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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane Christmas Bureau opens with gifts, food vouchers today

At the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, a warehouse has been transformed into a captivating Christmas store. The book tables are stacked. The toy room is stocked. Live entertainment is lined up. Volunteers are trained and ready.

Today at 10 a.m. the Christmas Bureau opens its doors to welcome Spokane’s needy families to a festive shopping experience without the price tag.

At the bureau, low-income families can pick from a selection of quality toys and books so their children have something to open at Christmas. Additionally, the charity, which is funded by reader donations, provides a food voucher of $15 to $30 per household, based on family size.

“When you don’t have any money it feels good that there is a place you can go to pick out a toy, to put food on the table and one nice present under the tree,” said volunteer co-chair Bonnie Atkinson.

She should know. As a child she accompanied her mom to the bureau to help select presents for her siblings, returning as a young single mom for the holiday help.

“It was great to have one thing I picked out for my kid,” recalled Atkinson, noting the bureau’s setup and atmosphere is different than most Christmas charities that distribute preselected gifts.

“We want to be more personal than that,” she said.

That’s why the bureau includes live holiday entertainment through its 10-day run, complementing the festive decor and atmosphere that’s permeated by the helpful holiday greetings of a host of volunteers eager to help.

“Everybody is treated the same. We love to have them come. We love to help them. We’re here to help,” said Atkinson, who has volunteered at the bureau for years, an annual tradition that feels like a family reunion.

“I’m excited to get back to my Christmas Bureau family and getting all these people helped,” she said.

New donations

Ninety-three new donors contributed $27,362, bringing the fund closer to its goal of raising $525,000 by Christmas.

C.T. Nuxoll and family, of Spokane, gave $5,000, writing, “in honor of the ‘Nuxoll clan’ and love and good will to remember those gone and those living that need our love and help.”

Doug and Toni Lydig, Sharon and Darrell Urlacher, and Russ and Dee Dee Lydig, of Spokane, gave $3,000. This is the 47th year the family has donated, a tradition started by their grandmother Virginia Lombard, who died in 1986, and carried on by their mother, Janet Lydig, who died in 2013. It’s now carried on by Lydig’s children and grandchildren. “May our continued support help bring some joy and happiness this year to those that are less fortunate,” they wrote.

Summit Capital Team, of Spokane, gave $2,500. “Thank you all for spearheading this great cause for our community each year,” they wrote.

Kelley and Patrick Rusnak, of Spokane, gave $2,000.

Bill and Mary Murphy, of Spokane, gave $1,000. “Blessings to everyone involved – volunteers and recipients. Merry Christmas,” they wrote.

An anonymous Spokane donor gave $750.

Nola Cedergreen, of Colbert, gave $679.40 via PayPal.

Sons of Norway, Tordenskjold Lodge 02-005 gave $600. The Tordenskjold Lodge 02-005 Ladies Auxiliary has disbanded, however it designated a portion of its funds to be disbursed from 2013 to 2017. This is the auxiliary’s annual donation for 2014. “Hopefully this will help provide less fortunate families in our community some food baskets or gifts for this Christmas,” wrote Judy Moxley, lodge treasurer.

Ryan Baddeley, of Liberty Lake, gave $500, as did Janet and John Peterson, of Spokane.

Gust Abariotes, of Spokane Valley, gave $500. “Please tell all the volunteers thank you and have a Merry Christmas,” he wrote.

An anonymous Spokane donor gave $400. With grateful hearts we give to your fund to help our community. Thank you!”

Rick Burma and Lily Williams, of Spokane, gave $400. “This is a fantastic program! We are glad that we can help a little,” they wrote.

Gunhild Clegg, of Spokane, gave $350. “I am so pleased that I can still take part in this joyful Christmas custom. It is wonderful to know I can pay it forward,” she wrote.

Todd Caldwell, of Veradale, gave $350.

Pam Ness, of Coeur d’Alene, gave $300, as did Steven and Lorrie McNutt, of Spokane.

An anonymous Spokane Valley donor who has been giving for 60 years gave $300. “Thank you to all the hard workers, for doing a great job each year,” she wrote.

Bryce and Cheryl Backus, of Spokane Valley, gave $300.

David and Barbara Floyd, of Newport, gave $250.

Spokane donors giving $250 were Michael Howson, Steve and Peggy Koehler, and two anonymous donors.

Daniel Christensen, of Otis Orchards, gave $242.45 via PayPal.

Donald and Eleanor Limmer, of Liberty Lake, gave $200.

Dorothy and Harvey Lochhead, of Spokane, gave $200 in memory of their niece, Sherrie Mercer, and their nephew, Mark Dimond. “They are missed by all of us who cared for them,” they wrote.

