Evening star., 1947-03-24
Silver Spring Woen Sick Room Loan Closet Has Whatever Needed Re

Silver Spring Woman's Club puf
their heads together to think o!
some beneficial project they coule
sponsor.
1--WE thought it would be nice tx
do some good for the community
explained Miss Minna Loeschke, q
club member.
Some one recalled hearing of q
kind of lending library of sick-roon
needs operated by a Midwesterr
woman's club. The Sick Room Loar
Closet of the Silver Spring Womans
Club evolved from this discussion.
Members Donated Supplies.
"The idea caught on quickly with
club members" Miss Loeschke said
lone woman offered to donate pill.
low slips, another offered crutche!
she no longer needed. I said that
would donate the closet space sc
they made me chairman Of the pro-
ject." Miss Loeschke has been chair.
man of the loan closet ever since
and maintains it at her home al
1903 Dale drive, Silver Spring.
Only five items were lent from thu
closet the first year. Since that tims
loans have steadily increased anc
now they number in the hundred.
each year.
Sometimes I get calls In thu
middle OF the night. That only hap.
pens in baby cases, though" Mis-!
Loeschke recalled. She pointed oui
that with hospital rooms still hare
to find and home care often a neces-
sity, the supplies are much in de.
mand.
Items in the closet include three
hospital beds, four bed tables, three
wheel chairs, a dozen hospital gowns
II pairs of crutches, thermometers
rubber bed cushions, pneumonia
jackets, ice bags, back rest, sheets
and pillow cases-"virtually every.
thing needed in a sick room," Miss
Loeschke said.
Closet Has Invalid Walker.
She pointed to a pair of long poles
leaning against the wall Of her ga.
rage where an overflow of closet
items are kept. That's a pulley
1t helps bed patients to regain
strength by pulling themselves up
Miss Loeschke believes an invalic
walker she recently purchased with
club funds is the prize item of the
closet. This is used to teach per-
sens who have broken their hips OF
who have not been on their feet for
long time how to walk again.
1--WE bought the walker for only
s25. 1t originally cost $95 but the
woman who sold it to us had heard
of the loan closet and was willing
to dispose of it to us at that low
price," Miss Loeschke explained.
Although some major items like
the walker have been purchased
with club funds or with money sent
in by grateful people who have made
use of loan closet items, most of the
equipment was donated. A physician
contributed one hospital bed, ano
discarded crutches have been given
by those who were happy to have nc
more use for them.
Everything Has Been Returned.
"And nothing has ever failed te
come back-even things easily lost
like Thermometers or Sheets" con-
tinued Miss Loeschke. She ad-
mitted a card index of each loaned
item and personal calls to the
patrons have helped maintain this
record.
"Of course, there is no charge fol
anything we lend out" Miss
Loeschke emphasized. Many per-
sons have shown their appreciation
however, by contributing money to
the closet fund. Early this week
Miss Loeschke received a $25 check
from a woman who had borrowed q
hospital bed and crutches. A letter
accompanying the check said "a
very large part of the value of the
closet is in your kind and sympa-
thetic help"
We'll. it does take time" Miss
Loeschke admitted. But she finds
the work interesting because it
helps some one"