By George Graham | ggraham@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD – The Hampden County Correctional Center inmates’ commissary fund has continued its long-standing Christmas tradition of donating to the Toy for Joy fund.
The $5,000 gift to families in need brings the Toy for Joy tally to $76,310, leaving $73,690 to be raised by Christmas Eve in order to meet this year’s goal of $150,000.
“In my 38 years as sheriff we have been an integral part of the community,” said Sheriff Michael J. Ashe. “Toy for Joy” helps us to be part of the giving back. I think it’s a wonderful thing.”
Ashe said the commissary fund is accrued through the sales of coffee, snacks, envelopes and the like. The donation is an especially appropriate one because a number of the inmates’ children have brighter Christmases thanks to Toy for Joy, he said.
Dave Ratner, of Longmeadow, is seen with a check made out to Toy for Joy for $1,000 from Dave’s Soda and Pet City. The Toy for Joy fund, now in its 91st year, is sponsored by The Republican newspaper and the Salvation Army, with the help of campaign partner Hasbro of East Longmeadow, which donates a portion of the toys for the campaign.
Dave Ratner, owner of Dave’s Soda and Pet City, another long-time contributor to the children’s gift fund, donated $1,000 this year.
Ratner said Toy for Joy is among the charities to which he donates each holiday season. This year, he explained, he was motivated to double the donation he typically makes because his business was blessed on the weekend of the Dec. 14 snowstorm.
“We thought we were going to have to be closed on Dec. 14 and also lose business on Dec. 15 because of the expected snow. The timing of the storm worked in our benefit, though, and we weren’t as badly hit customer-wise as we thought. I made a decision then to share a little more with everyone,” said Ratner.
Other gifts in today’s batch of donations, totaling $12,790, include $375 raised by a bake sale from the Central High School National Honor Society in Springfield.
This year 3,270 adults and approximately 14,715 children signed up in Springfield to receive toys from the fund.
Holyoke has so far registered and distributed toys to more than 1,340 families.
For more information, call 733-1518. To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, P.O. Box 3007, Springfield 01102. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon to The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Dec. 24.
Here’s a list of the latest contributors:
- Happy Holidays from the Hampden County Jail Inmates Commissary Fund, $5000
- Connie and Jerry, $10
- Anonymous, $200
- With love-Issy-Ollie, Al, Lu, Ron and GE, $50
- In memory of Molly, $10
- Happy holiday season to all from the employee of Exxon Mobil-Springfield, $75
- In loving memory of my mother Patricia from son Tim, $25
- In memory of Ma, love Debbie, Paul, Danielle and Michael, $20
- For less fortunate children, from Pat, Erin, Grace and Aiden, $20
- Bill and Kate, $15
- joy to the children, Courtney and Karly Roux, Robert Gosselin and me, Mere, $20
- In memory of our parents Sophie and Tony and Marie and Dick, $50
- In memory of Charlie and Mary Ghedi, love Ned, Sue and family, $20
- In loving memory of Emile and Ginny Grenier, miss you, The Strole’s, $25
- In loving memory of Art, Helen and Mark LePine, $50
- In loving memory of my loving parents Paul and Margaret DeRaleau, missing you, Diane, $10
- GG says Merry Christmas to my family, especially Caden, $25
- In loving memory of our parents Terry, Chick, Rose and Stanley from Lynn and Gary, $25
- In memory of my parents Ken and Martha, $100
- Ron and Barbara, $40
- In memory of Greg from Ann, $10
- Merry Christmas from Sandra, $25
- Remembering Gram Kay and Mickey, $20
- In loving memory of Perry E and Rena Hall and Mary E Grenier, Dave and Suz, $25
- In loving memory of Arthur K and Nancy L Strole, Dave and Suz, $25
- In loving memory of Francis Lamoureux, $50
- Kathleen, $500
- In loving memory of Roger and Jeanne Johnson, Gerry and Muriel Laux and Kevin Brown, $30
- Thank you God for Gio, the Verducci’s, $25
- In memory of Rascal, Chloe and Muriel from Munchkin, $25
- For Papa who had a soft spot in his heart for kids, $25
- In memory of Geraldine and Phil, $100
- Thanks Ma and Daddy for always making Christmas special and remembering David, love Nancy, $50
- Much happiness Grace and Brian, $20
