WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1950 ; TIDE MICHIGAN DAILY WORKMAN PLAYS SANTA FOR 44 YEARS: 1 -11 Ann 2 Arbor Carpenter for , Children * * * « * *k * * * * * * * By BOB KEITH A thin, bespectacled, old Ann Arbor gentlemen .has been quietly struggling in his basement work- shop this week to put the finish- ing touches on thousands of Christmas toys. He is Al Warnhoff, an unpre- tentious 60-year-old carpenter whose toymaking hobby has car- ried him to great heights in kind- ness to others. * - WARNHOFF GIVES his toys to blind, sick or orphaed chil- dren. In his lifetime he has pro- duced mnore than 18,300 of the playthings, and he has personal- ly delivered'all of them to un- fortunate youngsters in hospitals and other institutions through- out this area. All told, Warnhoff has prob- ably done more than any other individualin Michigan to con- vine the disabled or homeless moppets that Santa Claus is much more than a mercenary myth. And he has devoted the major part of his life to that end. For the past 44 years Warnhoff has spent almost every spare hour huddledover his workbench. Day after day he comes home from his regular job, eats dinner and then "holes up" until after mid- night in his basement shop at 1315 Franklin. He designs, saws, paints and polishes. By Christmas time he has packed his cellar with clever new wooden gimmicks such as moving windmills, chairs, wheel- ed horses and dogs that bend in the middle. FOR ALL HIS effort, Warnhoff receives no financial reward. "I don't accept money," Warnhoff said in a way which made the very idea seem ridiculous. "It's really a lot of fun," he explained. "When I deliver the toys myself I'm able to see what they mean to the children. It's a toymaker's dream come true, and the pleasure is something money can't buy." Although his hobby hasn't brought fortune to Warnhoff, it has produced fame by the car- load. He modestly refers to him- self as one of Santa Claus's help- ers, but many Michigan residents have long been of the opinion that Warnhoff. is none other than old St. Nicholas himself. His toil has brought acclaim from hospitals, clubs, newspapers, mayors, governors and even from President Truman. * * * THE PRESIDENT sent him a congratulatory letter a few years ago. And every year Warnhoff goes to' see 'Michigan's governor. Warnhoff has earned an hon- ary membership in the Ann Ar- bor Kiwanis Club, and in April the local chapter of the Ameri- can Legion "gave an award to mom and me." , One year the head of the Mu- tual Broadcasting Company pre- sented Warnhoff with a certifi- cate for "living the golden rule," A new radio was thrown in along wit hthe citation. For Warnhoff, king supreme of gift-givers, "it was the only present I ever got." THE IDEA OF making toys to provide Yuletide cheer for young- sters came to Warnhoff when he was 16 years old. "A little girl in the neighborhood got sick, so I made her a doll crib. The doctor :::":< :}. Give- the Gift of Lasting Pleasure... 7' A Columbia children's records Favorite Stories, Games, Music ... For every child on your Christmas list. Available on 331/3 LP and 78 rpm records. Frosty the Snow Man-Gene Autry-Col. MJV-75 ..................... ... $1.25 Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer-Gene Autry Col. MJV-56 .................. $1.25 Goldilocks and the Three Bears-David Allen Col. J-MJ-36 ...............,... $2.65 Little Black Sambo-Don Lyon Col. MJ-28...................... $2.50 3. -Daily-Tom Seyferth WHO SAYS SANTA CI AUS IS BUNK?-Surrounded by a saw-dusty accumulation of home-made toys, Al Warnhoff manages to keep in fine spirits as he heads into the home stretch in his year-long preparation for Christmas. Warnhoff, Ann Arbor's own St. Nick, turns out thousands of toys in his cellar workship, and he gives them all away. Here he puts final touches on two toys which will gladden some children's hea rts come Christmas morning. . * * <* . * Kankie and the Concertina-David Allen Col.. ..J-39... .............. The Gingerbread Boy-David Allen Col. J-MJ -37 ....... ............ . $2.25 $2.25 said I'd done more good for her than anything else and he told me to keep up the good work. And that's what I've tried to do ever since." All told, Warnhoff estimates he has spent eight years of his life down in the cellar. His hob- by rgularly consumes 49 hours a week and more than 2000 hours a year. And he does this on top of a day-time job in a local lumber yard. Warnhoff makes so many toys that he can allow himself no off- season rests. He always starts in right after one Christmas and "keeps on a-goin' until the next. His only break comes on Sundays when he pauses to "take mom out to dinner." "MOM" IS Ethel Warnhoff, his chief consultant and mother of their two children. While Mrs. Warnhoff assists in choosing colors, local civic groups annually perform some of the more arduous tasks, such as sawing wood, or stuffing the doll's beds. Warnhoff's machinery is furn- ished and kept in repair by an Ypsilanti firm. * * * . MAKING FULL USE of his, fa- cilities and putting pressure on himself, Warnhoff gets his base- ment and garagesloaded to the ceiling by Christmas time. Then he takes a week-long vacation- his only one of the year-from his regular job and sets out on a round of deliveries. A few of the 1800-odd toys he makes yearly go to "kids I've k"own" in the county. Some go to the scores whose "Dear Santa Claus" letters are for- warded to him every Christmas. But most of the playthings are earmarked for the various in'sti- tutions in Ypsilanti, Jackson, Lansing and Ann Arbor where Warnhoff's visits have become a tradition. . THE UNIVERSITY Hospital is his "biggest customer" but the State School for the Blind in Lan- sing seems to offer the greatest reward. "The kids run their fing- ers over the toys and over my face and they get so excited they tear me to pieces. To watch them and hear them gives me the push sand spirib to go on," Warnhoff, remarked. ' Students Father Angered by Sour Note 3V1eDETROIT-(03)-Christmas got the youngster treated at Receiv- an early and not very merry start ing Hospital for a welt on the in the Lovell Jackson household. face. Then Assistant Prosecutor Jackson asked his eight-year- John Rusinack started question- s0son, Lovell, Jr, to sing "Jingle ing the father. It turned out Bells." 'Jackson was aiming for the pro- per spanking spot, but the child Cold, wintry blasts can be for- The boy conplied, but made a ducked and got the blow in the 'hehs mistake and his father stopped face. Igotten with the help of the speech hi.H;tre ginadmdj N hrgs"si uiak department's many radio shows the samesmistake.aghethirdtime " charges,"saidRusinack. which range from news broad- he slipped, Jackson hit him with 'Merry Christmas. casts to childrens' programs. a belt. The news broadcast, a 15-binute Jackson's wife, Josephine, had ReadDaily ClaSSifieds show, is aired at 12:30 p.m. Mon- -'----- ---- day through Friday over WHRV. This show is edited, prepared, and read by radio news students, ** * "DOWN Storybook Lane," a childrens' program, is divided into LI AImmvc®* 8 *we *%1J Christmas Songs-Frank Sinatra Col. LP C1"6019 ......... . ..... $2.85 Jingle Bells-Ozzie Nelson Col. 35786 .... , ................. White Christmas-Frank Sinatra Col. 37152 . .............................. 79 .79 As for taking a Warnhoff chance. calling it quits and much deserved rest, doesn't see much. "Everybody's been pretty nice to me and I owe it to them to keep on. I've been pretty sick (I can't drink beer) and so has mom, but the doc has been trying to get us over it. "I think of quitting after just about every Christmas, but the cellar is so bare that I get lone- some and want to start in again. "Then some night I come home, head for the workshop, and away I go. Pretty soon I forget my troubles and I find new inspira- tion. But most important I find peace of mind." Italian 1B1earS To 0e Counted a T r . ii I f j narrations and dramas. The nar- rations can be heard at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday over WUOM and are rebroadcast at 4:45 p.m. Monday through Fri- day on WHRV. The dramas can be heard at 5:30 p.m. Monday on WUOM and are rebroadcast atI 8:45 a.m. on Sunday over WWJ. The Workshop Drama, a 15- minute show, is heard at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday over WUOM and WHRV by transcription. 1ALF-HMUR LAUNDRY Winter Wonderland-Buddy Clark Col. 38600 . ..... ...........: ...... .79 ,.. k -. easy for any child to operate! ;. ~The Columbia Q Changer Attachment Model 104 Plays all sizes of 331/ LP records automatically * easily attached to your present radio, phonograph or television set. 508 East William Ann Arbor, Mich. f.<. i % ;:2% : 'ti;k:"::::;';{:; i: . ~r ": ..3 35c per washer load 25c to d ry 510 East Williams Phone 5540 Angell !Hall Playhouse, a half- ROME - The Italian govern- hour drama written, produced and ment has announced that it will acted by radio students, is heard soon take a census of the more at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday over than 200 brown bears who roam WUOM and is rebroadcast at 8:30 free in the 500-square-mile nation- p.m. on Thursday over WHRV. al park of the Abruzzi, according The Red Feather show, done in to the United Press. cooperation with the local Coun- After the next snowfall, experts cil of Social Agencies, is heard at will photograph bear tracks and .10:45 a.m. Tuesday over WPAG from these determine the exact and is re-broadcast at 5:15 p.m. number of bears in the park. Monday on WUOM. fo- -- Ii - - FOR THAT PARTY-DRESS WITH THE ONCE-UPON-A-DREAMTIME LOOK, wear an Ann Owens' original p Custom-made to YOUR measurements, in YOUR choice of whisper-soft materials and colors. Prices from $25 to $29.95. 500 EAST LIBERTY TELEPHONE 3-8781 gGifts for Christmas WE SUGGEST - A new Novel, Biography, Travel, Current Events or books on Art, Music, Cookery etc. - Books for children from our well selected stock. Beautiful stationery by Eaton, Montag and others - Calendars - Brief Cases - Fountain Pens KA.Mnnnin -o hckr+;n- - ! Blouses i GIFT SUGGESTIONS for your CHRISTMAS SHOPPING KCi .' h \ .- rf' t ,. ,: ' " . e Give ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES COFFEE MAKERS TOASTERS Sunbeam.......... $37.5( Sunbeam ..... $26.50 Universal._....... . Toastmaster....... $23.00 $16.95, $24.95, $27.9. General Mills .,.,... $22.95 West Bend........ $10.9. Westinghouse ....$22.95 Others from....... $15.95 Just a Few of The Many Electriculf Appliances We lfH e WAFFLE BAKERS and In Stock That .ake SANDWICH GRILLS Nationally Known Brands Ideal X-Mas Gifts - from $11.95 I I Bed Jackets Gloves Night Gowns 04 5 5 Scarfs Shortie Gowns Slips Nylons Panties Half-slips Costume Jewelry WE GI FT-WRAP FREE OF CHARGE i ,Ii iI !