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Canadian Red Cross Society |
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During the Second World War, the Canadian Red Cross Society attracted volunteerism as the organization did a lot for the war effort. A lot of women sewed and knitted and did other tasks to help out. Blood donor clinics were held at factories such as Richardson, Bond & Wright in Owen Sound. Schools often were the locale of Red Cross group's meetings. The volunteers for the Canadian Red Cross Society had round pins with "Womens War Work C.R.C.S." during the Second World War. A former First World War nurse, Olive Kilbourn, was one of the organizers of the Red Cross at Owen Sound during the early part of the Second World War. She spent much of her nursing career in the United States, but had returned to Grey County before the war started. During the war years Mrs. Rebecca Harrison (nee Pratt) of Owen Sound served as a liaison officer between the Red Cross prisoners of war and their next of kin. She also helped provide assistance to war brides who arrived in this area (e.g. supply cupboard). An example of a war relief quilt made by the Owen Sound branch of the C.R.C.S. has survived. It was issued to the Worby family, who had lost their home at Carshalton, Surrey, England in the summer of 1944 due to a German V-1 flying bomb rocket. It was much-used by the family over the years, and was sent back to Owen Sound in 2017 to join the Grey Roots collection. It still has its woven Owen Sound Red Cross label stitched to it. The July, 1945 Owen Sound telephone book listed the Red Cross Headquarters at 824 1st Ave. West, Phone 849-W. It was not listed in the 1942 telephone book. The Grey County Archives has a scan taken at 940 3rd Ave. East that shows the Owen Sound Branch of the Red Cross. In 1989, Mamie Laycock was honoured in an Owen Sound newspaper article to celebrate her 46 years of service. 1989 was the 50th anniversary of the Red Cross. In 2017, mention was made in the Owen Sound Sun-Times that the Canadian Red Cross office will be closing at Owen Sound. In 2018, the Owen Sound / Bruce-Grey branch office closed. It was at 1041 2nd Avenue East, Owen Sound N4K 2H8. - - - - - "Local Group Celebrates Anniversary: Red Cross Volunteer Enjoys Work", OWEN SOUND SUN TIMES, Sept. 16, 1989 (Mamie Laycock) |
