He calls himself The Sports Curmudgeon.

But, as you may have guessed, he’s not that curmudgeonly, at least not at this time of year when he’s a whole lot more like Santa Claus.

Jack Finarelli is his name and he lives in Falls Church, Va., which, while a city in itself, is in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

He has his own blog (check it out at sportscurmudgeon.com) where he muses, pontificates, pokes, prods and laughs at all things sports. He also finds time to help out worthy causes, like The Daily News Christmas Cheer Fund.

From time to time, Jack will pluck an item from the Keeping Score column that I write for Saturday papers here and use it in his writings. Of course, there are times when I return the favour.

As Jack writes: “Thanks for all your good work this year (some of which I have ‘appropriated.’ I hope this contribution keeps the books balanced a little.”

And with that he and his good wife, Margaret, made a donation to the Christmas Cheer Fund. Thanks so much, Jack, but, gee, it’s about that image! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Thanks to friends like that, your Christmas Cheer Fund brought in more than $5,000 again on Tuesday. Which means you pushed the all-time total to $504,614.66. That, friends, is awesome! Take a bow, please!

We got there with help from good folks like the women in Bling It On, a local double quartet — that means there are eight of them — who climbed on board with us after passing the hat rather than having a gift exchange.

Thanks a bunch to Colleen, Wendy, Laurie, Sue, Paulette, Grayce, Lana and Joan, and may you find all the bling you desire hanging from your Christmas trees.

We heard, again, from Fiona and Terry Clare. “Thank you for being such a community-minded newspaper,” Fiona notes. “Always a pleasure working with you.”

Have a merry one, you two. And thanks once again for being with us on this great ride.

Hearty thanks, too, to the Baron family for their generosity, and to the gang over at Cactus Jack’s Saloon and Dance Hall. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you.

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If you would like to get in a bid on the Krazyboy Limited Edition/Signature Series leather jacket (size L), that was donated by Leroy (Krazyboy) Connell, just call 250-372-2331 or stop by our office. This jacket, which is hanging in our office, is valued at somewhere north of $500, and the minimum bid is $300.

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Don’t forget that this festive season’s Christmas Cheer Fund will be shared equally by five local charities — the Kamloops Food Bank, Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Home, New Life Mission, Pregnancy Care Centre of Kamloops and YMCA-YWCA Y Women's Emergency Shelter.

Should you want to donate, just clip one of the coupons from this newspaper, or stroll into our office at 393 Seymour St., where one of the smiling elves will be pleased to help.

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TODAY'S CHEER

Anonymous $25

Fiona and Terry Clare $100

Elizabeth and Rob Powers $100

Jo-Mary and Bob Hunter $200

Phyllis Bolster, In loving memory of Art Herman $100

Terry and Richard Taylor $100

Bling It On $130

Mr. and Mrs. Hepatoman $200

Sydonia Osman, In loving memory of Frieda Ray $25

Alice Haynes $100

Muriel Dennison $50

Baron family $2,000

Cactus Jack’s Saloon and Dance Hall $2,000

Anonymous $25

Bev and Murray McCurdy $100

Margaret and Jack Finarelli $95.98

TODAY'S TOTAL $5,350.98

PREVIOUS TOTAL $22,386.00

OVERALL TOTAL $27,736.98