Busy woodworkers craft plenty of trucks, cars and more for Christmas Bureau recipients

It has been a tradition for the last several years for local woodworkers to spend nights and weekends in their basements and garages carving wooden toy trucks for the Christmas Bureau. The trucks are a classic, durable toy that often bring children great joy.

Pinki Culbertson is in charge of coordinating the effort, serving as the point of contact for the craftsmen. Last year, when the Christmas Bureau was forced to go virtual, Culbertson received a lot of emails asking her what they should do with the trucks they had made.

“I said, ‘Keep making them and I’ll catch you next year,’ ” Culbertson said.

But Culbertson is never sure how many trucks she’ll receive, because not everyone checks in with her. Sometimes the trucks are just dropped off, which happened one day last week as volunteers worked to set up the Bureau. Culbertson was surprised when she was told that more than a dozen boxes sitting in a pile were all full of wooden toys. There were police cars, Army jeeps, tanker trucks, pickup trucks, classic cars – just about any wheeled vehicle you could imagine.

“It’s like Christmas,” she said as she pulled boxes open to admire the toys inside. “These guys are amazing.”

Some of the toys are plain, and the children who receive them can paint and decorate them however they like. Others are already painted and decorated, ready to go home for a spin across the living-room floor.

“All sizes, shapes,” Culbertson said. “These guys are so talented.”

In recent years most of the wooden trucks were given to the children who visited the child care area while their parents picked out gifts, though some were also put in the toy room for parents to select as the gift for their child. “The kids love this more than the toys sometimes,” Culbertson said.

However, there will not be a child care area this year because of COVID-19 protocols. The plan is to have a selection of wooden cars and trucks in the bagging area to be sent home with some families and others placed near the handmade hats and scarves that are available to adults without children in the home. The idea is that adults who have grandchildren can get a wooden truck to give as a Christmas gift.

Any woodworkers who have been working on wooden cars and trucks for the Christmas Bureau can drop them off at the Bureau, which is open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through Dec. 16, excluding Sundays, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center.

DonationsDonations of $6,308 have arrived to bring this year’s total amount raised to $124,812.10, which is inching closer to the goal of collecting $535,000 by Christmas to pay for food vouchers, toys and books for those in need.

An anonymous Spokane donor gave $1,800, writing “A big thank you to all who make the Christmas Fund possible. It is truly wonderful to see our community come together to make the holidays more joyful for many families in need this year. We are very fortunate to live where there is such great generosity!”

Cyrus and Janet Vaughn, of Spokane, gave $600. Marilyn Frei, of Spokane, donated $500. An anonymous donor sent $500 via Schwab Charitable.

Cheryl and Bryce Backus, of Spokane Valley, sent $300. Gunhild Clegg, of Spokane, donated $300, writing, “So much has happened in the last 18 months that we really need the joy and fun and songs of Christmas! Thank all the volunteers who work so hard to help this wonderful event be such a success year after year!”

Anita Indelicato, of Newman Lake, donated $300 “in memory of my parents, Bing and Linda Farmin. Thank you for the work that you do for the community.” An anonymous Spokane donor sent $300 “as a contribution to the excellent work you do enabling the less fortunate among us to enjoy and celebrate Christmas Day.”

Steve and Peggy Koehler, of Spokane, gave $250.

Lane Klees, of Spokane, contributed $200, writing “Thanks for all your work to make this possible!” Lois Richards, of Spokane, gave $200. “I hope you have a very successful fund drive,” she wrote. “Happy holidays!” Stevan and Beverly Booras, of Spokane, donated $200.

Jack and Phyllis Worden, of Spokane, gave $150. Lianne and Fred Inaba, of Pullman, donated $150. “Thank you for continuing the Christmas Bureau and to those able and willing to donate,” they wrote.

Michael and Patricia Hostetter, of Nine Mile Falls, sent $100. John and Charlotte Sullivan, of Spokane, donated $100 in memory of Charles and Opal McCoy. James and Jacqueline Vroman, of Spokane, gave $100. John and Karen Wallingford, of Spokane, sent $100. Cynthia Miles, of Spokane Valley, contributed $100.

Elizabeth and Raymond Schatz, of Spokane, donated $58. “We give again this year in memory of Karen Schatz Dunning,” they wrote. “She would have been 58 years old this year. Thank you for continuing to support the wonderful community event.”