Toy deliveries created unforgettable memories
This is an appropriate time for a Christmas story. Lion member, fire chief Art Chub was the chairman of the Christmas program.
In late summer, Art would advertise for new or old broken toys to be given away to the less fortunate area children.
Art, fireman Lloyd Robinson, Earl Thomas and Wade Brown would repair and paint old toys, in many cases making them better than the original. A local women's club dressed and painted old dolls.
Merchants Joe Rogers, the Marley family, Stewart Toblim, Karl Berg and others contributed turkeys, hams and groceries.
On Christmas Eve, Lions Club members would deliver to the needy from a list and map provided by local school teachers.
On one particular Christmas, Al Abromeit dressed in his Santa suit and myself had been given an area south of the river including Sagle, Westmond and Careywood. Al and I started out with about eight or nine deliveries. After dropping off packages at Sagle and Westmond, we proceeded to Careywood, our next-to-last stop at Careywood, in a little white house standing next to what is a Bonner County Dumpster site.
As we pulled into the yard, a lady met us, inviting us into the home. There was no Christmas tree and a little girl about 4 started jumping up and down, crying, "Mama, Mama, you said Santa Claus wasn't coming this year." Even old Santa shed a tear or two.
Our last delivery was about four miles off of the highway, on Little Blacktail Mountain Road. It was now snowing pretty hard and getting dark. We arrived close to the house but fearful of getting stuck, we had to stop about 100 yards from the home.
We could see kids playing in the yard where they had made a snowman. Al got out and climbed into the back of the pickup and hollered, "Ho, ho, ho. This is Santa Claus. Come and get your gifts." And down the hill they came.
That day, Al may not have been a real Santa, but to those kids, he was Santa. On the way back to town, Al remarked that it had been a long day but one we would not forget.
JIM BERRY
Sandpoint