HURON — The Women’s Building on the State Fairgrounds is abuzz with activity. Scores of people with smiles on their faces - some wearing Santa hats - greet others with open arms.
The sound of “Merry Christmas!” is in the air all around.
It is Dec. 20, and what is happening today is the final act of an entirely volunteer production that began more than three months ago.
“This is Christmas for a great many people,” says Ken Lindblad. “For some, this is it for them. This will be their Christmas, one they probably don’t have without this program.”
Lindblad is the person most associated with the Salvation Army’s Christmas Basket and while he grudgingly admits to being the face “and the glue” for the long-running program, he is quick to point out that he is one of an extensive group of volunteers.
“We have an army of volunteers,” he said. “I am one of many and I get too much attention.”
As Lindblad ducks aside to show a group around the crowded facility, Cindy Wilk, another member of the Christmas Basket group sums up the effort succinctly...”We’re a team here,” she says.

In the beginning
Lindblad, back from his mini-tour, notes that the Salvation Army Christmas Basket has been ongoing in Huron for 69 years and he has been associated with it since 1978.
“I watched Milt Herrick and Sid Glanzer broadcast for two nights - really late at night, down at the old Salvation Army building,” Lindblad said. He had recently begun work at KIJV and “wanted to be involved in all things radio. I was so excited.” Herrick told Lindblad that he was glad that he found the program interesting, as he was going to be in charge of the broadcast the next year.
And he’s never left. He said he begins contacting performers and other telethon volunteers in September. The board for the Christmas Basket meets as needed. With a group of dedicated volunteers who have done what they are doing for many years, things flow pretty smoothly.
“They have it figured out,” Wilk says.

Making seasons bright
The floor of the Women’s building is lined with rows and rows of boxes, filled with food items purchased from the proceeds of this year’s Christmas Basket telethon, which was held the week after Thanksgiving. A total of $33,302 was pledged over the four-evening event, however Lindblad notes that approximately $42,000 in donations have come in.
The money is used to purchase the food, in a tradition that Lindblad and Wilk each attribute to Bette Snyder. “Bette was the one who went to the dietician at the hospital and got guidance on what should go into the baskets,” Wilk said, turning to help a young mom who is picking up a box.
She calls over a volunteer and tells him that the mom is there for a “family of four” box.
Each box contains the same thing - canned fruit and vegetables, canned soup, macaroni, rice, bread, milk, turkey and turkey roast.
As the family size increases, so do the number of boxes.
“Bette’s original idea was for the entire family to have enough food to last through the Christmas break from school,” Lindblad said. “Everything they would need.”
Wilk helps with the Christmas Baskets and coordinates the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. Those who participate in the Angle Tree are picking up gifts and decorations from that program as well. On the far end of the building, a group of volunteers led by Joanne Groves coordinates visitors through tables filled with hats, gloves, mittens, socks and underwear, which is also purchased with donations from the telethon.

Members of the Army
It is fitting that it’s the Salvation Army Christmas Basket, as an army of volunteers makes it happen every year. During the telethon, there are four nights of volunteers - people running cameras and manning telephones. When those lights go out, the next phase begins.
Groceries are ordered, based on the applications - that a different set of volunteers has taken - the week of Thanksgiving. It is important, Lindblad says, to note that Christmas Basket is not a handout. “Everyone applies and approval is based on each family’s income and expenses,” he said. “Every year we have people who are not approved simply because they don’t qualify. They have too much.”
On Dec. 16, a truck showed up with pallets of non-perishable items. With some timely help from the crew at the fairgrounds, the pallets were unloaded. Then, residents from Our Home descended and quickly broke down and organized the contents of the pallets, preparing the food for packing. Members of the Huron Kiwanis club, organized by Gayle Bussell, began packing on Monday, Dec. 18, completing the job for the 109 food basket applicants on Tuesday. Early on Wednesday, the final items - those perishable things like milk, butter, ground beef, turkey and more - are added just prior to the applicants coming to pick up the baskets. None are delivered.
Teams of additional volunteers assist in finding the correct size basket for each person or family and then assisting in the loading process. The list of volunteers just keeps growing.
“I would guess there are around 1,500 people involved, including performers, others at the telethon and all of these people,” Lindblad said, waving at the beehive of activity behind him. “And it takes all of them.” Then he adds, “And we should also add in the 600 or so people who called in during the telethon. They are all doing their part as well. That would put the number at close to 2,000 people who give of themselves to help give others a merrier Christmas.”
From the $500 that was raised in that 1978 radio broadcast that Lindblad watched, the one-of-a-kind local production has touched countless lives and has raised $856,000 since his involvement began and he started keeping track.
Two nights of late-in-the-evening radio has grown to four nights of radio and television, and, with the addition of the internet, the show now has a national and even international audience. All of the money raised goes to people in the Huron area who need a helping hand at a tough time of year. People that many in the area may not even know are struggling, but they know and trust in the program to do what needs to be done.
“It’s people helping people,” he said.

Photos by Curt Nettinga of the Plainsman
Hundreds of boxes filled with food items lined the floor of the Women’s Building earlier this week, prior to being picked up by recipients of this year’s Salvation Army Christmas Basket program. A total of 109 families were beneficiaries of the generosity of funds from those who donated and the time of all of the people who volunteer to assist with the annual program. Volunteer angels assist with bags of gifts and decorations from the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree at the Women’s Building on the Stae Fairgrounds.