Christmas Fund 1995 Cash Gift Passed Along To Christmas Fund Donor Wants To Share His Good Fortune With Others

Some “gifts” we receive are meant to be given away - like a smile or a stranger’s greeting of “Merry Christmas.”

Arthur Franz of Lind, however, gave away a gift given to him because he knew others who could use it more.

Franz gave $100 to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund, which had been a Christmas present to him.

“I appreciate the thoughts of the giver,” Franz wrote, “however, I have more than sufficient (money) for my needs and would like to share it with some needy family.”

A special merry Christmas to you, Mr. Franz.

An anonymous gift of $60 was received; giving $50 were Kenneth and Karleen Blanchard, 714 E. Garland; Suttman Ent; Jim and Joyce Upham, Mead; the Ridpath Barber Shop, 8 S. Stevens; Charlotte Sullivan, 2929 S. Waterford Drive; Jack and Janet Arkills, 3322 E. Tara Drive.

Other $50 gifts came from John and Susan Harbuck, Sandpoint; Robert and Lynn Simkins, 1938 W. 15th; Allin and Barbara Ammons, Newport; Thomas Lookabill, 8412 N. Northview Court; C.C. Mitson, 2018 E. 63rd; Doris Jansen and Margie Ripley “in loving memory of our dear uncle, Jerry Camp Sr.”; Scott and Leanne Harvey, Mead, “in the name of Dave and Sallie Dooby in lieu of a gift exchange.”

Eleanor Hanneman has been connected with the Christmas Fund since it was begun 50 years ago. Her son, C.F. Hanneman of Seattle, has donated since the very first fund in his mother’s name. This year, she is giving in his honor.

Carl and Zella Staib, 11015 E. 46th; gave $50 as did Marie and Audrey Burr and Alan H. McCoy, 615 W. Paradise Road; Coral Seibel, Odessa; Miriam and Jack Finnegan, 223 E. Rockwood Blvd., “in hopes our small contribution will bless a life as ours is blessed.”

Other $50 donations came from Mr. and Mrs. Ted Parrish, 2314 E. Girard Place; E.D. Eddy, 3027 E. 13th; Mr. and Mrs. P.W. Kidder, Tekoa; Genevieve Springer “in memory of my husband, Albert, and a marriage of 70 years - and because I have 12 great-grandchildren with another due Dec. 27.”

Charles and Betty Benefiel, 2623 W. Crown, gave $50 as did H.R. Patterson “in memory of my little mother,” who died in 1959. “This is the 37th Christmas I have donated to the fund in memory of her.”

Also giving $50 were Mary Giannini and Art Harlow “in memory of my father, Ray Giannini”; Richard Estes, 3723 W. Beacon; Dale Hines, 3823 S. Sherman; Kathleen Burns, Dan McLay and their children, Molly, Trevor and Dede in memory of Michael Burns.

Unity Church of Spokane-North gave $50, with a note that read: “We wish every heart to be filled with home, love and joy”; William Logstroh, 2617 W. Providence. Terry and Jean gave $50 with a note telling of their children, Ben, 6, and Lizzie 3, opening their banks to give $4.35 and $4.75, “practically all that was in them.” The parents made up the difference and gave in memory of Terry’s father, Ray, and sister-in-law, Bettie.

Jim and Mary Linskey, 11725 E. 37th, gave $50 and wrote that she told their 5-year-old granddaughter all they wanted for Christmas was for the family to be healthy and happy, and the granddaughter answered, “We are, but how do you wrap that up?” “With this small check,” Grandma Linskey wrote, “we hope to help make others have a happy, healthy and a Merry Christmas.”

There were 10 anonymous $50 gifts, including one who gave in memory of his father, Lou Hutsell, and who started a new tradition with his first gift to the Christmas Fund; one given in honor of their children.

