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3ft THE SUNDRIDGE WOMEN'S INSTITUTE IN WORLD WAR I The Sundridge Women's Institute began its campaign on the home- front shortly after war was declared on Germany in 1914 A special meeting was held August 31t 1914 to discuss plans; money- making projects were essential to buy materials for knitting and sewing. Work meetings were to be held in the Public Library. Each Institute member was to leave a cup, plate and spoon there, no doubt long hours were spent in the library completing arduous tasks. A concert presented in October 1914 netted $70.00 which was sent to the Patriotic Fund. Jam and jellies were requested for over- seas hospitals. Proceeds from a lunch counter at the Fall Fair paid for materials to be sewn into necessities for the troops. Showers requesting gifts for soldiers were held in the Library. A second Patriotic Fund concert was held in Sept. 1915. Younger women of the community aided the efforts of the W.I. Miss Violet Hammond, Miss Annie Lang and Miss Louella Dunbar organized the Drill and Musical Committee for that entertainment. That same day the ladies looked after the lunch counter at the Fall Fair. Fifty dollars from the proceeds was sent to the Red Cross. The Machine Gun Fund requested a $50.00 donation that year. The W. I. however realized that this amount was beyond their means but they managed to send $35.00 by selling 704 tickets on a cake made by Mrs. David Valentine. It would seem that the tickets sold at a nickel each. In 1916 the 162nd Overseas Battalion was stationed in Sundridge and the"Colours" were presented to the battalion by the Sundridge Women's Institute. Colonel James Arthurs was the Commanding Officer. At that time Mrs. Jas. Dunbar was president of the W.I. Other members who attended the ceremony were Mrs. Jos. Edgar, Mrs. A. Anderson, Miss D. Vanwicklin. The war went on and the tireless efforts of the Sundridge W.I. kept pace. Two hundred "Allied for Right" buttons were sold in aid of the Red Cross. More yarn was purchased and knit into socks. Large quilt blocks (15" x 18") were often donated by members; it would appear that a constant quilting bee must have been in progress. Sometimes two quilts would be done at the home of a member. Four quilts were shipped to the Guilford War Hospital in England in 1917. In March of that year a Box Social brought in $67.f\5. Money thus earned was often used to buy bolts of flannelette for bandages or soldiers' comforts. The theme of the topics at W.I. meetings changed. Many discussions