Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-10-05
RED CROSS HOLDS
ANNUAL MEETING
Surprising Figures Given in
Reports Of Officers
Present Membership More than 1000
Entire Upper Floor of Federal Build
ing Used by Local Branch.

| ACllHH upon OrueTS ITOH1 SJdbe neuu-
quarters, the Brattleboro branch of the
Vermont chapter, American Red Cross,
held its annual meeting Monday after
noon in the Brooks House, with small
but interested attendance. The presi-
dent, Mrs. j. j. Estey, presided. The
report of the secretary showed the
Brattleboro branch organized April Z,
1917 with membership of $50, which
was increased May 80, as result of
the state campaign, to 1900, and the
present membership is some over 1000.
The sum of 1925 was raised at the
the time of organization and nearly
800 was raised by a house-to-house
canvass.
Red Cross headquarters have been
established in the federal building, the
local branch now occupying the entire
upper floor, using six power machines.
The rooms are open every day in the
week but Saturday for some branch of
Red Cross work.
The supply COMMITTEE keeps regu-
lar office hours to give out yarn or any
Red Cross information.
The board of directors has had 16
regular and six special board meetings
The first sewing meeting was held
May 81.
o. F.. Benson was elected executive
chairman to conduct the campaigns for
membership and funds, and Mr. Benson,
with valuable assistants, increased the
membership and placed Brattleboro s
contribution to the state fund at $11.-
500, more than twice the sum appor.
toned to the town.
Twenty per cent of the money
paid for membership dues, and 25 per
cent of the money raised locally during
the state campaign for funds reverts to
the local branch for supplies
AuXiliaries have been established at
Townshend, Jamaica, Newfane, Will
Evansville, West Wardsboro and Wards
boro, largely through the Red Cross
rallies conducted by the board of direc-
tors with Horton D. Walker, president
of the board of trade, as speaker.
During the absence of Mrs. G. G.
Fits, chairman of the committee on
finance, Miss Mary R. Cabot conducted
several benefit concerts, lectures and
festivals which added materially to the
Red Cross treasury.
AT the request of Mrs. Mary Hatch
Willard president of the National Sur
gical Dressings committee, the, direc-
tors voted to undertake the making of
the national surgical dressings, which
are distinctly different from the fegu-
lation Red Cross y.ical dressings, al
though the Natioj rrgical Dressings
: coInmittee is i Nlsyal committee of
the American Red Cross.
Mrs j. G. Dewitt was elected chair
man Of this committee with Mrs. Il. T.
Britain, Mrs. j. c. Estey, Ms. Fl. C.
Rice, Mrs. c. A. Boyden and Mrs! Alice
Risby. After samples of these dress
ings have been submitted to national
headquarters they are shipped directly
to the front from the branch where they
are made.
The $500 given by the village to the To-
cal Red Cross has been. set aside as q
civil relief fund and is drawing interest
in the bank.
The treasurer, Mrs. Charles r. Crosby,
reported total receipts to date, $5,S47.-
35; total disbursements, $5,325,56, leaving
a working fund of $521.79 on hand
Through the kindness of Miss Cabot,
Mrs. Richards Bradley and others, the
townspeople have been highly privileged
to hear speakers of note direct from
their work at the front.
The chairman of the committee on
supplies, Mrs. j. c. Dewitt, submitted
an astounding report. The branch has
made and shipped to state headquarters
at Burlington for the LIST Vermont In
fantry articles valued at $500. 1t has
made and shipped to the Boston supply
service station for the Red Cross knit
ted garments and hospital supplies,
which includes operating sheets, gowns,
leggins, caps, dressings, etc, valued at
So 900.
The auxiliaries at Townshend, ia
maica, and other places have contrib
uted largely to the knitted supplies.
All local men going to the front have
been supplied with wooden outfit and
all members of Company | have been
supplied or will find awaiting them at
their destination, wooden outfits, each
including sweater, muller, wristers, he'll
met and socks.
The Red Cross branch has had to
depend upon a generous public for its
existence, and gratefully acknowledges
all gifts, great and small, from clubs,
fraternal organizations, church societies,
clubs of children, and individuals who
have contributed in sums from less than
50 to more than 5000, and every man,
woman and child is asked to remem-
Der that the Red Cross must have funds
if America is to help win the war for
democracy.
These officers were reelected at the
annual meeting: Pres, Mrs. j. j. Es-
tey; vice, pres, Mrs. l.. f. Holden, Mrs.
G. F. Barber, Miss Mary r. Cabot, Mrs
f. b. Smith, Mrs. G. l.. Durham, Mrs
II. r. Brown, Mrs. NJ. j. Moran, Mrs. j.
l.. Stockwell, Mrs. n. |. Hawley, Mrs.
h. L. Miner; sec, Mrs. Wilfred f. Root;
treas, Mrs. Charles r. Crosby; chair
man finance COM, Mrs. C. C. Fits;
chairman com. ON supplies, Mrs. j. c.
Dewitt; chairman com. on membership,
Mrs. II. G. Rice; chairman com. on civil
relief, Mrs. L. w. Gibson.