A VOLUNTEER EFFORT by Bath and Brunswick Elks to ensure that local children in need receive Christmas gifts. Updates written by a Santa Claus Fund volunteer appear in each edition of The Times Record from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.
Owners T.J. and Cheri Siatras work long hours to prepare for this one evening in December. And the entire staff pitches in to make it happen.
It is an evening of fun and excitement for the patrons who attend. Items for the auction come from suppliers and friends of Joshua’s Restaurant. Items range from Tshirts, hats, skateboards and bicycles to weekend retreats at some of Maine’s best ski areas.
The evening starts at 8 p.m. and ends when everything is gone. The restaurant donates one dollar for each pitcher of draft beer sold that evening.
The proceeds from the auction go to our kids at the Santa Claus Fund. This year, Joshua’s came through in a big way. In one night, the folks at Joshua’s raised $7,951. Fantastic job!
We can’t thank you enough for this outstanding donation. Thank you to the Siatras family, their staff and patrons of Joshua’s Restaurant & Tavern. Your support is so vital to our campaign.
The Two Buck Club returned again this year to be part of the evening’s excitement.
They’re a group of Joshua’s patrons who meet often at the restaurant, and donate $2 each time.
By the end of the year, the fund had raised $1,260. They added to the evening’s excitement by donating this money to the Santa Claus Fund. Thank you, Two Buck Club members, for being part of the Santa Claus Fund team.
This year’s fundraising continues to move closer and closer to our goal. In addition to the $9,211 from the auction, we received the following donations:
Stanley and Carla Davis gave $25 “in memory of our parents.” We received $200 from Sonny and Patsy and Germaine St. Pierre. Frances and Rhonda Thompson donated $30 in memory of Alton, Donnie and Johnnie.
Pat Dawson and Bonnie Nelson gave $100 in memory of Eva Dawson. John and Jacqueline Donahue sent $25.
Leon and Cora Pennell gave $30. David and Phyllis Bartlett donated $25. Richard and Carol Antonak sent $50.
Bodwell Chrysler Jeep and Dodge Dealership gave $25, Kevin and Daniel Perry and their wives gave $50.
An anonymous donor gave $25. Linda Clement donated $25. Alfred and Phyllis Fuchs sent $50. Regional School Unit 1, based in Bath, donated $250.
The Down East Credit Union donated $50. Don and Buela Green gave $35. Rosemarie
Spaulding sent $100. Morton Real Estate gave $100. Century 21 sent $50.
Don’s Recycling donated $10. The Atlantic Federal Credit Union gave $150. Brunswick Instant Printing donated $20 and free printing of our business forms valued at $75.
The Fairfield Inn donated $25, and Brenda LaCombe gave $25. The total for Friday was — drumroll, please — $10,586. Thank you so much to all of you! That is a big number. That makes the new grand total $23,033.
We were called to pick up some knitted items from Raquel Moody of Topsham. Raquel and her mother, Dianne Moody, made and donated 126 pairs of mittens, complete with matching knit hats. They were all sized and sorted, then put in plastic tubs for easy transporting.
The First Parish Church donated hand-knit hats and mittens. Thank you.
Bud White delivered a rocking chair, a watch and gloves. Thank you.
We are looking for toys for boys and girls between 8 and 10 years old. If you would like to send a toy item, the toy bins for this age group are very light right now. You can drop off an unwrapped toy at either the Bath Elks Lodge, 12 Lambard St., or the Brunswick Elks Lodge, 179 Park Row.
If your family needs some assistance this year, you can send a letter to the Santa Claus Fund Inc., P.O. Box 278, Brunswick, ME 04011.
To qualify, you must live in our service area, and you must be the parent or legal guardian of the children. We will need your name and address, and a telephone number where you can be contacted. List the names of your children, their genders and their date of birth.
Two days after mailing the request letter, call us at 319- 9317 to get your box number. If your request is approved, a volunteer will give you a box number and the date, time and place to pick up your box.
Time is short, we must receive your request by this Friday, as we start distributing gift parcels a week from today — Dec. 19.
We have a new number for the number of children in the system as of Friday. We are now at 432, including 217 boys and 196 girls. Lots of letters arrived Saturday, so we might top 500 by the time they’re processed today.
We are closer to our goal, but still need about $7,000. If you have been thinking of sending us a donation, all you have to do is send a taxdeductible contribution to: The Santa Claus Fund Inc., P.O. Box 278, Brunswick, ME 04011.
Thanks go out to all of our loyal readers who continue to support our cause each year, and to our new friends who have helped us this year for the very first time. Thanks to our creative people who have sent the mittens, scarves, blankets, hats and bonnets. You have been terrific again this year.
Thanks go out to the suppliers who worked so hard to get us what we ordered — and who have answered the call when we need a fill-in.
I’ll be back on Tuesday with more updates on our progress. I think the letters from Saturday, coupled with today’s mail, will be very heavy.
The volunteers will work extra hours today and Tuesday. The need is great, and we will do all we can to put “a Smile on a Child Christmas Morning.”
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