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Source: 1943 Volume 5 Number 3, Page 70
Summary of the activities of the Paoli Branch, American Red Cross
Page 70
Home Service Red Cross is the only social welfare agency in this community.
Our Home Service Department, with one trained social worker, one paid secretary
(the only 2 paid workers in the Branch) and a number of trained volunteer Aides,
is the official link between the man in service and his family at home. Requests
for information, for aid in locating persons in this country and abroad, requests
for food, clothing, or financial assistance, or for aid in arranging quickly for
leaves in cases of illness or death, keep our Home Service workers busier than
ever before with needs arising out of the War.
Surgical Dressings
At Paoli Branch last year 390 volunteers made over 60,000
surgical dressings for the Army and Navy, and 8,000 additional dressings for local
emergency use.
Sewing and Knitting
Sewing and Knitting is being done by 367 local volunteers who in 1942 made over 3,600
garments for the men in arms and for the needy, and 125 kit bags for service men, each
of whom upon leaving the country receives as a gift from the Red Cross a service kit
filled with useful articles.
Blood Donors
Monthly Blood Donors Days are arranged in this area, with a mobile
unit from Philadelphia (a qualified physician and registered nurses) taking blood
from volunteer donors. Almost 1000 pints of blood has been taken for plasma during
the past year. More volunteer donors between the ages of 18 and 60, in good physical
condition, are needed. Giving a donation is neither harmful nor painful and
takes only 30 minutes.
Hospital Recreation Service
Paoli Branch has 8 Gray Ladies who work regularly in hospitals, reading to patients,
writing letters for them, and helping to maintain morale.
Nurses Aides
Our 14 volunteer Nurses Aides, trained for hospital work, assist
regularly in 7 hospitals with all duties for which a registered nurse is not
required - bathing and feeding patients, taking temperatures, making beds, etc.
Home Nursing Last year 45 adults were trained in Home Nursing by Paoli Branch,
and are available for community service when called upon by the Red Cross.
Canteen The Branch Canteen serves daily lunches at cost to the workers at Headquarters,
helps in the diet kitchens of various hospitals, gives parties for
service men, and provides refreshments for blood donors. It is trained and equipped
with a mobile canteen to do mass feeding in case of a disaster of any kind.
Home nursing
Last year 45 adults were trained in Home Nursing by Paoli Branch,
and are available for community service when called upon by the Red Cross.
Canteen
The Branch Canteen serves daily lunches at cost to the workers at Headquarters,
helps in the diet kitchens of various hospitals, gives parties for
service men, and provides refreshments for blood donors. It is trained and equipped
with a mobile canteen to do mass feeding in case of a disaster of any kind.
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Staff Assistants
Our 40 trained Staff Assistants and office workers do the typing, filing and clerical
work of the Branch and operate the telephone switchboard.
Junior Red Cross
Through our active Junior Red Cross, toys were collected and reconditioned and
distributed to children of 40 families at Christmas time
First Aid
Over 1,200 persons in the community were trained in First Aid during 1942 -
an average of 1 "first Aider" for every 10 persons in the area.
Motor Corps
this branch has one large fully-equipped ambulance and one station wagon, owned by
SE Penna. Chapter, which are available on call for emergency use by the public.
Volunteers trained in Motor Mechanics and First Aid are on duty daily at Branch Headquarters
to take Home Service patients to hospitals and clinics, run errands, and transport personnel
and equipment. In the past six months members of the Motor Corps have donated the equivalent
of more than $500.00 in motor mileage by the use of their own vehicles.
Disaster
The Tri-Township Council of Defense and the Malvern Council of Defense are using Red Cross
Services as their auxiliaries, rather than forming duplicating services of their own.
Our Motor Corps, First Aid Unity, Rescue squad, Stretcher Bearers, messengers, Staff
Assistants and Canteen report for duty on call. Two Casualty Clearing Stations, fully
equipped with necessary meal supplies, have been set up in the area, and equipment provided
for one First Aid Post. Arrangements have been made for housing refugees and evacuees in
the event of need - 202 fully equipped beds are available, and in a major disaster another
200 can be called into use.
In addition to the above preparations for a war-incurred disaster, Paoli Branch is prepared
to go into action in the event of a natural disaster such as flood or fire, and render
assistance to the victims by providing food, clothing, shelter, and aid in rehabilitation.
Our Services were called out for such work last May at the time of the Pottstown flood,
and provided food for about 200 flood victims and emergency shelter, costs and blankets
for approximately 60.
Red Cross Headquarters
The generosity of approximately 100 donors in the community has made possible the purchase
of the present building for use as a Red Cross headquarters during wartime, and as a Community
Center as well as Red Cross Headquarters thereafter.
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