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The Meaning of Christmas

It was very humbling for me to visit the Christmas Fund last week. I so easily get wrapped up in my life, my problems, and forget what hundreds of people deal with everyday right next door. Knowing that needy families have this opportunity to make Christmas a little more special than they could on their own is very satisfying. It's not just about the books and the toys and the food stamps; it's about spreading happiness and knowing that many people truly do care. ( Full post )

Visiting the Christmas Bureau

Visiting the Christmas Bureau last Friday was not quite what I expected. I have worked the front desk of the House of Charity as a Gonzaga work-study since February, and the prospect of seeing and meeting Spokane's poor population was simply not that intriguing. After all, I figured they would be the same people I had worked with for months. Not surprisingly, this was not true in the least. I should have realized this earlier when I heard about the massive volume of people who take advantage of the Bureau, far more than the people who use the House of Charity, but it still came as a surprise to see the line of recipients extending well beyond the entrance even when the volunteers were making every effort to get everyone inside and out of the cold. It served as a reminder as well, that Spokane's poor are not merely those who live in shelters but those who are just scraping by on low-wage and part-time jobs forced to accept charity to have gifts for their children this Christmas. ( Full post )

Christmas Bureau is Important

When we went to the Christmas Bureau, one thing that I was most surprised about was the sheer magnitude of the whole operation. I never imagined so many people, toys or things working so smoothly. The organization and work that had to go into it stuck me. Most businesses don't keep inventory as well as the Christmas Bureau. Now you may be thinking, who cares about how well it was organized, what about the people and the generosity? But I think that the organization and care put into this operation was a big deal. It shows those who need the Christmas Bureau that there are people who care enough to want to make it as good as they possibly can. Some might argue that food is more important than providing toys. But I believe that the joy and excitement for life that toys bring is what makes them vital to a childhood. Toys allow children to imagine and dream, and I'm glad I got to witness the stacks of toys that will allow so many children to believe in the Christmas spirit. For once, I'm glad that my expectations underestimated what I saw. ( Full post )

Young volunteers

Many young people help out at the Christmas Bureau and they deserve some recognition. ( Full post )

Generous community

So many give so generously. ( Full post )

Christmas Bureau

On Friday, our journalism class went out to the Fairgrounds to see the Christmas Bureau. It was not what I expected. First of all, the number of people choosing toys and waiting in line was much larger than I expected. It was humbling to see so many people who were in need of help. However, when I saw how much planning, generosity and pure manpower went into the Christmas Bureau, it was also very uplifting. It may sound cliche, but giving presents to my family is always my favorite part of Christmas. The Christmas Bureau gives so many the opportunity to have that same feeling of shared joy and giving, which really shows how people can come together to do good and help others. I was very impressed with the entire undertaking, and also proud that I could help (I attended the Spokane Chiefs game with the Teddy Bear toss, and I'm pretty sure my bear was the first one to be thrown on the ice!) ( Full post )

Snapshot:: Chris Peters

(Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review) ( Full post )

Snapshot:: Lillian Gay

(Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review) ( Full post )

Snapshot: Harold Parker

(Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review) ( Full post )

Christmas Bureau Snapshots

This is my 22nd year being part of the Christmas Bureau in some way, either as a volunteer or there doing a story or two -- or both. ( Full post )

Community's gift to its poor neighbors

Dec. 10: The Christmas Bureau opened today with a record number of poor people coming for help. They began lining up at 4 a.m., fearful the bureau would run out of toys. It won't. With the 4,000 teddy bears delivered by the Spokane Chiefs Hockey Club, there are nearly 20,000 toys ready to go to the homes of poor children.
( Full post )