The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-25
ELKS MAKE MANY
 CHILDREN HAPPY Hundreds of Toys Distribu-
 ted Yesterday SANTA CLAUS PRESENT Children of East Lake Orphanage and Mercy Home Treated First. Then Others Come In For
 Their Share
SANTA CLAUS PRESENT

The annual Christmas tree celebra- tion of the Birmingham lodge of the Benevolent Order of Elks held yester- day at their home on Eighth avenue was one of the largest and most suc- cesswul in the history of the local orr ganization. The arrangements commit tee, of which Dr. John Perkins was chairman, and Tom Shields secretary, received many congratulations upon the splendid results of their prepara- tory work.
 Fully 1000 children, including those from two charitable institutions of this district, were made happy with the toys provided by the generosity of the Birmingham Elks. and the sight of the children, laden with their gifts, leaving the building in joyful possession of the things that make little folks glad, was a very forcible reminder of the Yuletide season. There were exactly 300 wagons, 500 dolls, 1000 boxes of fruit candies and nuts, 1000 horns, 500 other noise making instruments distri- buted to the children whom St. Nich- olas sometimes overlooks in his Christi mas eve rounds.
 d son. disguised as Santa Claus, arrived in his automobile, which was highly decorated in the purple and white colors of the fraternity and fairly loaded down with Christmas tree and bags of toys. The tree was removed to the lodge room of the home, where it stood 16 feet in height and displayed the beauty of it's ornaments, which had been placed there by Edward o'Hagan, a member of the Atlanta lodge, but well known here. The toys and trees were conveyed to the scene in Santa's car that the tiniest tots might see him in the act of de livering the goods" While the presents were being given out. Claimants or chestra furnished music and the whole atmosphere was one of good cheer and juvenile glee.
 First of all came the children from the East Lake Orphans Home. who were rendered the use of special car for their journey by the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company. Meanwhile the Mercy Home children had arrived in the wagonettes placed at their disposal by Louis Rates and were seated until the East Lake Home had been given their allotments. When both institutions had been supplied with the wagons, dolls and other things and sent back to their homes intact, the remaining children filed in and re- ceived their share from the members of the lodge who were stationed at in tervals behind the enclosing rope of the Christmas tree. Each girl was given doll, each boy an express wagon and then passing on they added horn and box of eatables to their bundle. In the box were apples, oranges, bananas. bon bons, mixed nuts and set of jacks. The final award was a half pound of stick peppermint candy and a miscel- laneous array of noise producing in- struments.
 Santa Claus mingled with the chil- dren, shaking their hands and further promoting the general feeling of good fellowship. The Elks were rewarded for their kindness by many grateful smile and the satisfaction of making such a large number of children know the taste of Christmas The East Lake Home and Mercy Home are always in vited en masse, but individual tickets are distributed among such worthy families of straitened circumstances that the membership might know and check system is followed to eliminate all repeaters. It is becoming year ly custom that is looked forward to by all the children who have received the benefits of the past from the Elks and is witnessed by many of the mem bers and friends of the lodge.