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Pv. Nat Boynton joined the Army four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but spent about half of his service in the United States.
December 11, 1942, now Pfc. Boynton wrote to Lawrence Gracie from Washington, DC: Geneva should be very proud of the work the committee has done to brighten up the dull Army days of its servicemen, and most of all, it should help people back home think of the boys in uniform. You should let them know that you are ”
at that time, Geneva Daily Times Editor Lawrence Gracie also served on the board of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce he established a committee called “Our Boys Fund” in October 1940. Its purpose was to organize a retirement fund for members of Company B and all Geneva citizens who enlisted or were conscripted into the army.
The community rallied around the fund and immediately began organizing a “tag day” and raising money with the organizations sending donations. The tag was a red, white and blue button with “Our Boys Fund” printed on the front. His 120-man Company B from Geneva set out for training in Alabama on November 20, 1940, armed with new money belts, travel kits, and cartons of cigarettes from Our Boys Fund. did.
Fundraising was successful and by December 1940 the committee decided to send out Christmas packages containing travel kits, cartons of cigarettes, boxes of chocolate bars, writing paper, pencils and matches. A total of 84 packages were shipped.
At each draft call, Our Boys Fund hosted a ceremony to send the Genevans out of the community and distributed farewell gifts. Geneva had 73 draft picks from 1940 to 1946. The foundation hosted a ceremony for each person. The committee kept an up-to-date list of more than 3,000 servicemen and women who would receive gifts during this period.
Pfc. Boynton received cookies, hard candy, crackers, English cheese, Sauternes wine jelly, pineapple jam, and strawberry jam in December 1942. In 1944, he was given a special gift of his Hollywood Slide Viewer, which contained 12 of his slides depicting Geneva, created by the Geneva Camera Club. , It has been sent. After this, the committee was flooded with requests for family photos, and the camera club responded.
In February 1942, a special ball was held, raising money through tickets, boutonnieres, and national defense bonds, with tickets costing $3.30 per couple.of Geneva Daily Times published a letter to the editor, quoting attendees: “This shows the true spirit of the Genevan people, and your work with the boys in service is a true demonstration of what makes this country worth fighting for.”
[InAugust1945thecommitteemettodiscussthefutureoftheFundnowthatthewarwasoverCommemorativemedalswerepurchasedanddistributedtoover3000servicemenandwomenIn1947medalswerestillbeinghandedoutattheannualFireCarnivalandsurplusitemsweregiventoCompanyKandtheBoyScouts[1945年8月、委員会は戦争が終わった今、基金の将来について話し合うために集まりました。記念メダルが購入され、3000人以上の軍人および女性に配布されました。1947年、毎年恒例のファイアーカーニバルでメダルはまだ配布されており、余剰品はK中隊とボーイスカウトに贈られました。
The last of the fund’s funds were still in the bank in 1950, when the country entered the Korean War. According to the minutes, it appears that the committee did not continue with parting gifts or Christmas packages during the dispute.
On September 13, 1954, the committee resolved to end its work and discuss what to do with the remaining funds. A total of $2,643.09 was deposited in the bank and the committee resolved to purchase a new main operating table and two high and low patient beds for the Geneva General Hospital.
On July 23, 1942, Mayor Charles F. Nieder proclaimed July 24 as “Our Boys Fund Day.”
Becky Chapin is the archivist at Historic Geneva.
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