Good Neighbors Fund

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Previous Good Neighbors Fund stories

• Good Neighbors Fund tally tops 2007 contributions
• Donations to fund surpass expectations
• Good grocer is given gratitude
• Good neighbor a treasured friend
• Immigrant battles to stay afloat

Total amount raised

One morning each week, a small group of friends meets at Sheila's, an eatery in downtown Roanoke. They talk, have fun and plan hunting trips, a passion shared by most of the members of the group that nicknamed themselves the Thursday Morning Breakfast Club.

Bruce Welch, a lawyer, was one of the avid hunters.

"Bruce was lots of fun, and he loved and lived to be in the woods," said group member Dr. Charles Gilliland.

The group was started informally 20 years ago with members of First Presbyterian Church, Gilliland said, and grew to include other friends and neighbors. Welch joined 10 years ago, invited because he also ate breakfast most Thursdays at Sheila's.

Even after Welch learned he had cancer, Gilliland said, Welch continued his practice in downtown Roanoke, worked with clients in Franklin County, met his friends for their weekly meal and went on hunting trips with his breakfast buddies.

Welch, 62, lost his battle with the disease in September.

The group sent in a donation to The Good Neighbors Fund this year in memory of their friend.

"It just seemed like a decent thing to do," Gilliland said. "We wanted to let his family know we continue to think about them."

Donors through Dec. 21 include:

The Roanoke Times

Barry and Libba Wolfe in honor of Dotsy Clifton and Lew Singer

James Howell and Carol Howell in honor of their mothers, Georgie Howell and Marie Crisp

Friends of Berky Cundiff

June McCarthy in memory of Billy McCarthy

An anonymous donor in memory of Charles E. Stringfellow

An anonymous donor in honor of Mark, Nora, Caroline Bryant and Savannah Lucas

Southeast Lunch Bunch

Council of Community Services-Roanoke Regional Housing Network

Santa's Golfers

St. Paul's Episcopal Church Staff

David and Lisa Bowers and Lewis and Karen Pillis in memory of Louis A. Boschen Jr.

James G. Watson in memory of his father and mother, John and Mattie Watson, and in honor of Ms. Claudia Whitworth

Roy in memory of Jean

Sarah Angle Purves in memory of her parents, Dock and Frances Minix

Sarah Angle Purves in memory of Berlin, Wray, Keith, L.G. Peters and Natalie

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Garland in honor of their good neighbors: Brian and Margaret Allen and son, Brian

Jere and Marie Jamison in honor of Virginia Perdue

Mary S. Belcher in memory of Virginia Mason and Charles A. Saunders and in honor of Karen, Marvin, Selena, Chyna, Zion

Diane W. Elliot in honor of William D. Elliot

Kathleen Aud in honor of Lisa and Dave Coleman

Charlotte All Hutchison in memory of Lacy C. All, Jr.

Shelly and Linda Rosenbloom

Nicholas and Kelly Varelos in honor of Katherine Nicole Varelos

Corey and Chesley Fobare in memory of their special grandfather, William D. "Bill" Jones

Beth and Patrick Fobare in memory of their father and father-in-law, William D. "Bill" Jones

C.O. "Red" Bowman in memory of Smokey and Milley Bowman

Mitchell and Bobbie Bowman in honor of Martin L. Robison and in honor of Sherry Robison

Jane Butler in memory of Jack Butler

John and Suzanne Rowland in honor of their grandchildren: Johnny, Colleen, Baylee, Morgan and Luke

Paula Baumgarner and Karen Waskey in honor of Rebecca L. Kohler

J.H. Woolwine in honor of Estelle, Hatsy, Hilda May

Inder and Subhash Bahl in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Babu R. Bahl and Mr. and Mrs. Gyan C. Piplani

Leslie Santapaul in honor of Mike and Pearl Becnel

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Mountcastle Jr. in honor of Dr. Alan C. Henry

Richard F. Koehler in memory of Andre P. Fallwell and Judge Jack Coulter

John and Hoye Duckworth

Ruthie T. Barnett in memory of Richard Barnett; Patrick and Ruth Trainum

Virginia Ziegler in memory of Leonard C. Ziegler and H.C. Burrows

Louise Wimmer in memory of Charles Van Lear

Office Staff of LGP Orthopaedics in honor of Lewis-Gale Physicians: Dr. B. Spetzler, Dr. A. Myers, Dr. B. Torre, Dr. A. Durham, Dr. J. Carr

Marie and Eugene Stupin

Mike Grantham

Randy Martin in honor of family; Sunni, Mel and April; and all adopted and rescued greyhounds

Charles Kennedy in memory of deceased family members

Shirley Tirico in memory of her husband Frank Tirico and in honor of Tom and Susan Tirico

Carl and Merry Ford in memory of Jim and Ellen Dillon and other loved ones

Libby and Rufus Spiers in memory of Martha Collyer

Cheryl and Dick Lawson

Kathy Kesler in honor of Roanoke City Health District, WIC and WCH/FP staff

Mary Jo Atkinson in memory of Eugene W. Atkins and Mary Lois Atkins and in honor of Marvin S. and Felicia H. Woods

Ronnie and Ella Higginbotham in honor of granddaughters Analea and Kylie Angel

Frith Anderson and Peake, PC in memory of Martha Collyer

Pam and Don Obenshain in honor of Gracie Law

Jane M. Ambrose-Cosby in memory of her brother, Campbell Ambrose, and her husband, William Cosby, Jr.

Polly Barbour in memory of Bill Barbour

Nene Roe in memory of Mrs. Fred Poag

Nene Roe in memory of Nina Burke