Recipients grateful for generosity

Today, more than 9,000 needy families are enjoying a merrier Christmas, thanks to a generous Inland Northwest community.

Many of the recipients expressed their gratitude as they left the Christmas Bureau in mid-December with food vouchers, toys and Christmas candy. Others sent thank-you notes to the newspaper and agencies that joined with the Christmas Fund – Catholic Charities, Volunteers of America and the Salvation Army.

“A heartfelt thank you for the Christmas gifts,” wrote one recipient. “I feel blessed to live in such a caring community.”

The bureau gave out food vouchers worth $274,355 and 15,210 toys. To pay the bills, the Christmas Fund will continue to welcome donations of all amounts through Thursday.

A generous donation of $12,154 from Huppin’s Hi-Fi, Photo and Video/OneCall.com brought the Thursday tally to $33,795.78. The tally bumped the Christmas Fund to $460,930.43. Because The Spokesman-Review accounting department took Friday off for the holiday, donations received Christmas Eve and next week will be reported in the final Christmas Fund story of the season, on New Year’s Day.

Our goal is $500,000, the estimated amount needed to meet the costs of this year’s Christmas Bureau.

“Each year the entire Huppin’s Hi-Fi, Photo and Video/OneCall.com team looks forward to the opportunity to share our blessings through the Christmas Fund. The Spokane community has been very good to us and we are privileged to participate in this important program,” wrote company president Murray Huppin.

While the Christmas charity depends heavily on financial donations, the bureau coordinator at Catholic Charities, Karen Orlando, also wanted to express thanks to all of those volunteers who work behind the scenes.

“The Christmas Bureau relied on 250 community volunteers to bring Christmas to families in need in our community,” said Orlando. “I want to thank each of our wonderful volunteers. They were enthusiastic, gracious to our recipients and flexible. For their hard work and dedication, I am truly grateful.”

“How do you say thank you for the gift of time during the busiest month of the year?” added Catholic Charities director Donna Hanson. “Catholic Charities, Salvation Army and the Volunteers of America have a crew of volunteers unmatched around the world.”

And Spokesman-Review readers continue to be the backbone of this holiday tradition.

The following are the donations and the donors for today’s tally (online donations, with service charges deducted, are indicated with an asterisk):

Contributions by the employees of Downtown Toyota, Honda and Lexus were matched by the company to bring the donation to $8,400. “All of us here at Downtown Toyota, Honda and Lexus appreciate having a fund like The Spokesman-Review fund to donate to. It is nice to know that many families and children benefit from the donations,” wrote David Coombs.

Contributions from the employees at Garco Construction, along with matching contributions, brought their donation to $3,500.

An anonymous donor of Spokane gave $2,000.

The employees of the Spokane Public Schools Maintenance, Warehouse, Facility Services and Purchasing departments donated $1,006. “While we take pride in supporting public education in Spokane on a daily basis, it is with glad hearts that we also support this very worthy and necessary endeavor within our community. Your efforts to bring a ray of happiness to others each Christmas is a tremendous opportunity for our community to come together and help our own,” they wrote.

Nicolle, Cortney and Mike Altringer, of Spokane, donated $1,000.

The employees of L&M Truck Sales, Inc., donated $750 in memory of company founders, Marvin D. Littell and Lonnie Shaw. “We wish to thank The Spokesman-Review for your gracious effort during the holiday season and hope that this contribution makes the holiday season a little brighter for those in need,” they wrote.

Marcy Few donated $485.20.*

Employees of Lancer Ltd., and Prestige Travel, with matching funds, donated $346.

TriState Rebar, of Spokane, gave $250.

Diane and Einar Larson, of Almira, Wash., donated $245.

The Domineys, of Spokane, sent $200, as did an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

Advantage Physical Therapy, of Spokane, donated $134.

The staff of Garry Middle School, of Spokane, donated $130.

Margaret and Vincent Moore, of Spokane, donated $125.

Virgil and Madelyn Dedas, of Spokane, donated $100, as did Jess and Anne Walter, of Spokane; Maurice and Rosemary Twomey, of Round Lake, Fla.; Tom and Christine Hamilton, of Colbert; Phillip and Marilyn Sandberg; Donnelda Swartley, Donna and John Leaming, Jack Allen, and Jamie Harris, all of Spokane.

Susan and Keith Jackson, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of their sweet kitty, Quentin.

Patricia Davis, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of H. Earl Davis. Austin Enman, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of his son Terry Enman. Harry Sparks, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of Howard W. Mahoney and companion and sons, and the Pelleberg family.

The Norlen family, of Deer Park, sent $100 in memory of May Ideta.

Brian Smith gave $96.80.*

Paul and Judy Ashley, of Spokane, gave $75 in memory of Gary, Mike and Maria Ashley.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, donated $70 in memory of Teresa Risse

An anonymous donor left $53.78 at the newspaper.

Stanley and Jeanne Berger, of Spokane, donated $50, as did Charles and Judy Smith, of Spokane; Darrell and Frances Shoquist, of Spokane Valley; William and Sieglende Rice, also of Spokane; Linda and Michael Thompson, of Veradale; and an anonymous donor.

Two Spokane dogs, Dante and Custos, gave $50. “As dogs, we love people,” they noted.

Sally Swoffer, of Spokane, donated $50, as did Donald and Annetta Farr, J.J. and L. Stella DeBarros, of Spokane; and Richard Spear, of Spokane, in memory of James Mickey and Nancy Spear.

Lois Snider, of Spokane, gave $50 in memory of her fellow VFW Post 21 Auxiliary sisters who died recently, Elaine Raivo, Dorothy Lilly and Lue Leinen.

Nick and Lois Chalich, of Liberty Lake, gave $30, as did an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

Robert Strupp, of Liberty Lake, gave $25, as did William and Barbara Washkoska, of Spokane Valley; Virginia and Willbann Terpening, of Spokane; the Lucas family, of Spokane Valley; the McCoy family, of Veradale; and Violet and Bunky Howe, of Spokane; and Heather McFarland, also of Spokane.

Marissa Wilhite, a sixth-grader at Adams Elementary School, sent $25. “I saved my pennies so some other child might have a good Xmas,” she wrote.

Bob Himes, of Spokane, gave $20, as did L.M. and Janet Kuntz, of Spokane, Mason McCuddin and H.A. McFarland, of Spokane and an anonymous donor.

Hosey Horton, of Spokane, donated $15.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $2.