Bainbridge Committee disbands after 62 years of giving

Published 2:56 pm Friday, November 12, 2010

The Bainbridge Committee, which has contributed about $1.4 million for islanders in need since its inception, has disbanded after 62 years.

The committee, and its Katy Warner Christmas Fund, has helped hundreds of local families and individuals with one-time emergency aid and an annual Christmas shop that ensured children had presents under the tree and families had a holiday meal on the table.

The group was established in 1948 by the late Walt Woodward, the Bainbridge Review editor for whom Woodward Middle School is named; and the late community icon Katy Warner, for whom the Christmas Fund was named after she wrote an annual column in the Review about the fund for 30 years. Woodward and Warner saw a need for aid for families, and formed the committee.

The committee was established before Helpline House or Bainbridge Foundation existed, and members felt that the times had changed so that the committee’s function was no longer needed, said committee President Luanne Croker.

The committee gave about $25,000 a year to Helpline House, and spent about $15,000 a year on the Christmas Fund. Over the last few years, Christmas Fund contributions have been steadily declining, to a low last year of $11,650. The fund had traditionally brought in $15,000-$17,000 annually.

The committee has contributed about $974,000 to Helpline House and has raised more than $410,000 for the Christmas Fund since it began, according to Treasurer Barb Woodman.

Committee members urge those who have traditionally given to the Christmas Fund to give directly to Helpline House. Members also thanked the community for more than six decades of helping other islanders, and expressed gratitude for the founders and all those who have contributed.

Committee members: Barbara Woodman, Luanne Croker, Nick Nickum, Becky Fox Marshall, Ann Sievertson, Linda Raquer, Joyce Gibson and Sarah Wilt. Pete Glosten, a long-tme committee member, died earlier this year.