For more than 30 years, a volunteer organization in Butte that called themselves Joshers, distributed Christmas baskets to needy families. The Joshers were a familiar and welcomed element of the Christmas season in Butte from 1903 until the mid-1930s. During some years they delivered over 50 truckloads of food baskets throughout Silver Bow County.

The Joshers began on Christmas Eve 1903, in the back room of Al Green's cigar store and saloon on North Main Street. A group of men were celebrating the holidays and reminiscing about Christmas' of the past. The gathering included Green, Billy Gemmell, a founder of the Butte Racing Club, James T. Finlen, owner of the Finlen Hotel, W. A. Clark II, Joe Harmon, owner of Harmon's Buffet, and Lou Frank and Sol Genzberger, real estate agents.

In the middle of the stories and laughter, Archie Coutts, a newsboy, came in with a letter for Billy Gemmell, who for years had been the victim of practical jokes by his friends. Billy was suspicious as he read the letter while the rest were laughing.

"Boys, this may be a josh and an attempt to get me out in the snow and cold," Billy said, "but I'm going anyway. It says there is a family that is hungry and cold on the East Side, and this is Christmas Eve." Green, owner of one of the few automobiles in Butte at the time, told Billy he could use his Stanley Steamer and his chauffeur, Art Hayes.

Gemmell returned to the saloon about 30 minutes later. The others could tell by the look on his face it was no joke. He told them there was a woman and four children with no food, and they were burning furniture to keep warm. He passed the hat and soon had collected enough money to make four trips in Green's car with groceries, coal, wood, beds, and bedding for the poverty-stricken family.

When they were finished, tired and cold, but happy with the evening's work, the men made plans to form a club that would have as its purpose the aid of needy Butte families at Christmas. From this simple beginning came the Joshers Club, so named because of the letter Billy Gemmell thought was a "josh."

The following year the Joshers helped eight families that were in need of food, clothing, and fuel. They did not advertise their work, but for the next 10 years, as the number of families increased, the club members spent their own money, bought food and other necessities, and hired a truck to make deliveries. By 1913 the list of families had grown to more than 200.

In 1914, Merle Davis, manager of the Broadway Theater, and Spike Haynes, sports editor of the Butte Miner, joined the club and suggested the Joshers sponsor a variety show to raise funds for the growing number of needy families. Davis donated the theater and show troupes, musicians, and stage hands donated their time. All of the proceeds were used to buy food for Christmas baskets.

Farmers and stockmen donated beef and pork, butchers donated their time, trucking companies donated delivery trucks, grocery and wholesale houses sold food at cost, and businessmen put on overalls and loaded the trucks. The Joshers Christmas event became a community affair and a Butte tradition. It eventually became one of the biggest annual affairs in the city.

Christmas baskets in 1920 included a 25-pound sack of flour, 10 pounds cornmeal, 10 pounds each of beef and pork, five pounds bacon, 50 pounds potatoes, one pound coffee, one pound tea, two pounds rice, two pounds navy beans, two pounds sugar and salt, large can condensed milk, can salmon, can corn, three bars laundry soap, two pounds lard, cookies, and as many apples, onions, and rutabagas that would fill the basket.

For the 1930 variety show, not only was local music and minstrel talent scheduled, but the entire Franchon and Marco Show Troupe performed through the courtesy of Harry Stone, manager of the Fox Theater. Even though the theater held 1,500, the Joshers sold over 3,000 tickets. They delivered over 50 truckloads of food baskets that year.

Also, in 1930, some members of the Joshers skied and pulled a toboggan, loaded with food and fuel, to help a family who were stranded in their home four miles out of Divide.

As the social programs of the New Deal went into effect, the work of the Joshers, whose membership slowly declined, was taken over by other organizations, including churches and service clubs. The Butte Joshers Club no longer exists, but the Christmas spirit they inspired is alive and well in Butte today.