The Frontiersman

Drive For $3,500 Community Chest Goal Starts Oct.

A Message from Your Community Chest Committee

Challenged by a goal of $3,500 the Red Feather Community Chest campaign gets under way Monday, October 6, in the annual drive to obtain funds needed for support of our many volunteer community activities. The drive will extend to October 18.

The six agencies receiving support from the Chest fund include the Alaska Crippled Children's Assn., the Palmer Public Library, the Valley Welfare and Disaster Council, the Girl Scouts-the Valley Health Council, and the United Defense Fund.

The greater goal this year is needed not only to maintain the present level of services but to keep pace with the ever-increasing need of a growing community.

Most of us are aware of the value of Girl Scout work to the community. Under the able guidance of Mrs. Charles Wilson and her assistants an interesting and helpful program has been carried out for the girls in the Valley. This program would have been impossible without the monthly professional training and leader assistance given through the Susitna Girl Scout Council.

With the new Palmer Library building all paid for, the association looks forward to providing more reading material to its growing list of patrons. The Community Chest not only helps in the purchase of these books; it also provides for the maintenance of the library building.

The Crippled Children's Association and the Health Center are both of vital importance to the health and well-being of our community. Eleven Valley children were hospitalized for orthopedic care last year under the Territorial Department of Health program, which is subsidized by ACCA. In addition, ACCA expended $133 in transportation and lunches for Valley children brought into Anchorage for the monthly clinics. Out of the Community Chest comes part of the public health nurse's salary, rent and supplies for the Health Center; and drugs and other nurse's supplies. Local telephone service has been furnished free and the Pearl White Laundry has donated its laundry services for the Health Center.

This has been a year of full employment and few disasters, so the amount needed for the Welfare and Disaster Council is lower than in previous years, due to a surplus carried over.

The budget committee has considered carefully each agency's budget before approving it and deciding upon this year's goal.

Emil Ganschow, campaign chairman, will be assisted this year by members of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, who have agreed to take charge of the canvassing of outlying areas. Members of the Kiwanis Club will assist with the recruitment of workers covering the Palmer area.

It is the hope of those responsible for the Chest Drive that each Valley resident contacted will be moved to give generously according to his means and that every courtesy will be extended toward the volunteer workers who are giving their time and energy to make this year's drive a success.