The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-12-05
Visiting Nurse Association viii Again
Stand Sponsor. for Bringing
Cheer to Hearts Of
Poor People.
BIG PROBLEM THIS YEAR
High Cost of Foodstuffs Makes Civ
Ing Of Toys Almost Out Of the
Question Unless Miracle
10 Worked.

The board of directors of the Visit
ing Nurse association at their meeting
this morning, decided to again assume
the responsibility OF conducting the
community Christmas. Because of the
exhorbitant price OF all food stuffs the
need of community Christmas If
Santa Claus is to come at all, must be
apparent to everyone. BY the same
token, the Visiting Nurse association
realizes that everyone will have to
give something who stands on the
giving side of the line rather than the
receiving side. From the four years
experience the association has had in
the community Christmas work. it will
require $500 to fill the baskets and that
amount this year cannot purchase toys
because of reasons known to every
one who eats even the plainest food.
A friend of the association, man in
whose heart the Christmas spirit
'abounds in good measure. has said
that he will give one hundred dollars
If the other Keokuk people will give
the remaining 5000 Of the amount
needed. 1t is assumed that the
churches and other organizations will
this end meeting is called for Thurs
in the reception room of the Y. W. c.
A., to which all church societies and
all charity organizations are asked to
send representatives. Here the plans
will be discussed, what the contents OF
the baskets shall be, and the number
OF baskets the churches will promise
to provide.
The question of toys is puzzler
that Is just how they can be gotten
without using any Of the money which
will be needed to purchase food for the
Christmas baskets. The women have
decided to ask the Keokuk children to
give the toys. II every boy and girl
on the giving side of the line, that is
boys and girls to whose house Santa
comes without any thought on their
part, would each give one or more
toys, then there would be no disap-
pointed, aching hearts any place in
Keokuk on Christmas So it's up to
the children this year to help Santa in
this direct definite way.
Change In Time.
Another change in the plans of for
mre years is that the time Of receiving
names of those to whom baskets shall
be sent shall end several days before
Christmas. Heretofore much confus-
ion and some duplicates have come
from taking names of beneficiaries at
the last moment, too late to Investigate
the case. This year definite date
will be set and no names received af-
ter that time. So those having names
Of people to whom baskets should be
sent must be prompt in sending them
in to the committee.
Conditions are complicated some
what this year by Christmas coming
on Monday and the problem of deliv-
ering the baskets is more difficult in
consequence. 1t was decided to have
those receiving baskets come for them.
Last year some baskets went astray
and did not reach the people for whom
they were intended because Of a mis-
take in the address sent in with the
name. 1t takes more than day to
deliver the ba-kets as many homes to
which they go are long distance from
headquarters.
1t is earnestly hoped that there will
be large number attend the meeting
on Thursday at $3.50 o'clock. All who
are interested are most welcome. The
church society presidents and presi-
dents of charity organizations are es
pecially urged to send representatives.