GLORIA SHELLER
Staff Writer
The American Red Cross has its hand in everything and thank God for that. For almost 125 years, the Red Cross has been saving lives around the world.
The organization’s creator, Clara Barton, branched the American Red Cross from a larger international movement based in Europe. Barton’s goal? To protect the war injured, which she did in the Spanish American War. Although the American Red Cross had changed its central focus from aiding the armed forces to aiding everyone, the good heart of the organization always remained constant.
The Red Cross is a private organization dedicated to easing human suffering. It is known for its eagerness to help, while some government-run organizations tend to work on a much slower clock. In the wake of national disasters, the Red Cross is there, working and helping. It is good to see that the money I’ve been dropping in the jar at the market is really going toward the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Since its birth in the late 1800s, the Red Cross has made some huge changes in medical awareness in the United States. during World War II, the Red Cross started a national blood program that collected almost 15 million pints of blood to be used by the armed forces. Today, the program started by the Red Cross provides nearly 50 percent of the nation’s donated blood.
The Red Cross has changed the standards for HIV/AIDS awareness all over the world. The Red Cross has put forth extreme effort through educational programs in both America and everyone’s biggest concern, Africa in hopes of soothing the pains that have been felt by this epidemic.Red Cross member, David Huges said of Africa’s AIDS epidemic “ To be ignorant of one’s HIV/ AIDS status is basically a death sentence.”
The Red Cross is no quick fix program like some may think. Some four years after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Red Cross is still providing aid to those from Sept. 11, who need it.
The current focal point for most Americans is the effort being made toward aiding Hurricane Katrina victims. The Red Cross is more involved in Hurricane Katrina than it has been in any other natural disaster in the past. In the past couple of weeks, the American Red Cross has raised more money for Hurricane Katrina than for Sept. 11 and the Asian Tsunami combined. The organization estimates it has raised about $302 million in pledges and gifts. The impressive number is thanks to huge corporations such as Shell Oil Company, The Walt Disney Company, The National Football League and other private donors.
The Red Cross’ slogan is “Together, we can save a life.” The Red Cross is here to stay and rightfully so. It is from the light shed by the organization and its volunteers that victims of disasters have been able to find a safe and speedy escape.
09-15-2005