During World War I, the technology of warfare had not advanced enough to cause Wyoming citizens fear of a direct attack by any of the belligerent powers.
But the plight of civilians in Europe concerned the people of Laramie.
In 1918 the Laramie Woman's Club informally adopted Edmonde Filaire, a ten-year old French girl whose father had been killed in the war.
[Birgit: For pronunciation of Edmonde, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISMOLpHZQX4 . For pronunciation of Filaire, see https://www.howtopronounce.com/french/filaire ]
During the next three years the Woman's Club contributed more than four hundred dollars through the American Red Cross to support Edmonde and her mother.
In return, the club received letters, cards, and photographs from their adopted goddaughter. At first, Edmonde corresponded in French. Then, as she grew older, she wrote letters in English.
See Edmonde's correspondence, drawings and more in the Laramie Woman's Club records at UW's American Heritage Center.