Campaign closes close to the top

If it were a last-second field-goal attempt in a football game, the 2014 Press Christmas for All campaign would fall just a bit short.

But that doesn't mean the game was lost.

The unofficial tally for the campaign, which started the day after Thanksgiving and ended on Christmas Eve, was $164,805. That's $10,195 short of the $175,000 goal - or 94 percent of the way up the accompanying Christmas tree.

We say the tally is unofficial because some years, donations come in late via the mail. Depending on when late donations arrive, they can be credited to the current campaign or the following year's campaign.

Regardless, the 2014 program provided gift cards to 8,673 Kootenai County residents, ensuring that every qualified applicant was able to enjoy a merry little Christmas. At the conclusion of this, the 29th annual Press Christmas for All fundraising effort, we thank every single donor for a job well done.