The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-21
COMMUNITY KITCHEN
WORK
Splendid Work of the St. Johnsbury
Ladies Through the Epidemic

Ladies Through the Epidemic
The situation in regard to the
Spanish Influenza has so improved
that unless conditions change, it
would not seem necessary to continue
the Community Kitchen later than the
les now needing the food can be car
ed for from the individual homes.
The Kitchen, under the splendid
management of Miss Maude H.
Sprague, who has not been absent a
day since the Kitchen was opened
two weeks ago last Saturday, has pro-
vided broths, custards, ETC., for 60 OF
70 families, sometimes even a larger
number, daily. Forty or fifty pounds
of beef or lamb have been ordered
each day for the broths, to say moth
ing of milk, eggs, etc. Clear broths
for the very sick, rice, broths, rice,
oatmeal, barley cruel, custards, grape
juice made by one of the women,
stews, gingerbread, baked apples,
ight%dinners for the well and the
nurses, and lunches for those who
cared for the families at night
these are some Of the things which
the Kitchen has furnished. Many
from outside have helped by sending
in supplies and the food for the we'll.
Mrs. Charles w. Ruiter has had
charge of seeing that cars were ready
not only fcr delivering the food but
also for carrying around the volun-
teer nurses, and so we'll has this part
of the work been managed, and so
generous has been the response from
| the owners of the cars, that in only
one instance, and that an emergency
{ call, has car had to be hired. 1t is
| impossible tC estimate accurately the
number of people who have received
food, but in many families eight OF
ten have been fed, in no family less
than three or four.
There have been four routes plan
ned out for. the distribution Of the
food, the same four women taking
these routes each morning, the food
has been placed in glass cans, these
being brought back and carefully
sterilized for the work of the next
day. These women have inquired at
each home as to conditions so that
the list for the next day both as to
food and nursing required might be
carefully planned.
Through the help of the doctors
and of the distributors the lists have
been handed into the Kitchen each
morning before the cases were pack
ed for distribution so that there might
not be waste or duplication of ord
ers.
Too high praise cannot be riven to
the women who have done the volun-
teer nursing. They have been ready
at any hour of the day and often at
night for the work. This work has
been done in the families where nc
help could be obtained, in many fam
: lilies where every member of the fam
, lily was in bed, in others where only
child of eight Of nine years was do
ing all the work. Many have died il
this town because care and nursing
; could not be given to them quickly
: enough, but many more would have
: died, especially among the children, i
: these women had not helped. These
women are none of them trained nur
) ses but have helped as best they knew
I how under the most adverse of cir
5 cumstance5 in many cases. Th'
? work has consisted not only in caring
for the sick but also doing the house
5 work preparing the food if necessary
| and caring for the little babies unde
) year old, who in many instance
8 had no other care during the day.
6 When the need was the greatest
: these women have been carried from
6 place to place for an hour or two il
each place, in one instance one o
/. these women made Is calls of thi
: kind in one day; many of them hav
made OF 10 day.
These FIST volunteers are getin
S livery tired after their most strenuou
two weeks and it is not right to as
them to work much longer as it is
menace to their own health; if ther
are any other women who are no.
l, willing to help for a half day at
time, will they kindly send thei
names TO Mrs Margaret n. Haywood
Is Church street.
The families who have. received thi
help in food and nursing have bee
r. most appreciative and it cannot bl
be that a new feeling of fellowshi
and helpfulness will spring u
through the town through this hal
and frvino exnerience