Kennewick Sends Aid to Starving Belgium
Local community rallies to ship flour and beans for overseas war relief.
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Almost a ton and a half of foodstuffs, valued at more than $100, was shipped out over the Northern Pacific Tuesday evening as Kennewick’s donation to the Pacific Northwest's ship load of food supplies for the Belgian war sufferers. Included in Kennewick’s shipment were 30 sacks of 'Big K' flour and 1,125 pounds of home-grown beans. It is estimated that Kennewick’s donation will provide a day’s ration of bread and beans for between 4,500 and 5,000 starving Belgians. Funds for purchasing the supplies were raised by the relief committee of the Commercial club at a benefit dance, where the entire expense of the event was only two dollars due to the generosity of local musicians and businessmen.
“It is estimated that Kennewick’s donation will provide a day’s ration of bread and beans for between 4500 and 5000 starving Belgians.”
In 1914, Kennewick mobilized quickly to support international humanitarian relief efforts. This reflects the deep connection small, inland farming towns maintained with global crises through rail and merchant networks.
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