Midwest City Elks help families

MIDWEST CITY — The Midwest City Elks Lodge No. 1890 conducted its annual Norman Allinder Memorial Christmas Basket Program on Dec. 21. Volunteers assembled and distributed 172 Christmas baskets to families in Midwest City, Del City, Oklahoma City, Choctaw and Harrah.

Sponsors who contributed cash and in-kind gifts included the Elks National Foundation, DAV Chapter No. 39, OKC Harley Owners Group, Lions Club of Midwest City, South OKC Kiwanis Club, Phi Epsilon, Mayco Industries, Celebrity Club, G&R Auto Parts, Merle’s Frame & Alignment, Steve’s Wholesale Tools, the Allinder Family, the Junior Service League of Midwest City, Country Boy Food Markets, U-Haul of Midwest City, Goddard Concrete and members of the lodge.

Names of basket recipients were provided by lodge members and counselors and administrators from elementary schools.

Each basket included a turkey, ham and every- thing needed to provide a Christmas dinner for a family of four, as well as about a week’s worth of groceries and stables, toilet tissue and candy canes. The retail value of each basket was more than $135. Families with five or more members received additional grocery items.

About three-fourths of the baskets were picked up by the recipients and volunteers delivered the rest. Santa Claus provided a toy for each child who came to the lodge. Toys were donated by the Midwest City Junior League.

The Elks Christmas Basket Program has been in operation more than 40 years. Norman J. Allinder started working as chairman in 1992. He died in 2007, and the following year the program was named for him. He served as president of the lodge and was a district vice president. His widow, Debbie Allinder, has volunteered every year since his death.

For more information about the program, call Stan Mills at 386-9416 or 737-4218.