March 28, 2011
03/29/11 For 130 years, the American Red Cross has helped individuals and families prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. And each spring, the U.S. President acknowledges the American Red Cross by issuing a proclamation that declares March as Red Cross Month.
In 1881, 60-year-old Clara Barton broadened the scope of the Red Cross from an organization that provided relief to wounded military members to one that provided relief to disaster victims, too. And for a half-century or more, the Red Cross has operated a national blood distribution system which enables the organization to quickly send blood anywhere it’s needed after meeting local needs first.
Today, Red Cross Month celebrates Red Cross volunteers in areas like blood donation. The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region is among 36 Red Cross Blood Regions nationwide. Each year, those Regions work together to collect more than 6 million units of blood from about 4 million volunteer donors.
UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE IN OUR AREA IS:
Thursday, March 31, from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus in the Hall, located at 901 East Jefferson Street in Plymouth.