The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-04-20
COMMUNITY CHEST
COMMITTEE REPORTS

The following is a report contributed
by the Community Chest committee:
AS the executive committee of the
Community Chest fund it is perhaps
due the contributors to that fund that
its custodians shall make a report at
this time.
The Community Chest plan was
adopted by the Hood River CONNER
cial club and endorsed by the Tuesday
Lunch club because it was found that
definite preparations were being made
for at least four separate campaigns
for funds to finance charities and phil
anthropies. The Salvation Army was
here with representatives asking that
81, 700 be raised for their organization.
The Near East Relief, through its
local representatives and through the
Portland Office, were expecting to raise
81, 800 in this county. The Red Cross
Society was asking our people to make
regular membership canvass and
raise perhaps 81, 900 in his way. The
Y. M. C. A.. too, was asking for
substantial fund for their general state
work. Now all of these organizations
have enough local supporters-men of
influence that If one campaign had
been made the others certainly would
have followed. In addition to this,
our citizens were faced by the task of
raising money for the local Red Cross,
which is bearing substantial portion
of the salary and expense of the public
health nurse, and which is ministering
to the needy all over the county. The
amount budgeted $4,000. Also, the
public welfare committee, which is
relieving poverty in a very substantial
and careful manner, needed several
hundred dollars for the continuance of
its work.
Now, as the task of raising these
funds generally falls upon about the
same group of public-spirited men and
women, in order to save time and over
head expenses it was determined to
follow the plan of other cities and to
group all of the funds into one COM
munity endeavor. Another advantage
in this method is that the Community
Chest committee and not any outside
organization decides upon the proper
amount to ask from the people.
In organizing the Community Chest
at the behest of the Commercial club
and other civic organizations, a meet
ing was called of the representatives
of civic, fraternal and religious organ
izations at the Commercial club.
About IL people were present. 1t was
there decided to ask for a total fund of
$500, more than half of which was to
be kept in Hood River county for local
needs. A WAYS and means committee,
consisting of Mr.. Fredricy, Mr.. Blan-
char and Mr.. Boldly recommended that
81 kn hot hn
asked. At the same time, this smaller
committee reported to the larger group
that, in their judgment, the campaign
would require so much time and so
much clerical work that there was no
one in Hood River who could afford to
give his time gratuitously to the work.
1t was suggested to the general com
mttee that about 5000 be used for
overhead expenses and that someone
be employed for at least month to
run the campaign. R. E. Scott, who
was not present at the meeting and
who had not taken part in any of the
deliberations, was selected for the
work. The committee was instructed
to tell him that he should employ a
s stenographer and that any inordinate
amount of time that he was taken
from his own business the committee
felt he should be paid for. The COM
mittee saw no reason in asking one
man to give very much more time than
others were asked to give. Mr.. Scott
has at no time asked any salary of the
nor has he to this date been
paid one cent for his work. The same
is true of Mr.. Pierson. Both of these
men have given very largely of their
time, and yet at no time has there
been any agreement that any amount
should be paid them for their services.
There has only been the suggestion
that they should not be asked to do
more than anyone else in the matter of
giving time and service to this work.
The information as to what the ex-
penses of the committee have been and
what amounts, if any, have been paid
for service, are all upon the records
and are open to any investigation.
No member of the executive COM
mittee is in the habit of paying any at
tention to anonymous letters published
in the newspapers, but because some
il-lnformed individuals have raised the
Questi as to any remuneration that
has been paid for services in this cam
paign, we feel that the above explana-
tion is due the public at this time
when we are finally closing the cam
vass.
The present committee has labored
faithfully and its secretary and treas
urer have labored unselfshly. for the |
public good. They are now quite will
ing to turn over the responsibility to
their critics and will be glad to have |
these men raise the funds for Hood |
Rivers charities and philanthropies |
hereafter. Every member of the exec
utive committee and staff will promise |
to give as generously as heretofore to
the next Community Chest or what
ever it may be called, if the small dis
satisfied group will but manage the
campaign.
The total amount now in sight is
81. 500. There are good many public |
spirited people who have rDt yet sub |
scribed for various reasons, such as be- |
ing absent from the community, ETC.,
and they will be reached through a cir
cular letter which soon is to be sent
out. The total fund certainly will not |
exceed 81, 900. On a basis of S4, 500, |
the following allotments have been
made: Red Cross Membership, $3.50; (;
Salvation Army, $3.50; Y. M. G. A., |
SQE0. Near Fast Relief $500. puhlic i