Christmas Fund 2000 Donors Drum Up Help For Christmas Fund Pg&E Gtn Donates $5,000 For Needy Raised To Date: $186,785.94

The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund Band continues to muster scores of new players every day. A couple hundred enlisted in the last few days alone. It’s getting pretty exciting. This Christmas Day parade of Christmas Fund donors promises to be the grandest event ever in the Inland Northwest.

Come on and be a trombone player - or join the tuba section, oom-pa-pa.

PG&E Gas Transmission Northwest, 5105 E. Third, led an especially joyful tune with its $5,000 gift in Tuesday’s mail.

“On behalf of PG&E GTN, we wish you continued success in the 2000 year,” wrote Steven McNulty, community relations supervisor.

The company’s handsome donation helped bring Tuesday’s total to $24,953, for a total so far of $186,785.94.

We’re a little more than halfway toward our goal of $425,000 - but there are only 10 days before Christmas weekend. So, while our band is growing, it needs to balloon in the next few days.

And the money is already being put to good use. The Christmas Bureau served 881 people Tuesday, bringing the two-day total to 1,966. Food vouchers amounted to $34,170 and 1,492 toys and books were handed out. Visitors to the bureau also received 1,459 bags of candy.

Things were a little slower at the bureau than on opening day; the Rev. Frank Back of Catholic Charities attributes that to the cold weather.

The bureau will be open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 weekdays until Dec. 22. Hours will be extended until 6:30 p.m. on Thursday to help working parents who can’t make it during the day.

Others contributing in Tuesday’s count included an anonymous donor of $2,000, and another for $1,500 with the note, “We’re happy that we are able to help.” There were two checks given anonymously in one envelope - one check for $1,000 and another for $400.

Kilgore Construction Inc., Colbert, made a gift of $1,000, with this lovely note from Jeffrey J. Kilgore, president:

“With so much more to be grateful for than we are deserving, Kilgore Construction Inc., on behalf of all its employees, would like to share our spoils with those less fortunate, that they may be freed of their daily worries and be able to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our savior.”

Kearsley Construction, Veradale, contributed $750 to our cause; Kent and Linda Hull gave $600; and an anonymous donor gave $520, with: “We have been blessed this year and wish to share our blessings.”

The Ladies of Sadir Khan Grotto mailed a check for $500 with this note: “Every year we look forward to helping this wonderful cause. All children should have a happy Christmas and we hope this will help.”

There were two anonymous gifts of $500, one in memory of the donor’s parents, sisters and husband. Sharon Boyer, 1604 E. Gordon, contributed $400.

Here’s a fun letter:

“The Gonzaga Prep Boys Varsity Boys Basketball Team and their coaches raised $375 by Christmas caroling prior to a team dinner for the players. The boys would like to thank John and Jane Schreiner, Don and Valena Curran, Marty and Bobbie Salina, Rich and Barb Understock, Paul and Joan Caskey, Tom and Wendy Weiler, Tom and Wanda Cox, Scott and Shari Simpson, and Gary and Susan Bloom for their generous donations.”

Yeah team!

The Freeman Education Association of School District 358 sent $358 and appreciates “knowing that it will give Christmas to ‘our’ kids!”

Amy and Gordon Teel, 6514 S. Devonshire Court, donated $300, as did K. Wendell and Mary Ann Reugh, 4814 S. St. Andrews Lane, with this note: “May your efforts truly bless those who look to you for hope during the holiday season.”

An anonymous donor contributed $250, as did Dennis Kelsh, 700 W. Seventh, who wrote: “Thank you for reminding us of our obligation to the larger Spokane community and for sponsoring the fund that makes Christmas a joy for so many.”

Gifts of $200 came from L. Roger and Barbara Tompkins, 16313 N. Pittsburg Lane; Edward and Eunice Loskot, 620 N. Willow Crest Lane; Eric and Judy Spangenberg, Pullman; and Bruce and Ann Dentler, 7711 N. Panorama Drive, who wrote: “We have been blessed with many gifts and want to share with the community. Thank you with your effort to make this possible.”

There also was an anonymous $200 donation made “in memory of my mother, Dorothy Gordon, who loved Christmas.”

Barry and Carole Jones, 1914 E. 25th, gave $150, as did Richard and Lauretta Byrd, 1620 E. 27th; William and Beverly Bell, 12024 E. 20th; and an anonymous donor, made “in memory of my husband and other loved ones.”

Gifts of $100 came from Spokane Urology, 234 E. Rowan; R. David and Rosslyn Manning, Veradale; Del and Ruth Mattix, Veradale, for “those in need. God bless them”; Ken and Kay Anderson, 1912 E. 24th; Bob, Mary and Jeff Morgan, the Roger Morgan family and the Terri Coombs family; and Phyllis Robinson, 7878 N. Wilding Drive, “in memory of my infant twin grandsons.” She also added this encouraging P.S.: I know you will reach the goal again this year.”

Ron and Diane Kaufman, 5015 S. Woodfield Lane, gave $100, as did Dick and Donnie Day, 7808 N. Morton; Leona and Earl King, 12312 E. Southwood Lane; Lowell and Frances Stack, 1807 W. Liberty; Michael and Ione Howson, 6110 W. Shawnee; Kathy and Verna Aplin, Liberty Lake; and Averil Goff, a longtime Christmas Fund friend and a former Spokane resident now living in Milwaukie, Ore. We hope you’re well.

Other $100 gifts came from Chris, Andrea and Luke, Spokane; the staff of Dr. Dennis Freuen, 9671 N. Nevada, contributed in his name; Tana Dugan, 612 S. Lincoln; Bill and Yoko Pelloux, Nine Mile Falls; Doris Caldwell, 2929 S. Waterford Drive; William Fisher, 4403 W. Winston Court; Vic and Lea Jones, 6605 N. Elizabeth; and the Inland Northwest Free-thought Society, a chapter of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, with this note from Doranne Miller, secretary/treasurer: “We believe, in the spirit of the winter holiday season, that charity to the less fortunate transcends the religious and the nonreligious alike.”

Donald and Mariann Heinemann, 1031 S. Primrose Lane, gave $100, as did Eric and Beth Calkins, 452 W. 25th; Ty and Diane Wick, 4515 S. Gillis Road; Peter and Marylou Bach, Spokane; Gary and Andrea Gunning, 124 W. 31st; Anna and Robert Waldron, 3104 S. Waterford Crest Lane; Carrie and Lillian, Spokane; Sherryl L. Leslie Thompson, 601 W. Main, in memory of her father, Alva Summers; and the Empire Lumber Co., with this note:

“Those in the forest products industry understand the difficult times. Empire Lumber would now like to revive its tradition of foregoing its Christmas lunch in order to help our neighbors.”

Welcome back.

Other $100 gifts came from Mary Howard, 2707 E. 37th; Earl and Elaine Shaw, 16805 McMahan Road; the Bill Molsberry Family Dental Care, 4407 N. Division; Fire Specialities Co., 3933 E. Boone; Frank Ignazzitto, 1719 S. Rockwood Blvd.; Jack and Gloria Felgenhauer, 10803 E. 25th; and the Spokane-area Retired Educators Foundation, which contributes to a number of community organizations, wrote Elva Mote, president.

There were 11 anonymous $100 donations, including one with a note: “Thanks for making the privilege of giving so worthwhile.” One was made “in memory of my dear husband and beautiful granddaughter who loved to help the less fortunate.” And another who wrote of her appreciation to the Christmas Fund’s “staff and volunteers for doing such a wonderful job of helping to make Christmas special for so many people.”