The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-23
REPLIES to Ministers Charge
That Lodges Relief Work
Is Unsystematic.
ORDER WILL SPEND
S4OO ON CHRISTMAS
List of Deserving Poor Sup
piled By Mrs. Elizabeth
Gambler.

The Christmas Charity committee OF
the Elks lodge today vigorously re
piled to the charge made at the meet
ing of the Ministerial association yes
terday that lodge and charitable work
was unsystematic and handicap TO
the practical work of the Associated
Charities.
That the charitable work the Elks
have on every Christmas for several
years was practical in every respect
and in no way conflicts with the Asso-
ciated Charities. which organization
approved Of and co-operated with the
lodge in it's yuletide benevolences,
formed the gist of the statement made
by the EIks Charity committee. This
statement follows:
From the comments of the mem
bers of the Ministerial Association as
printed in Mondays Palladium, it IS
very evident they are not familiar with
the plans of Elks' Christmas Charity.
We are too considerate of the good
ladies', who do practically all the real
hard work of the Associated Charities.
to impose upon them extra work and
expense distributing to the poor on
Xmas morning.
Where List Was Obtained.
''If the Ministerial Association will
take the trouble and time to ask Mrs.
Gambler and Miss Bell of the Asso
ciated Charities, they will find out
these ladies supplied US with a list OF
the deserving poor, and further
thanked us heartily for taking the bur
den off their hands. A similar list was
furnished us by the Salvation Army.
1--WE were also supplied with lists of
needy by the police department and
principals of public schools. When any
doubt existed some member of our
order personally visited the place. So
our list has been carefully compiled
and we hardly thought it necessary to
submit this list for approval of the
Ministerial Association.
"The Elks never comment on policy
of running churches, for We as a So
cial organization consider it none of
, our business, but should we do so,
would certainly be better posted than
apparently our ministerial critics are
Directory Completed.
In submitting this statement one of
the members of the committee stated
that the Elks charity list was proba bly,
as complete a directory of worthy poor
families as can be found in the city.
This year members of the committee
have personally visited with Mrs.
Gambler the various families reported
to the lodge. Those found worthy of
support were placed on the charity list
with the approval of Mrs. Gambler, he
said
I'VE also told Mrs Gambler that at
first the lodge considered making
large donation to the fund of the AS
sociated Charities, but she told us she
was glad we did not for we, in dis
tributing Christmas relief, were doing
exactly what the Associated Charities
would have to do if we did not" this
Elk committeeman explained She
said that the work we were doing
saved the Associated Charities the
heavy expense of distribution and that
our work met with her hearty appro-
val"
Nearly s400 will be expended by
the Elks lodge this year for Christmas
relief and the lodge has also contrib
uted to the Domestic Science associa-
ton 800 for it's fund for a visiting
nurse for the poor