Imperial Valley press., 1927-12-14
ELKS ''CHRISTMAS JINKS" TO
PAY FOR KIDS CELEBRATION

Over 2,700 youngsters of al ages
and descriptions, passed through the
Elks lodge room last Christmas Day
---gues sts of the Eli, lodge ut its
annual Christmas tree party.
Tor over two solid hours they
came. Little tot3 ciirGihg tc tll'
hands of parents CT older brothers
and sisters; larger ones, wiser in
the ways of the world and ready to
take anything that wasn't nailed
down; "repeaters or those who
sought to 90 through the line twice;
tall and short: clean and unclean;
handsome and homcly; well-to-do
and poor; white, black, yellow and
brown, they all came under the sin
gle heading-kids.
Those from homes where Christ
mas is not all that it might be, were
no more eager to see what was in
store for them, than those who al
ready had gorged themselves on new
toys and the delights of the great
day.
All were greeted the same, with
the Elks open hospitality by a real
Santa Claus. They passed into the
big lodge room where an immense
Christmas tree gorgeously decorated
made their eyes open even wider
than the sight of Old Santa himself.
They passed through rows laden
with toys, trinkets, candies, fruit
and nuts and behind these rows
were members of he Ell k s
lodge dishing out something to each
child as he passed by and in many
cases turning their heads as some
joy-starved little youngster seized
something that caught his fancy and
which he just had to have.
Grown-ups may have good time
doing this and doing that, playing
bridge, golf, participating in sports,
visiting their friends or whatever
may appeal to them. But if they
have never known the joy of MAX
ing kids happy they have missed
one of the biggest things in life.
Not person who has red blood in
his veins could stand in the Elks
lodge on Christmas Day, watch
those kids, and not have some sort
of tingling sensation play up and
down his spine and perhaps make
his eyes grow little bit moist.
That IS real joy.
1t is to provide for such an affair
as this that the Elks will hold their
annual Christmas Jinks' in their
club rooms on Friday and Saturday
night of this week. The public is
invited. The Elks will not hesitate
to answer the questionAif one asks
them what the purpose of the
christmas Jinks.' They will tel
you frankly that it is to raise ev'
cry cent possible to elbow on the
kids'' Christmas Day.
Everybody Gives
Aside from the actual cost of the
material given away, there is no ex
pense attached to this celebration
| Nobody makes any money on 1T
there are no salaries or commissions
to be paid, and even when buying
the Elks make the merchant shave
down as close as possible. Any Ell
that can rattle couple of dollar
in his pocket after Christmas is ;
millionaire. The Christmas Jinks ,
is a "shake down. and everybody
who goes likes it. Naturally the
Elks are not as severe on others a:
they are on their own members.
With all the fun the kids get ou'
of Christmas Day they are still be
hind the Elks who "put it over
year after year, and go "broke and
happy doing it.
owe never do any worrying
about our Christmas tree fund" Ex-
allied Ruler Gruwell said today.
1.-The people of El Centre have al
ways pitched in and helped us make
it success. That our previous
parties have been successes, is due