Evening star., 1953-12-20
By WinzoIo McLendon

LII LIE ullQSC OF DuSy monday
season. the Officers Wives Clubs
of the armed forces have set
aside time, funds and energy to
arrange festive Christmas parties
and visits from Santa for chill
dren of the services and for pa
tients of military hospitals.
More than / 100 boys and girls
started their Christmas celebrat-
ing early on Friday, when they
attended parties planned in their
honor at the Walter Reed Army
Medical Center.
The parties - annual affairs
for all children of civilian and
military personnel Of the center
were at one time sponsored
and arranged by the ladies Of
the Chapel Guild. Now that they
have grown to a grand scale en-
terprise they are the joint prof.
ect of the whole center.
This year. the Chapel Guild
was in charge of the gift COM
mittee in addition to helping at
the parties. Selecting gifts for
1,100 young ones is no small task
and Mrs. Kermit H. Gates, chair
man, and her committee which
included Mrs. Leonard D. Hea-
ton, wife of Maj. Gen. Heaton,
the commanding General of the
center; Mrs. w. S. Stone and
Mrs. Michael Sheppeck, spent
many hours finding appropriate
gifts for the various age groups.
It was impossible to handle all
Of the youngsters at one affair
so they were divided into three
groups and the lively procession
of parties-the first starting at
l p.m.-followed one after the
other in the Center's Sternburg
auditorium which was decorated
with greenery and mass of
Christmas trees.
There was fun and entertain
ment and, of course, Santa was
on hand to personally present
the presents. Col. Roy D. Max
well served as master of cere-
monies.
Assisting the overall co-chair-
men, Mrs. Kermit H. Gates and
Maj. James A. Parker, were the
following ladies of the Chapel
Guild: Mrs. Michael L. Shep-
peck, Mrs. James H. Macken,
Mrs. Richard r. Brady, Mrs.
John S. Oartell, Mrs. Alfred Taro,
Mrs. Joseph C. Rosser, Mrs. Will
liam S. Stone, Mrs. Frank L.
Bauer, Mrs. Emmett L. Peterson,
Mrs. Edwin L. Smith, Mrs. Frank
L. Bauer, Mrs. Emmett L. Peter
son, Mrs. Edwin L. Smith, Mrs.
Slater M. Dosier. Mrs. F. E. Vul-
tee, Mrs. Edward j. Costello, Mrs.
H, C. Bradford, Mrs. Charles H.
Mosley. Mrs. William H. Morney
and Mrs. Robert H. Yager.
Also helping were Mrs. Willis
D. Holland, Mrs. L. G. DeBolt,
Mrs. j. M. Tuggle, Mrs. S. B.
Hayes, Mrs. B. A. Raymond and
Mrs. William c. Roundtree from
the Army Medical Service Wom-
ems Club.
u X 4 II
Friday was also the date
chosen by the Reserve Officers
Association Qadies) for their
annual Christmas party at the
National Naval Medical Center,
Bethesda. Servicemen patients
from two wards were guests this
year at the merry affair which
included a program of Christmas
songs and carols.
The music was presented by
Maria De LaHull, soprano, for
merly with the London Opera
Co., and Mrs. Milton L. Gould,
soprano, the president of the
ROA 0adieS). Mrs. Dorothy
Bickford accompanied the solo,
lists.
Following the musical program
the members of the club, under
the direction of Mrs. Peggy
Verkouteren, served homemade
cakes and presented each patient
with personal gift. They also
donated two bedside radios to
the hospital.
u r.
Members of the Army Quar-
termaster officers Wives Club
also entertained at a Ward
Christmas party this week. Their
guests were servicemen patients
at the Walter Reed Army Hos
pital.
Highspot of the afternoon was
the toy bingo game where each
winner received toy to give to
child. Then there was group
cinoiro Of coocopo] coro1c opd