Evening star., 1943-04-25
Coast (1unrd Wezfnro Is One Rio Hnnnr Fnni7r EGza
Reaches Out With
Understanding to
Comfort Many
By Margaref Hart,

By Marearef Hart,
Society Editor.
From "shipmate's night" to
the more serious matters such as
giving financial aid is the work OF
the United States Coast Guard
Welfare Unity in the full mean
ing of the word best may describe
the functioning and wide scope OF
this worthy relief society. Not
only does it take under its wing
officers and the enlisted person.
mel of the service-their wives and
other dependents-it also does not
forget the civilians who work so
faithfully and efficiently behind
the scenes.
always Prepared" is the slogan
of the Coast Guard. You also will
find this justly may be applied to
the Office of the welfare in the
Coast Guard headquarters. There,
from IL until 4:30 o'clock every
day a corps of volunteers is on
duty. These women-understan
ing and sympathetic-always are
prepared to help lift uncertainty,
sometimes dispair, from bur-
dened heart.
Mrs. Rutherford B. Lank, whose
husband Is commander in the
Coast Guard, is chairman of the
Washington unit of the welfare
which, of course, is a national or
ganization. She Is we'll equipped
for this Office. Long before 1882,
when the Coast Guard Welfare
was made the official relief So
ciety OF. the service, Mrs. Lank
prominently was identified with
the League of Coast Guard Wom-
en-. The members of this latter
group were pioneers in Coast
Guard relief. Their experience
now, when the need is so much
greater, is like a guiding star to
the society.
Mrs. Russell Roberts, wife of
1t. Comdr. Roberts, holds an i'm
portant position with the welfare.
She is chairman of the Relief
Committee. 1t is the blue jacket
fund that makes it possible for
this committee to bring comfort
to deserving men and women of
the Coast Guard service.
The entertainment chairman Is
Mrs. Frank Polio, wife of Comdr.
Polio, and another who holds a
key position is Mrs. 1. Stephens,
wife of 1t Comdr. Stephens, who
is secretary. Mrs. L. Robbins is
the able treasurer and Mrs. Ed
ward Webster, wife of Capt. Web
ster, is vice chairman of the
Washington unit.
Admiral Thomas Malloy is the
national president of the Coast
Guard Welfare. His untiring and
keen interest in his organization
is an inspiration to the loyal
group of women and men who
help make it the successful organ
it is.
Another Coast Guard officer
whose encouragement and grati-
tude is another incentive for the
other members of the welfare is
Capt. Chester Jones. He is di-
rector of the Washington unit.
1t was he who staged the recent
"shipmates night" when the en-
tire personnel of the local Coast
Guard was included in the eve
ming of entertainment.
The fact that the civilian per-
sonnel is highly esteemed was
emphasized that night, for, on
the stage when the commandant
of the Coast Guard, Vice Admiral
Russell R. Waesche, gave an in
spring talk, there were several
from this group who have been
with the service for 40 years or
more.
There are ever so many phases
in the far-reaching work of the
welfare. The organization takes
everything into consideration to
make life happier for some one.
Even the hospital patient finds a
day made brighter by the COM
forting visit from member of
the society.
The next project of the well
fare will be the sponsoring of
blood donor week in coniunc-
ton with the Army and Navy
Auxiliary of the Red Cross. The
week opens May "a. Later there