Santa Claus Comes to Brownhelm Twp – 1947

Each Christmas, my heart is gladdened that Brownhelm Township's wonderful tradition of having a real live Santa Claus visit each house in the area lives on through its Community Christmas program.

I posted an article about the 1963 Santa Claus visits here, and today's post is from a 1947 perspective.

I've transcribed the article for easier reading, although the jpeg of the page containing the article (above) is always fun to look at too. (There's plenty of ads for firms I've never heard of, like Jeancola Coal Co., Mayer's Hardware, Butter-Maide Bakeries, Lawson Lumber, Emmon's Pharmacy and Sam Ross & Sons.)

Anyway, here's the article about Brownhelm Township and its Christmas Eve tradition that ran in the Lorain Journal on December 24, 1947.

****

Santa Claus to Visit Brownhelm Township Families Tonight
COMMUNITY TO HOLD 15TH ANNUAL EVENT
Groceries Distributed to Needy in First of Programs
By Staff Correspondent

BROWNHELM – For the 15th successive year, each of Brownhelm's 254 families will be honored by a visit from Santa Claus tonight in a community-sponsored event that has become an institution in the county.

Eight Santas will be going about their rounds tonight bringing a gift for each child in the village. Shut-ins are to receive fruit, candy and cookies. Bags filled with candy, oranges and nuts will be left at every house.

Groceries were distributed at the first of the programs which began in the depression days of 1933. Men on this committee repaired and repainted old toys and women sewed clothes, made dolls and candy.

20 Help in 1933
Rev. R. E. Albright, who was then pastor of the Brownhelm Congregational church, and Mrs. T. W. Wilson, originated the idea. Only 20 representatives of churches and clubs helped with arrangements.

Since then the charitable side has been discarded and the event has evolved into the village-wide Community Christmas. Money is still contributed for needy families and toys are still repaired. But now gifts are given out equally and every child has an opportunity to meet Santa.

Several committees worked packing baskets of fruit and have bought toys. Christmas boxes from Brownhelm still go to servicemen overseas but not in such great numbers as during the war years.

John Love President
President of the committees is John Love. Other officers are Dwight Miller, vice-president; Mrs. Russell Miller, secretary; Mrs. Frank Whyte, treasurer; Mrs. George Bauman, publicity.

Serving on the committee for service men are Mrs. Henry Leimbach and Mrs. Alfred Brill; for children's gifts, Mrs. Ben Northheim, Mrs. Donald Sahr, and Mrs. Warren Manuel; candy and fruit, Melvin Niggle and Erwin Bachman.

Shut-ins, Mrs. T. W. Wilson, Mrs. Allie Claus, Mrs. Robert Leimbach, and Miss Emma Miller; Santa suits, Mrs. Paul Snyder, Mrs. Parker Baird, and Mrs. Leonard Northheim; for Santas, Rev. Albright; and drivers, LeRoy Hasenpflug.

Makeup, Mrs. M. Abraham, Mrs. Robert Leimbach, Mrs. Stuart Olbrich and Miss Eleanor Albright.

Route chairman are Mrs. Arthur Northheim, Mrs. Harvey Emmerich, Mrs. John Portman, Mrs. Peter Van der Ord; Mrs. LeRoy Emmerich, Miss Ruth Hasenpflug, Mrs. Justin Fry, and Mrs. Ray Wycoff.

The Santas will be provided with drivers for their trips which will begin about 7:30 p. m., according to route chairmen.