Evening star., 1948-09-28
Chest Volunteers Tour
Agencies, See Vital
Services in Operation

ScIvIIeS III VPcIolIVn
Community Chest agencies are
coming to life" for Red Feather
Campaign volunteers under the
Community Chest Feder2tion's pro-
gram of daily tours.
For IS State Department EN-
ployes who went on the first tour
yesterday. the words, Boys Club
of Washington" from now on will
bring to mind active young boys,
swimming in spotless indoor pool.
The title. Family Service Asso-
ciation," will recall the story of a
troubled mother receiving counsel
on her family problem, a blind
person learning to start again and
youngsters having fun al camp.
"Children's Hospital" will remind
them there are hundreds of pale,
suffering children who must have
care, whether or not their parents
can afford to pay for it.
Public Invited on Tours.
The general pubic is invited to
participate in future tours to see
first hand, some Of the Red Feather
activities for which $4,566, ,790 l.
being sought in the ,194s fund drivs
opening officially October 7.
Mrs. Helen Martin at Community
Chest headquarters, 110L M stree,
NV, is tour secretary.
Birthday parties were going on in
two convalescent polio wards al
Children's Hospital when State
Department volunteers went through
yesterday.
1--WE find on the wards that, even
where they're the sickest, a birth
day party always cheers the children
up," explained Mrs. Annette White,
director of volunteer services.
On the open ward, a nurse was
helping spindly little boy find a
comfortable position. In other wards
children lay patiently in casts and
bandages, some of their limbs ele-
waited on pulleys.
Posters Tell Story.
Downstairs in the lobby, the
visitors read posters informing them
that "78 per cent of the patients
cannot pay their medical ex-
penses" and that the hospital ac-
tivity has grown from "a patients a
year and IL beds in 1870 to 1900
patients a year and 222 beds.
Benjamin w. Thoron, president o1
the Board of Directors Of the Fam.
lily Service Association, greeted the
volunteers at that agency. Mrs
Mildred Kilinski. director. informed
them the purpose of the agency was
to provide a kind of service to fam
lilies and individuals which wou,o
maintain and stimulate family sta.
bility.
Miss Dorothy v. Thomas, case
work supervisor, described in de.
tail how mother was being helped
to overcome an inferiority compile,
which was making her children So
cial misf1ts and harassing her hus.
band.
Many of the 1900 known bline
people in the District need outside
help in adjusting to their handi.
cap, Miss Stella E. Plants, super.
visor of the Department for thu
Blind, explained.
Probably the most challenging
group" she said, 'is composed ol
parents of very young blind chill.
dren. And there isn't a single
area of family life that isn't touched
by this very great handicap, shoule
it come. Our job is to get inte
the situation early enough to pre-.
vent breakdown"
She explained the service to the
blind-teaching and counseling anc
information on facilities available
for them.
S. John Crawley of the Summer
Outings Committee told the visitors
about the camping provided chill
dren who otherwise could not af-
ford the experience. He illustrated
his talk with movies of youngsters
at camp this summer.
Driver Joins in Tour.
II never knew they had place
like that" remarked the driver Of
the chartered bus as the volunteers
departed. He was Earl Carter of
4911 Seventh street NV, who had
Joined his passengers on the visit.
Il think it's something we need"
all right" he added.
The thing I'm wondering about
is how do people learn there Is such
a thing as the Family Service As
John M. Gates was tell
ing some of his fellow State Depart
ment volunteers. Its very encour-
aging to walk into setup like that.
At the Boys Club, the tourists
saw the many game and study
rooms available to the 1882 mem
bers and watched some Of them
romp in tine swimming pool
For membership fees ranging from
IS cents to SITS a year, depending
On age, boys up to q years may
spend their leisure hours there In
healthful and cultural
activities.