Westbrook High School’s Class of 1968 was a special group.
Some classmates have been getting together for breakfast every Thursday for decades. They gather in a local McDonald’s and catch up and laugh. There might be as few as four people in the midst of a busy summer and as many as 20 people on bigger weeks, such as when out-of-town classmates return to the Westbrook area to see relatives at the holidays.
The breakfast club’s conversation must recently have included the topics of Christmas and children and the Press Herald Toy Fund, because a number of donations arrived in recent days in honor of the group or from people who cited the breakfast group in notes that arrived with their checks.
“It’s just so fun to be with people you went to high school with,” said one class member who wanted her gift to remain anonymous. “The funny thing about it is, nothing has changed. People look different than and we did then, but the personalities stay the same.”
And the group’s generosity is a good thing for many Maine children.
For a 70th consecutive year, the fund has purchased and distributed toys for children to unwrap and enjoy on Christmas morning, in spite of all kinds of hardships facing their families that threatened to derail any holiday celebration.
While the work of distributing the toys is now winding down, the effort to raise money to sustain the toy fun continues in high gear through the holiday season, and beyond. The Toy Fund hopes to rebound this year from several down years for fundraising and is asking for readers’ help to push donations to $200,000.
THE PRESS HERALD TOY FUND in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts uses donations from readers to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents. Now in its 70th year, the fund provides toys to needy families in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Lincoln and Knox counties.
• DONATIONS to help buy the toys can be made year round at pressheraldtoyfund.org or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION, call 791-6672 or go to: pressheraldtoyfund.org.
TODAY’S DONATIONS:
In memory of Lucy Jackson $50
Anonymous $500
Tux Turkel $100
From Rusty & Mittens $35
Barbara J Christy $100
Elizabeth Shively $25
In memory of Ralph & Barbara Patterson $20
Merry Christmas! From Chris & Carson Lutes $50
In memory of our parents – from Deborah & Kurt Marston $100
In memory of V and J $50
Craig & Gail Kinney $100
Brayden, Ava, Will, Harper $30
William Hoyt $100
BoB $1408.79
On behalf of members of Willard Engine Ladder Co No2 $250
Lions Club of Cape Elizabeth $250
VFW Deering Memorial Auxilliary 6859 $100
John & Patricia Chesebro $25
Anonymous $300
In loving memory of Bruce Bicknell, a great guy. From Brian & Patti Bicknell $200
In memory of Oma and Gramps – JPC $300
The “girls” from the Little Falls Kindergarten in Gorham $220
In memory of Cindy Cosmos $25
Anonymous $100
Merry Christmas from Russ Lunt $20
John Hunnewell $50
Haley & Payton $20
In memory of Paul & Ann Chandler and George & Florence Stewart, from Acadia, Zachary, & Gannon Stewart $200
In gratitude for all we have $100
In memory of Don Hawkes $25
Word Works John Gibson $150
Ron Houle & Joyce Thompson $50
Happy holidays from the Richardsons $100
Westbrook High School Class of 1968 who meet at McDonalds! Merry Christmas! $20
In loving memory of our parents, Carl & Mille Maksut $50
In loving memory of our parents, Joseph & Jacqueline Gagne $50
In loving memory of Mike & Theodora “Teddy” Dickey, – Mike, Stephanie, Katelynne, & Brandon Ruel $100
In memory of Olive & Donald Skinner, from Kathy & Joe $50
Moody’s Co-Worker Owned $1000
Hoping the love of the season lasts all year! $100
Merry Christmas! John McKeon $50
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Derek Berg $300
Anonymous $100
Amy Woodhouse & Tobey Scott $250
Anonymous $500
In honor of the Westbrook High School Class of 1968 Breakfast Club $25
In honor of HK and STB II $100
In memory of Nana Osgood who loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren, from Scott & Christine Dakers $100
Year to date: $115,081.29
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