Woman's Committee of Wilmette Guard annual report shows war work is splendidly organized

One year has passed since the woman's committee of the Wilmette guard was organized and a history of its activities will be of interest to the readers of the Lake Shore News.
The committee really grew out of the Belgian relief work, as it was all too apparent that a permanent organization would be needed for war relief work.
The committee consists of three members from each church society, Woman's club, Catholic Woman's club, Parent-Teachers' associations, and all other women's organizations of the town.
The meetings were first held in the Village hall. Knitting was taught and a "shop" kept to give out yarn. Materials for sewing were obtained from teh Navy league. The first few months a nominal charge was made for the first yarn given out, as a sort of guaranty, but this was discontinued. The Wilmette guard furnishes money for necessary expenditures.
Late in the summer the "shop" was moved to a vacant store building and from there to its present cheerful and attractive room on Central avenue. The shopkeeping has always been done by women who donate their services. There are usually two women in the morning and two in the afternoon who give out the yarn and sewing materials and keep a simple set of books. The bookkeeping has grown into a most efficient card catalog system.
The boys from the village and township have gen fitted out with knitted articles as they were called to duty. Many other activities occupy the committee. It took up the work of registration for women and the registration cards are now on file. Books and magazines were collected and sent to camps as were also jellies. Four sewing circles have been established on the west side.
Considerable work has been done for Italian relief.
Knitted garments have been sent to the French relief and the committee is in receipt of many appreciative letters from the front.
Generous donations of maney have been received for the Martha Washington kit bags, and more would be cheerfully accepted. These bags are for French refugee women and are a vital need.
A Navy auxiliary unit has been formed and a great deal of work done for that branch. Emergency drivers are ready for service at any time. Sewers and shopkeepers are needed and the earnest co-operation of every woman is desired.
The following is an itemized statement of the year's work:
Woman's Committee
Cash receipts......$3,236.82
Disbursements....$3,176.08
Balance on hand.....$ 60.74
Materials
Wristlets.....................275
Sweaters made, distrib-
uted and on hand.........969
Scarfs.........................371
Hospital caps............... 70
Hospital shirts.............322
Hospital socks...............63
Pajamas......................339
Socks..........................643
Comfort kits.................446
Convalescent robes.......187
Helmets......................293
Kitchener socks...............3
Trench caps.................188
Sponges and wash
cloths.........................187
Martha Washington
bags............................48
Total........................4,405
This excerpt from a letter written to one of the committee, may make the front line seem a bit nearer:
March 7, 1918
The "convoy" of socks from the Wilmette guard arrived the other day and I have tried to pass them out where they will be most appreciated. They are very fine socks and the boys like them for their cheerful color schemes and because they are nice and long so that puttees wrap around them well.
I had a seven day's furlough in January and certainly appreciated it more than any vacation I ever had. I spent my week very profitably and saw a great many places which I had read about but never expected to se. I consider Paris one of the most wonderful places in the world. Although in many ways it is as I had always pictured it in my mind it is full of surprises and far exceeded by expectations.
There are many changes taking place in our unit now and we don't know what to expect next. We are having drill with full pack pretty often now and also pup tent drill.
I wish I could have been at home during that glorious snow storm. They don't know what a real snow storm is over here. Thanks Again!
Your grateful friend,
Kingsley Rice
P.S. I hope that the fellows will write and acknowledge the thoughtfulness of the Wilmete women, but there are so many diverting interests around camp that letter writing is cast to the winds more often than not.
I wish to thank you personnally for the comfort kit. It is most compact and handy and we really do try to keep as clean and civilized as possible.