Joplin Elks Lodge Christmas Basket Deliveries
By: Jeremiah Cook
Updated: December 22, 2012
JOPLIN -- Santa is getting a little help making Christmas happen from Charles Genisio.
"We even moved a quick vacation that we had planned just so that we could this this year."
He and dozens of other people gathered at the Joplin Elks Lodge Saturday morning so they could help families in need have Christmas of their own.
"You just get here, and you want to be here, and you just want to do this," Genisio says. "It's just about being together as an Elk family."
The Joplin elks lodge has been delivering Christmas baskets with food and toys for local families for fifty years, and for the last six Kevin Keys has been in charge of organizing the project.
"It's a lot of work, but it's well worth it," Keys says.
He says they want to make Christmas special for families in need.
"274 families, plus we're also delivering toys and food to Children's Haven," Keys says.
Although it takes an entire team a full year to plan, not to mention hours to pack and deliver the food, the members say it's worth it in the end.
"There's nothing like brining these toys in to a group of kids who look at their mom and want to know it you're Santa Claus," Genisio says.
Keys says one of his favorite memories is from a few years ago when he and another member of the Elks Lodge were delivering to a family with a young boy and girl.
"And the little girl was so excited for the brother, not knowing that she was going to get a bike also. So when we brought the bike to her, she just burst into tears with happiness."
And that makes all of the work worth it.
"This time of year a child should not be able to go without Christmas," Keys says.
"What we want to do is be able to give back to the community as Elks," Genisio says.
"We're here to serve the community," says Keys.
The Joplin Elks recently moved into a new building after their original facility was destroyed in the May 22, 2011 tornado. The members say being able to make Christmas special for so many local kids is the best way to christen their new home.
"We even moved a quick vacation that we had planned just so that we could this this year."
He and dozens of other people gathered at the Joplin Elks Lodge Saturday morning so they could help families in need have Christmas of their own.
"You just get here, and you want to be here, and you just want to do this," Genisio says. "It's just about being together as an Elk family."
The Joplin elks lodge has been delivering Christmas baskets with food and toys for local families for fifty years, and for the last six Kevin Keys has been in charge of organizing the project.
"It's a lot of work, but it's well worth it," Keys says.
He says they want to make Christmas special for families in need.
"274 families, plus we're also delivering toys and food to Children's Haven," Keys says.
Although it takes an entire team a full year to plan, not to mention hours to pack and deliver the food, the members say it's worth it in the end.
"There's nothing like brining these toys in to a group of kids who look at their mom and want to know it you're Santa Claus," Genisio says.
Keys says one of his favorite memories is from a few years ago when he and another member of the Elks Lodge were delivering to a family with a young boy and girl.
"And the little girl was so excited for the brother, not knowing that she was going to get a bike also. So when we brought the bike to her, she just burst into tears with happiness."
And that makes all of the work worth it.
"This time of year a child should not be able to go without Christmas," Keys says.
"What we want to do is be able to give back to the community as Elks," Genisio says.
"We're here to serve the community," says Keys.
The Joplin Elks recently moved into a new building after their original facility was destroyed in the May 22, 2011 tornado. The members say being able to make Christmas special for so many local kids is the best way to christen their new home.
