Hams From the Heart deemed a success

Families in the Lind and Washtucna community were provided with a delicious Christmas ham, courtesy of Hams From the Heart, on Saturday, Dec. 22. Brandon Knodel continued the fundraising effort for the second consecutive year to bring nourishment to families in need during the holiday season.

Knodel estimated a total of $1,700 was raised this year to provide around 80 families with a spiral cut ham for their Christmas meal. The Hams From the Heart goal for the holiday season was to be able to purchase 40 hams.

“It was the community that made it successful,” Knodel said. “It’s the Christmas season, the season of giving, and it truly has been great.”

Knodel and Christy Saetre traveled door to door in the Lind community delivering Christmas hams to families who needed a little extra help providing a nourishing meal to loved ones. The pair handed out 40 hams to Lind community members, with 30 of the hams being purchased from Jim’s Empire Market.

For Knodel, it is important that the fundraiser stays local, and he preordered the 30 hams from Jim’s Market far in advance to help support the local business. After purchasing every ham he could from Jim’s Market, he traveled to other local grocery stores to purchase as many hams as he could locally, believing it is important to keep the money donated by local residents in the community.

Knodel traveled to Washtucna Saturday morning to deliver 19 hams to the Washtucna Community Church to include in holiday baskets for those in need.

“I didn’t realize the need was so great there. I’m glad I could help,” Knodel said of his trip to Washtucna.

The holiday baskets being made by the church provided holiday foods, but lacked a main course. Knodel was overjoyed with the opportunity to contribute the necessary food needed to provide families with a complete and wholesome meal.

Knodel contacted Ritzville area pastors on Saturday to discover families in need in the Ritzville community to distribute the remaining hams to residents in the community. Any hams Knodel has remaining will be donated to the Ritzville Food Pantry.

While Knodel coordinates the Hams From the Heart fundraiser, he hopes to continue it in the future as a non-profit organization or charity. He is looking into setting up a bank account for all donations to be sent to, and hopes to move the recognition away from him and focus on the community’s generosity.

“Thank you to everyone who did donate, the community thanks you,” Knodel said. “You’re the one giving, I just gave you the opportunity.”

Knodel explained he feels blessed to be able to coordinate the fundraiser and also have strong community support. The success of the fundraiser for the second consecutive year, shows Knodel that the need remains in the community, and the fundraiser should continue to help fill the void.

During the next year, Knodel hopes to create a website and Facebook page to help gain recognition for the fundraiser.

With the success from the last two years, Knodel hopes to spread the word about the fundraiser to help more families and communities next year.