Ninety-one years ago, Red Cross chapters were established in almost every county to help meet the needs of our servicemen during World War I. Since that time, the programs and services of the American Red Cross have evolved and grown to meet the changing needs of our nation and local communities.

There have been two constants throughout all these years. First each chapter has been supported almost entirely by donations. We are not a federally or state-funded agency. Second, where ever there was human suffering, the Red Cross was there to help.

Statistics show that one in six individuals will have his or her life touched by one of the many lifesaving, life-giving programs of the American Red Cross.

Have you ever considered what our local chapter might mean to our communities?

There are children and adults alive today because someone took the time to learn the skills needed to apply CPR and first aid during an emergency. Every time someone rolls up his or her sleeves and donates a pint of blood, the person potentially saves three lives. The Red Cross is the first hope and help during times of disaster, including local home fires. Who does our military turn to when the families of our servicemen and women are in crisis?

It is the stories we can tell that show what the Red Cross means to our community. Stories of caring and compassion, stories of lives saved and lives changed. Some of these stories include an infant born too early and the rescuer arriving in time to perform CPR, saving the life of the infant.

The story of the family coming home from shopping to find everything they own lost to a home fire. Our stories include ensuring that a service woman serving in Kosovo is given an opportunity to say a final goodbye to her mother, arriving at her deathbed just in time.

 

Our Red Cross stories can go on and on, each telling a tale of how the Red Cross impacts the lives of those in our community, leaving a lasting legacy on the fabric of each life the Red Cross touches.

But where will we be a year from now, five years from now or even 10 years from now. Will there be a Red Cross local presence to sustain the needs of our growing communities? We will be right here serving our communities a year from now, but only if we have the support of the community and our leaders. We are facing a very real concern regarding our ability to continue our local presence.

As a longtime Red Cross volunteer, I believe our communities understand the importance of a local Red Cross presence, but they don’t realize just how difficult it is to continue that presence. In the past the funding needed to support our chapter came without too much effort on our part; those days are long gone. But now, we are struggling for every dollar. We will continue to respond to the daily needs in our communities. This past February was a record high response to local home fires.

To ensure your Red Cross can continue serving our communities today, tomorrow, a year from now or even 10 years from now, our board of directors and staff are working to implement sustainable fundraising programs, to build partnerships that will allow us to sustain these programs and to continue our promise to always be there when needed. None of this can be accomplished without your help. As we celebrate Red Cross, the work of the Red Cross and 91 years of service to our communities, your Red Cross is asking that you JOIN TEAM RED CROSS by becoming a HERO for the American Red Cross.

- Gerry Zimmerman, Honorary Chair-Major Gifts, Greater Edisto Chapter, America Red Cross, Orangeburg

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