Like a holiday card from old friends, it was reassuring to receive a note this week from the Riverside Women’s Golf Association along with 17 checks totaling $530.

“Thanks so much for all the good work you do! Merry Christmas and joyous wishes for better days to come,” they wrote.

The women hit the fairways and greens of Portland’s Riverside Golf Course each Thursday during the summer. But members of the league have become more than golfing partners to one another. They stay in touch year-round and, under normal circumstances, gather for a holiday party each December.

Several years ago, they stopped swapping gifts at the party and began pitching in to make a group donation to the Toy Fund.

So it was a relief to see the annual gift arrive and to know the lady golfers are still going strong despite all of the challenges this year. And, of course, it was good news for the children who are sharing the joy of the holiday season because of a generous group of women they will never meet.

• 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 71st year, the fund serves families in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Lincoln and Knox counties.

• DONATIONS to help buy the toys can be made 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 my parents, Burton & Faith Bailey, who loved Christmas and children! From Brian & Sandy Jones $50
Emily Swan $30
In loving memory of my husband, Wayne, and son, William, from Dorothy York $50
Anonymous $2,500
In memory of Nancy Foshay. Love, Don Foshay $100
Doris Fee $25
John Sanders $100
Donna Emery $30
We miss the kids this year! From the train club guys who do the annual Maine Mall train display $250
In fond memory of Anna and Dot, who always made Christmas happen $50
Nina & Ed Comiskey $150
In loving memory of Dorothy Legassie, and Linda Miller, from their family $350
The Merrill Family Christmas Clan, from Alice & Willa Merrill of South Portland for their fellow children $500
In memory of Lynne and Paul $200
In memory of Charlotte LaCrosse $50
In memory of Fred Conti $50
Seth Brewster $100
Have a Joyous Christmas Season $20
Suzanne & Charles Hedrick $35
The Anderson Family $50
Anonymous $100
A family for Peace $100
Smiling kids $100
Thank you for sharing joy this season! Lisa $100
Gaston Lee $50
Renard Voisine $25
Our grandchildren, Analise, Ben, Xander, & Sophie Gordon, gave part of their Hanukkah gift to Bruce Roberts & GSFB $50
Andrea Dionne $25
From Al & Dottie Lappin, in memory of our son, William (Billy) Lappin $50
In memory of Jack and Alan Corcoran, and Dennis Hayes, from the Corcoran/Hayes family $300
In memory of Henry and Jeanette Gagnon $100
Kay White $50
Robert Tweedie $75
Ron Houle $50
Audrey Lakin $50
Patricia Dickerson $25
The MacKellars $360
Best always, thank you, Emery Goff $25
The Duchaine family $100
Lincoln & Sammy Greenleaf $100
In loving memory of Joyce Monford Katly $60
Waterville St. – Vixen and Blitzen $50
In loving memory of Cora $100
In honor of my great-grandchildren, Chloe, Brody, Mason, Levi, Lyra, John, Sam, and great-niece, Denali $100
Herbert Taylor $25
Merry Christmas to all! Richard & Eleanor Morrell $100
Gift from V.A. Borgatti $50
Trisha & David $100
Happy Holidays! Kenneth & Carole Byers $100
Joan & Arthur Cope $25
To honor our two new great-granddaughters – Lucy & Quinn, from Roger & Janice Merrow $100
Peace, love & joy to all! $200
Sean McCormick $50
In memory of L Philip Bernier, from his family $100
In loving memory of my parents, Irene & Edmond Paulin, from Nicole – Class of ’68 $50
Merry Christmas from Bexie & Sammy $100
Anonymous $100
Anonymous $1,000
Robert Lemieux $50
Alexandra Metz $100
Merry Christmas! Fat Cat & Skinny Cat $100
Robert & Nancy Morris $500
In memory of Paul & Anne Chandler, and George & Florence Stewart $250
In memory of Mary Staszko, who loved Christmas, from Dan & Peggy $100
Anonymous $100

Year-to-date total: $234,156.25

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