Wishing upon a star ...
Raised so far: $131,466.93 Needed for goal: $38,533.07
Jack McMahon called Friday morning, curious about Anonymous in Athol. Isn’t everybody?
A big believer in Press Christmas for All, Jack donated $1,000.
A Coeur d’Alene angel who asked that her name not be used wanted very much to help the campaign toward its goal. Boy, did she. She donated $5,000.
Michael Murphy, another of the magnificent Californians who make a positive impact on North Idaho, stepped up big time. He donated $5,000. So did our friends at Universal Funding.
The phone calls came; the mail brought financial blessings; donors dropped by The Press offices all day long. They were all different but shared a common mission: Try to get Press Christmas for All to its goal of raising $170,000 this holiday season so not one single Kootenai County resident would be left empty handed on Christmas morning. More than $28,000 was donated on Friday alone.
There is still an unhappy white space on the Christmas tree graphic. But take heart. Better still, pick up a pen.
If the spirit moves you sometime today, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, write a tax-deductible check to Press Christmas for All. Mail it to The Press, 215 N. Second St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
The program’s leading benefactor, Anonymous in Athol, already has donated $10,000. He has promised $10,000 more — the last $10,000 — if the rest of us can get the campaign to $160,000.
Super 1 Foods and Shopko will contribute in a significant way this weekend. The mathemeticians around here say Press Christmas for All will still be short of $160,000 by about $9,000. Answer that prayer and you unlock the treasure chest for the final $10,000 from Anonymous in Athol.
Daunting task? Yes.
Impossible? Not at all.
We live in a special place, inhabited by special people. When we work together, when we help each other, anything is possible.
For the next two days we’ll share with you stories of the people your donations assist. By the end of next week, we’ll report the final Press Christmas for All 2017 campaign results.
Maybe that white space will have vanished.
Maybe a star will shine on us all.