The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-12-23
Three Hundred Baskets Are Sent
Out From Community Head
quarters Here
Today.
MUCH FOOD IN BASKETS
Plenty Of Materials For Christmas
Dinner to be Found In
These-Toys for the
Children.
THANKS DUE COMMITTEE.

THANKS DUE COMMITTEE.
The people Of keokuk owe a debt Of
gratitude to the community Christ
hard and faithfully to make Christ
who would otherwise have no Christ
mas. Individually and collectively
they have worked hard In the inter
Miss Alton, Miss Irwin, Mrs. John c.
Henke, Miss Buck, Mrs. Singleton,
the visiting nurses, the Baby Welfare
league, and to every one else who
are saying thank you, with the hope
that these good peoples Christmas
may be all the merrier and cheerier
for their work TO make some one else
happy.
The last of the community Christ
mas baskets were being delivered to-
day. Happy faced youngsters who
would not otherwise have had visit
from Santa Claus, walked out Of the
headquarters at Fourth and Main
streets, clutching doll or a wagon
or something of the sort. while CRATE
full elders toted food baskets and
carried bundles of clothing, made pos
sible by the generosity Of some who
were better fixed in this worlds
goods than these folks Of the "other
half"
1t has been a strenuous week for
those at the headquarters. 1t has
been hard work for Miss Alton and
her helpers who days before the
headquarters were opened, checked
up lists, and ascertained whether OF
not the families whose names were
given to them, were worthy cases
For every possible effort was made
to avoid duplication, and still not to
leave out anyone.
Many Baskets.
Over one hundred toy baskets were
filled. Toys were donated and money
was given for the purchase Of toys
which was expended by the chairman
and her committee in the most judo
ious manner possible. There were
close to 200 food baskets, and cloth
ing for various members of the family
where clothing was needed, was sent
Shoes were purchased in several in
stances with money which had been
donated The food baskets contained
meat, bread and potatoes, corn meal
rice. syrup, oatmeal, breakfast food,
gelatine, cocoa, jellies and canned
fruits, and those baskets in which the
county helped were furnished with
chicken and cranberries.
90 thoc dpHvpr-
ed and in other cases cards were sent
out to the families who came and
got their baskets.
More Donations.
Additional donations acknowledged
bv the committee are the following:
Toys from Methodist Protestant
Sunday school.
Toys, Duncan-SChell.
Doll, Edith Kiedaisch.
One box hose. Mrs. John Collier.
Basket provisions, Knights and
Ladies of Security.
Basket provisions, Maccabees.
An Appreciation.
The following note of thanks adj
dressed to the people OF keokuk who
helped them has been given by the
committee:
10 the Editor Of The Gate City:
Dear Sir:
The publicity given by your
paper to the community CHRIST
mas work has been invaluable to
us and we wish to thank you. We
have one more favor, though, to
ask-will you print this IN to-
nights edition OF The Gate city:
AZ ha
munity Christmas work this year
we had but little time and not
over abundant enthusiasm be-
cause, we, like every one else,
had heard much of high prices.
We were appalled, when we found
out how great an advance mad
been made in groceries and cloth
ing. We realized that we could
do nothing unless people were
very generous and we wondered
if they could afford to be. We
stated our need and the citizens,
organizations and even children.
gave most Loyalty and literally.
Our expenses were far greater
than ever before, but their con-
tributions have been equally
great.
We have compared our ilSI Win
that Of the county, Salvation
Army, Catholic and Protestant
churches, so that we might not
duplicate. Wherever 1t was pos
sible we have personally lnyestl-
gated; when we couldn't do this,
we secured what we considered
reliable information. Where re-
sponsibiIity is as divided as it
necessarily must be in work OF
this sort, mistakes can occur.
Rut we have consCientiously tried
to spend the money received,
wisely.
To all who gave money, 1000,
clothing. toys. work, their inter
est and good will, we want TO
say thank you and Merry
Christmas.
LAURA ALTON.
NARv IRWIN