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<br />PROCLAMATION
<br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
<br />DECLARING MARCH, 2002 AS AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH
<br />WHEREAS, the American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by a visionary woman named Clara Barton and
<br />chartered by Congress in 1905 to act in times of need; and,
<br />WHEREAS, the Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross was founded in 1917, and now responds to
<br />more than 25 disasters in Orange County each year; and,
<br />WHEREAS, the American Red Cross is one of the nation's oldest, most-recognized humanitarian organizations and
<br />is woven tightly into the fabric of Orange County, providing health and safety training to hundreds of Orange County
<br />residents and compassionate care when disasters and other crises threaten to overwhelm and/or destroy residents'
<br />lives; and,
<br />WHEREAS, at times of disaster and crisis, Americans trust and rely upon their local Red Cross chapters to provide
<br />services for families robbed of their loved ones, homes, livelihoods or dignity; and,
<br />WHEREAS, the American Red Cross maintains Disaster Action Teams that are on call 24-hours a day to provide
<br />food, clothing, shelter, health and mental health services to those affected by events and to rescue and recovery
<br />workers, with the Orange County chapter having provided over 50 volunteers that were assigned to national and
<br />regional operations, including "Ground Zero" in New York and at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. during the
<br />September 11, 2001 terrorist attack recovery; and,
<br />WHEREAS, the Red Cross also responds to international emergencies, including helping to create and administer
<br />America's Fund for Afghan Children, and has already prompted the shipment of one million dollars' worth of
<br />essential supplies and medicine to Afghanistan; and,
<br />WHEREAS, the American Red Cross provides hospitals with half the nation's supply of blood and blood products
<br />for Lifesaving medical treatments and routine medical procedures, with the Orange County chapter supplying over
<br />6,000 units of blood and plasma to the Carolina Blood Region in 2001; and,
<br />WHEREAS, Red Cross workers across the nation and in the Orange County are working around-the-clock to fulfill
<br />a historical role of keeping military personnel and their families in touch and offering other small comforts to ease
<br />the strain of being far from home; and,
<br />WHEREAS, the Orange County chapter responded to 25 fires and flooded homes and apartments in Orange
<br />County and provided 236 people with financial assistance that included motel rooms, food, clothes, and other
<br />assistance, and further provided food, hot drinks, and support to hundreds of local firefighters and emergency
<br />personnel; and,
<br />WHEREAS, in 2001, Red Cross clubs were established at Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High, and the
<br />Orange County Red Cross chapter initiated the first National Teen AIDS Hotline in the nation;
<br />NOW THEREFORE, do we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, hereby proclaim March 2002 as
<br />American Red Cross Month and encourage Orange County residents to support the American Red Cross and
<br />specifically the Orange County chapter's humanitarian mission with a gift of time, blood or money.
<br />This the 19th day of March, 2002.
<br />Ba ry Jaco
<br />Oran ounty Bo r f C missioners
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