Heather Barbieri, of Spokane, gave $200.

Jill and David Cobb, of Priest Lake, Idaho, gave $193.90 via PayPal: “Hoping to share a little Christmas with others. In loving memory of our parents, Ann and Lionell Janecek and Fields Cobb.”

Carol Kriegh’s book club in Cheney gave $175. “For a second year in a row our book club would like to donate toward books or toys for the Christmas Bureau. Thank you for the work you do on behalf of Spokane area families,” Carol Kriegh wrote.

Donna Roloff, of Cheney, gave $150.

Pat and Jeannine Kelley, of Spokane, gave $150 in memory of Kathy Wyland, who died Oct. 5, 2014.

Ronald and Naomi Franklin, of Spokane, gave $150.

Jerry Robinson, of Spokane, gave $149 in memory of Fred Robinson.

Donald Barden, of Spokane, gave $145.35 via PayPal.

Shirley Schatz, of Spokane, gave $120 in loving memory of her husband, Gene, and daughter Karen. “Our caring and generous community has come together once more, sharing the ‘true meaning’ of Christmas!” she wrote.

Joe and Anna Greff, of Cheney, gave $100. “We feel blessed and want to share the blessings with the less fortunate,” they wrote.

An anonymous Deer Park donor gave $100.

Pat Dretke, of Kettle Falls, gave $100, writing, “Thanks to you for making kids happy!”

Patty and Mike Hostetter, of Nine Mile Falls, gave $100 “in memory of my darling sister Kathy Aamodt Shank who died in May. Best wishes for achieving the 2014 goal in donations,” they wrote.

Michael and Colleen Cosgrove, of Redmond, Washington, gave $100 in honor of their friend, Megan Brinson.

Other Spokane donors giving $100 include Bob Goede, Charles Horgan and Andrea Sharps, Dorothy Hart, Gail Harper, Gary and Andrea Gunning, two anonymous Spokane donors, Hans and Gladys Johnson, Joyce and Robert Bublitz, Jean Rose, Kenneth A. Elder, Judith and Noble Hundley, Mary and Richard Schroeder, Leslie and Emil Wunderle, Mel Griffith, Tim and Marcia Dorwin, and Dick and Ann Collins, who wrote, “Keep up the good work.”

Margaret Cooney Byers, of Spokane, gave $100 in loving memory of her parents, John L. and Marguerite Cooney.

Phyllis Robison, of Spokane, gave $100. “To all the volunteers, your work is truly remarkable,” she wrote.

Shirley and Otto Stevens, of Spokane, gave $100. “Glad we’re able to add to your fund. It’s a wonderful thing you do every year,” they wrote.

Marie Salisbury, of Spokane Valley, gave $100 in loving memory of H. Earl Davis, from his family. “Thank you for making it possible to help others who are having a difficult time,” she wrote.

Nancy James, of Liberty Lake, gave $96.80 via PayPal, as did David Drumnight and George Johnson, of Spokane, and Jennifer Calvert, of Spokane Valley.

John and Mary Benham, of Spokane, gave $75, as did an anonymous Spokane donor.

Michael Brown, of Spokane, gave $74.93 via PayPal.

Hans Bynagle, of Spokane, gave $72.52 via PayPal.

Alan and Deanna Eppinger, of Spokane, gave $60, as did Rovella Vawter and Melinda Hatcher.

Raymond and Liz Schatz, of Spokane, gave $51. “Thank you for continuing to support this Spokane tradition,” they wrote.

Louise and Theophil Otto, of Cheney, gave $50, as did Gordon and Terri Radford, of Hayden.

Spokane donors giving $50 include Gale and Carol Ferguson, James and Helen McIndoe, Kathy Hill, L.K. Miller, an anonymous donor and Shirley Bell.

Liz Russell, of Spokane, gave $50 on behalf of her parents, Chuck and Joy White. “Keep up the good work!” she wrote.

Virginia Czechowski, of Spokane, gave $50 in memory of her husband, Theodore, and their son David.

Dale Gilbert and an anonymous Spokane Valley donor each gave $50.

Shirley McKenney, of Spokane Valley, gave $50 in memory of her husband, Dick McKenney, and her grandson, Nic Clason. “Thanks for your wonderful cause,” she wrote.

Marcia Downing, of Spokane, gave $48.25 via PayPal.

Donna Douglass, of Spokane, gave $35.

An anonymous Spokane donor gave $30.

Steve Tilque, of Spokane, gave $30.

Darrell Shane, of Veradale, gave $25.

Louise Young, of Spokane, gave $23.97 via PayPal.

An anonymous Spokane donor gave $10.