I would like to ask you to help me celebrate May 21st which is National American Red Cross Founder’s Day #AmericanRedCrossFoundersDay. Here is a fun fact for you about David’s family. His mom Sherry retired from the Red Cross here in Fort Worth. In the past they helped us when our house burned down and they would pick up my grandmother Dorie my mom’s mom and take her to her Cancer treatments. So let’s see how we can help them today so the Red Cross can continue helping others.
140 years ago, Clara Barton established the American Red Cross and the American Red Cross has been a tremendous source of aid since then. The National American Red Cross Founder’s Day is observed in her honor and the history of the organization and is celebrated each year on May 21st. I can’t tell you know who founded National Red Cross Founders Day but I bet you will agree with me that the Red Cross deserves to be celebrated.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL AMERICAN RED CROSS FOUNDER’S DAY
- Today is a special reminder of Clara Barton’s efforts, and those of every Red Cross volunteer across America. Take the opportunity to learn more about National American Red Cross Founder’s Day, the great founder herself, and the organization’s history of providing relief across the U.S.
- I would like to ask you a question. Has your community experienced a disastrous event? Find out if the Red Cross had a hand in disaster aid and relief.
- To learn more about The Red Cross impact over the ages, visit their website or read “A Story Of The Red Cross” by Clara Barton, “Clara Barton” by Elizabeth Brown Pryor, or “Blood, Sweat, and Tears: An Oral History of the American Red Cross” by Michele Turk.
- Red Cross volunteers perform extraordinary tasks to help the community every day, ranging from organizing blood drives to sourcing disaster aid resources from the public. Find out about the various ways you can contribute to the Red Cross on their website.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
- According to its website, the American Red Cross holds about 500 blood drives per day, collecting around 36,000 units of red blood cells.
- As you can see on their website, house fires are the most frequent disaster the Red Cross responds to, which is why they run a campaign to reduce such disasters by installing free smoke alarms and educating people about fire safety.
- Clara Barton was a teacher too and she started teaching when she was 17 and established the first free public school in New Jersey in 1852.
- Clara Barton worked as a recording clerk at the U.S. Patent Office just before the Civil War broke out.
- American Red Cross deployed more than 40 disaster responders and allocated $23.3 million when Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, as part of a global relief effort.
WHY NATIONAL AMERICAN RED CROSS FOUNDER’S DAY IS IMPORTANT
- I have a question for you. Who doesn’t remember the iconic images of the Red Cross nurses assisting American civilians and soldiers during the First World War? The American Red Cross has been a crucial part of our history for eons, saving lives and providing assistance when disaster struck the U.S. We honor the chance to learn more about how this organization came to be and the driving force behind the American Red Cross, Clara Barton.
- Learning about the Red Cross inspires us to get up and get involved. With various resources being offered to encourage volunteerism, the Red Cross website is an excellent place to get started. Even if you cannot volunteer at the Red Cross, might we suggest simply taking the time to think about how your skills can help someone, anyone? All it takes is the first step, and you will see how rewarding getting involved can be.
- So many World War I pictures feature Red Cross volunteers working right alongside our brave military folks. Even right now, these volunteers have been deployed beside the military for humanitarian aid. When we look back at the history of America, we see how much worse off America could have been without these brave people. We welcome any chance to learn more about them and their contributions.
Thank you.
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
