Christmas Fund needs a final flourish to reach goal supporting Christmas Bureau

With the 2023 Christmas Bureau over, having helped move than 25,000 people, volunteers now have a few weeks’ break to celebrate the holidays with their families before preparations begin for next year.

Top of mind for many at the bureau is whether The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund will reach its $600,000 goal.

Now at $515,165.06, – about 85% there – every day the fund gets closer.

“We really are relying on the community to help us reach the donation goal so that we can help meet the need in the community,” said Christmas Bureau coordinator Heidi Meany.

“The cost of toys and the cost of books, the cost of shipping the toys and books and then the cost of storing those toys and books has all gone up. Everything’s gone up,” she said. “The cost to hold the event at the fairgrounds has increased and then, of course, inflation has gone up.”

Everyone at the Christmas Bureau is grateful for every donation, no matter how big or small. Just $30 is all it takes to allow the Christmas Bureau to offer one more gift to a child or one more grocery voucher for a family’s Christmas dinner.

In the words of longtime volunteer, Janet “Pinki” Culbertson, “every dollar counts.”

From 12-year-old Colin Kaiser, who gave his hard-earned coins and dollar bills, to the businesses that opted to donate instead of having an office Christmas party, to the those who have donated for decades and those who donated for the first time, thank you.

There’s still time to donate. The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund is accepting donations for the 2023 Christmas Fund through Wednesday, the earlier the better to allow time for processing. Donations made after the cutoff will be saved for the 2024 Christmas fund.

This year’s final total will be announced in a story on New Year’s Day.

You can do it, Spokane, and Merry Christmas from all at the Christmas Bureau.

DonationsCommunity support is key to spreading holiday cheer at the Christmas Bureau each year. Recent donations to the Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund total $25,766.60. The fund is now at $515,165.06.

ACME Concrete Paving Inc. made a $10,000 donation.

Nicholas Paget donated $3,000.

Colvico Inc. made a $2,000 donation.

Roberto and Lauri Seghetti donated $1,000.

Kathy and Bruco Bixler donated $1,000 “in our fond memory of Don Kelly, who donated his time for years to the fund. And we thank the Spokesman for doing this campaign yearly!”

Mark Wagner donated $750.

The McElligotts, Steven Wicks and Michael McQuesten each gave $500.

Leslie and Nicholas Zilka donated $300.

An anonymous donor sent $300 writing, “thank you to all the volunteers!”

An anonymous donor sent $250 “in loving memory of Robert, Jo Jane and Michael Hammes.”

The Neal and Joann Skaufel family donated $255.

Donald Gale and Dave McCabe each sent $250.

Dena Kaplan donated $250 “in honor of my dad, Don Kelly, who loved making Christmas bright!”

Paul and Leslie Turner donated $250 “in memory of Lorraine Turner and Les Olson.”

An anonymous donor sent $210.

Jeffrey Ellingson, Nita and Gordon Alexander, Marti Breneman and Marilyn Kamna each gave $200.

Todd and Kay Edmonds donated $200. “This donation is in memory of our son, Todd Edmonds Jr.” they wrote.

Two anonymous donors sent $200.

Chris Powell and Ruth Reynolds together donated $150.

Robert and Erik Ozolins-House donated $150. “Thank you to all the volunteers, staff and donors who make the Christmas Bureau possible every year. All the best from Praia, Cabo Verde! Merry Christmas!” they wrote.

Longtime volunteer, Janet “Pinki” Culbertson donated $125 “in memory of my father, Don Culbertson. Happy Holidays to all my fellow volunteers and awesome wooden truck/toys makers. Please help us achieve our goal, generous donors. Every dollar counts.”

Irma Cleveland donated $120, “in memory of husband Ben and four grandchildren Ashley, Amy, Tommy and Isaac.”

Muriel Cleveland sent $120.

Mary and Tom Hopkins sent $100 writing, “thanks for sponsoring such a wonderful event.”

Robert Miller, Claude Hire, Laurence and Della Wiwatowski, Dale West, Walter and Christy Rays, Kenneth Elder, Sandy Darnold and Richard Penna all donated $100.

Beverly Gibb sent $100 “in honor of my mother, Doris Woodward.”

Brian Vrablick donated $100 “in memory of Grandma Mae and Grandma Jan.”

Deborah Swain sent $100 writing, “I’ve always enjoyed reading articles about the Christmas Bureau.”

Two anonymous donors sent $100.

Katherine Wooley donated $50 “in memory of Larry Reuthinger.”

Peggy Heinen sent $50 “in memory of my husband, Jack.”

Sherri Robinson and Stephen Ross together donated $50. “Every child should get a new book for Christmas. Books in the home make strong readers in the future,” they wrote.

Norma Dippel, Mary Kaufman, Joan Jamison, Marcia Ross, Joan Orcutt and John and June Sine each donated $50.

Margot Wilson donated $50. “Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all the volunteers who do such a wonderful job each year,” she wrote.

Marty Fernandez sent $50 writing, “thank you for all you do + happy holidays!”

Denise and Ian Potter donated $40 “in memory of Gene Dondanville and George Potter whom we miss very much especially at this time of year.”

Nancy Hood gave $30. “I am happy you give me an opportunity to join with my neighbors in a really good cause,” she wrote.

Lowell Lehman donated $25 as did an anonymous donor.

Jordan Jorgenson donated $24.

Bernadine Rodseth gave $20.

Colin Kaiser, 12, donated $12.60 in cash and coins. “For the Christmas Bureau,” he wrote.

An anonymous donor sent $10.