Your donations can create a happy holiday

As Christmas Day approaches, donations are pouring in for the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund.

The fund was established in 1935 by John Stewart Bryan, publisher of The Richmond News Leader, the city's afternoon newspaper. In 1940, the Bryan family also bought the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the two newspapers merged in 1992.

The fund was designed to provide needy children and families with toys, clothing, food and other assistance during the holidays. The Salvation Army now administers the fund as part of its citywide Christmas programs.

This year's Richmond Christmas Mother is Charlotte M. Minor, at one time co-owner and director of the Reynolds/Minor Gallery. She is the wife of G. Gilmer "Gil" Minor III, chairman of the Owens & Minor board of directors.

To donate:

There are several ways to donate to the fund:

Online: Visit inRich.com, search keyword: Christmas Mother and use the online form to make a donation.

By mail: Monetary contributions to the fund may be sent to The Christmas Mother Fund, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293-0001. Checks should be made payable to the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund.

In person: Monetary donations may be dropped off in The Times-Dispatch lobby at 300 E. Franklin St. -- a donation box is on the front counter -- or with the receptionist in the Media General Building at 333 E. Franklin St.

Food, new toys, new clothing and other new items may be taken to the Salvation Army Christmas Center at 1101 E. Laburnum Ave. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For questions about The Salvation Army's Christmas assistance program, call (804) 433-1127. For general questions, call The Salvation Army at its Richmond-area headquarters, (804) 225-7470.

Donations to the fund include:

In honor and memory of all

Richmond Christmas Mothers

past, present and future-------------------------$1,000.00
In memory of Aaron and Sarah

from Burton Mallinger-------------------------100.00
Congratulations Mary Ballou

and John Williams

from Jeff and Ellen Bishop-------------------------50.00
To Charlotte

from Ginny and Gus Habenicht-------------------------100.00

In memory of my dear, sweet husband

William F. Mohr (Bill),

from Pat Mohr-------------------------100.00

In memory of Bill Mohr,

the best Grandad ever,

with love, Matt, Ashley, Doug,

Willi, Miller and Robert-------------------------200.00
Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

Love, Teddy-------------------------200.00
In memory of John Beverley Rankin

and in honor of his mother,

Corbin Kendig Rankin-------------------------100.00
In loving memory of Bun Wyatt

from Brenda Wingfield-------------------------25.00
In honor of the

Bed Management Staff at VCUHS

-- Patricia West RN-------------------------50.00
In loving memory of

Mae Chalkley Shiflett and

Josie Barrett West-------------------------100.00
In honor of Mark and Debbie

from Elizabeth and Jay Jennings-------------------------200.00
John Christopher Ellis-------------------------25.00
Mr. and Mrs. Tripp Smith-------------------------100.00
In honor of all the men and women

serving in our Armed Forces,

especially those in the Middle East

from William Childrey-------------------------100.00
In honor of the staff and volunteers

of CrossOver Ministry

from Tom and Daisy Byrd-------------------------500.00
In memory of our parents

Albert T. August Jr.,

Margaret L. August,

William A. Bridenstine Sr., and

Alice S. Bridenstine

from Sue and Bill Bridenstine-------------------------50.00
In honor of the "Colonists" and

and all Christmas Mothers

from Ted and Carol Price-------------------------500.00
In honor of Charlotte Minor,

2008 Christmas Mother,

from Carolyn and Bill Paulette-------------------------200.00
In honor of my grandmother,

Elizabeth Ledwith, from 6-------------------------25.00
Heidi Frenzel-------------------------100.00
Merry Christmas!

In honor of Callie and Brent Ellis,

Tyndall, Chad and Blair Ellis,

from Jill, Cris, Ellis and Crisman-------------------------75.00
In honor of Charlotte Minor,

2008 Christmas Mother,

from Lyons and George Burke-------------------------100.00
In memory and honor of all

the family dogs

from Pat and Charlie Larus-------------------------100.00
Anonymous-------------------------200.00
In memory of Ray S. Carpenter

and Mary Lily Palmer, who brought us

joy at Christmas and all year long,

with love,

from Judy, Hunter and Melinda-------------------------100.00
In honor of my aunt, Charlotte Minor

from Elaine Minor-------------------------100.00
In memory of our brother,

Laurence H. Talley

from John and Susan Schofield-------------------------50.00
The employees of Fraiche on the Avenues

in honor of

Lou Gambill and Vicki Blanchard,

Merry Christmas!-------------------------100.00
In loving memory of Nancy Long,

We love you Nanny.

Travis, Dustin, Chris, Luke,

Kyle and Erik-------------------------100.00
In honor of my favorite Christmas man,

who loved "Tree Hill,"

Uncle Kevin Mangum and also in

memory of a dear friend, Lucy Leverty,

and most of all to a "Grateful" Father D,

who looked over so many of us at my

beloved "Tree Hill" . . .

you did so much for us and

I will never forget. Nature does not hurry,

yet everything is accomplished.

Words to think on, Father Donald

would say and maybe you also

Remember W.J. and Grandma Burlee.

