Couple seeks donations for Elks Christmas basket program

Although tickets are sold out for Saturday's fourth annual Elks Christmas in July event, organizers Byron and Nancy Maze are still seeking donations.

Christmas in July, held at the Maze's home, benefits the Elks Christmas basket program, which provides baskets of turkey and all the fixings for those who need them in the community. Last year, Nancy Maze said, more than 180 Christmas baskets were given out and she expects that number to rise this year. "I would anticipate this year we'd have requests for 200 baskets," she said.

The Mazes fund all the entertainment and food for the event, so 100 percent goes toward funding the baskets. The usually raise $1,200 to $1,500 for the Christmas dinners. But "that's just a pittance of what we need to fund those baskets," she said.

Byron Maze joined the Elks Lodge about six years ago and Nancy followed about four years ago. Their involvement in the Christmas basket program came out of delivering them. "We felt it was a very worthwhile program, but we saw the cost of the program soaring each year with more people needing the baskets so they could have Christmas dinner. We decided when we moved here to ... (Lake Fort Scott) that we should use our home to try and benefit the Elks and the Christmas basket program because it's one of our favorite charities," Nancy Maze said.

She added that the Elks do a lot of good in the community through their community Christmas dinner, scholarships, July 4 fireworks display and the group's children's Christmas party. "They just do such good things," she said.

Those who would like to contribute to the Elks Christmas basket program can contact Nancy Maze at (620) 223-8217, or via email at nancy.maze@na.firstsource.com.