'Mitten tree' aids Christmas Basket program

• Lila and Melvin Voss

Brian Korthals/Daily Globe Lila and Melvin Voss, Worthington, stand beside one of two Christmas trees where patrons of the Elks Club in Worthington can contribute winter caps, gloves and mittens for Worthington’s Community Christmas Basket program.

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WORTHINGTON — Melvin and Lila Voss started out with one special Christmas tree inside Worthington Elks Lodge.

Now, there are two, and the sky may be the limit.

The uniquely decorated trees at the Elks are adorned with items such as mittens, socks, scarves, caps and other warm items of clothing. All are contributed to the Worthington Community Christmas Basket program, which each year offers gifts to the needy during the holiday season.

“When we started out ... this is our third year ... we got a few donations from the Worthington Optimists and the Elks Lodge to start out,” Melvin said. “Then we always put a thing in our newsletter asking for members to decorate the tree. And we have a few families that make it a charitable thing — they go out and buy things as a family.”

Last year, St. Mary’s contributed a variety of items from a fund-raiser that resulted in the Vosses adding a second tree inside the Elks for the first time.

“Last year, we did about 400 pieces,” Lila said. “This year, we’ve got one tree set up in the entry way, the other in the dining room. We never know how we’re going to do, but the Worthington Christmas Basket program is amazed at what we box up and send to them.”

Melvin and Lila had been decorating trees at the Elks Lodge prior to starting their “mitten trees” for a few years, but then got inspired for a new project by a newspaper article they read.

“I appreciated Nancy Galland with the Christmas Baskets and I said, ‘If we can do this tree, can we give them (items) to the Christmas Baskets?’ and she said, ‘Heavens, yes,’” Lila recalled.

The trees go up around Nov. 1 and stay up throughout the month before items are packed up Dec. 4 for Christmas Baskets. Robyn Moser, a member of the Christmas Basket committee, stresses that the items — as well as everything else donated — is distributed to citizens across Nobles County.

“There are so many people who contribute,” said Moser, who listed a local men’s woodworking group, the Albs vocal group, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and a yearly pajama party hosted by Roxanne Hayenga as among the key helpers. Anyone, of course, can pitch in with cash donations (to be used for the purchase of food and gifts for children — checks may be sent to Community Christmas Baskets, P.O. Box 552, Worthington 56187),; canned or boxed non-perishable foods; new adult gifts such as warm clothing, gloves, scarves, socks and earmuffs for men and women, new mittens, gloves, caps, slippers and stockings for children; new toys for children and toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet soap and combs.

Donations may be dropped off at American Reformed Church, Worthington, from 8 to 3 p.m. Dec. 4. Baskets will be distributed from noon to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5.

Additionally, this year’s Albs concerts will take place at 3:30 and 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Worthington’s First United Methodist Church. The concert, which will take place for the 11th year, is the chief fundraiser for the Community Christmas Basket program, netting about $2,500 annually. Following the 7 p.m. performance, there will be fellowship and refreshments served.

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