Woodinville twins’ phone calls are on the money / Northshore Citizen

My friend Annie’s two junior-high-age daughters were truly in the holiday spirit in early December. They are twins, by the way. In her career in public policy, Annie spends considerable car-bound time en route to and from meetings.

My friend Annie’s two junior-high-age daughters were truly in the holiday spirit in early December. They are twins, by the way. In her career in public policy, Annie spends considerable car-bound time en route to and from meetings.

She recalled traveling one morning on the Eastside, tuned to a radio station telethon, which was raising money for Tree House, an organization that looks out for foster kids the year around, but especially at holiday time. Before leaving the house, Annie mentioned the telethon in passing to one of her twins.

The announcer’s voice caught Annie’s attention when he reported, “We have just heard from a young girl in Woodinville who pledged the entire contents of a jar of coins and dollars that she saves for Christmas gifts.”

Annie arrived for her first meeting of a long day.

Back in the car and on to the next appointment, she heard the same announcer state, “Do you remember the junior-high-school girl from Woodinville who called in earlier and pledged all the coins in her gift jar? Well, she just called again and said she would also donate that plus what she will earn the next two weeks doing chores at home. What a young lady!”

Annie began to wonder.

Moments later, an even younger student from Auburn pledged and then more young voices were on the line following suit. Holiday music and conversation again took over.

By then it was lunchtime, and Annie had another meeting. She could hardly wait to get back to the car radio, though. Strapped in her seat belt and off to the next appointment, the announcer said, “Now, you folks remember how this young woman from Woodinville called in twice this morning? Well, you won’t believe this, but her twin sister just called and said she wasn’t going to let her sister outdo her. She pledged enough chore dollars to match her sister.”

That did it. Annie had a pretty good idea that she was listening to some very heartfelt, generous offerings. Could these donors possibly be HER teenage twin daughters?

On her way home in the late afternoon, she had not changed the radio dial. As she was pulling into the driveway, the announcer broke into a special feature report to bring listeners up to speed on results in the fund-raising for Christmas presents for those deserving foster kids.

“Those two girls from Woodinville are at it again,” he reports with unusual enthusiasm. “The second twin just hung up. We are right at deadline time and she pledged another $25 to help buy presents for some very special kids. She recognizes some kids are just not as fortunate as all of those their own age who have called in today. The Woodinville twins sure set the example for all of us!”

Annie parked, convinced she had been listening all day to how charitable her daughters had become and how they were so filled with the holiday spirit. She walked into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. Twin daughter No. 2 approached, obviously pleased at being the winner in this home’s competitive sibling environment.

“Mom,” she asked, “can I borrow $25?”

John B. Hughes was owner-publisher of the Northshore Citizen from 1961 to 1988 and is active in local nonprofit organizations.