Night shifts allow more to visit the Christmas Bureau: ‘Spokane is so great at helping families’

Wednesday was the second of two night shifts at the Christmas Bureau this year. Like Monday’s night shift, it was a success.

In 2022, there was just one evening shift, and the year before that, there weren’t any.

“We hadn’t had an evening shift in quite a few years, and in 2022 it was so popular, it matched the same numbers that we had on our opening day, which is always our biggest day,” Christmas Bureau Coordinator Heidi Meany said.

So this year they doubled it, and they hope to add more in 2024.

“We will try and expand that next year if it’s at all possible; it just gets harder to staff with volunteers. That’s the hard part,” Meany said.

The evening shifts are important. It may be the only time some recipients can make it to the bureau.

“A lot of our folks that come on the evening shifts are people whose work schedule just would not allow them to come during any other day,” Meany said.

Rebecca Gauna, a single mom, came to the Christmas Bureau with her three daughters: 13-year-old Annalea, 9-year-old Karla and 8-year-old Kylie. She was grateful the bureau offered a few night shifts.

“Because I’m busy during the day. Right when I picked up the girls from school, I came straight here,” she said.

Gauna, 52, was born in Colombia but moved to Spokane after she was adopted in sixth grade.

Because she didn’t speak English, Gauna said the transition was “very difficult.” But she graduated from Medical Lake High School and became a mom in her 30s. All of her children, she said proudly, were born at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, and all are bilingual.

Gauna doesn’t have a job now but used to work at Amazon.

“I was working a month ago. I was laid off, and so it was pretty hard,” she said.

Still, Gauna said she is needed at home. Her father, who used to be in the military at Fairchild Air Force Base, is sick with cancer, and her daughters are still too young to be left on their own.

“Grandpa has gone downhill with sickness, with his cancer, so I’m glad that I get to be at home with him,” she said.

“It’s been a difficult year; it’s been a very difficult year.”

Still, even after standing in line for about an hour and a half, Gauna remained cheerful and grateful.

“I just do appreciate how this community, how Spokane, is so great at helping families,” she said. “The help that you get in this town is pretty amazing, to tell you the truth.”

“Spokane is one of those towns where you can leave, but you got to come back.”

Donations

Thursday is the last day of this year’s Christmas Bureau, but The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund, now at $220,940.46, isn’t halfway to its $600,000 goal. Recent donations, which are necessary to help pay for the thousands of grocery vouchers, gifts and books, among other expenses, total $19,542.

David and Karen Crouse, Don McCabe, Pat Russell, and Joel and Amy Galloway each donated $1,000.

Brian McClatchey and Lisa Brown together donated $1,000, as did two anonymous donors.

“In memory of Alice George and Gust Abariotes,” Nicholas Abariotes, of Veradale, gave $1,000.

Craig and Cathy Blankenstein, Michael Meighan, and Bruce and Rebekka Higgins each donated $500.

An anonymous donor sent $500.

Linda Lee Wood, Carol Pierre and Jack and Kathy Ossello each donated $500.

Marguerite and Kenneth Gibson sent $400.

Jennifer Lindsley gave $350, writing, “Merry Christmas from the Spokane AAA Washington Store.”

Robert Douthitt and Karen and Steve Heaps each donated $350.

Judith Hill sent $310.

Sandy Fruetel sent $300, writing, “in loving remembrance of Al, Debbie and Swede.”

Stephanie Jamison donated $300.

Mathew Alling gave $250. “20 years ago Shirley and I started donating to the Christmas Fund. It’s still all about the kids! Blessings to all!” he wrote.

Roger Wright, Anne and S.A. Katsaris, and Cajer Neely each donated $250.

An anonymous donor sent $250 in memory of their late husband. “Your family misses you Papa!” they wrote.

Paul Grubb gave $210.

Cherylann Taam sent $200, as did Annette LaCombe.

Maria Hartshorne donated $200. “Thank you for bringing kindness, joy and love to so many children and their families this holiday season. Happy Christmas!” she wrote.

Stephen and Debra Piper gave $160, as did Darwin Page.

Daniel Muhm, Linda Greene, Jim Kershner and Donald Rinck each donated $150.

Christine Laughlin sent $125.

“In honor of Merley Kubiak,” Monica and Eddie Nagashima gave $100.

Michele Cook, Sylvia Oliver, Lee and Julie Fish, and Ron and Peggy Fritz each sent $100.

“Thank you for your marvelous work,” Mary Weller wrote with a $100 donation.

Gale and Dianna Morasch gave $100, writing, “A Spokane Christmas tradition!”

The Lenoue Family, John Downey, Kathryn Kurimura and Kristine Orlob-Radford each donated $100.

Thomas Bryan and Melanie Nilles together donated $100. “You people do a GREAT job,” they wrote.

Robert Harris, John and Beverly Johnson, Joe and Mary Hanson, and Eileen Hargrove each sent $100.

Gerry Rose donated $100 “in memory of my family who have passed.”

Patti Wachter donated $100, writing, “One of my favorite charities!! Love what you do for our community to make Christmas special for so many families!”

Beverly Hayes donated $100, as did three anonymous donors.

Marsha Hansen gave $80. Ted Myers donated $75. Michael Hughes gave $52.

Scott Huff, of Kingwood, Texas, donated $50. Donna Douglass sent $40. Lawrence Smith donated $30.

Jill and Richard Ripley donated $25, as did an anonymous donor.