Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-11-16
AID FOR WORTHY POOR
NEEDLEWoRK GUILD ANNUAL
MEETING is SUCCESS.
Hundreds Of Garments Contributed
for Distribution Among Needy.
Beautiful Decorations.

The worthy poor of Polk county will
suffer great deal less from cold, due
to insufficient clothing, this year than
they have in the past, as the result OF
the work Of the members Of the Dali
las branch of the Needle Guild Of
America that came to climax at the
home of Mrs. M. M. Ellis on Friday
afternoon. The object Of the nation
wide organization is to aid the worthy
poor Of the vicinity by furnishing
proper covering for the body, warm
clothing at night and, SO far as pos
sible, supplying other needs. The an
nual meeting on Friday, therefore,
was an important one, for it was at
that time that the results of the
years work on the part Of the ladies
was displayed. Almost eight hundred
articles were received at Mrs. Ellis :
home on Friday, and among the great
piles of stout stockings for the chill
dren and, in fact, garments for the
entire family, there is not single
piece of fancy work. The articles that
are contributed are Of the very best
and all are new. Secondhand goods
are tobooed, at the annual meeting,
although the Guild ladies do use some
worn articles in their crusades Of
charity
The decoration Of the rooms were
especially attractive, and elected
much favorable comment from the ar
tistically inclined among the callers.
Folding doors separating three rooms
were thrown into one spacious parlor
for this auspicious occasion, and these
were beautifully decorated in white
and green, Oregon grape and white
chrysanthemums predominating. The
color scheme in the dining room was
pink, and the arrangement of the dec
orations gave a most pleasing effect.
The large centerpiece was OF pink
roses-rare at this season Of the year
while pink chrysanthemums and pink
candles were in profusion. Autumn
colors prevailed in the garment room,
where the many useful articles were
deposited and displayed, being a
forceful reminder that the time of
need in many an unfortunate house
hold had arrived. Amid these beau
tifulI surroundings large numbers OF
charitably inclined citizens, both men
and women, assembled to tender their
good offices and to extend to the So
ciety engaged in this laudable under
taking their congratulations upon the
pronounced success of the annual
meeting.
During the reception refreshments
were served throughout the afternoon,
and consisted of sandwiches, cakes.
tea and coffee and other dainties
During the afternoon 215 guests were
received and toward evening many
gentlemen called to enjoy the lunch
con and to see the great display that
the collection Of garments made. Mrs.
]. G. Van Orsdel, Mrs. Eugene Hay
ter, Mrs. C. l.. Crider, Mrs. l.. ID.
Brown, Mrs. Conrad Stafrin and Mrs.
Kirkpatrick assisted the hostess about
the house and Mrs. MacGregor and
Mrs. l. N. Woods assisted with the
pouring.
The heavily laden tables in Mrs. Ellis
home where the eight hundred arti-
cles are being classified presents the
appearance of a well-stocked store
for every imaginable wearable is In
the collection. There are many suits
of underwear, all warm looking and
as really good as they are warm; there
are great piles of stockings for chill
dren and grown folks, although The
ladies and children receive the major
attention in the work of the Guild;
there are hats, shoes, dresses, waists,
garters, everything, including a good
ly donation in cash to defray inciden-
tai expenses in the years work. Ger
tainly the families supplied from that
bountiful stock of wearables will be
fortunate. if such can be said of the
many souls whose poverty is the great
est misfortune to the society of a
great nation. But that condition, la
mentable and disastrous, is by way Of
being greatly relieved, not only IN
Polk county, but throughout the Uni
led States by the magnificent work
that is being carried on by the Guild.
The Dallas branch figures prom
inently in this work, and the interest
and enthusiasm that has been engen-
dered in the organization here makes
it one of the foremost branches in the
west, where the society is less exten-
sively represented than in the eastern
states. In fact there are only two
branches of the Guild in the state of
Oregon. the Dallas branch and one at
Portland. The local organization was
started six years ago through the eff
forts of Mrs. George Gerlinger. and
every year its work has multiplied
until it is today the county's fore
most and most effective charity organ
ization. 1t has as officers ladies whose
time and energy are unhaggingly de-
voted to the exalted duty of relieving
less fortunate brothers and sisters,
and for whose aims, ambitions and
accomplishments they command the
respect of the community which so
well knows its benevolent activities.