Christmas Bureau on track to meet $600,000 goal for first time since it increased

The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, where residents have rallied to support the Christmas Bureau.

Just a few days ago, donations were trickling in. This week has been a flood as dozens of donors have brought the fundraising to within about $500 of meeting the $600,000 goal by New Year’s Day.

This morning, 12,693 children are waking up to find gifts their parents and guardians carefully selected from the Christmas Bureau.

Many of those toys were acquired by head toy buyer Cheryl Taam, a 20-year veteran of the Christmas Bureau who has announced her retirement.

“It just seemed like the right time,” she said.

Taam doesn’t just show up at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center every December. She usually spends all year going over toy catalogs, reaching out to companies and shopping for toys.

“The Christmas Bureau is pretty time-consuming,” she said. “After 20 years, it’s time to do some of the things I haven’t been able to do.”

Taam already delivers Meals on Wheels and makes quilts with her church group to donate to those in need, but what she wants to devote more time to is the comfort dog ministry at Redeemer Lutheran Church, where she attends.

The church already has a dog named Isaac who attends local events as needed. He also traveled to California after deadly fires swept through large areas and goes along on Honor Flights organized locally to take military veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the monuments dedicated to the wars they fought in.

Taam said there are plans to acquire a second dog, and she and her husband, Damon, also a Christmas Bureau volunteer, have signed up to be dog handlers.

“Damon and I will train to be handlers so we can take the new dog to events,” she said. “It takes two years to train a comfort dog. It starts at eight weeks.”

Taam said there are also other volunteer opportunities she’d like to get involved in.

“Believe me, there are plenty of things to do,” she said.

She plans to still assist with the toy buying for the 2026 Christmas Bureau as needed.

“I’m just trying to help with the transition so the new people will know how to buy the toys,” she said. “It’s just if they have questions.”

Taam said she believes the toy buyers who have stepped up to fill her shoes will do a good job.

“It should be pretty smooth,” she said. “I have great confidence the new team will be awesome.”

Christmas Bureau Coordinator Heidi Meany said Taam will be missed.

“Cheryl Taam is the embodiment of a Christmas Bureau volunteer,” she said. “She gives her whole heart and an abundance of time and energy.”

Meany said she hopes Taam is still able to return as an event volunteer.

“We understand her desire to step down, but hope she’ll come back and help as time allows,” she said.

Donations

New donations of $14,465 have brought the year-to-date total to $599,454.15, just shy of the goal of $600,000. Donations will continue to be tallied through December 29, which means that, for the first time, the Christmas Bureau is expected to meet its fundraising goal since it was lifted to $600,000 in 2022. Any donations received after the cutoff will be held for the 2026 Christmas Bureau.

Gold Seal Mechanical, of Spokane, donated $5,000.

Libby and Matt Pugel, of Spokane, donated $1,025.

Mark and Valerie Sonderen, of Spokane, gave $1,000. “Thank you to all the Christmas Bureau volunteers and donors,” they wrote. “You have given a special Christmas to many children in our Spokane community. Wishing you Christmas blessings.”

The Wagner family, of Spokane, donated $750.

An anonymous Spokane donor sent $545 “in memory of Tom and Molly Shine. The Christmas Fund is one of the reasons we love living in Spokane. Thank you for sustaining the spirit of Christmas!”

Kathleen Riel, of Spokane, gave $500. Maurice and Kimberly Nollette, of Spokane, sent $500. Lynn and Nicholas Mounsey, of Spokane, donated $500 “in deeply loving honor of Ross and Patsy Mounsey.” The Jones family, of Spokane Valley, contributed $500. Jerry Hertel donated $500 via PayPal.

Ruby Niemeyer, of Spokane, donated $300. Tom Mewborn, of Spokane, also sent $300.

Mike and Jeanette Ormsby, of Spokane, gave $250. “Thank you for what you do for our community,” they wrote. “We are here for each other when the need is there. You give us a vessel to deliver what we can. Thank you. Happy holidays. The best of new years for us all.”

Patti Vincent, of Spokane, gave $200. Brian and Mary Smith, of Spokane, contributed $200. R.K. “Butch” Slaughter sent $200 “in memory of my wife Barbara, her parents Howard and Alene Hayden, and my parents, Betty and Kemp Slaughter. Hopefully, this will help those in need of having something to celebrate this time of year.”

An anonymous Spokane donor contributed $200. Nancy James gave $200 via PayPal.

An anonymous Spokane donor sent $150. Betsy Bradley contributed $150 via PayPal “from a volunteer.”

C. Powell and R. Reynolds, of Spokane, donated $130 via PayPal, writing, “Thank you Christmas Bureau.”

An anonymous donor gave $100. Cynthia Treece, of Spokane, donated $100, writing, “Thank you for all you do!” Mary Madunich, of Spokane, contributed $100. Kathy and Jon Cousineau, of Spokane, sent $100. Ted and Diane Ketcham, of Spokane, gave $100.

Andrew Forsyth contributed $100 via PayPal, as did William Gilbert. Julie Cornell sent $100 via PayPal “in honor of Ardith Divine.” Julie Cornell sent $100 via PayPal “in honor of Sue and Duke Cornell.”

Diane Langill donated $75 via PayPal.

Nancy Pike, of Spokane, donated $50. “Thank you for your endeavors to make this a brighter Christmas for many of our citizens,” she wrote. Pauline and Doug Smith, of Spokane, contributed $50. “Thank you for all you do,” they wrote.

Gail Kiser, of Spokane, gave $50, writing, “Merry Christmas to you all – you do a great, needed job.” Karl Otterstrom sent $50 via PayPal. Bill Dodge contributed $50 via PayPal, writing, “We appreciate all that everyone in our community does to help those in greater need than we.”

Gratia Baugh contributed $50 via PayPal “in honor of Terry and Paul Giordanella, who care so much about people and animals.”

Helen Cogley, of Spokane, gave $30.

Victoria Dunn, of Spokane, sent $25. Nancy Beeman donated $25 via PayPal.

Glenda Lindsay, of Spokane, donated $10. “Thank you for helping children at Christmas enjoy Christmas,” she wrote.