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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, December 21, 2006

ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Wahiawa mom would love gifts for baby

 • 
Help our neighbors in need

By Mary Vorsino
Advertiser Staff Writer

HOW TO DONATE

Send checks, payable to "The Advertiser Christmas Fund," to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17780, Honolulu, HI 96817. Helping Hands will accept credit card donations by telephone, 440-3831. Monetary donations may also be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank.

Material goods can be taken to the Community Clearinghouse, 2100 N. Nimitz Highway, near Pu'uhale Road. For large-item pickup and additional information, call 440-3804.

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• Make an online donation to the Christmas Fund.

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Infants don't miss Christmas gifts.

But it still hurts when parents can't give their child something for the holidays, said one young mom who asked not to be identified.

"For Christmas, we are just asking for any help to make this season a little brighter," said the Wahiawa woman, whose daughter is 10 months old. "We don't expect much."

The mother, her boyfriend and their baby share a small house with a roommate. But the house is going to be sold, and they have all been asked to move out by the new year.

As they worry about finding a new affordable place, the couple are trying to meet demands at work.

Also, they are just barely making financial ends meet, and sometimes don't have enough for food or utilities.

The mother said the three had lived with relatives in an overcrowded home before moving out on their own. The woman is now bracing for the financial stresses expected to accompany moving again.

The woman is asking for clothes for her infant and educational toys and books. Diapers, wipes and any other used or new baby items also are needed.

"Our daughter is the most important thing in the world to us and her needs always come first," the mother said. "As parents, we would like to give her the best."

RECENT DONATIONS TO THE ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND

One Hawai'i resident, dubbed the fund's "Secret Santa," has pledged to match the first $25 of each donation. It's a pledge he's made every year for more than a decade. Last year alone, he donated $36,000.

Ida Holtsinger — $1,500
Tim Guard — $1,000
Edward "Roman" Takeuchi, in memory of Nana Irene May Esber Takeuchi — $1,000
Joseph and Beverly Murphy — $575
Edwin Lelepali, in memory of Mrs. Rosie Lelepali — $500
Malia, Daniel and Michael — $500
Ventures West Inc. — $500
Garret Choy — $300
Gabrielson Family — $300
Kelli and Torri $300
Mark, Cathy, Sammy and Mom — $300
UH Information Technology Services, Building 37 — $275
Patricia and Christine Tatham — $244.98
Allie, John and Adelina — $200
Marty Black — $200
Robert Gibson — $200
Moms Club of Central Oahu — $200
Randall Naki — $200
Kenneth and Mabel Tsutomi, in memory of Karen and Nes — $200
Sandra Vahine, in memory of Leonard and Roberta Johnston — $200
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Wong — $200
Cheryl Yoshida — $200
Fred Henderson — $150
4 Kailua York Kids, 5 Hauula Aluli Kids and 3 Kaaawa York Kids — $120
Karl and Mae Kawahara — $120
Homer Alualu — $100
Annual Pamaele Street Potluck Party Gang — $100
Sharon and Patrick Cambra — $100
Esther and Kelvin Chee, in memory of Clifford Chee — $100
Patricia and Harry Cornish — $100
Dewey Family — $100
John and Mary Fitzgerald — $100
Mark Heyd, KCF — $100
Ann Lawson — $100
Joel Lawson Jr. — $100
Lichota Family, in memory of Walter A. Lichota, DDS — $100
Logan and Rylee — $100
Takeo and Winifred Matsumoto — $100
Susan Migita — $100
Deane Neubauer and Keiko Sakuma Neubauer — $100
Ayako Obara — $100
Jean and Tsutomu Oki — $100
Bradley and Mary Oliver — $100
Joe O'Mealy and Hans Anderson — $100
Amber O'Reilly — $100
Pauline Osborne, in honor of Stuart Ho & Dr. Gary Okamoto — $100
Sandee Oshiro and Gerald Kato — $100
Steven Petranik and Ann Auman — $100
Mark Recktenwald and Gailynn Williamson, in memory of Anna Mahoe — $100
Reyna, Jessica and Caitlin — $100
Julian Showkeir and Mickey Selwyn — $100
TR Enterprises Inc./Air Conditioning HI — $100
Kristin Baranko — $50
J. William Busch and Mary Hagedorn — $50
Naomi and George Clark — $50
Julie Elliott, in memory of Mary and Cherie Elliott and Donna Schrader — $50
John and Francine Fiust — $50
Leslie and Marc Matsubara — $50
David and Violet Silva — $50
Rose Stewart — $50
Michael Stroup — $50
Mae and William Sur — $50
Georgette Woo — $50
Edythe Yoshihara — $50
Michael Daniels — $40
Tricia Davis — $40
Anthony Wunsch — $40
Frank Mauz, in memory of Loretta Mau and Emma Mauz — $30
Mei Knudson — $27
Esther and Herman Baba — $25
James and Luella Burgoyne — $25
Dani, Jessi, Shane and Sierra — $25
Ethel Furukawa, in memory of Betty K. Hamada — $25
Erzsebet Germanne — $25
Joan Gilbert, in memory of Violet — $25
Joan Gilbert, in memory of Shelagh — $25
Joan Gilbert, in memory of Nick Tomko — $25
Joan Gilbert, in memory of Fr. John — $25
Clem and Jean Hew — $25
Eleanor Enomoto Izutsu — $25
Keith N. — $25
Kristy — $25
Pat Meyers, in memory of Grace and Frank Ahern — $25
Shari Olores — $25
Kaulana and Megan Quinabo — $25
Jack Randall — $25
Tamayori Ohana — $25 Lance Watari — $25
Wayne T. — $25
Masaji, Peggy and Wendy Takeuchi — $20
David and Mona Hirao — $10
Anonymous — $511
Anonymous — $200
Anonymous — $200
Anonymous — $175
Anonymous, in memory of Joselyn — $100
Anonymous — $100
Anonymous — $100
Anonymous — $50
Anonymous — $50
Anonymous — $35
Anonymous — $30
Anonymous — $25
Anonymous — $25
Anonymous — $25
Anonymous — $25
Anonymous — $25
Anonymous — $20
Anonymous — $20

Total: — $15,207.98
Previous total — $ 89,015.84
Total to date — $104,223.82

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.