Christmas Bureau needs some student volunteers

Although the Christmas Bureau organizers have more than 200 volunteers lined up to work at the holiday charity at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, they still need 30 more high school or college students for Dec. 17-21.

More than 40 students from Rogers, Gonzaga Prep and Lewis and Clark high schools are scheduled to work at the bureau as service projects, says bureau coordinator Theresa Dryden. The students help recipients carry bags of toys to their vehicles, or staff the child care area while parents are in the toy rooms selecting their toys.

The bureau opens Saturday morning and organizers expect to give the fixings of a brighter Christmas to more than 30,000 poor people by the time the charity closes Dec. 21.

The needy are given a grocery store voucher, a bag of Christmas candy, and a new toy and book for every child. Donations to the Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund pay for the vouchers and toys.

A generous donation of $7,500 from Kim Hotstart Manufacturing Co., bolstered the day’s tally of $19,722.

“Please accept this check on behalf of all the employees of Kim Hotstart Manufacturing Co.,” wrote Rick Robinson, chief executive officer of Kim Hotstart. “I know that all of our employees and the community appreciate your effort to help those less fortunate than us during this holiday season,” he continued.

The donations brought the fund to $67,199. That’s still well short of the goal of $485,000, the estimated amount needed to pay the bills this year.

Donations of all amounts are welcome. While thousands of generous donors give financially, a number of local companies give to the charity by helping with the bureau operation. For the second year, Earthworks Recycling will pick up and recycle all of the cardboard from the hundreds of toy boxes, a value of about $250, says Earthworks Recycling co-owner Jerry Schrock.

“I had not been to the bureau before last year and I didn’t realize what a big operation it is,” said Schrock, who started Earthworks 27 years ago with his sister, Jeri Haley.

While bureau organizers have three more days before the bureau opens, Dryden says there’s much to be done. One of the trucks scheduled to pick up the bureau’s chairs and tables from storage has broken down and Dryden is arranging alternate transport. She’s also eager to hear from students willing to volunteer. Interested students should call Dryden at Catholic Charities at (509) 358-4254, or e-mail her at tdryden@ccspokane.org.

Following are additional donations and their donors (PayPal retains a 3.2 percent fee from donations made online):

Charles Haywood, of Spokane, donated $1,000, as did Lynn Taylor, of Athol; D. and J., of Spokane Valley, and dentist James Mengert and his staff, of Spokane.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $1,000 in memory of Amy Davenport’s 28th birthday.

Judith Hudson, of Spokane, donated $500 in memory of her husband, Mac Hudson. “This was always a favorite cause of ours,” she wrote.

Ryan Baddeley, of Liberty Lake, sent $500.

Peter and Mary Lou Bach, of Spokane, donated $300.

Bill and Susan Mulvihill, of Spokane, sent $250 and a note: “Giving to our community is both a joy and privilege for us. We hope this will help brighten the holidays for those families who can use a little help to make this Christmas more special.”

Peter and Sharon Fairchild, of Liberty Lake, gave $250, as did Erotique Boutique on East Wellesley Avenue.

Barry and Carole Jones, of Spokane, donated $250, “in appreciation for the many blessings received by our family and our seven grandchildren.”

Scott and Shannon Sevigny donated $242.45 through PayPal.

Alfred and Mae Schaeffer sent $200, as did Franklin and Linda Browne, and Gregory and Alice Prekeges, all of Spokane.

The South Side Newcomers, of Spokane, sent $200 and a note: “We feel privileged to be able to donate to such a worthy cause.”

Ann Waltman, of Spokane Valley, sent $175 and a note: “In hopes of making someone else’s Christmas a little better this year, I am giving to the Christmas Fund rather than giving to my children and adult grandchildren,” she wrote.

Dick Shane, of Spokane, sent $157 in memory of Lucille Shane, “who loved this time of year and your worthy project,” he wrote.

Catherine Lundberg, of Spokane, donated $130.

Helen Bell, of Spokane, donated $100, as did Mike Rhodes, Eric and Marian Anderson, David and Evelyn DeFoe, Lois Richards, Percy Lynch Jr. and Molly Lynch, and Roger Palmberg, all of Spokane.

Leslie and Donna Dieckman, of Rathdrum, gave $100, as did Allan and Barbara Park, of Veradale, four anonymous donors, all of Spokane, and an anonymous donor, of Colbert.

John Hocking, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of Pauline Hocking.

Margaret Knapp, of Spokane, gave $100 in memory of the Johnson family.

J. Craig Sweat, of Spokane, sent $100 in memory of Bruce P. Sweat, “a kind and generous person.”

An anonymous donor gave $100 in memory of Patti Fowler.

Elinor Iverson, of Spokane, gave $100, as did Ray and Pat Long, Kathy and John McCarthy, and Linda Williamson, all of Spokane.

Thomas Hall, of Spokane, donated $96.80 through PayPal.

Bob and Amy Lutz, of Spokane, gave $75, as did Dermot and Shirley Ryan, also of Spokane.

Jim and Jackie Vroman, of Spokane, gave $50, as did Joan Pribnow, Lawrence Smith, Ewing and Olevia Page, Patricia Earley, Connie Vetter, Lane Klees, Bob and Pat Harland, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane.

Dale Stiteler, of Veradale, gave $50, as did Mary Benham, the Honors Program Coordinator at Eastern Washington University. Chuck and Judy Smith brought $50 to the newspaper office.

Vernon and Donna Knudsen, of Spokane, donated $48.25 through PayPal.

Harold and Marallis Pederson, of Spokane, gave $25, as did Donald Fairburn, and Ron and Toni Bell, all of Spokane, Wilson and Marilyn Stuckless, of Spokane Valley; Warren and Joni Omans, of Otis Orchards; and an anonymous donor, of Spokane.

The Garden Springs Happy Hour Club, of Spokane, sent $25 and a note: “Upon reading your paper, we notice that the Christmas Fund is indeed a community effort. It is wonderful to realize how the community comes together for such a worthwhile cause.”

Margaret Muat donated $23.97 through PayPal, as did Phillip Brown, of Greenacres.