Thursday, December 04, 2008
Couple honor this year's 'favorite niece'
Good Neighbors Fund
Donation form
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
Each year Ralph and Lee Baker make a donation to The Roanoke Times' Good Neighbors Fund in honor of their "favorite niece." The fun begins after their donation is mentioned in the newspaper.
With several nieces, the Bakers couldn't honestly name a true favorite. The family's tradition is that whichever one of the nieces sees the announcement and is the first to call their aunt and uncle becomes the "favorite niece" for the year.
With three nieces in the area and three living out of state, there are a number of young women vying for the honor. With the list of donors now featured on roanoke.com, the out-of-state nieces can now participate in this contest.
The joke started when Ralph Baker would answer the phone and feign ignorance over which niece was calling, saying to his wife that it was their "favorite niece" on the line. That teasing grew into a giving tradition.
Does the title bring special privileges? "Not really," Lee Baker said. "But she becomes the object of a lot of teasing."
Donors through Dec. 2 include:
An anonymous donor in honor of Amy, Jeff, Allison, Blake and Ryan Foster
George Preas Properties in memory of George Preas
Martha L. Worrell in memory of J.L. and Lena Worrell
Martha Lanphear
Linda Goodrich
Warren and Rebecca Clark
L. Deke Webster in memory of Evelyn Whisnant
Mary Jane Esperti in memory of Pat Esperti
Odell F. Holland family in memory of Margaret B. Holland; devoted wife, mother, grandmother
Joan Long in memory of Maxine Johns
Mr. and Mrs. James Warren III in memory of loved ones
Kinzer and Carolyn Otterman in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Broughton Hartman
Charles Lilly in memory of his wife Charlotte Lilly
Emily Ann Mason
Bill and Barbara Leaman in memory of loved ones
Jeannie Rogers in memory of Ken Boyd
Kathy and David Loomis
Lynn Genheimer in memory of Nell C. Sherertz
Mel Ludovici in honor of Dr. David Trinkle
Mel Ludovici in honor of the employees at Martin Travel
Ruth H. Wigington in honor of H. Morgan Griffith, Virginia House Majority Leader
Charles and Singleton Osterhoudt in memory of Beverley Pearce Osterhoudt, Laura and Singleton Garrett
Shirley Rehfield
Gail Bailey Krieg in memory of Jim Coveney
Eilene Gross in memory of her late husband, Cleo G. Gross Sr.
Hugh and Jody Brown in honor of their grandchildren Heather, Morgan and Garrett
Lynda Crafton in memory of Bunny Barker
Barbara and Dick Vinal in honor of their family and the military
Lonnie and Andrea Daniels in memory of Annette Uhlendorf
Molly and Walton Rutherfoord in memory of Toby
Challenger's S.S. Class in memory of Mrs. Janie Webb/Vorst
"The Keenagers" of First Church of the Brethren in honor of Frances K. Via
Doris Rieck in memory of her husband Jack
Jo Martin in memory of Randy Martin's Sunni
Debbie Adams in honor of Linda Cannon, RAM kitchen manager
Judy Shelton in memory of Frank and Mildred Shelton
Mack and Louise Obenchain in memory of Ashby L. Crawford
Jan Hoffman in honor of the Glenvar Dinosaurs
Ora May Sluss in memory of Lt. Col. (Ret.) M. Craig Sluss
Steve Schade
Ms. Jacqueline S. Arnold in memory of Betty Wright
Peggy Lloyd in memory of Jack, Brooks, Bobby and Alice Geary; daughter, Kim Altic
Karen Saunders in memory of her mother, Betty Pullen
Harry and Janet Surratt in memory of Harry Surratt, Sr.
Ms. Bethany Price in honor of Beverly Dunning
Mr. and Mrs. James T. Apple
An anonymous donor in memory of parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Hite
Doyle and Rosemary Bilyeu in memory of loved ones
Melanie and Spencer Amos in memory of Mark Anthony Davis
An anonymous donor in honor of Shawn and Aaron
An anonymous donor in honor of Allison Martin, RAM volunteer coordinator
