The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-09-20
HOOD RIVER
WOMEN BUSY
RED CROSS SEWING CLASSES ACTIVE
Work Of Making Bandages, Hospital Sup
plies and Woollen Garments
Undertaken by Hundreds

With the assembly hall of the Com
mercial club converted into headQuar-
tiers for the supplies department of the
Red Cross Chapter Hood River valley
women are busily engaged each week
in making Dandages andlsurgical dress
ings. The big room has been fitted
with sewing tables. machines and
other apparatus, and every Wenesdsy
from a. m. until p. m. 100 women
from the city and outlying rural COM
munities assemble and work with a
zeal that is inspirational. The meet
ings are quiet and serious and charac-
terized by lack of small talk. In
spectors pass among those engaged in
sewing at intervals, offer suggestions
and present instructions.
In other parts of the valley organic
ations of women assemble weekly. In
addition to the 100 women of the Hood
River community more than $50 mem.
bers of subsidiary units of the Red
Cross Chapter meet at Pine Grove,
Odell, Parkdale and Dee.
The Chapter has already made its
first shipment of supplies, including
fully equipped chests containing ban
dages and surgical tupples. A second
shipment will soon be made. As a re-
suit of the keen interest and hard work
of the women, the Chapter has almost
fill an allotment of six regulation Red
Cross chests.
In addition to the work of making
bandages and hospital supplies the
women are finding time to make $50
sets of woollen sweaters, sox, helmets,
scarfs and wristlets. Women not only
knit at their homes, but the work is
carried to the city on shopping trips.
The knitting needles are piled at social
events, and women carry along their
work on outing trips. Hood Rivers
allotment will be ready for shipment
on the date designated, October l.
The sewing classes of the Chapter
are under the supervision of Mrs. E.
R. Moller, daughter of W. G. Ober-
teuffer, who is IN the quartermaster'
department of the United States Army
in Portland. Mrs. Moller is assisted
by Mrs. Trafford E. Smith. Mrs. E.
H. Shepard, although she has family
of small children, has found time to
direct the work of the $50 women of
the community engaged in knitting.
The proportions of the task of the
women engaged during the month of
September in knitting for the soldier
boys may be comprehended when it is
stated that the woollen yarns used in
the work cost a total of $3.50. The
wool was purchased from the Red Cross
general headquarters in San Francisco.
The first of the week the Chapter re-
ceived from San Francisco two large
dry goods shipping cases, Of cleth to be
turned into bandages and surgical
dressings. Since April the Chapter
has expended total of 81, ,227 for sup
plies. Of this amount S459.62 was
spent with local mercantile firms.
''Hood River merchants, says c. N.
Ravlin, "have displayed sincere pat
riotism. In numerous instances they
have made sacrifices in giving us q
price on necessary articles. In many
cases we have been able to buy gods at
home at figure lower than offered by
the San Francisco headquarters.
The Chapter has not forgotten the
home boys, members of 18th Co., 0. G.
A., who are now at Fort Candy. When
the artillerymen were mobilized here
the Chapter presented each with
housewife, and every man was also
givensa pair of heavy woollen sox.
The men on the executive committee
of the Red Cross Chapter are unstinted
in their praise for the efficiency with
which the women of the town and val
ley conduct the work of turning out
supplies. "The work could in no wise
be improved on, says Secretary Raw
lin.
The Chapter maintains purchasing
agent in Portland, Mrs. H. M. Burpee.
Accredited by all of the large mercan-
tile concerns of that city, Mrs. Burpee,
when the occasion arises for materials
that are needed Immediately and can
not be procured at home is thus able to
forward the articles shortly after mott.
fication.
While the local Red Cross Chapter
has increased its funds to a large
extent by percentages of membership
fees, proceeds from entertainments
and contributions, hundreds of dollars
will be realized from contributions of
apples, strawberries, beans and veget-
ables from valley ranchers and fruit
growers. The Japanese population of
the valley has responded without ex-
ception to the appeal for funds.