The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-12-26
BASKETS FILLED TO BRIM
Every One Contained Christmas
Dinner and In Addition Many Gifts
TO Delight the Hearts of Chill
dren Salvation Army Helps.

INTO many homes In kenoSha this at
ternoon. These were homes which
housed little children who had begnn
to fear that probably after all the God
Fairy had forgotten all about them and
had over looked their door posts.
Homes made sad by sorrow and homes
darkened by the shadows of age. To
these homes old Santa Claus came in
motor truck, or in a touring car
and he left behind him plenty of good
cheer to make Christmas merry and
make memories Of Christmas last dur
ing the greater part of the year.
The Kenosha Elks made their annual
distribution Of Christmas baskets this
afternoon. There were seventy of them
Just packed to the brim with good
things to eat, warm things to wear and
other little things which delight the
hearts of normal happy children. There
were chickens and big roasts of beef
and turkey and geese stored away in
the baskets, there was flour and sugar
and butter and coffee and all other sorts
of provisions that go to makeup the
Christmas dinner. The plum pudding
and the fruits and candy and nuts were
not forgotten and the big baskets car
ried more of Christmas cheer and
Christmas goodies than had ever been
carried by Elks Christmas baskets be-
fore. Walter w. Hammond was in
charge Of the committee distributing
the baskets this year and nearly fifty
members of the order had chance to
go on the mission of mercy. They
found a lot of places where the joy Of
Christmas would not have come, save
for this visit of the Elks. The little
children opened their eyes wide when
the baskets arrived. "A few of them
had seen the Elks baskets come in other
years and they knew what to expect
but to the others it was like diving into
q pack that Santa Clause had left at
the door. The thoughtfulness Of the
Elks brought tears to women g eyes as
well as smiles to children faces.
and more in them than ever before. Of
course there was the Christmas din
ner and with it went warm stockings
for every child in the family, in some
there was a coat for the mother or
suit of clothes for the father who had
been sick for months.
There were toys and playthings
for the children. Letters to-
Santa Claus had been turned over to
the Elks as had been the custom for
years and these heart notes to the
patron saint Of childhood all found an
answer when the big boxes were un-
packed.
The Elks started packing the boxes
and baskets on Monday morning and it
was not until early this afternoon that
the final sack of flower andfnal basket
of apples and oranges had been put in
place and the men with strong arms
and happy hearts started out on the de-
liveries. It was day Of thrills for the
Elks delivering the baskets, due to the
wintry blasts but her warmth of the
Christ was spirit overcame the obstacle
and before nightfall all the baskets
were delivered.
The Elks never know any ward lines
and their boxes and baskets went to |
every part Of the city and the suburbs. |
In some cases they went to places
where mothers were struggling TO raise
large families of children. Many of |
the people who received the Elks Christ !
mas baskets this afternoon had never |
asked for aid but the Elks learned in
some way that the children were go
ing to have something missing out Of |
their lives tomorrow and they Just ma
turally fell into line and supplied that /
need.
The Elks were in charge of the larg-
est Christmas distribution in Kenosha /
but many other organizations made
similar distributions. There was a i
lot of families on the list of the Saliva
ton Army and the baskets sent out to
them were filed to over flowing. Tn
every market in town special provision
had been made TO care for some one and
the delivery boys found that their or
ders called for a lot Of trips they had
never made before. Church organiza-
tions were very busy making their trips
this afternoon and in some cases the de-
hveries will not be completed until late
this evening.
The annual Christmas moving picture
for the children was given at the Burke
Theatre this afternoon and crowds Of |,
happy children who taxed the capacity
Of the Market Square theatre applauded
the program provided especially for
their entertainment.
So carefully had the distribution of
baskets been provided for that the Of