Forty-nine donations, including an $8,000 anonymous gift, have brought the amount raised in this year's Holiday Hope campaign to $53,462 and have pushed the total amount raised in 14 years past the $1 million mark.
Holiday Hope began in 1999 with the modest goal of raising $5,000 to help make the holidays brighter for those who might otherwise have to do without. Readers responded that initial year by contributing more than $20,000, and the program has continued to exceed its goal every year, even as we increased the amount being raised.
This year, the goal is to raise $85,000 by Christmas for Carroll County Food Sunday, Neighbors in Need, Carroll Hospice and The Shepherd's Staff. The latest donations put us at more than $1 million raised in 14 years, but we're still just more than $30,000 shy of this year's goal.
The latest donations included $800 from Ron, Zachary and Olivia Thomas in memory of Jill Thomas, $250 from Carolyn and Dennis McComas in memory of Sterling McComas and Cecil and Lela Ayers; $200 from Phyllis Bassler in memory of Robert Bassler Sr.; $200 from Bryan and Shirley Kendall in memory of James Patterson and Walter Patterson; $200 from David Clingan in memory of Nancy Clingan and Kathy Cousins; $100 from Joan Burke and family in memory of Patrick Burke; $100 in memory of Jacob and Margaret Fitze; $100 in memory of John Hillman; $100 from Tom and Norma Taylor in memory of Michael Bloom; $100 from Betty Little in memory of Richard Little; $100 from Albert and Claudia Luke in memory of Steven Luke; $100 from Gaye and Frank Grimes Jr. in memory of Mary and Mark Fleming and Teresa and Frank Grimes Sr.; $75 from Patrick and Anita Riley in memory of Mary and Al Lombardi and Mildred and Tom Riley; $50 from Maureen Scheper Fox in memory of Catherine Scheper; $50 from Bruce Knott in memory of Naomi and Bob Knott; $50 from Russ and Cindy Kluck in memory of Christine Klunk Hohman; $50 from Phyllis and Bill Kreimer in memory of Edward Lister Jr.; $50 from Lola and Marsha Mathias in memory of P. Gene Plank; $50 from Lola and Marsha Mathias in memory of Murphy, Smudge, Tessie and Tank; $30 from Jack and Maria Koenig in memory of H. Paul Koenig Sr., Mark Almony and Larry Almony; $25 in memory of the Klatt and Herrick families; $25 in memory of Uncle Jack; $25 from Lee and Linda Fitzpatrick in memory of Lester Myers Sr., David Richards Jr., and Chief Harry Bowman; and $25 in memory of Ralph, Dorothy, Maurice and Joan Garber.
Other donations included $300 to the glory of God from Union Bridge United Methodist Church; $187.68 from employees of Jiffy Mart in honor of the Tevis family; $106.08 from the employees of Tevis Propane in honor of the Tevis family; $50 from Jackie in honor of Slipper Group; $50 in honor of Nelson Mandela and all peacemakers; $300 from Trinity Lutheran Church Helping Hands; $200 from Dave and Tammy Holtkamp; $200 from Silver Run-Union Mills Lions Club; $100 from Robert Johnson; $150.96 from the employees of Tevis energy; and 16 anonymous donations totaling $9,400.28.
To participate in Holiday Hope, readers need only clip the advertisement that appears in the paper every day between now and Christmas. Today's ad is on B4.
Fill in the information card (please print). You can make your donation in honor of someone, in memory of someone, as an individual or group effort or anonymously. Checks should be made out directly to the organization.
Each day between now and Christmas the Carroll County Times will print a list of the donations, including the names of those memorialized or honored.
Neighbors In Need, administered through Human Services Programs of Carroll County Inc., provides holiday help, new gifts and clothing to those who cannot afford to do so for themselves.
Carroll County Food Sunday operates food banks for the county's needy from locations in Westminster, Taneytown and Eldersburg.
Carroll Hospice provides palliative care and support services to individuals with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
The Shepherd's Staff is a Christian outreach and support center serving those in need and encouraging pathways to self-sufficiency.
