Miss Helen Twitchell, the only remaining one of the six original members of the Service, vividly remembers the beginning and expansion of the organization.  It all began in 1903.  Mrs N.F. Thomson's little daughter, Elsie Rose, wanted to share her flowers with the other children while she was in the hospital.  After her death, her mother, Mrs Thomson, gathered together the Haddonfield children in her neighborhood and formed the Elsie Rose Flower Mission.  The children bunched their garden and field flowers and took them to the local sick.

When winter came that year another activity was sought.  Among Elise’s treasures has been a small purse containing 80 cents.  An adult friend make a little pink bag for each child, and there were eight children now in the Mission.  Ten cents were placed in each bag, the thought in doing so was to make cents grow until such time as a project was found for which to use the money.

Throughout the year each child added to her ten cents and at the end of the year a party was held for the group at which time the bags were emptied and the bags were returned to the owners.  This pink bag collection continued for years and the bags were returned to their owners.  This pink bag collection continued for years and the annual parties were really looked forward to.

When the sum of $32 was collected, the Mission's first accomplishment was the purchase of a wheelchair for local invalid use.  Interested adults began to aid the children in their efforts and soon a visiting nurse was employed for one month.

Under Mrs Thompson's direction a well baby clinic was established in a small store owned by the Masonic Order which was where the Masonic Temple now stands.

Now the Group was known as the Elsie Rose Flower and Loving Service Mission, and its first President was Mrs Thomson, who faithfully served until she had to move from Haddonfield.  The baby clinic outgrew its quarters as sickroom supplies were stored there as well as in private homes in town.  More room was required for the examination and weighting of the infants.

At that time the Baptist Parsonage on the Main street was for sale.  The community was now aware of what was being done for the welfare of its residents so with the help of many, including a very active men's group from the Civic Association, a company was organized to purchase the Baptist property in the name "Loving Service."

When the 1917 influenza epidemic struck, a hospital was set up with the borough's assistance, and nursing and welfare work was done with volunteers doing the housekeeping and culinary work until the epidemic was over.  The nurses lived in and continued to work from there until the property value of Main street properties increased in value and it became feasible to sell and purchase the large residence at 104 Centre street for a Community House.

However, a fund-raising drive to establish a hospital failed and the large quarters were not necessary without the prospect of a hospital.  The borough officials offered the small building at the rear of the Borough Hall and the Community House ceased to be at 103 Centre street.  The newly named Haddonfield Visiting Nurses Association now had headquarters with four nurses and space for sickroom supplies.  Welfare work was discontinued.

Several years later the V.N.A. combined with the Collingswood Service which the Haddonfield V.N.A. had assisted in organizing years before.  Today, the Community Health and Nursing Services of Greater Camden County serves a large area.

For want of leadership the Pink Bag Group dissolved when the Community House was at 104 Centre street, but not before a memorial dogwood tree was planted by the group on the lawn to honor George Washington in a national celebration of his Presidency.

A bronze plaque was placed on the tree trunk. Its pink blossoms are still beautiful every spring.