By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — It’s not too late to brighten up someone’s holiday season. To date, the Times’ Merry Christmas Fund has collected $8,391, and donations are still coming in.

According to Times General Manager Richard Blockson, the fund, now in its 26th year, will be extended into the new year. The goal is to raise as much money as possible for the Salvation Army of Pawtucket, which administers the fund to those who need it.
This coming week, representatives from three local chapters of the Masons will be arriving at the Times office to presents checks to the Merry Christmas Fund. Eldon Goldenberg, financial secretary for the Jenks Lodge 24, said it has been a longtime tradition of the Jenks Lodge 24, the Commandery, and the Royal Arch chapters to contribute to the fund. All of the chapters meet at the Masonic Lodge on Pleasant Street.
Joe Sadlier, who, for many years, has organized “Breakfast With Santa” to benefit the fund, said that last Sunday’s snowy weather didn’t keep the crowds away. “We had about 300 people. It was wonderful,” he said, of the event that was held at St. Teresa’s church hall on Newport Avenue. The breakfast generated nearly $1,200 in proceeds.
Donations, large and small, pour in each year from readers. Some are made in the memory of loved ones and others are anonymous.
Among those making recent donations were Alan and Diane Vary of Shannon Georgia. As former Pawtucket residents, they wrote that they still enjoy reading the Times online, and mailed in $25 to the fund.
A generous donation of $122.50 also came from the students, staff and teachers at Cunningham Elementary School, who took part in a penny drive conducted by teacher Cheryl Babiec’s fifth grade class. The penny collection was done in memory of former music teacher Joseph Fortuna, who, as Babiec wrote to the Times, “had the ability to instill in his students an appreciation and love for music. Our collection is an effort to continue putting smiles on children’s faces just as Mr. Fortuna had done!”
Eileen Thompson, a retired teacher from Cunningham Elementary School, contributed $100, and Babiec made a matching contribution of $122.50 to the fund in memory of her father, Frank Babiec.
Major Eduardo Suarez, corps officer of the Salvation Army of Pawtucket, recently told the Times that requests for financial assistance and visitors to the food pantry are up significantly, due to the troubled economy. At the same time, he said that donations to the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Kettle fundraiser were down, making it to only about the halfway mark in meeting the goal of $92,000, he said.
Anyone wishing to make a donation can continue to do so by mailing them to or dropping them off: Times Merry Christmas Fund, 23 Exchange St., Pawtucket, RI 02860.

 Donations to The Times Merry Christmas Fund as of Dec. 26:

n $471.00 from photos with Santa at Apex
n $25.00 in memory of Elsie M. Pilz from son Bryan and granddaughter Mar`cia
n $100.00 from Riverview Terrace Association, Pawtucket
n $100.00 from Ireland’s 32 Society
n $45.00 from the Fallon Reading Circle
n $110.00 from Jim Chellel, $1 for every photo taken with Santa at Apex
n $15.00 in memory of Earl the Pearl and Stephen, from the family
n $150.00 from Don Wenow & R. Gaye Apparel
n $25.00 in memory of Anna and Doc Donovan
n $25.00 in memory of Aldina and Tony Pita
n 25.00 in memory of Mary Donovan and Jim Kenney
n $25.00 in memory of Manny and Grace Pita
n $25.00 in memory of Bill Specht, John Andrade, Jr. and Lt. Col. David Buckley
n $3,500.00  from the RI Greyhound Owners Association. This was presented to The Times at the annual Charity Day at the Races
n $20.00 in memory of Bill Pawlitschek from Therese Pawlitschek
n $100.00 Merry Christmas from The Purple Primes-Purple Hat Club!
n $300.00 in memory of Ken Nicholson, given by the Nicholson family.
n $20.00 in memory of Ken Nicholson, from Judy Kelly
n $25.00 from the Episcopal Church Women of the Parish of The Good Shepherd
n $20.00 in memory of Claire Connolly from Cecile M. Bouthillier
n $15.00 in loving memory of our late grandpa, grandma and aunt, Marcel, Alice and Dorene Noiseux, from Sean, Matt and Zack
n $25.00 in memory of John J. King, from his wife
n $20.00 from Wilfred and Elizabeth Cottrell
n $150.00 in memory of Tony Pate, 10 year anniversary, December 24, 1998-2008, with love from wife Madeleine, children Kim, Michael & Steven, daughter-in-law Tina, son-in-law Jeremy, grandchildren Courtney, Alyssa & Mikey
n $25.00 anonymous
n $50.00 I’m thankful for a wonderful family. Joan Masse.
n $50.00 in memory of mother Maureen Griffin, from Kelly & Jim Morton
n $500.00 from J. & M. Diamond Tool, Inc.
n $10.00 from Yvette Mueller
n $50.00 in memory of Judy and James Kelley from Brian Kelley
n $25.00 in loving memory of Paul Dumas. Love and miss you, Michelle Kingsbury & family
n $25.00 in memory of Louise Foss, Joseph McGeehan, Alice McGeehan-Oldrid, Bill & Ethel Callahan
n Jack Callahan and Charles Smith, from Bill and Dorothy Callahan.
n $100.00 in memory of Betty Hammerschlag from Bill & Ed Alker
n $300.00 for the kids, from Frederick Martin III
n $100.00 in memory of Moses Kando from the family
n $25.00 in memory of Mom & Dad C., Mom & Dad S., Ruthie and Peter
n $25.00 in memory of Bill and Anna Specht
n $25.00 from Robert Martineau
n $100.00 from Ernest & Constance Pommenville
n $25.00 in loving memory of our beloved son, Robert G. Reetz III, from Mom & Dad
n $100.00 anonymous
n $100.00 in loving memory of Glyn W. O’Malley from his mother, Meredith and family
n $50.00 from Rhody Oldies
n $1,000.00 from the Pawtucket Red Sox
n $25.00 from Alan & Diane Vary, former Pawtucket residents, who enjoy reading The Times online.
n $122.50 from the students, staff and teachers at Cunningham Elementary School penny collection in memory of Mr. Joseph Fortuna, a former music teacher. He had the ability to instill in his students an appreciation and love for music. Our collection is an effort to continue putting smiles on children’s faces just as Mr. Fortuna had done.
n $122.50 from Cunningham fifth grade teacher Cheryl Babiec, a matching gift in memory of my wonderful Dad, Frank Babiec, who was a very special man!
n $100.00 from Eileen Thompson, a retired Cunningham Elementary School teacher.

n Grand Total to date: $8,391.00
n Goal: $20,000