Volunteers give time, books for children

Thousands of needy children get new toys at the Christmas Bureau, thanks to the generosity of the local community, but they also go home from the charity at the fairgrounds with new books.

The Volunteers of America, which partners with Catholic Charities to operate the bureau, donates 20,000 new children’s books to the effort.

The members of Alpha Delta Kappa, or ADK, a sorority of teachers from the Cheney school district, manage the children’s book giveaway at the Christmas Bureau.

The effort, however, begins in March each year, when about 60,000 books are delivered to the Volunteers of America. ADK members spend weeks sorting the books by topic and grade level, and boxing up the 20,000 that are bound for the Christmas Bureau. The remainder of the books are distributed through a number of other VOA programs.

Lynn Reilly, president of ADK, says the sorority, under the leadership of Tana Carosella, sets up the book area at the Christmas Bureau, staffs all 12 days of operation with volunteers and boxes up books that remain when the bureau closes.

“We get a lot of kids who are learning English as a second language and it’s nice for them to get a book as well as a toy for Christmas,” Reilly said.

But ADK’s efforts go beyond sorting and handing out the books at the bureau. Because the children’s books are all from Scholastic Books, an educational publisher, there are no books for children younger than 5.

Seeing a need for books for toddlers and pre-schoolers, the members of ADK bought several hundred board books for that age group. “If our members saw a sale on board books during the year, they bought them,” Reilly said.

The bureau will be open only through Friday to distribute the fixings of Christmas to the area’s poor families.

Tuesday, volunteers gave food vouchers totaling $19,145 to 708 families and distributed toys to 914 needy children.

Donations to the Christmas Fund, which pays for the food vouchers and toys, totaled $25,558, bringing the fund to $374,565. Donations of all amounts are welcome. Following are the donations and their donors:

Rick Betts, of Spokane, donated $2,427.20 via PayPal.

Max J. Kuney Co., of Spokane, donated $2,000.

Jamie M.Traeger, owner of JMA Commercial Real Estate, of Spokane Valley, sent $1,500 and a note: “We manage various properties in the Spokane area, including the Pinecroft Business Park, as well as provide leasing and brokerage services to our clients. During this holiday season, in lieu of giving gifts to our clients, customers and the tenants of the buildings we manage, I am making this donation on their behalf. I truly appreciate your efforts every year to provide as many local families as possible the means to have a happy holiday season,” wrote Traeger.

Lori Peters, of Liberty Lake, sent $1,000, as did the Spokane Shadle Lions Club, and an anonymous donor, of Spokane.

Wafford Conrad, of Spokane, donated $700 in memory of his wife, Enid.

Robert and Marian Cummings, of Spokane, donated $500, as did Inland Fastening Systems Inc., and Terry and Judy Sparrow, all of Spokane; and an anonymous donor, of Newman Lake. An anonymous donor, of Greenacres, gave $500 in memory of Delbert Carstens and Don Wolf.

An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $500, “in memory of her good family.”

Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church, of Spokane, sent $485 and a note: “It has been our custom for the past several years to provide Christmas dinners for those in our congregation as well as the community at large who would otherwise find it difficult to provide for themselves. We find, however, that we receive calls for holiday meals from other parts of the city for which our office staff has no means of validating. The Volunteers of America, as partners in the Christmas Bureau, is certainly more qualified than we are in meeting such needs. We therefore ask you to accept this donation as a means of meeting the needs of those whom we may refer to you during this Christmas season.”

James and Melissa Tipke, of Spokane, sent $400.

The staff of Spokane Urology donated $370. “We wish to express our appreciation for our physicians and honor their example of contributing to the greater community by donating to the Christmas Fund in their names: Dr. Corbett, Dr. Hollon, Dr. Henneberry, Dr. Mikkelsen, Dr. Fairchild, Dr. Alexianu, and Dr. Maxwell. Thank you for a great year and all that you do for and mean to us,” they wrote.

Eris Heggem, of Spokane Valley, donated $300, as did an anonymous donor, of Spokane, and an anonymous donor, of Chattaroy.

Gunhild Clegg, of Spokane, sent $300 and a note: “You add so much joy and fun for children and their families with your Christmas Fund. I don’t know who left the box of eye-popping goodies and toys on our doorstep many years ago, but I will never forget it.”

Carol Gabel and Mic Cochrane, of Spokane, sent $300. “Mic and I feel we are truly blessed, at Christmas and throughout the year. Please accept this donation to help others in our community have a merry Christmas,” they wrote.

The Harnetiaux family gave $300 on behalf of four generations of the family that called Spokane home. “It is our pleasure to give back to the community via the Christmas Fund,” they wrote.

Diane Notske, of Spokane, donated $291 via PayPal.

The Spokane Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Iota donated $260.

Steven and Lorrie McNutt, of Spokane, donated $250, as did James and Beverly Johnson, and an anonymous donor, all of Spokane, and Bruce and Carol Pierre, of Mead, in memory of their parents, John and Rosemary Bacon.

Harry and Donna Fuhs, of Spokane, donated $200, as did Daniel and Theresa Lennon, and Ned and Linda Barnes, all of Spokane. Robert Simpson, of Spokane, sent $200, “for blessings received and having Robin.”

The Inland Empire Mustang Club, of Spokane, donated $200.

