The Goodfellows of Buffalo County has our annual Christmas event coming up soon. This Christmas event helps make the holiday season a little bit brighter for needy children by delivering toys, clothing, and goodies to their door on Christmas morning. In 2023, over 1,100 children in the Buffalo County area received gifts from the Goodfellows organization and the many wonderful volunteers who take time out of their schedules to help others.

While Christmas deliveries are at the heart of the Goodfellows efforts, the organization assists needy children in a variety of other ways. Free milk, warm winter clothing (coats), school supplies, and a variety of other assistance is made available so kids are stronger, prepared for school, and happier. As tradition goes, we will publish the names of all donors who give a gift before December 31st in the Kearney Hub. If you would like your gift to be anonymous, we can facilitate that request as well.

Kearney's Goodfellows organization traces its origins to businessmen who gathered for coffee at the old Fort Kearney Hotel. As a banker and longtime Goodfellows board member Wayne McKinney relates, it was sometime in the 1940s when newspaperman Ormond Hill encouraged his coffee buddies to pass the hat to buy Christmas gifts for children in need. Among the regulars around the table were hotel owner John Henry, oil distributor Howard Nimes, and florist O.L. Erickson. Appliance distributor Earl King also was among the instigators and proudly kicked off each year's drive with his $100 donation.

Other business leaders got involved in soliciting donations and then delivering gifts on Christmas. They included loan officer Keith King, insurance dealer Keith Cottrell, furniture dealer Jack Rall, and creamery operator W.B. "Bill" Richardson. Lumber dealers Albert Tollefsen and J.B. Elliott joined in, as did their sons, Ed Tollefsen and Joe Elliott.

Gunnar Mattson was the first to map out the city into routes for the one-day drive.

The Tollefson's and Elliotts weren't the only Goodfellows families. Insurance dealer Robert Hazlett was a Goodfellow. His son-in-law, insurance dealer Jim Anderson, followed suit.

Today, the tradition lives on through our wonderful community's efforts. Goodfellows owes its success to many people. Their names may fade from memory, but their work continues for years to come!!