Elks help Santa with baskets

  Human Elks - doing groundwork for Santa's reindeer - got up early Wednesday so they could deliver Christmas baskets to 160 families around Yuma County.

  "We had an extra 15 baskets, so these were delivered to families from south to the border and east to Tacna," reported Phil Clark, Elks chairman for the holiday project.

   "From 7 to 9 Wednesday morning, about 100 of us were at the lodge to pack the personal baskets with toys for the children, plus plenty of food for Christmas. There were toys for at least 440 children.

  "No child in any of the families was without a toy. The toys were given according to ages of each child," Clark said.

  As they have done for the past 25 plus years, members of the BPO Elks Lodge 476  start planning for this annual project when they man the "Chicken Shack" at the spring's Yuma County Fair.

   "The fair event is one of the largest fundraisers for the Elks 'charity pot,'" said Mary Goodmiller, an Elks member.

  "By November, letters are sent out to members and various businesses to assist with the project. Through contacts and members, family names are submitted to receive the baskets. Larger families, those with handicapped members, unemployed, single parents with children are most selected."

  Clark added, "The Elks have a lot of fundraisers, and we use lots and lots of the money for charity, for youth and special projects."

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Pam M. Smith can be reached at psmith@yumasun.com or 539-6856.