Women's Ministries Programs

“Remembering our Past”

May Education Program

Florence Moffitt

Central Territory

Decorations

Display WWI and WWII memorabilia. Ask the women to bring any items they have or check to see if the library or an army surplus store will loan you objects connected with these wars. Use American flags for table decorations.

Refreshments

Serve doughnuts and coffee. Get creative and make it à la mode by topping the doughnuts with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge or frozen strawberries.

SA Women in Times Of War

Salvation Army women went above and beyond the call of duty in times of war. Many veterans sing the praises of The Salvation Army lassies who served during wartime.

It was during WWI that The Salvation Army won worldwide recognition for its war work overseas. Evangeline Booth, National Commander at the time, borrowed $25,000 to finance the beginning of the Army’s war work. Later, she borrowed another $100,000 from International Headquarters in London to keep the work going. Evangeline firmly believed that the American people would support the cause, and eventually over twelve and a half million dollars was raised to pay for the war work.

During WWI Salvation Army personnel overseas numbered only about 500 men and women, each dedicated to Christ and to the cause for which they had enlisted. Ensign Helen Purviance and her side–kick Ensign Margaret Sheldon, are credited with making the first doughnuts of WWI. They were cooked over a potbellied stove in a small frying pan that held only seven at a time. Only 150 were served on the first day, but in time they had the proper equipment and fried up to 9,000 doughnuts daily. The troops loved the doughnuts and soon the lassies were referred to as Doughnut Girls.

Frying doughnuts was only one of the services rendered to the soldiers in France. The lassies sewed on buttons, wrote letters home, held their hands during surgery and prayed with them before they went into battle.

Some 20 years later when WWII started, Salvation Army women once again took an active role in the war effort. Although they did not go into the trenches, they served in other ways. They ran USO centers overseas and here in America. These were places where the service men and women could come and eat, rest, relax, talk and try to forget about the war, even if only for a short time.

Home League (Women’s Ministries) women all over the world did such things as rolling bandages, baking cookies, making sandwiches, running canteens, knitting socks, caps and gloves for the service men. They sold War Bonds, collected scrap iron and saved their newspapers. As the servicemen would board the trains and buses to go to boot camp, the Army women would be there to hand out personal items and yes, to serve coffee and doughnuts. Let us remember and give thanks for these women who ministered to our servicemen.

War Trivia

1. During what war did the Doughnut Girls serve? (World War I)

2. Who sent the Doughnut Girls to France? (Evangeline Booth)

3. Who entertained the troops for more than fifty years? (Bob Hope)

4. How was money raised for the war–effort? (War Bonds and Savings Stamps)

5. What were the shallow pits dug by combat soldiers for refuge against the enemy called? (Foxholes)

6. What does USO stand for? (United Service Organizations)

7. Who said, “Some of my best men are women?” (General William Booth)

8. What symbol was displayed on all hospitals and medical tents? (A red cross)

9. What woman was awarded the U.S. Distinguished Service Medal in WWI? (Evangeline Booth)

10. Name the three sisters who entertained the troops with their singing? (The Andrew Sisters)

11. What singer’s theme song was “God Bless America?” (Kate Smith)

Game

Name at least 8 different varieties of doughnuts from Krispy Kreme® (check their website www.krispykreme.com, click on doughnuts) or from Dunkin Doughnuts® (old fashioned, blueberry, glazed, butternut, cherry, sour cream, coconut, toasted coconut, sprinkles, chocolate, chocolate frosted, double chocolate, cream

filled, cinnamon).