickets placed on the theme trees, only one winner was drawn per tree.

An astonished Chrissy Tietze from Germany won “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Tietze is in Spokane for a year as an au pair. Before returning to Germany, she will enjoy a week’s ski vacation in Breckenridge, Colo.

She also received gift certificates, home furnishings and a weekend trip to Seattle.

Pat and Camille Haskins were winners of “That’s Entertainment,” an elegant musical tree with a trip to New York City. Along with the getaway, the Haskins won local theater tickets, a home-entertainment center, a five-string guitar and a digital keyboard.

The “Little Angels” tree, which included a trip for four to Disneyland, was won by Mike and Penny O’Donnell, who have two adult children, Shannon and Chad.

Other Christmas Tree Elegance raffle winners were:

Tree 1: “‘Tis the Northwest Seasons” was won by Jolynn Miller, a Nordstrom employee.

Tree 2: “Vive la France,” which includes a trip to Paris, was won by Betty and Robert Malmstad. Betty is a Whitworth College professor, and Robert, now retired, is a community volunteer.

Tree 5: “Highland’s Game” went to Neal and Barbara Rielly. Barbara, who teaches at Spokane Community College, and Neal, a Superior Court judge, will play a round of golf in Scotland.

Tree 6: “Adventures Unlimited” was won by Dorothy and John Mercer. Prizes include parasailing lessons, bungee jumping and a five-day rafting trip down the Salmon and Snake rivers.

Tree 7: “Railing the Rockies” went to Andree and Duane Alton. Prizes include a daytime train ride through the Canadian Rockies.

Tree 10: “Totally Teen” was won by Trish and Patrick McFarland, parents of two daughters and a son, 16 to 21 years old. Their prizes include a computer, mountain bike, snowboard and in-line skates.

Spokane Symphony Associates is still tabulating the proceeds from Christmas Tree Elegance. They will be announced in January.

Family notes

Christmas break at the Northeast Youth Center, 4001 N. Cook, includes plenty of children’s activities sponsored by Spokane Parks and Recreation.

Kids 7 to 11 years old can join in Polar Bear Club events from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30. There will be sledding, ice skating, movies, cross-country skiing and a trip to Sandpoint to see the exhibit “Dinosaur Families.”

Registration is $12 per child per day. For a specific schedule, or to register, call 482-0708.

Volunteers needed

In the new year, consider volunteering as a parent aide for SCAN, the Spokane Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Center.

Parent aides meet one-on-one with parents experiencing difficulty handling the role of parenting and have requested help. SCAN volunteers offer friendship and support that positively impact the troubled parent.

“Parent aides are at the heart of our program for 24 years,” says Sue Hille, administrator. “Through weekly visits, and by phone, the parent aide gives vital support as a non-judgmental, caring listener. That support diffuses pressures before children become victims.”

After 30 hours of training, volunteers commit to three to four hours a week. The next 10-week training session begins Feb. 17, 6 to 9 p.m., at the SCAN office, 500 S. Stone.

For a parent aide application, call 458-7445.

SCAN is a program of Spokane Mental Health’s Child and Family Services. All its services are free and, in addition to the parent-support program, include home visits, a resource center and a speaker’s bureau.

Kudos

Congratulations to Mary Jane Broom, named Outstanding Sustainer for Junior League of Spokane.

The annual award is given to the Junior League member who best exemplifies the organization’s goals by continually investing in the community through volunteerism, providing leadership and support within the organization, and serving the community through the league’s educational and charitable work.

Broom, who has been a Junior League member since 1969, is also active with the Spokane Art School, the Spokane Symphony Associates and WAMPUM. She has volunteered with the East Side Free Clinic, Hutton School’s Creative Playground, Uptown Opera, and the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.

She has also worked with Habitat for Humanity and is currently board secretary for Women Helping Women.

Karen Robideaux, who nominated Broom as Outstanding Sustainer, said, “Mary Jane never takes the limelight. Somehow she passes the baton when all the credit is given. She helps those whose names are out front.”

Broom and her husband, Dave, have two adult children, Jane and Randall.

, DataTimes MEMO: Community Update appears each Sunday in The Spokesman-Review. Please allow two weeks’ notice for inclusion in this column.