Foundry donates $25,000 to charity

The owners and employees of Travis Pattern & Foundry have demonstrated their generosity once again with a donation of $25,000 to the Christmas Fund. The Spokane company has been a consistent and generous donor to the fund over the years.

President Travis Garske wrote: “The owners and employees of Travis Pattern & Foundry again wish to donate the funds that we would have spent on a Christmas party to your fund. We are very pleased to enclose a check in the amount of $25,000. We hope we can help make Christmas a little brighter for some Spokane families. We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a great new year in 2006.”

The generous donation and others, totaling $53,355.12, boosted the Christmas Fund to $251,834.17. It’s still well short of the goal of $485,000. The fund pays for the toys and food vouchers given to needy families at the Christmas Bureau. The bureau, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, closes for the season at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. The fund goal is the amount that bureau organizers estimate will be needed to pay the bills. The fund will continue to take donations through Dec. 28.

Following are the other donors and their donations:

A.J. Joe and Julie, of Spokane, donated $5,000, as did Carol and Gerald Santantonio, also of Spokane.

Beth and Jim Brasch, of Spokane, donated $5,000 and included a note: “We have joyously supported this fund for many years, wanting others to have a happier Christmas and be with family. This year I am volunteering at the bureau for three days and it has really opened my eyes to the whole process. What I most appreciate is the nonjudgmental attitude of the volunteers and the grace and kindness shown to all. We are a blessed community here and we are proud to be part of it. Thanks for all your hard work.”

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $2,000.

Panco Construction, of Spokane, donated $1,500.

The employees and management of DuPree Building Specialties, of Spokane, sent $1,200 and a note: “The employees of DuPree Building Specialties donated $600 on behalf of their employers, Mike Leslie and Dave Barber. In turn the company is matching these funds. Please accept our thanks for continuing to run such a wonderful program.”

Kevin West, of Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., in Spokane, sent $700 and a letter: “On behalf of the West/Tollett team at Smith Barney, I’d like to present a check of $700 for the Christmas Fund. In lieu of client gifts, we’d prefer to give this money to those in need in our community. We’re thankful to our clients, both old and new, and also to The Spokesman-Review for providing such a great resource to the Inland Northwest. Lastly, thank you to the countless volunteers that make this happen.”

Tipke Manufacturing Co., of Spokane, sent $500 and a letter: “Thank you for all that you do for our community, and also many thanks to all the people who volunteer their time to make this happen. We are pleased for the opportunity to help.”

Mark and Jessie Bekken, of Spokane, donated $500, as did an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

Tim and Sally Quirk, of Spokane, sent $300.

Myron and Marjorie Decker, of Spokane, donated $250.

David and Sharen Robertson, of Spokane, gave $250 in memory of their grandson, Austin McKenzie.

Maleki Technologies Inc., of Spokane, gave $250, as did TEK Manufacturing Inc., of Spokane Valley.

Tan Johnstone, of Spokane, donated $241.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $200 in memory of their son, Jack. Two anonymous donors, also of Spokane, each donated $200.

Mary Ann Cooley, of Cheney, sent $200 and a letter: “I want to donate in memory of my husband, ‘Cooley,’ who was killed in a helicopter crash two years ago in August. He was very generous and would be happy to know that this money would help someone have a better Christmas. Thank you for doing this for all the people in our community that are less fortunate. It is a great gift.”

Larsen Financial Corp., and CPEWorld Inc., of Spokane donated $200.

Daniel and Annette Simonson, of Spokane, gave $200 in memory of Stewart, Kent and Dorothy Simonson.

Brian Michaelson, of Liberty Lake, donated $175.

Margaret Miller, of Spokane, donated $125.

Virginia Harger, of Spokane, donated $100, as did John and Nancy Davies, the White Rose Chapter, Melanie Johnson, Clausen Marketing, Robert Murphy and Claire Rudolf Murphy, Sharon Grimmer, Rachel and Benjamin Bucklin, Harry and Marguerite Sladich, and an anonymous donor, all of Spokane.

Pete Sherve, of Northport, Wash., gave $100, as did Lorraine Queener, of Spokane Valley; Jean Thomas, of Veradale; Scott and Connie Brunell, of Spangle, Wash.; and Tom and Debra Daniel, of Nine Mile Falls.

Bob and Lucy Kumpon, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of their granddaughter, Mackenzie Tate Watson. Frank and Judy Nearing, of Spokane, donated $100, in memory of their mothers, Elizabeth Baker and Margarette Arnold. Mary Cameron, of Spokane, donated $100 in lieu of exchanging gifts with friends.

Gary Danks, of Spokane, sent $75, as did Meredith and Leslie Hilby, of Liberty Lake; and an anonymous donor, of Spokane.

Dan Coyle and Valerie Smith, of Spokane, donated $50, as did Richard and Judith Gammon, Allen and Susan Hoover, Joyce and Ralph Prouty, Rovella Vawter, Marcie and Martin Lund, James and Deborah Repp, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane; John and Kathleen Roche, of Liberty Lake; John and Bev Johnson, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane Valley; Don and Linda Early, of Cheney; and Lorin Love, of Mead.

William Stewart, of Spokane, donated $50 in memory of Albert Lee Olson and Arna Lindquist Olson, from their daughter Donna Olson Stewart.

Margaret Pansie, of Spokane, gave $50 in memory of her husband, Dick Pansie. John Remund, of Spokane, donated $50 in memory of his wife, Jean Remund.

Steve and Kathleen Kellen, of Spokane, gave $50 in memory of Judith Harrison.

Sally Faraca, of Spokane Valley, sent $40.

Laura Slentz, of Spokane, sent $30, as did Connie Vetter, and an anonymous donor, also both of Spokane; Gordon and Judy Landberg, of Spokane Valley; Doug and Cherie Foss, of Spokane, in memory of her dad, George L. Poston Jr.

Judith and William Anderson, of Spokane, gave $25, as did Floyd Stewart, of Loon Lake, Wash.; an anonymous donor, also of Spokane; and Ann Carey and Patty Rabel, of Spokane, in memory of their father, Ken Rabel.

Anonymous donors, of Coeur d’Alene, sent $20 and a note: “We are sorry we can’t give more this year. We are newlyweds just starting out and on a tight budget. Hope this helps.”

Melvin and Shirley Pryor, of Spokane, donated $20, as did Tim and Alice Vaughan, Mary Hole, and an anonymous donor, also all of Spokane; and Agnes Rablin, of Cheney.

Michael Alegria gave $19.12 through PayPal.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $10.