COEUR d'ALENE - Press Christmas for All needs help. More than three quarters of the way through the 2013 campaign, only half the money has been raised.

So who should show up just when he's needed most? Good guess, but no. Not Santa.

Anonymous in Athol.

A in A checked in with The Press on Thursday. He was concerned about how this year's campaign is going, and after a few moments' contemplation, he offered a challenge.

"We've got great people in all the communities in Kootenai County," he declared. "I'd like to see one citizen from each of these communities - Post Falls, Dalton Gardens, Rathdrum and the rest - step forward and donate $1,000. But there's a catch: I challenge them to do it anonymously."

Anonymous in Athol, records show, is one of the program's two largest donors over 28 years. The other is Ford dealer Tom Addis.

A in A said he'll match those anonymous $1,000 donations himself.

Asked why he insists on keeping his identity secret except to a few Hagadone Corp. employees, here's what A in A said:

"This is just one way to be part of a community that reaches out to help each other," he said. "I don't know if you know it, but a community like that is really, really rare.

"We like to do almost all of our giving anonymously. This year, I'd love to see 10 or 12 people in Kootenai County communities join the fun without disclosing to the public who they are."

Who's up to the anonymous challenge? Please call Mike Patrick at 664-0227.