GOODWILL MISSION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 139, 10 December 1930, Page 13

GOODWILL MISSION

C.T.'S CHRISTMAS CHEER

VISIT TO ORPHANAGES

Every year at about this time members of the Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association represent Santa Claus at tho various orphanages and kindred institutions in the city. It is a voluntary service with the object of making Christmas moro real for hundreds of children to whom life has not boon altogether kind. As they have done for years past, representatives of the association set out this morning on their mission of goodwill to supplement the Yuletide efforts of thoso in charge of the homes. Although there was no real Father Christmas with the orthodox reindeer and sleigh packed with treasure trove, the commercial travellers left behind them instead substantial cheques which will later bo converted into Christmas cheer for the youngsters, who will receive gifts which to them are the spirit of Christmas itself. At every institution the joy-bringers wero received with open arms. Many of the children remembered other such occasions, and their obvious delight must have fully rewarded those whose kindness and generosity had made this thing possible. THE ROUND OF VISITS. Time did not permit of a call at all the institutions, but so interesting were those which were visited that the tour did not end till 3 p.m. The party consisted of Messrs. A. Jacobs (president of the association), J. D. Marks (vicepresident), H. Nash, J. Curtis, and W. Smith. Tho St. Peter's Mission Home was the first call. The Rev. T. Fielden Taylor heartily welcomed tho joy-bringors and assured them that he would make good use of the' donation. Short calls were made at the Girls' and Boys' Presbyterian Homos at Berhampore, and tho matrons of both institutions referred to the great pleasure the gifts would bring. The matron of the girls' homo said that as she anticipated a call from the commercial travellers, she had already spent her sharo of the donation to provide Christmas cheer for the children. The next call was at the Levin Memorial Homo, where the matron gratefully acknowledged tho cheque that was handed over. She aaid it was most acceptable this year, as tho Government had not granted the usual subsidy to tho homo. The Home of Compassion was then called at. The reverend mother assured the visitors that tho money would be used in adding to the children's pleasure at Christmas time. Happy, smiling girls sang for the visitors at the Salvation Army Girls' Homo in Newtown. Nothing more contented could bo imaginod than these jolly little girls, who looked the picture of health. The matron smilingly acknowledged the cheque and said that if it were not for the commercial travellers Father Christmas would not be such a reality to tho girls. Here, as all along the route, sweets were distributed by the visitors. Tho final call was made to the children's ward in tho Public Hospital. In the upper wards there were about a dozen moro or loss permanent sufferers from infantile paralysis, and in another ward there were several children recovering from various ailments and accidents. Although most of them are doomed to spend their Christmas in bed, their faces were wroathed in smiles and their happy chatter about toys and Santa Claus created the feeling that Christmas Day was very closo indeed. To none will this Christmas cheer be more welcomo than to some of these little sufferers. LIST OF GIFTS. A full list of the expenditure by the Commercial Travellers' aud Warehousemen's Association is as follows:—Salvation Army Girls' Home, £30; Salvation Army Boys' Home, £30; Presbyterian Homes (girls and boys), £50Children's Hospital, £50; Homfe of Compassion, £45; Levin Memorial Home £15; Anglican Girls' Home, £35; Anglican Boys' Home, £30; St. Joseph's Orphanage, £40; St. Peter's Mission, £30; Ctiizen's Day Nursery, £10; Distrist Nursing Guild of St. John, £15Residential Nursery, £10; St. Barnabas Home, £15; Porirua Mental Hospital £15; Convent of Mercy, £5; Child Welfare Branch Education Department, £15; Boys' Institute, £5; Mount Cook School, £15; St. Thomas' School, £5Blind Soldiers' Fund, £200; total £665.