Returning the favor

Thousands of generous people and businesses include The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund in their holiday traditions. Most mail checks; a few bring their donations to one of the newspaper’s offices. For some, the Christmas Fund is one of many causes to which they donate. Others support this particular cause because of a connection to the Christmas Bureau or because of memories of hardship as children.

Gunhild Clegg wrote of her memories of the kindness of strangers when she was a child in a note that accompanied her donation last week.

“I grew up in Rossland, B.C., and we had hard times in the ‘30s,” she said. Her father got on a bus every morning and was taken down the mountain to the smelter in Trail, B.C., and returned on the bus at night.

“I was about 5 and had three sisters. My parents had come from Scandinavia and didn’t speak English. My mother did what she had to do to take care of us.

“On Christmas, there was a knock on the door and when my mother opened it, there was a box of oranges, apples and toys on the doorstep. We never saw who brought the box, but it was so special. We couldn’t believe the treasures. People were very generous.”

Clegg donates to the Christmas Fund so she can help someone else’s Christmas be happy now, she said.

The Christmas Fund pays for the toys and food vouchers at the Christmas Bureau to make the holiday a little brighter for needy families.

Clegg is not the only donor whose childhood inspires generosity during this season.

Thelma Ostby and her sister Gladys Gossitt have been donating together to the Christmas Fund for about two decades, she said.

“Our family came here in 1936 from North Dakota. There were 12 of us. Five girls, five boys and our parents. There were really hard times back there,” she said.

Her father left in the spring to go halibut fishing off the coast of Alaska and British Columbia and returned in the fall. “That’s how he made his living all those years,” Ostby said. There are just seven siblings left but she said times are still a little hard for her older sister, Gladys. Ostby, who is 75, takes Gladys, who is 85, out to lunch often. Together they donated to the Christmas Fund. “We’ve been doing this quite a while,” she said.

Jay and Jan Rudd have also been writing checks to the Christmas Fund for a couple of decades. “We’ve only missed once or twice in 20 years, and that’s because time just passed by and we missed the chance,” said Jan Rudd.

Their motivation? Jay Rudd’s uncle, Ken Trent, was instrumental in the charity for many years, to the point his name is synonymous with the Christmas Bureau for many people.

“When I was dating Jay he made a comment one time about his uncle being Ken Trent and I couldn’t believe it,” said Jan Rudd. “Ken never talked about what he was doing with all the charities. He was a private man, but he was amazing. After I married Jay, I realized that Jay’s father, Wally, spent every December at the Christmas Bureau. He would just disappear for the entire month.”

Jan Rudd said they still want to be a part of the effort and for now, that means donating money.

Yvonne Hayes also donates to the fund because it’s the only way she can be involved. “I’m 74 and can’t get out to the place to help. I wish I could.”

This year she combined her donation with her mother’s. “Last year my mother made out her check to the fund all by herself; she was in a nursing home.” Her mother, Georgia Niemi, died on Christmas Eve; she was 96.

Hayes said she tries to give to as many local charities as possible. “I saw coupons in the paper for a free turkey if you spent $100 at Fred Meyer. Every time I saw the coupon, I went over there and did my Christmas shopping and got the turkey; they were 23-pounders. Then I took them to the food bank. I’ve already taken three turkeys to the food bank.”

Generous donations have boosted the Christmas Fund to $119,603.80. Much more is needed if the fund is to reach the goal of $485,000. Donations of all amounts are welcomed.

Following are the donors and their donations, which brought the daily tally to $6,865:

A generous donation of $2,500 by Redhill Forest Products, of Hayden Lake, Idaho, included a letter: “God has blessed this company and my family in so many ways,” wrote Redhill president Daniel Green. “We are happy to be able to share those blessings with people that are less fortunate. Thank you for your help in distributing this money to people that need some help.”

Michael Altringer, of Spokane, donated $1,000.

Helen Mitchel, of Spokane, sent $400.

Eugene and Selma Young, of Spokane, gave $345.

Lowell and Betty Brooks, of Spokane, donated $300.

Sandra Hatch, of Spokane, donated $200.

Michael and Doreen Lewis, of Spokane Valley, sent $125.

The Wednesday Bridge Club, of Spokane, donated $100, as did Lee and Kathryn Irving, of Spokane Valley; Jerry and Darlene Ashby, of Spokane; Dorothy Hart, of Spokane Valley; Joan Peden, of Spokane; and Jim and Shirley Pugh, of Coeur d’Alene.

Charlotte Campbell, of Spokane, sent $100 in memory of her daughter, Janice, and husband, Bruce.

Gail Harper, of Spokane, gave $100, as did Margaret Cunningham, Pamela Comstock, Mary Louise Howard, and Sharon Grimmer, all of Spokane.

Tom and Elaine, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of their parents. Bob and Lucy Kumpon, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of their granddaughter, Mackenzie Tate Watson.

Linda and Gary Faire, of Spokane, sent $100, as did Mark, Sheena and Kyle Hoover, of Spokane; and R.J. and Marise Textor, of Veradale.

Rovella Vawter, of Spokane, donated $50, as did Gary Fiscus, of Liberty Lake, and an anonymous donor, of Spokane.

A donation of $30 by Thelma Ostby of Chattaroy, Wash., and her sister, Gladys Gossitt, of Spokane, included a note: “Now that it is getting cold, we can’t help but think of the many needy families. Thanks to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund, we know many families will have a full stomach and a gift for each child. It is a pleasure to be part of this giving.”

Cynthia and Stephen LeBlanc, of Spokane, gave $25, as did Thomas and Shannon Frasher, and Janis Martin, both of Spokane; and Darrell and Judith Shane, of Veradale.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $15.