Woodworkers give their time and talents to create wooden trucks for the Christmas Bureau

Christmas miracles come in all shapes and sizes. In Spokane, they come in the shape of wooden trucks.

Small, simple wooden trucks are donated every year to the Christmas Bureau and handed out to children who visit the child care area at the Bureau while their parents shop for gifts. When the Bureau was getting ready to open this year, there were only 100 of the handmade trucks on hand. So volunteer Janet “Pinki” Culbertson put out a plea to local woodworkers to make more.

Did they ever.

For more than a week, people arrived at the Christmas Bureau at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center carrying cardboard boxes and asking “Where’s Pinki?”

Inside those boxes were handmade wooden trucks of all sizes, shapes and models. Sometimes there were a dozen trucks. Sometimes more. Some people made multiple trips.

Among them was Roland Redelings. He’s handy with tools and likes making things out of wood. “It’s a hobby,” he said.

The only catch was, he’d never made a truck before. “I figured what the hell, why not,” he said. He worked in his shop for several days, crafting a dozen trucks that he presented to Culbertson.

“They’re gorgeous,” she said. “Absolutely gorgeous.”

Redelings seemed ready to keep going. “Do you want more next year?” he said.

Yes. Yes, she does.

Culbertson said she was overwhelmed by more than 200 emails from people offering to make trucks. Hundreds of the wooden toys came to the Christmas Bureau, finding new homes with children who will delight in running their new toys across the floor (vroom vroom noises optional). In the end, more than 600 wooden cars and trucks were given away.

“Somebody made little animals and painted them,” Culbertson said. “They’re going crazy.”

There were semi trucks, dump trucks, small cars, big trucks and medium trucks. Some were coated in bright paint while others were bare wood, a blank canvas for kids to paint or decorate however they liked.

Culbertson said she’s incredibly grateful for the response from local woodworkers. “I would love to do an individual thank you for each one, but I can’t,” she said. “There are 200 of them.”

And she’d love to do it all again next year. Storage space for the Christmas Bureau is at a premium, so delivery of any toy trucks will have to wait until next year. But people are invited to make the trucks over the coming year and contact Culbertson via email at eventhorizon620@gmail.com to arrange delivery next December.

Donations

New donations of $8,340 have pushed the Christmas Bureau closer to the goal of $535,000 to pay for the food vouchers, toys and books given out to those in need. The year to date total now stands at $353,505. So many people have given generously, but a bit more is needed to reach the goal for the 15th year in a row.

John Baumhofer, of Spokane, donated $2,500. “Enclosed is my annual donation to the SR Christmas Fund,” he wrote. “As always my donation is in memory of my mother and my aunt, commemorating their hard work, devotion to family and deep compassion, not only during the holiday season but all year round. Keep up the good work!”

An anonymous Millwood donor sent $500, writing “Thanks for all you do!” The Wolff family, of Spokane, donated $500 in memory of Dean Wolff.

Pat and Pete Warnick, of Spokane, gave $400 “in memory of our beloved daughter, Shelley Warnick Hengesh.”

An anonymous Spokane Valley donor gave $300, writing “Thanks for helping those in need in having a Merry Christmas.” An anonymous Spokane donor sent $300, writing “We wish everyone who is involved in the Christmas Fund a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays!”

The Schauble extended family donated $300 “in memory of William ‘Bill’ Schauble, a gifted GU athlete who led his basketball team to its first ever national championship game. He will be remembered most, though, for his honesty, strong moral character and devotion to his family and faith. Bill will be missed sorely but never forgotten.”

Todd Caldwell, of Veradale, contributed $300. An anonymous Spokane donor gave $300. Barbara and Bill Spencer gave $250 via PayPal.

John and Erna Vinje, of Spokane, sent $210. “The enclosed $210 check is our daughters’ annual contribution to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund to help the less fortunate children in our community enjoy a festive holiday season,” they wrote. “Our daughters are graduates of Spokane high schools many years ago and now reside in the Seattle area. They are: Prasti Vinje Purdum, Astrid Vinje (Bush), Michelle Vinje (Petty).”

Joy Rowbotham, of Spokane Valley, donated $200. An anonymous Spokane donor sent $200.

Carol Kriegh, of Cheney, gave $175. “My two book clubs in Cheney would like to donate this money to help purchase books for the Christmas Bureau,” she wrote. “I helped distribute books at the bureau last week and one mom told me her 6-year-old son calls books his ‘treasures.’ We feel they are treasures too! Thank you for your wonderful work.”

Roger Erhart, of Spokane Valley, sent $150.

Barbara and Andrew Clark, of Spokane Valley, donated $100. Jacqueline and Kelleysue Williamson, of Spokane, gave $100. Jessie and Barry Norris, of Spokane, contributed $100. Lynn Reilly, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of Kenneth J. Reilly. “Thanks for all you do,” she wrote.

Jim and Marlene McBride, of Nine Mile Falls, donated $100. An anonymous Spokane donor sent $100, writing “Thank you for all you do for Spokane.” Robert and Linda Hagen Miller, of Hauser, Idaho, gave $100. Terrence and Rita Anderson, of Spokane, contributed $100. “We thank God for our blessings,” they wrote. “Hope this gift brightens someone’s life.”

Janet Miller, of Spokane, gave $100, as did Tom and Susan Eastman of Spokane Valley. Phyllis Adams, of Spokane, and Frank Puschak each contributed $100 via PayPal. Catherine Lundberg, of Spokane, gave $75.

Constance McBride, of Spokane, contributed $50. Marion and Michael Fietek, of Cheney, sent $50. An anonymous Spokane Valley donor gave $50. Gordon Radford donated $50 via PayPal. Pam and Randy, of Spokane, contributed $50. Daniel and Laurie Lavigne, of Spokane Valley, donated $50.

Patricia and Michael Hostetter, of Nine Mile Falls, gave $50. “Thank you to all who volunteer for this worthy event,” they wrote. Ping Ping, of Spokane, donated $50 via PayPal.

Bertha and Eldred Hicks, of Spokane, donated $30. An anonymous Spokane donor sent $25. Eloise Cappellano, of Spokane, gave $25.