She Brings Yule Joy

She calis herself, with what is certainly historical accuracy, "the first black lady Santa ('lause in Ann Arbor." She made the Christmas Eve trip on schedule yesterday afternoon and last nighl - but not to deliver toys. This particular Santa look saeks of canne'd vegetables, soup, breakfast cereal, childrens' dothing and other useful items to 20 of the city's largest low-income families, 18 of them in public housinfi units. Behínd the beard was Rose Martin. the Housing Comniission staff member who leads "Operation Education," an ongoing project through whieh youngsters living in local public housing have gone camping the past two summers.and also taken plane and bus trips ranging from the Detroit zoo. j to Washifigiorï. D.C., toMam moth Cave, and to the Chicago I Museum of Arts and Sciences. The Christmas Eve items j were purchased during the i past few days wïth $220 contributed by members of the Housing Commissión, several local churches, and the local Office of Economie OpportuniI ty" Help in packing the bags for I delivery was provided by the : I Folice Uepartment's ComI munity Relations División. I And rent for the Santa Claus I suit was paid by other HousI ing Commissión staff memI bers. The low-income families who received visits wcre selected mainly on the basis of sizc. All include five or morechildren. "Santa" used her own car to make the many trips to stores because city officials have limited the Housing Commission's vehicles to a total of 10 gallons a week. Another privately owned car I was used tovisit the families by "Santa" and her helpers - from the Public Housing Tenants Organization, OEO and Operation Education- because tnost youngsters li-ving in local public housing have long since come to recognize Miss Martin's car. Surprise, after all. was the name of the game. -