The Kennewick Red Cross Mobilizes for War
Local women open new headquarters at the Commercial Club to begin a massive knitting effort to support troops in the trenches.
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The Kennewick branch of the Red Cross opened headquarters in the Commercial club rooms Tuesday when a number of the ladies spent the day cutting out garments ready to be made up. The local branch is starting out with the intention of furnishing the patients’ equipment for one base hospital. To those of the ladies who prefer to knit, the Red Cross will furnish yarn, needles and knitting specifications. The Red Cross is making a special effort to supply the army with 1,500,000 sets of knitted articles before winter. It is hoped the result of this effort will be that no American boy will suffer from the cold in the trenches this winter because he is not properly equipped with warm clothing. Two new Singer sewing machines, sent here from the Singer company’s North Yakima branch, have been installed in the Commercial club rooms and are for the use of any of the Red Cross workers.
“It is hoped the result of this effort will be that no American boy will suffer from the cold in the trenches.”
This reflects the massive civilian mobilization effort during WWI. While the Commercial Club as a functional social hub has faded, the spirit of local volunteerism remains a central pillar of Kennewick's community identity.
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