Photo of the Week, 94: Bloomington Fire Department Gives Santa a Lift - Christmas Eve, 1940

Bloomington firemen (left to right) Ralph Laesch, Bernard Conroy, Harry Henley, and Walter Young help Santa get ready to deliver sixteen "goody" baskets to disadvantaged local families. Santa Claus, played by fellow firefighter Ray "Mush" Irvin," made his deliveries via a specially decorated fire department wagon (seen in the background).This program was the work of firefighters local union No. 388. Each basket contained a three-pound dressed chicken or a similarly sized ham; two loaves of bread; two bunches of celery; one dozen oranges; five pounds of sweet potatoes; one pound each of mixed nuts, candy, coffee, butter, and lard; one can each of peas, cranberries, and sweet corn; and one peck of russet potatoes.