WARNER ROBINS -- From a building on South Second Street in Warner Robins, a group of men have been bringing Christmas cheer to underprivileged children for over 30 years.

On Saturday, the Warner Robins Masonic Lodge #207 once again hosted children who may not have had much of a Christmas otherwise. Members of the lodge fed them, as well as their parents, played games with them, and then Santa Claus showed up.

Each child sat on Santa’s lap, and then got a wrapped present. The group gave presents to about 80 children Saturday.

Claude Baptiste, a lodge member, said the lodge has been doing it for over 30 years. The need gets greater every year, he said.

“Every year it seems to go up and every year we try to step up our game and produce more,” he said.

The gifts and the event is paid for almost entirely out of the pockets to the lodge’s approximately 40 active members.

They try to have at least one present for every child. Baptiste said in past years they have had to run to the store to buy more presents while the event is going on.

“Without this, some of these kids would go without Christmas,” he said.

Lychanja Wright brought her four children, ranging in age from 11 months to six years old. She brings her children every year.

“They love it,” she said. “This is a very, very good thing they do because a lot of kids don’t have the opportunity to get anything.

She said it’s not the only time the lodge reaches out to children in the area. They also have events for Halloween and Easter, and they handed out cooked turkeys at Thanksgiving.

Celia Davis brought her son and two grandchildren. She said the lodge also helped the children by providing school supplies.

“It’s real sweet of them,” she said.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.