ALASKA
CRIPPLED CHILDREN AS$0.
The Palmer Chapter of the Alaska Crippled
Children's Association is a member of the
Palmer Community Chest and vri.ll share in
the funds now being raised by the Chest
drive. In line with the Chest's policy
of familiarizing its contributors with
the activities of member agencies, a
brief outline of the A.C.C.A. is here
submitted. The association is so well
known that this may be repetitious to
many readers, but perhaps newcomers to
the Valley will be interested.
The Alaska Crippled Children's Associa
tion's biggest job is raising money for
the Crippled Children's program of the
Alaska Department of Health. Funds
raised in Alaska -for this purpose are
matched by federal funds from the U. S.
Children's Bureau. Last year the A.C.CJL
raised $25,000.00 for this program, which
matched with $25,000.00 federal money gaw
a working capital of $50,000.00 to the
program. In addition, the A.C.C.A. gave
$ii, 606.73 to the Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital
at Sitka, familiar to many valley fami
lies whose children have received care
there. At Mt. Edgecumbe, also, A.C.C.A.
volunteers bring games and handiwork,
read to the children, and furnish .instruo
tion. One Valley boy alone, a victim of
polio who -has spent several years .in the
hospital, has received over $10,000.00
worth of care.
On December 2h, 19U9, Governor Gruening
officially designated the A.C.C.A. as
the Central Polio Conriittee of Alaska and
Custodian of the $0% share of polio don
ations raised throughout Alaska during
the annual March of Dimes campaign. The
A.C.C.A. is also affiliated with the Na
tional Society for Crippled Children and
Adults, Inc. which sponsors the annual
Easter Seal Sale. 19U9 proceeds from this
sale netted Alaska $10,i*0U.25. Another
money raising enterprize of the associa
tion is the Guilded Cage, a shop in An
chorage manned by volunteer workers. In
addition to the above, the A.C.C.A. seeks
help through its local chapters, of which
there are approximately twentyfive in
the Territory. The Palmer Chapter, head
ed by Mrs. Victor Johnson, Mrs. Max Sher
rod and Mrs. Norbet Swoboda, received
$350.00 from the Chest last year.
The functions of the A.C.C.A. are not
limited to raising money. To quote from
its bulletin No. U9: "We believe it is
the function of the A.C.C.A. to render
direct service, not available on a local
basis, and to give direct case service in
unorganized localities".. $1,809.77 was
spent on direct service during 19U9, The
exact amount of this which went to Palmer
children is not known, as it was all
lumped together under Miscellaneous Ex
penses. However, Mrs. Marshall Hoppin,
president of the A.C.C.A., when asked a
bout the amount of money spent on Palmer
(continued in next column)_
( continued)
children in order to form a basis for
Community Chest budget allottments,could
recall at least nine by name, in the a
mount of $132.91, for direct miscellan
eous services such as orthopedic appli
ances, overnight care, etc. She said
there were many others, as, for exaiqple,
the three children who came for eye clin
ic and were given lunch to the amount of
$U.10. J •
To give an idea of how A.C.C.A. match
ing funds are spent in conjunction with
the Alaska Department of Health, Mrs.
Hoppin reported that in four months alone,
Palmer children had received nine clinic
visits for glasses, one eye surgery,
seven tonsillectomies, three corneal
ulcer operations, two ear plastic surgery,
besides hospital care in Sitka, Seattle,
and Chicago.
HEALTH COUNCIL MEETING
The Health Council meeting on September
21 will feature a movie called "She Also
Serves", depicting the work of the Public
Health Nurse. This picture is especial
ly timely, in view of the current Com
munity Chest drive, as it will give an
idea of how money raised for the Health
Council by the Community Chest is spent.
The public is invited to this meeting,
which will be held from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M.
Thursday, September 21, in the Coop Club
Room of the Rec Hall.
AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS CON'T.
Department of Agriculture activities in the
Territory.
I
| The Forest Service will have $659,000 to
! allot for its Alaska activities, including
| $3ii5,000 for'national forest protection and
j managementj $51,000 for forest research;
; and $263,000 for minor forest road devel
j opment.
1 Under-the Farmers Home Administration there
| will be $100,000 available for loans to
j homesteaders and $50,000 earmarked for pro
; duction and subsistence loans.
, The total departmental appropriations also'
include $56,100 for Extension Service work
! $76,01*8 for Experiment Station work; $117,
: 000 for the Soil Conservation Service;
j £12,000 for the school lunch program;
! $35,000 for conservation resource payments
I to farmers; and $3 million for the estimate
I loan program of the Rural Electrification
i Administration."
I* E S I C A/ 3
! Betty Onkka has resigned from her job at
j the Valley Cleaners to be just a plain
i housewife again. Mrs. Larson, from
I Eklutna Lake, fcae been hir^d to replace
1 her. V;