[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 212 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H5904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





          CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON

  (Mr. Baumgartner of Washington was recognized to address the House 
for 5 minutes.)
  Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Christmas 
spirit in eastern Washington.
  As a boy, I remember Christmastime in eastern Washington, sledding in 
my boyhood home of Colton, Washington, going on shopping trips with the 
family to Toys ``R'' Us in Spokane, and perhaps stopping off to go 
sledding in Manito Park or visiting Riverfront Park. Indeed, it is the 
best of America.
  That spirit of Christmas continues in Spokane and in eastern 
Washington with its spirit of generosity and service. This year, 
Spokane has been selected as one of just 126 cities worldwide to host 
the Light the World Giving Machine, innovative vending machines in 
reverse that will allow families to purchase meals, warm clothing, 
hygiene items, or even chickens for neighbors in need here at home and 
around the globe.
  From December 12 through January 12, visitors at Spokane Valley Mall 
can, with just a few taps, direct every dollar of their donations to 
trusted local charities like Second Harvest and global charities like 
CARE. This is eastern Washington at its best, people coming together to 
serve, to give, and to care for one another.
  Since their launch in 2017, the Giving Machine initiative worldwide 
has helped raise tens of millions of dollars in donations, and now 
Spokane is part of that story of quiet, everyday kindness.
  During this holiday season, eastern Washington is not just 
celebrating. It is stepping up to bless lives across our community and 
around the world. I am proud to represent a region that leads with 
generosity, and I encourage all who are able to to visit the Light the 
World Giving Machine and to join in this spirit of giving.


                  Celebrating Spokane Christmas Bureau

  Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Spokane 
Christmas Bureau and their 79th year of serving eastern Washington 
families and making each holiday season brighter.
  Coordinated by Catholic Charities Eastern Washington, Volunteers of 
America, and The Spokesman-Review, the Christmas Bureau runs on the 
generosity of local donors and volunteers who give their time, talents, 
and treasures.
  Through these community efforts, the bureau provides grocery vouchers 
to put food on the table and gather toys and books so children can 
experience the simple joy of a Christmas gift.
  The Christmas Bureau serves folks in need throughout the greater 
Spokane area, including Adams, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Spokane, 
and Whitman Counties, making sure no child is forgotten and that no 
table is empty at Christmas.
  Mr. Speaker, the Christmas Bureau reminds us what makes eastern 
Washington and the holidays so wonderful. It is neighbors stepping up 
for neighbors year after year.


                     Supporting The Salvation Army

  Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, over the last few weeks, many of us 
have walked past the familiar red kettles and heard the ringing bells 
of The Salvation Army outside our neighborhood grocery stores. Those 
kettles are just the tip of the iceberg of what The Salvation Army does 
for communities like mine in eastern Washington, not just at Christmas 
but all year long.
  The donations collected outside of our local grocery stores are 
essential to funding key programs that serve our most vulnerable 
neighbors. In Spokane, The Salvation Army operates emergency foster 
care programs like Sally's House, providing safe and loving shelter for 
children removed from abusive or unsafe homes and giving them stability 
at one of the most traumatic moments in their young lives.
  This holiday season, The Salvation Army in Spokane is leading toy 
drives across the greater Spokane area, collecting gifts so that 
hundreds of local children, who might otherwise go without, will wake 
up to a present under the tree.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure that many of us in this Chamber have seen 
someone outside our neighborhood grocery store ringing a bell right 
next to a red kettle. When we all go home for the holidays, let us take 
a moment to thank The Salvation Army volunteers in our communities for 
raising money for programs like Sally's House and who are working every 
day to make our communities stronger.

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