The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-06-18
wILHELMINA HARVEY

Under the leadership of Ralph
Sierra, and later under James
Murphy. The history of the To-
cal chapter has revealed that de-
spite its being young in age, it is
rich in accomplishments.
Prior to l945, such minded
persons as George Lucas, the late
DIR. Harry c. Galley, and many
other prominent persons collect
ed monies and staged benefits for
the assistance of polio patients.
Many hours of voluntary service
far beyond the call to duty as
citizens of a community were
spent in improving health con-
ditions locally.
In l945, the actual formation
of this local chapter was accom-
plished by the Key West Junior
Chamber of Commerce. Among
the many achievements of the
local Jaycees, the Monroe County
Polio Chapter is one of its most
outstanding. Members actively
engaged in this project included
James Murphy, Charles Ward
low, jeff knight, Charles Smith,
George Faraldo, Ralph Faraldo,
Evelio Rueda, Jack Delaney, Isa-
dore Weintraub, Glen Archer,
Ralph Sierra, John Spottswood,
Albert Carey. Robert Dopp, Isa-
dore Rodriguez, John Gardner,
Bob Pollock, Jack Murray, Paul
Mesa, and many others. Their
choice of person to serve as the
first chairman of this organization
was Ralph Sierra, who served
the chapter well until he moved
to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In its infancy, the March OF
Dimes" Drives usually netted six,
seven, or eight hundred dollars
with corresponding increases
constantly being made as the
contributions grew each year.
In l947, the banner year was
experienced when the March OF
Dimes" Drives gross receipts
amounted to $14,8l5.94, which
was the greatest amount ever
raised in any community drive to
date and represented the great
est per capita contribution IN the
State of Florida. Spearheadlng
this drive was Mrs. Wilhelmina
Harvey, County Chairman, and
Mr.. Lee Mason, City Chairman.
Actual credit for such a success
was given by Mrs. Harvey to Mr..
Lee Mason for his promotional
ideas and to every citizen who
volunteered from all walks OF
life for such noteworthy cause.
Most outstanding were the num-
Der of hours of work volunteered
by families of polio patients OF
former years, by the school chill
dren who brought in the most
amazing contributions from the
public schools under the guidance
of Mr.. Willard Albury and his
staff of teachers, and by the
children of the Convent of Mary
Immaculate and ST. Josephs Col
leee under Sister Mary Isabella
of Key West as Mother Superior,
ard tho Nuns of the Convent.
Honors were again accorded the
Monroe County Chapter when
Mr.. James Galloway, County
Chairman, and City Commission
err Louis Carbonell, City Chair
man. were in charge of the l949
March of Dimes Drive and was
attested to at last nights meeting
by Mr.. James Murphy, Chairman.
The financial success of the drive
in le49 was considered even more
of a success than the l947 drive,
despite more money being raised
in the former year, due to the fact
that money was scarcer in l949
and the population of Key West
had declined.
Again the JayCees and the Jay.
Shoes made polio history by spon-
soring the Presidents Birthday
Bah January so tn of every year
when every member gives I'M
stintingly of his time and skilis
for this and other polio benefit
projects. Outstanding among the