Christmas Fund 1997 Kids Give To Christmas Fund To Help Others

There is no purer sound than a choir of children singing in their perfect-pitch soprano tones. And there is no purer gift than one from a child concerned about other children.

Two such gifts were received Tuesday with letters to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund.

Haley Rettig, 10, of Spokane, wrote: “I would like to donate $30 to you (The Spokesman-Review). I have decided that I don’t need this money and that there are people out there who do need it for food and clothing. I like giving things to people because I like to see the happy looks on their faces. So please donate this money to a family who needs it. Thank you.”

And Anne-Claire Mitchell, 10, of Spokane, sent this note with her gift of $25: “Just the other day, I was decorating the tree when I thought about all the people who didn’t even have trees. So I’d like to donate some of my birthday money to help those people have as great a Christmas as I.”

Such purity.

With children like Haley and Anne-Claire, you know the world’s going to be in good hands.

Other gifts received for the Christmas Fund on Tuesday included:

Andrew and Stephanie Northrop, with a matching gift from their parents, gave a total of $82. Spokane County employees donated $80. Giving $77 was the Managed Benefits Unit at Guardian Life Insurance Co. “to help make someone’s Christmas a little happier.”

The morning Spanish class at Mead High School collected $75, demonstrating its “concern about people who need help during the holiday,” wrote the teacher, Susanne Tuson.

Margaret Carlson, with Lee and Linnea Sykes, gave $75 “in the name of Conard Sykes, the most generous and open-hearted 8-year-old we know.” One anonymous donation of $75 also was received.

Gifts of $50 each came from Daniel and Kathleen Burns, 4422 S. Hogan; Charlotte Sullivan at the Waterford Retirement Home; Eric and Beth Calkins, 425 W. 25th; and Lavonne, Carol and Jim “in grateful memory of our cousin, Knud Anderson.”

Jack and Vera Calvert, 13612 N. Stone Lane, also gave $50, as did Clara Lorsung, in memory of her husband, Bud Lorsung, and son Loren Christensen; Louis Hughes, 12008 N. Atlantic; Robert and Ruth Jensen, 2808 S. Monroe; and Mike and Elizabeth Caldwell, 3331 S. Bernard, in the name of the Robert Melgard family.

Other $50 gifts came from Elma Porter in memory of her husband, Charles; Karen Kelly, Spokane; David and Darcy Stockdill, 4208 S. Conklin; Chris Horner, 3509 E. Tara Drive; and “the ABC Bunch” (Amanda, Bill and Connie), 14115 N. Rivilla Lane, “in memory of our dear friends, Scharlet Melman and Linda Gilbert.”

The 99 members of the Crystal Chandeliers Ballroom Dance Club also donated $50, as did Randy and Linda Crowe, 12914 E. Guthrie Drive; Janette Barnes, 4924 W. Princeton Place, in memory of her sister Helen Reuteo; Steve and Jane Rettig, 4815 S. Madelia; Linda, Neal and Buzz in memory of their friend Cooper Jones; Stephen and Patricia Shea, 1211 E. 55th; and Donald and Helen Dietrich, 4907 N. Addison.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students in the confirmation class of Christ Lutheran Church, 13009 E. Broadway, held taco and pizza dinners to earn money to help others, wrote Gail Duba, director of Christian education. They sent the Christmas Fund $50, as well as taking gifts to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery and buying toys for Toys for Tots.

“We are happy to see they are learning what the season’s all about,” Duba wrote.

Twelve anonymous donations of $50 each also were received, including one made in the name of the donor’s daughter, Stephanie, who requested the contribution be her Christmas gift.

Gifts of $45 each arrived from J. Ann Geraghty; Maureen, Steve and Scott Siera, 3704 S. Morrill; and one anonymous donor.

Shawn and Darby Van Gordon, 419 W. 17th, gave $40, as did two friends who gave “in loving memory of Mary Lou Anthony.”

T.J. Houk, Mead, carefully printed a letter with his gift of $30: “This is a donation from my allowance.”

Other $30 gifts came from Teresa Hansen, 1907 W. Augusta; Robert Snyder, 2614 E. Foxwood Drive, in memory of Gloria Tschache; Agnes Rablin, Cheney; and COPS North Central volunteers, 630 W. Shannon, who collected the money at their open house.

Rick and Sherri Harwood “and the kids,” of Newport, Wash., sent $25, with a note saying, “As we read the paper, we realize that although we wish we could be better off, we are a heck of a lot better off than some folks. We have decided to give $25 to the fund to help our neighbors. Sure, we could use this as we ourselves are trying to improve our quality of life, but when the time comes that we can’t give a little back along the way, then we’re done anyway.”

Other $25 gifts came from Clarence and Diane Johnson, 7017 N. Normandie; and Clarence and Lorraine Rattray, Reardan, Wash., who once worked at the Christmas Bureau. Lorraine wrote, “I really appreciate their wonderful work. … I know they use all the funds wisely.”

Darlene and Ray Melvin, 1034 W. Kiernan, also gave $25 in memory of their niece Alysen, who would have been 19 this week. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hansen, 13617 E. Valleyway, sent $25 “in loving memory” of their granddaughter Michelle, who would have been 9 this year.

Other $25 gifts came from Ken, Leslie, Adam, Emily, Andy and Kelsey Brown, 4615 E. Sumac Drive, in honor of Helen Legge, their grandmother and great-grandmother, “94 years young”; Betty Meyers, 2311 W. 16th; Marie Vedvik, 3424 N. Lee; Dorothy McClellan, 1508 E. Cambridge Lane; Don and Thelma Morton, 1503 E. Wellesley; Susie Porter, 1111 W. 22nd; Charlene Powe, 2024 W. Wellesley; Eileen and Michael Kain, 29 E. 14th; Robert and Dorothy Guffin, 1502 S. Mamer Lane; Thomas and Carol Clausen, Mead; and three anonymous donors.

Previously, Pete and Jean were listed for making a contribution of $25 “in memory of our loved ones who have passed on and especially Kalie Role.” Role’s last name was misspelled. We apologize for the error.

Betty Thomas, 918 E. Indiana, donated $23.23. Gifts of $20 each came from Rhea Dow, 2018 E. 30th; Shirley Miller, 2921 E. 36th; Jerry and Luce Bisher, 1517 W. Shannon; Melvin Pryor, 2726 W. Walton; Robert Himes and Cathy Evans; John Aslin; Ben and Susanne Miller; and Kurt and Laura Wood, with this note: “Our family feels it is so important to share our ‘gifts’ with others so that, hopefully, the spirit and joy of Christmas touch someone else’s life.”

Five anonymous donations of $20 each also were received, one with a return address that read, “From the Lord Jesus.”

Lois Hughes, 2015 W. 10th, gave $15, as did Jodi and Gary Widner, 210 W. Lyons. Anonymous donations of $14 and $13 also were received.

Gifts of $10 each came from Mr. and Mrs. Steven Hawk, 4109 E. 35th; Maeghan Scott, 8; and five anonymous donors, including one who sent this note: “We have very little to give but feel the Christmas Fund’s needs are greater than ours.”

One anonymous donation of $1 also was received.

, DataTimes