- In honor of Katharine, Frank and Babette Sattes from Chris and Claude, $50
- In honor of Simone and Osmond Ware Horner from Chris and Claude, $50
- For my soldier, $15
- Merry Christmas, Enjoy, $25
- In lieu of Christmas cards, in memory of Noni and Nono, sadly missed by Patti, Vin, Mike, Joe and Chris Siniscalchi, $15
- In lieu of Christmas cards, in memory of Aunt Emily and Uncle Jimmy Charest, sadly missed by Patti, Vin, Mike, Joe and Chris Siniscalchi, $15
- In lieu of Christmas cards, in memory of Wayne Sebastyanski, sadly missed by Patti, Vin, Mike, Joe and Chris Siniscalchi, $15
- In lieu of Christmas cards, in memory of Alfred Sebastyanski, sadly missed by Patti, Vin, Mike, Joe and Chris Siniscalchi, $15
- In lieu of Christmas cards, in memory of Richard Sebastyanski, sadly missed by Patti, Vin, Mike, Joe and Chris Siniscalchi, $15
- Merry Christmas to all from the Sullivan family, $100
- In memory of my daughter Frances, $25
- In loving memory of Mildred and Stephen Bielizna, $10
- In memory of Bill Curtis Jr., $20
- Merry Christmas from the Zorzi family, $100
- In memory of Richard and Don, $25
- In loving memory of Edward and Lillian Noonan, $150
- In memory of our deceased family members, always loved, forever missed, $50
- How blessed we are for our wonderful grandchildren, $50
- In memory of Erin O’Neil, love Babci, $10
- In memory of Paulette, my aunt, godmother, birthday buddy and friend, missing you, Gerri, $20
- We are blessed, Merry Christmas, The Gills, $30
- Treasured memories, Merry Christmas, $25
- In appreciation for great delivery service to the Rieck family, $25
- Merry Christmas from Wally, $50
- Joe, $50
- Happy Holidays from Everett, Declan and Cody, $50
- In loving memory of Mildred Winsel from her family, $25
- In memory of deceased loved ones and in lieu of Christmas cards, Jack and Rita, $30
- In memory of Ma and Daddy K., Mom and Dad B, Ragz, Shy, Sparky, Runey and Taste Tempter from LKB and SHB, $25
- In loving memory of Mary Stilwell, Louise Beachell and Barbara Neary, good friends are precious gifts, $5
- In loving memory of Samuel and Caroline Gledhill, $10
- Merry Christmas, $25
- In loving memory of Nana and Poppie Lombardi, $100
- Ann, $25
- In memory of Michael S., $100
- Anonymous, $100
- In memory of Dora who loved Christmas from Stephen, $25
- In memory of Helen and Ray Provost, $100
- In the name of STCC lot 2 students, $25
- In loving memory of Tony Vallandingham, Gigghy, family is everything, $25
- In loving memory of Grandma and Grandpa Babineau, love Chip, Christine, Stephanie and Mickey, $50
- Anonymous, $200
- In loving memory of Rick from Cindy, Stephen, Kevin and Sharon, $20
- From a group of neighbors in East Forest Park’s new restaurant Nathan Bill’s, $40
- Matthew and Kristin, $1000
- Your friends at Fontaine Bros., $100
- In memory of my father and Jake, $100
- In loving memory of our grandparents and great grandparents Francis and Glenrose Rollet from Jeremy, Hilarie, Delaney and Hailey Stebbins, $25
- Merry Christmas, $25
- Thank you St. Jude for favors granted, Joni Smith, $25
- In memory of my Mom, Blanche E. Roberts 1/25/07 – 9/9/01, so dearly loved, so sadly missed, Joni, $35
- In memory of my precious son, Tim Smith 10/18/60 – 11/30/80, all my love Mom, $35
- In memory of my Dad, Michael A. Roberts 5/22/07 – 6/6/85 from Joni, $35
- In memory of Tiger, Tasha, Bandit, Candy, Nero, Gypsy, Buffy, Buford, Smitty, Missy and Skeeter, $35
- Thank you St. Anthony for favors granted, $25
- In memory of Freddie Facchini, $25
- Jesus is the reason for the season, $25
- In memory of Ray (Unky) Haluch, $100
- In memory of Charles H (Buddy) Stagnaro, $100
- In memory of Allison Dwarska from her East Longmeadow Big Y friends, $150
- Merry Christmas Brenda, Don and family, thanks for funding us, love Diane and Vickie, $10
- From a very generous elf in Production and with thanks to his wife for the cookies, $20
- In memory of Peter Millett, $20
- Thank you St. Jude BB, $20
- Merry Christmas from the Maggi family, $100
- Merry Christmas from the staff of Interim HealthCare, $500
- Prime Line Marketing, $250
- Raised by a bake sale from Central High School National Honor Society, $375
- Happy Holidays from Dave’s Soda and Pet City, $1000
RECORDED TODAY, $12,790
TOTAL TO DATE, $76,310
STILL NEEDED, $73,690
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