Christmas Fund 2000 Giving Is Cause For Celebration
We have a bandwagon going, and we need you to join us. We need trumpet, tuba and trombone players. Flute players would be a nice touch. We need cheerleaders and baton twirlers. We need jesters and clowns and acrobats to perform cartwheels. We need anyone with any sized talent.
This is a very special bandwagon - The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund. We just need it to be bigger. We want to parade down Main Street on Christmas Day, cheering with the children of low-income families who bring their toys that Santa (you) left them under the Christmas tree.
Want to join us? Come on, do.
A total of $3,365 was received Sunday from 32 band members, for a total so far of $122,948.94. There’s still lots of room for others to march along, helping us reach our goal of $425,000.
Today, the Christmas Bureau will open at 10 a.m. for low-income parents to select toys for each of their children and to receive food vouchers to make Christmas dinner more festive than it otherwise would have been.
If you have any doubts about the authenticity of what we’ve been saying in this column since the day after Thanksgiving, drive to the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center at 404 N. Havana to see the long line of people waiting for this little bit of Christmas cheer. Talk to them. Look at Christmas through their eyes.
These people need us to be their cheerleaders, their supporters. Their friends in need.
Join our parade, won’t you?
Gifts of $500 were made by Dick and Cledia Estes, 3723 W. Beacon, in memory of their daughter, Lesley; Kilgore Architectural Products, 11616 E. Montgomery Drive; and Providence Services, 9 E. Ninth. Virgil and Helen Duchow, 5027 N. Oak, contributed $125.
Jack and Leola Gleason, 5219 N. Myrtlewood Court, gave $100, as did Marjorie and Walter Bender, Coeur d’Alene; Eldon and Lydia Hopkins, 503 E. Tieton; Mr. and Mrs. Don Lippman, Otis Orchards; Marie and Uhel Holliday Jr., who wrote: “It gives us great joy to be able to contribute to the Christmas Fund. We make this donation in honor of our late uncle, Francis Lee Sell. God rest his soul.”
Also giving $100 were Jean Ann and Frank Armstrong, 2614 E. 40th; James and Jeanine Martin, 2027 S. Parkwood Circle; TAK Petroleum, Inc., 59 E. Queen; Rex and Adeline Price, 6310 E. Sixth, who noted: “We especially think of the children at Christmas”; and Dorothy Bolkan, 29 W. 39th, who wrote, “To share in memory of my son, Peter Bolkan.” There were two anonymous gifts of $100.
Roy and Arlene Waters, Spokane, sent kind words and $75. Gifts of $50 came from Fran Christman, 13316 E. 15th; Larry and Bettie Bockstruck, Bayview, Idaho; Byron and Beverly Floch, 8522 N. Stevens Drive; and Will and Betty Birr, Otis Orchards.
Giving $25 were Kathy Platte, 12108 E. 34th; Charles and Mary Ellen Steen, Liberty Lake; Robert and Helen Hinnenkamp, 11711 N. Bedivere; Ellen Nelson, 3716 E. Alderman Lane; Ethel and Clifton Rost, 5732 N. Bemis; and Ernie and JoAnn Brenden, 1129 W. Central, who wrote, “In memory of Scott Peterson, our beloved grandson. This is given as thanks for the 11 wonderful years we had with him.”
Ted and Sharon Penner, Dayton, Wash., gave $25, as did Don and Pat Lee, “in memory of my father, Milton Cauvel, who spent many years at The Spokesman-Review in the mailing department.”
Olivia and Ewing Page, 5218 W. Pinedale Court, became a new fund friend with their gift of $25 and this note from Olivia:
“This is my first time to help you reach your goal, but it won’t be the last. This is in memory of my sister, Juanita Hudson, whom we lost in October. Keep up the good work in helping others.”
Giving $20 were Earl and Nora Hudlow, Mead, and Christine Hobbs, 3312 E. Jackson, who wrote: “Hope you reach your goal so you can help all the needy to have a good Christmas.”
What a nice sentiment with which to end the column.
Let the parade march on.