“Every year we take monies we have collected throughout the year and donated it to local charities. The Christmas Fund was chosen by our members as one of the charities we would like to support. We believe the work you do to help improve our local community is very important, and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all you do,” wrote Mustang Club treasurer Scott Clark.

Beverly Waldron donated $193.90 via PayPal.

The Pinebluff Spotted Mule Ranch, of Nine Mile Falls, donated $160.

Sarah and Emma Vogelman, of Spokane, donated $150, as did Caldwell Concrete, of Veradale; and an anonymous donor, of Spokane.

The Jones family, of Veradale, gave $150, in memory of Marybelle Clark and Evelyn Phillips.

Michael and Doreen Lewis, of Spokane Valley, sent $126.

Irma Moore, of Spokane, sent $125 in memory of her former neighbor, Charlotte Jones.

The Woman’s Club of Spokane donated an additional $116, from their silver offering taking at a holiday brunch.

Donald and Eleanor Limmer, of Liberty Lake, donated $115.

John and Sherry Gaiser, of Spokane, sent $110.

Uma and Sankar Jayaram, of Pullman, Wash., donated $100, as did H.O. Wilson, of Greenacres; Deb and Ralph Prouty, Guy and Sylvia Perham, Donna and John Leaming, Covenant Women Ministries of the First Covenant Church, James and Leonette Hiller, William and Harriet Plucker, Bernard Habbestad, Delbert and Rojean Flory, and Tom and Mary Anna Bryan, all of Spokane.

Karen and Tom Dorsey, of Spokane Valley, donated $100, as did Brent Hoogner and Gay Waldman-Hoogner, Steven and Elizabeth Hitch, Vic and Lea Jones, Flo Fiveash, W.A. and Eileen Dittman, Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 51, Phyllis Carlson, and Don and Sara Dougherty, all of Spokane; and Dr. William Norcross, of San Diego, Calif.

Wanda Freese, of Spokane, sent $100 and a note: “As a Realtor for 29 years in Spokane, it is a pleasure to give back to the community. I see the struggles of families trying to keep ahead of rising costs, and know they need a helping hand.”

Bruce and Ann Dentler, of Spokane, sent $100 “to extend holiday blessings to others in the community.” Katherine Chew, of Spokane, donated $100 and sent thanks, “for doing this great holiday deed for all the rest of us.”

Cindi and Raland John, of Spokane, donated $100, as did seven anonymous donors, also all of Spokane.

The Dunning-Durkin Beal family gave $100 in honor of Gerry Durkin. Dan and Lorraine Klobucher, of Chattaroy, sent $100 in honor of their new granddaughter Zaria.

Ian LaRochelle donated $96.80 via PayPal.

Roger Gordon and Mary Ann Gilpin-Gordon, of Spokane, sent $100 in memory of their mothers, Dorothy Gordon and Eva Gilpin.

Rick and Chris Schrader, of Colbert, donated $75, as did an anonymous donor, of Spokane.

Rick and Joan Haynes, of Nine Mile Falls, sent $75 on behalf of their grandchildren Alivia, Adam and Ava, “to make a child’s Christmas brighter.”

Bob and Lois Banta, of Mead, donated $75 in memory of Carol Riddle.

Fred and Lianne Inaba, of Pullman, Wash., donated $60.

Joan Greiner donated $57.96 via PayPal.

Melba Valley, of Spokane, donated $50 in memory of Lynda J. Valley.

SherryWestermann, of Otis Orchards, donated $50, as did Arthur and Anne Halverson, of Hayden, Idaho; R.A. and Mary Jo Dillingham, Jeffrey and Judy Koons, Joyce and Ralph Prouty, Donald and Annetta Farr, D.M. and J.B. Hulet, Michael and Sandra Povich, John and Margee Webster, Violet Gengler, Peter and Beth Weller, Roy Doyer, Mary and Mike Palmer, and five anonymous donors, all of Spokane.

Georgia-Ann, Catherina, Alexander and Johnathan, of Spokane, donated $50, as did two anonymous donors, of Spokane Valley.

Brian, Nancy, Sarah and Megan Quint, of Bellevue, Wash., donated $50 as a holiday gift on behalf of Russell and Peggy Wiggs.

Jim and Carole Heinen, of Spokane, gave $50 in memory of their parents, John and Hanna Heinen and Andy and Florence Underdahl.

The Kumpons, of Spokane, donated $50 in memory of their granddaughter MacKenzie Watson.

Karyn and Steve Paulman, of Trinidad, Colo., donated $50.

Joyce Rae, of Spokane, sent $35 in memory of her son, Billy Rae, who died in June.

John and Susan Downes, of Spokane, sent $30, as did an anonymous donor, also of Spokane.

Janet and Glenn Gannon, of Spokane Valley, donated $25, as did Donald Gale Jr., Gail Kiser, Georgia and Leo Lang, Esther Westlund, Patricia Stewart, and anonymous donor, all of Spokane.

Mr. and Mrs. Adolf Gustafson, of Spokane, gave $25 in honor of the G.W. Johnson family.

The Snip and Stitch Sewing Club, of Spokane, donated $20, as did Melvin Pryor, also of Spokane. An anonymous donor, of Spokane, gave $20 in memory of John Devlin. An anonymous donor, of Spokane, sent $20 in memory of her husband, and in honor of her grandchildren, Ashley and Anthony.

Edward Walters, of Spokane, gave $15.

Cecil and Norma Loveland, of Spokane, donated $10, as did an anonymous donor.