Sharon Christian Burlee (Hutcheson) May

they rest in peace as well as

my beloved TREE HILL I will never

forget life with you.-------------------------200.00
In honor of and with thanks for

3 wonderful granddaughters:

Ashleigh Grace Pineno,

Alexis Anne Pineno,

Sarah Kathryn Pineno

from Frank and Joanne Pineno-------------------------200.00
In memory of Jean Anderson-------------------------25.00
In memory of our granddaddy

from Lofton, Thomas, Sarah

Kate and Lily-------------------------25.00
In memory of my grandson,

Peter Charles Bance Jr.

from Peter Bance-------------------------100.00
In honor of my mother,

-- Betty B. Brooks, Danville, Va.,

from Randolph Brooks-------------------------25.00
In memory of our parents --

Laurie and Vernon Spratley-------------------------100.00
In memory of Dorothy and Joe Knighton

from Deborah and Tim Knighton-------------------------100.00
In memory of our fathers,

Ben Davis and Charles Kelley

from Debbie Davis-------------------------50.00
We love you Gummy.

Watkins, Adeline and Bryson-------------------------1,000.00
In honor of my sixth-grade teachers

at St. Catherine's, Love, Caroline-------------------------50.00
In honor of Nina and Pop,

Grandma and Bobbie, Aunt Sarah,

Aunt Katie, Aunt Claire, Uncle David,

Uncle Kedron and Uncle Austin,

Love, Harrison and Robert-------------------------50.00
In loving memory of our parents:

Mr. and Mrs. George C. Edmunds

and Mr. and Mrs. T. Cecil Morris

from Dewey and Nancy Morris-------------------------100.00
Laura Weaver-------------------------50.00
Anonymous-------------------------50.00
In memory of Jamie Neal

from Bruce, Mark & Teddy-------------------------500.00
In loving memory of my fiancé

and companion Charles M. Raney Sr.,

whom I miss so much! I love you,

forever, Marie G. Tanner-------------------------20.00
In memory of Jean H. Miller

from Gregory and Jean Miller Frane-------------------------40.00
In memory of Willie Schenck

from Gregory and Jean Miller Frane-------------------------11.00
In honor of our grandchildren:

Nate, Beckett, McGuire and Finley

from Susanne Royster-------------------------200.00
In memory of Sara Camper Trinite

and Samuel Leslie "Bunkie" Trinite

from children Leslie and Charlie,

Chris and BJ, Lee and Sandra and

grandchildren Matthew, Nicole and Ryan

(for Mimi and Pop-Pop)-------------------------75.00
In memory of my parents,

Lillian Foster Clarke and

Murphy Haskins Clark, and

my sister, Jean Carol-------------------------50.00
In memory of my grandmother,

Alma Merchant Camper ("Big")-------------------------25.00
Michael Callahan-------------------------105.00
Gregory Kaplan, PLC

Attorneys at Law-------------------------100.00
National Junior Honor Society

of Binford Middle School

in honor of Binford's faculty and staff-------------------------50.00
In memory of: D.T.B. and M.D.B.,

J.S.B. and A.T.B., J.B. and B.S.B.,

J.S. and M.A.W.S., A.C.S. and L.W.S.,

A.B.K. and R.K.K., S.B. and B.G.B.H.,

F.T.D. and J.P.D., E.G.J. and R.M.J.,

W.W.S. and V.V.S.-------------------------1,000.00
In memory of

Dr. Wallace R. Johnston Dr. Wally

from the Insider's Club-------------------------300.00
"The fear of employment

is the beginning of wisdom"

The Black Truckers-------------------------500.00
To honor Charlotte Minor from the

Mr. E. Massie Valentine family-------------------------500.00
Stephen and Daisy Pridgen-------------------------25.00
Anonymous-------------------------200.00
With much love for

Gilmer III, Gilmer IV and Cameron-------------------------1,000.00
Linwood Stevens-------------------------100.00
In honor of Gabriela Willard,

Love, Grammy-------------------------25.00
In honor of Charlotte M. Minor

from W. Hunter Goodwin III-------------------------3,750.00
In memory of Charles W. Tatum,

from the Edwards family-------------------------25.00
In honor of Auntie and

my devoted mother,

Anne Lee Reynolds Blackburn,

Love you always, Pud-------------------------100.00
In honor of Howard & Marjorie Elmer

from Janene and Travis Charbeneau-------------------------50.00
In memory of our parents

from Dr. and Mrs. Walton M. Belle-------------------------100.00
In memory of Frederic Scott Bocock

from Becka and Bill Schubmehl-------------------------100.00
In loving memory of

Mah Jong Friends

from Virginia Hutcheson-------------------------50.00
In memory of Ganny, Pop, Mother,

Daddy, Merm, Mel, Mary Feild,

and Stephanie

from The Duanes-------------------------200.00
In memory of

Jerry, Bill and Craig-------------------------100.00
Merry Christmas....

from the Dutch Gap Bike Riders Club-------------------------105.00
Scott & Melissa Brannan-------------------------250.00
John T. Meyers-------------------------50.00
In loving memory of our parents,

John and Pearl Williford from

John D. Williford and Rene Hamm-------------------------25.00
In honor of my granddaughter,

Catherine Irby Keightley

Love, Gran-------------------------100.00
In loving memory of my husband,

Alf Goodykoontz, from Jean-------------------------100.00
In honor of my godsons,

Jack, Alex, Paul and Neal

from John Helfrich-------------------------100.00
In memory of

Maria Sheerin Harrison from

Fielding and Kay Williams-------------------------100.00
In memory of Reid Ashe Jr.-------------------------500.00
In loving memory of our grandmother,

Kitty Clarke, from Margaret and

Catherine Clark-------------------------100.00


TODAY'S TOTAL ------------------------- $17,606.00
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED------------------------$184,827.06
GRAND TOTAL ------------------- $202,433.06