Dear editor,

It’s Red Cross Month and we would like to recognize our Everyday Heroes who reach out to help their neighbors when they are in need.

These everyday heroes are our volunteers who help disaster victims get on the road to recovery. They give blood to help someone in the hospital. They brighten the day of an injured service member in a hospital far from home. They take our classes and step forward to help someone having a heart attack or to save a drowning child.

March is also a great time to become part of the Red Cross. It’s easy. Household members can work together on a preparedness plan. People can sign up to take a class or volunteer their time. They can give blood or make a financial donation.

The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year in this country. It provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families; collects and distributes about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply and trains millions of people in first aid, water safety and other life-saving skills every year.

Here in Alabama, the Alabama Red Cross responded to more than 2,200 local emergencies, assisted more than 6,000 military families and trained nearly 30,000 people in lifesaving skills during fiscal year 2013 (July 2012 through June 2013). And, people from this area donated approximately 98,000 units of blood between July 2012 and June 2013.

Red Cross Month is observed in dedication of everyone who supports our mission. We are grateful to people for their generosity which enables us to continue our work, and encourage everyone to become an Everyday Hero during Red Cross Month by helping their neighbors.

 

Mark Beddingfield

CEO, American Red Cross

Alabama Region

Jerry J.K. Tillery

CEO, American Red Cross

Southern, Alabama and Central Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico Blood Services Region