Lina Swain, 3235 W. Rosewood, gave $41; donating $40 were Henry Benson, Chattaroy; Mr. and Mrs. C. Robert Zimmerman, 8907 E. States Lane; Keith and Janet Walker, 8710 N. Kelly Court; Barb Slaughter, 7106 S. Regal; S. Kirchoff and T. Scanlan, 2009 E. 13th; and one anonymous donor.

Making $35 gifts were Kathleen Schlieder, 5720 S. Cree Drive; and two anonymous donors, one in honor of the giver’s father who would have been 87 on Dec. 19. Contributing $30 were Helen Carlson, 2121 W. Fourth; the McIntosh Grange, 10411 Sharp; Elizabeth Rolph, 1927 E. 23rd; and two anonymous donors, one of whom made a second contribution.

The Plattsburgh Play Group, military transplants from the now-closed Plattsburgh Air Force Base in upstate New York, gave $27 in keeping with their tradition of contributing to their “adopted community” wherever they are and for however long they stay. “This is the least we could do for the children,” their note said. “We hope it helps.”

Making $25 gifts were Mike and Sandra Povich, 5315 W. Navaho; Betty Lou and Ramond Dylina, 5011 N. Elm Street; Michele Cole, 4822 S. Farr Road; B. Stephenson, 7502 W. Johannsen; Janine Franz, Suncrest, “in memory of Jim Franz, who is especially missed during the holidays.”

Other $25 contributions came from James and Cheryl Funke; E.C. Fitzgerald, 210 N. Sunderland; Kevin and Liz Branher, 1223 S. Skipworth; Helen Stradley, 9025 N. Division; Mr. and Mrs. G.A. Smith, 11805 N. Normandie; Michael Zentz, 5224 N. Hawthorne; Nancy and Jim Morris, Moscow, in memory of her parents Hollis and Georgia Neveux; Beverly Joplin, 2717 W. Weile, in memory of her father, Lt. Col. Charles Porter, who was “truly a ‘Christmas nut.’ Please make some child happy for him.”

Ruth Nervig, Lacrosse, gave $25 as did Jack and Gloria Davis on behalf of the Davis grandchildren: Jacin, Kavan and Kara.

For the third year, Dorothy Penning, 5224 N. Post, and her grandchildren, Gregory and Kathleen Ulrich, who live in New Jersey, have given to the Christmas Fund rather than exchange gifts. “I am proud of this young couple,” their grandma wrote, adding, “New Jersey is a long way from Spokane.”

Other $25 gifts came from Steve, Amy, Cassie, Ellie and Gabbie Bilyeu; Walter and Dorothy Willard, 3404 E. 30th; Al and Lela Thompson, 3927 S. Lamonte; W.D. Wilson, 6612 N. Assembly; Edward Senna, 423 W. 33rd; Gerry and Debbie Bassen, 712 S. Carhahan Road; the Davaz family, 3612 E. 30th; J.P. and R.R. Darlow, 4203 N. Oak; Daphne Adams, 2017 W. Courtland; and 14 anonymous gifts, including one from “a friend who cares about people always.”

Donating $20 were Jeanelle and Robin Yancey, 707 E. Euclid; Mary VanWinckel; Robert and Helen Harper; J. Flaig, 2038 E. 63rd, in memory of Jerry Camp Sr.; Rachel McKee, 7007 N. Wiscomb; Catherine Schnell, 24 E. Augusta; Karol Startzel, 11306 E. Ponderosa Drive; Clara Woodruff, 1010 E. Columbia; V. Lynch, 3828 S. Tekoa; four anonymous gifts, one in memory of her husband’s mother, Beulah Lafferty, “a wonderful mother and grandmother.”

Two anonymous donors made gifts of $15; A WSU student gave the $11 she received for selling back her textbooks; donating $10 were Bob Michael and Rob Riggs, 4223 N. Maple; S.J. and Jeanne Semler, 8203 E. Indiana; Corrienne Beck, 11106 E. Alki; three anonymous donors. Joline Delbridge, 521 W. 27th, gave $5.07

, DataTimes