officers of the club were Ida Soderholm, president; Minnie Mattson, secretary; Josephine Rauma, treasurer. The first knitting yarns were purchased with small donations received, but soon large quantities of yarn were donated by individuals and busines firms. Furthermore, stocks of staple foods also began to build up, and all of these, together with the knitted articles, hundreds of pairs of socks, mittens, etc., were sent on to the Lotta Svärd organization in Helsinki. All this took place during the busiest time of the year, December, when everyone was also preoccupied with individual preparations for the holidays. During this same period, and in the next few months, $2,710 in money was also collected, through gifts, receipts from modest socials held, fees from a lending library, etc.

The first general Finnish Aid Committee in Virginia was also organized in December 1939, and here John Ketola was the first chairman, Arvid Kolehma the first treasurer. The first fund raising attempt was a campaign to have every Finn donate one day's salary for Finnish relief, and although it was not the success that had been anticipated, more than $2,000 was collected. The local Hoover Committee, in which the Mesabi Daily News took leadership, collected over $10,200, bringing the total relief furnished in Virginia during the few months of the Winter War to almost $18,000. Drives were also made to collect clothing, and this was no minor undertaking, for Josephine Rauma has provided the information that more than 40,000 lbs. were collected, and most of this was transported to New York without charge by the Mathews Dray Linen Company. Prior to shipment the clothing was laundered by Finnish women or was cleaned free of charge by the Troy Laundry and Range Dry Cleaners, while for storing and packing the municipal authorities supplied rent-free quarters where many women gathered every evening to sew and darn and iron.

In October 1945 a new relief committe was begun as a part of Help Finland Inc. The first chairman was John Räihälä, secretary, Henry Moilanen; treasurer, Josephine Rauma. During the period 1945-48, more than $8,500 was collected.

The Historical Society: The Virginia chapter of the MFAHS was established in September 1944, at a meeting at which seven persons were present. The Reverend Victor Kuusisto was elected chairman; Henry Tenhunen, vice-chairman; Henry Moilanen, secretary; Josephine Rauma, treasurer. Later, when Mr. Kuusisto left Virginia, Henry Tenhunen became chairman, to be succeeded

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