Countdown is on for kindness
Surely the calendar lies. It can't be just five days until Christmas Eve - can it?
Precisely 8,673 Kootenai County residents say the calendar is correct. They know, because they're now looking forward to Christmas with feverish anticipation, not dread.
The cause of their optimism is, quite simply, you. All 8,673 people on Santa's list will receive gift cards made possible through the generosity of you and others much like you. That's the power of Press Christmas for All.
The fundraising drive that officially started the day after Thanksgiving is now in its final week. While the goal of $175,000 is still a distant number on the horizon, we've learned over the previous 28 annual campaigns that miracles happen in the few days leading to Christmas.
That's your cue, miracle makers.
We heard this week from one of the greatest, a magnificent benefactor who delights in anonymity almost as much as he delights in doing good. In fact, he insists on us referring to him only as Anonymous in Athol. This well-known international figure donated a record $20,000 to the cause on Thursday. Huge gifts like that are pleasantly stunning, but the program succeeds or falls short based on smaller donations from many hundreds of contributors.
What about you? Can you help Press Christmas for All meet its campaign goal of $175,000 and ensure all 8,673 people on the wish-list have something to open on Christmas morning, and a hearty, happy meal on Christmas Day?
Your donation is 100 percent tax deductible. As you might have heard by now, Press Christmas for All is different from most fundraisers because every single penny raised goes to Kootenai County residents who need a little help this holiday season. Some are old, sick and lonely. Some are young, poor families. Everyone else is somewhere in between. Many work full-time, or even more than full-time, but still come up short in meeting the needs of their families. Press Christmas for All is there for each and every one of them.
Please, wait no longer to make a difference. You can donate securely online. Go to cdapress.com and, directly under the advanced search box on the upper right corner of the home page, click on Christmas For All. Scroll down and you'll find a simple, safe way to donate.
If you'd prefer to donate by credit card but speak to a human, that's perfectly OK, too. Call The Press at 664-8176 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays and one of our elves will happily assist you.
And of course, checks are always welcome. You can mail yours to Press Christmas for All, 201 Second St., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814.
Though they might never meet you, 8,673 of your struggling neighbors will thank you.