The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-12-27

| captain of the Judson branch of the
Red Cross read at the annual meeting
. December at the Swedish church
This branch was organized November
8 at this church. Rev. .. r. arthur
, Mr.. and Mrs. ]. r. Brandrup and Mrs
Nellie Samuelson of Mankato were
present. Mrs. Samuelson brought us
some yarn and twenty-five bandages
We did not go to work Immediately as
we had no room ready. Within few
days the use of building and fuel
was donated by Red Cross member
Again in few days a stove and sew
ing machine were donated A few men
set up the stove and the ladies of
Judson came with their brooms, mops
land kalsomine and the room was put
in trim with tables and chairs, etc. On
December 6 about twenty lady mem
bers came with their needles and
thimbles to do the work that they
never did before. We met every week
until spring work came, it was then
decided to meet every two weeks until
the garden work ard house cleaning
was done. This did not last long as
we felt the Red Cross work was being
neglected so we came together every
week and when the sock drive and the
refugee work was on for June, July and
August, for two weeks we met every
other afternoon. Everyone was so
willing that the work moved right
along. December 81 our first work was
sent to ankato, the twenty two band
ages, all o. K. More bandages were
brought out. We made in all 235
bandages. Then we undertook to
make pajamas. OF these we made
nineteen suits. Bed jackets we made
thirty two. In the homes were made
forty one bed shirts, these were made
OF white muslin and were made and
kept nice and clean. Eight mems bath
robes were made. We had five diff
ferent articles in the refugee work
such as mems day shirts, boys shirts.
chemise, ETC., which totaled 1913 pieces.
June "a we called special meeting to
make fifteen comfort kits for the boys.
Out of old muslin we cut and made
eight dozen napkins for the sick SOL
diers' trays. While the machines
were busy there were plenty of CARPET
rags. These were made into rugs and
sold. The Ladies' Aid of Judson pieced
and finished quilt, this was sent to
Belgium. In July we moved to the
church basement and one stormy aft
ernoon Mrs. III. A. Patterson, Mrs. Jen-
nlson, Miss Helen Wise, Mrs. William
Evans and Mrs. Bierbauer visited us.
Mrs. Jennison gave us instructions in
the different ways of folding the gar
ments. After this the workers return
ed their work nicely folded. Mrs. Pat
terson told US of the great need of
socks and about the reclamation shirts
that we were to make. Everyone went
nome through bad wind storm with
a strong will to do her best. Now we
had three weeks vacation waiting for
the shirts. When they came four of
us met Mrs. Jennison at the Y. M. C.
A. building to make models. Fifty of
these were finished and returned be-
fore the date given to us. While MAX
ing this we were called to furnHa
make and laundry linen shower for
a French hospital. This consisted of
flve sheets, twenty hand towels, twelve
bath towels, twelve mems handker-
chiefs, forty nine pieces. We were
fortunate TO get the material from the
nome merchants and wish to thank
them for he nice discount allowed.
Ihe balance of the shower expense
was taken out of the Red Cross fund
SO we all had share in it. We have
about thirty good knitters. We sent
70 Mankato twenty four sweaters.
three pairs of wristlets. January 10
we sent in our first FIVE pairs of socks |
then we were making seven pairs ?
month until the sock drive came. The
month of June brought twenty four
pairs, July thirty three pairs and
August forty three. Since then we
nave sent in forty two pairs, totaIing
IN all liza pairs. Twenty five mem |
0ers now have yarn and will start
Knitting more socks after Christmas. |
There are now five members who are
knitting sweaters which are to be
1n1shed by December 20. These were
allotted to us by Mankato chapter
,hree weeks ago. The number of
pieces made during the year and sent
n TO Marketo total 11S3.-Mrs. Owen
:. Jones, captain.