Fund serves fewer this year
The Christmas Bureau closed for the year on Friday, but already volunteer chairperson Bruce Butler was thinking ahead to next year and ways to improve on creating a merry Christmas for the Inland Northwest needy.
“This year went very smoothly,” he said. “We had a steady stream of people through Friday afternoon. After the first week, we were trying to figure out what was going on with the number of people. We thought maybe the economy is improving and maybe some had better jobs.”
About 12 percent fewer people came to the Christmas Bureau the first week than came during the same period last year. But by the end of the second week, the gap had closed to a 5 percent year-to-year difference. This year, 30,362 needy people were served by the bureau; last year 32,047 were helped. The number of families given food vouchers this year was also down more than 5 percent, but the family sizes were a little larger as $274,385 in vouchers was distributed, just 4 percent less than last year.
What does this mean in terms of the donations needed to pay the bills? Not a lot, says Butler. The bureau distributed 15,210 toys to children this year, at a cost of more than $200,000. Organizers estimated $500,000 would be needed to cover the charity effort, the same as last year. Donations fell short of expenditures last year. The Christmas Fund collected $482,935 and the Christmas Bureau spent $493,278.
So, the effort continues. Today, the Christmas Fund total is $313,466.87, thanks to donations of $10,864. The fund will continue to welcome donations of all amounts through Dec. 30.
The following are the donations and the donors from today’s tally:
Kelly and Ian Scott, of Newman Lake, gave $1,500, as did T.W. Clark Construction, of Spokane, and an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.
Wagstaff, Inc., of Spokane, donated $1,000.
Creighton Engineering Inc., of Spokane, sent $700.
Les and Lyn Wolff, of Mica, Wash., donated $500, as did Vincent and Marian Rogers, of Spokane, and an anonymous donor, of Spokane, who gave in memory of family and loved ones.
An anonymous donor, of Chattaroy, Wash., sent $300.
The office of Parks Medical Corporation, of Spokane, donated $300, as did Claude and Mabel Mitson, of Spokane Valley.
Joan and Lawrence Peden, of Spokane, donated $250.
Ronald and Sandra Willcocks, of Spokane, gave $200.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $150.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $104.
Dave and Dawn Voelker, of Spokane Valley, donated $100, as did Robert and Ruth Jensen, Darlene and Mel Griffith, Virginia Robinette and Catherine Lundberg, all of Spokane.
Mike, Jenny, Cody and Zachary Wymore, of Spokane, donated $100, as did Daniel and Tracy Melka, of Mead, Mike and Giff Marleau, of Liberty Lake; and an anonymous donor, of Spokane. An anonymous donor, of Spokane Valley, gave $100 in memory of “Mom, Dad and Judy.”
Beverly Joplin, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of her parents, Charles and Elma Porter, “who really believed that Christmas is all about children, and that all children should be loved.”
Cain and Jack Martin, of Spokane, donated $50, as did Jane Courtright, Michael and Sandra Povich, and an anonymous donor, all of Spokane.
Curt and Mary Jo Lorenz, of Chattaroy, Wash., donated $30.
Lyle Dean and Rosalie Lueck, of Anacortes, Wash., donated $50 in memory of Blanche and Frank Lueck.
D.E. Fairburn, of Spokane, donated $25, as did the Redmon family, Judith and William Anderson, and Vickie Borer, all of Spokane.
Mary and James Berry, of Spokane Valley, sent $20, as did Gil and Ginger Kleweno, Mel and Judy Kleweno, and an anonymous donor, all of Spokane.