The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-26
CENTRAL \ CARES
FOR LARGE CROWD
Big Building Accommodates Hundreds
Of Men From Camp Lee. Break
Ing All Hec0rAa.

Saturday was the biggest day at the
big Central "Y." since the doors
swung open eight years ago. Early
by 8 o'clock. things were ready for
$50 men; then after the Gymnasium
class the big gym was put inte SER
vice and by IL o'clock everything was
ready for the biggest rush since the
opening of Camp Lee. when the record
for the day was complete It showed .
total Of 500 men accommodated In the
big building over night. Mona ware
turned away except . few who destreA
single rooms. Secretary Mckee. said
yesterday afternoon that the aseocia-
ton was now prepared to take care OF
over 500 men any Saturday night.
could take care of over 900 any night
without notice and will probably add
enough equipment to handle 500 any
Saturday night It is estimated that
not less than 1.3o0 men and boys used
the baths and swim Saturday. knock
ing all previous records into cooked
hat. Sunday being a hot day. the Off,
GERS arranged to open the baths and
swimming pool over to the 500 men
sleeping at the big building.
Boys Listen sitting ON Beds.
When the boys Of the Sunday after
noon arrived for their meeting at $3.50,
they were invited to and enjoyed sit
ting on the soldiers beds and listened
with close attention to an illustrated
talk on "A Fellow Who Knew More
Than His Dad" Next Sunday q group
of boys will come in time TO store the
beds and put fifty chairs In the room
for the boys meeting.
Mems song service and Bible study
was held at o'clock in the main lobby
and was enjoyed by soldiers. sailors
and civilians. and was restful hour
Life stories.
The way the big ~" is entering
into the life of soldiers and sailors
visiting Richmond will gladden. the
heart of every mother who realizes
that her boy will hnd the ~" In
France when he goes over there and
even though the hat over there" may
not he as handsome as he big Rich
mond building yet the helpful minis
try that entered the "" service Will
be the same kind and IS warm hearted
as the men are finding in the camps
and the big cities of our own country,
nowhere more cordial than in our own
city at the big building. Grace and
Seventh streets. A few nights ago
eight men missed their train for Lee
Hall and of course we're cared for at
the big ~" The day after two Irish
boys came to the city to see the rep
resentatives of Great Britain who was
out of town. Somebody told them to
go TO the big ~" and of course they
were made at home there. The same
day a young man from New Jersey
stepped out of the station from troop
train TO get cool drink. and the
train pulled out and left him stranded
In Richmond. a fine police officer be-
lieving the boys story, took him up to
Secretary Mckee. transportation was
quickly arranged and he was set on
his way rejoicing
A Moxher's Love.
The other day q mother came to the
building in great distress, Her boy
had gone into the service of his coun-
try during the recent hot spell. his
mind became affected. he was taken
back to one of the camps and the
mother from an adjoining state had
been unable to locate his whereabouts.
Two hours afterwards a letter was on
It's way 10 the camp where the boy
was supposed to be. In less than
twenty hours a long distance message
was received giving full inform alton :
and arrangements made Tor the mother
to see her son at once and within
three hours the mother was on her
way to Camp,
A Young scotchman HELPED
Late Thursday evening = citixsn
brought young Seotchman to the
building who had been routed the long
way and missed his connection FOR
somewhere over there" He had
come from Canada with only Canadian
script In his pocket All of the banks
were closed but the Big " was open.
His Canadian script was exchanged
for United States currency. What
would have been otherwise been two
lonesome hours were pleasantly spent
with the officers OF the association and
after a refreshing bath and 4 sound
sleep the young ScotchmAn whose
record aboard ship. trip after trip was
stamped very good. started on hts way
rejoicing. After he had sent q postcard
Of the big Richmond ~ to his mother
In the Highlands telling her of his
new found Richmond friends.
In these ways and scores of others
the big ~" Is helping to win the var
and you are invited to help them
do it