Doctors donate $10,000 to fund
The community continues to demonstrate its generosity in many ways during this Christmas season. A $10,000 donation from the physicians at Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists, of Spokane, gave the Christmas Fund a big boost.
“Happy holidays and warm greetings as we kick off the season of giving,” wrote Dr. Douglas Norquist. “With this $10,000 contribution, the physicians at Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists would like to take this opportunity to support the endeavors of the staff at the Christmas Fund, and express our best wishes to the entire Spokane community. We believe that the Christmas Fund represents the true spirit of what a community is all about – giving back to those in need. We thank you for helping others and inspiring community sharing that we believe make the holidays most enjoyable.”
While donations to the Christmas Fund are needed to reach the goal of $485,000 and pay for the toys and food vouchers distributed at the Christmas Bureau, community members also donate to the charity is other ways.
When a truck needed to haul tables and chairs to the bureau broke down on move-in day, Wayne Gibson, the owner of L&M Truck Sales, stepped in with a 24-foot truck and a driver.
“It saved us eight hours during setup,” said volunteer Karl Speltz.
Another substantial donation in services came from Ken Quimby, owner of LCD, and Clint and Cheryl Branz, owners of Jim Custer Enterprises. For the fourth year, they teamed up to erect metal frames and red-and-white drapes to divide the Christmas Bureau into a toy room, book and child-care, identification and computer areas, and to control foot traffic.
“Cheryl and I volunteered here five years and we saw a way we could help,” Clint Branz said.
The same drapes are used at the Jim Custer Enterprises Arts & Crafts Show in early December at the fairgrounds. Branz said they simply move them to the Ag Building.
“It only takes us a couple of hours to set them up and an hour to take them down,” he said.
Branz created a binder of photos, diagrams and directions for setup for the bureau, “just in case something happens to us,” he said. “I have a copy and the bureau director has a copy. It specifies the setup down to the square foot.”
He and his wife also volunteer four or five days during the bureau operation. “That way we see the emotional impact of what goes on here. There are no grouches here,” Branz said.
The bureau will be open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, except Sunday, through Dec. 21. Yesterday, volunteers gave grocery store vouchers totaling $25,855 to 875 needy families and 1,462 poor children got Christmas toys.
Many more generous donations to the Christmas Fund are needed to pay for this holiday charity. The daily tally reached $21,344, bringing the fund to $230,853.
Following are the additional donations and their donors (online donations are subject to a 3.2 percent PayPal fee):
Consolidated Billing Services, Inc., of Spokane, gave $3,000. “Please put this money toward helping those in need this holiday season,” wrote Bill Ulrich, President and CEO of Consolidated Billing Services. “Traditionally, my company has used this money in the form of client gifts at the holidays. This year, I am starting a new tradition. While I greatly appreciate each and every client, I hope they will agree that this money is put to a better use by helping those less fortunate. I encourage other Spokane businesses to do the same.”
The staff and owners of Taylor Engineering, Inc., also donated $3,000. “We are once again pleased to contribute to your annual program. It is such an important and worthy tradition in our community. Thanks for all of your donated time, energy and caring. Here’s wishing all of you and yours the very best of holidays,” wrote partners Mark Aronson, Ron Pace, Chris Mansfield, Dave Larsen, Stan Stirling and Mike Taylor.
Fasteners, Inc., of Spokane, donated $1,000.
Keith, Debbie, Tanner and Ben Comes, donated $500, “in hopes that all of Spokane’s children enjoy a merry Christmas.”
The Woman’s Club of Spokane sent $300 and a note: “As we celebrate our 100th anniversary as a club for women in the Spokane area, it is fitting that we honor all of our past presidents who have guided us through the years with this donation.”
Dick and Trudy Raymond, of Spokane, sent $300 in memory of their parents, Tom and Marie Raymond and Don and Winnie Thomson.
James and Linda Solan, of Spokane, donated $250.
Robert, Lori, Austin, Amanda and Amelie Dixon, of Spokane, donated $240 in memory of their grandfather Henry Tiano.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $200 and a note: “As volunteers at the Christmas Bureau, we have witnessed our fellow citizens putting words into action. The spirit of giving is alive and well with each one of the volunteers. We applaud their efforts and all of the donors to the Christmas Fund.”
Students at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, of Spokane, donated $143.48. “It is our hope that this will help provide some holiday cheer to someone in need,” they wrote.
Loretta Bremer, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of her husband, mother, sister and brother. Lou Sherry sent $100 in honor of his grandkids, Lexi and Michael Smith.
Don Morse, of Spokane Valley, donated $100, as did Marion DeGroat, also of Spokane Valley; Linda and Gary Faire, Del and Donna Topoll, Darroll and Darlene Waller, Carol Seim, Wayne and Janice Swanson, Thomas and Elaine Pitzer, and two anonymous donors, all of Spokane.
Elizabeth DeNiro donated $96.80 via PayPal.
Yvonne Hayes, of Spokane Valley, sent $80 in memory of her mother, Georgia Niemi, “who passed away on Christmas Eve 2004. She, too, believed in this fund very much. God bless you all who give so much for the special ones in need.”
Mary Bemis, of Spokane, donated $70.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $65.
Laura and Steven Nestoss, of Greenacres, gave $50, as did Charmaine Tijssen, of Bayview, Idaho; Hank and Dorothy Rittierodt, and an anonymous donor, all of Spokane.
Ben Schudel, Jr. gave $50 in memory of his wife, Ruthann Schudel.
An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $25.
Rolf Walling, of Spokane, sent $20.
Melissa Voelker donated $4.55 via PayPal.