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Today's Red Cross: 2 arms - one secures blood supply, one disaster relief

Each of us probably has a connection with the American Red Cross (ARC). If not as a blood donor or volunteer, then perhaps we have taken a CPR class or have a child who is a Red Cross trained babysitter or learned to swim from a Red Cross trained instructor (many such classes are offered through the Shelburne Recreation Dept.)

When disaster hits, Red Cross is on hand

Every eight minutes in this country a disaster strikes. It could be a single family fire or a large-scale incident such as a flood, winter storm, or hazardous material spill: any incident that creates human needs that cannot be alleviated without assistance. When this happens, the ARC is on hand to provide disaster relief whether that is shelter and housing, meals, clothing, emotional counseling, and personal care items.

2nd Annual Swim-A-Thon to benefit local Red Cross on April 2

Up to swimming the distance equal to Vermont's iconic "Long Trail"? That's equivalent to 273 miles...for a great cause. The American Red Cross' 2nd annual "Swim the Long Trail" swim-a-thon will take place on Saturday, April 2. The site will be pools at The Edge Sports & Fitness in Williston, and the effort helps ensure that the help our neighbors need is there when disaster strikes.

Before taking to the pool, individual swimmers and teams will collect donations in support of their effort to complete the 273 mile task. The success of the swim-a-thon rests upon swimmer participation. Consider donning your suits! Event day is a vibrant atmosphere with music, prizes, food and more.  Corporate sponsors are also being sought to help support the efforts of the swimmers and to ensure the necessary funds are raised to support Red Cross disaster services. To learn more and to register for the event, go to www.vermontredcross.org or call 660-9130, ext. 113.

 

The beginning of the American Red Cross

Clara Barton, born in 1821, had been a schoolteacher, a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office, and had earned the nickname "Angel of the Battlefield" during the Civil War before she founded the American Red Cross in 1881. Barton's experiences of collecting and distributing supplies to soldiers during the Civil War, as well as working as a nurse on battlefields, made her a champion for the rights of wounded soldiers.

After the Civil War, Barton aggressively lobbied for the establishment of an American version of the International Red Cross (which had been founded in Switzerland in 1863) and for the United States to sign the Geneva Convention. She succeeded with both — the American Red Cross was founded in 1881 and the U.S. ratified the Geneva Convention in 1882. Clara Barton became the first president of the American Red Cross and led the organization for the next 23 years.