House Resolution 66

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MARCH 2011 AS AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH AND URGING ALL AMERICANS TO CONTINUE TO GIVE BLOOD, VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, AND GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AND ITS LOCAL OFFICES.

WHEREAS, America has always been a place of humanitarian action and compassion, a place where people take care of each other, and are always willing to reach out and take care of others in need, whether they are down the block or around the globe, and that American desire to put our compassion into action is deeply rooted in the character of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, for more than 125 years, the American Red Cross has been the place where citizens join together, and the generosity and compassion of the American people finds purpose, and it's been the place where someone who may not know you will still give you their blood, save you from drowning, or provide you with shelter, food and clothing, and never has this been more evident than this past year, when tornadoes touched down from Yazoo City to Weir and from Pearl to Starkville displacing hundreds of families for which Mississippians responded swiftly and generously, and in overwhelming numbers chose their Red Cross as the place to turn their caring into action; and

WHEREAS, the Red Cross responds to approximately 1,750 disasters in Mississippi each year, often responding to events that do not make headlines, such as single family home fires that disrupt lives across the state, and our Red Cross and its corps of a little more than 1,500 volunteers are among the first on the scene, providing food, shelter, grief counseling and other assistance; and

WHEREAS, Mississippians turn to the Red Cross for many of the things that make the Magnolia State stronger and safer, evidenced by the fact that nearly half of our critical blood supply for some hospitals on the Coast is collected by the Red Cross and approximately 40,000 individuals turned to the Red Cross to learn lifesaving skills such as first aid and CPR; and

WHEREAS, the Red Cross continues to provide support and comfort to our military families, including last year, when they briefed more than 13,100 reserves and National Guard troops and their families on how to access Red Cross services and connected loved ones separated by war and conflict; and

WHEREAS, recognizing that suffering knows no borders, the Red Cross provides assistance during international emergencies, such as the Haiti earthquake; and

WHEREAS, in America, we may not all look the same, dress the same or sound the same, but we share a common spirit that binds us together when times are tough and unites us in action when someone is suffering, and like a mirror on America, the Red Cross shows us the best possible reflection of ourselves; and

WHEREAS, in celebrating American Red Cross Month, we also recognize the Red Cross "Heroes" Campaign because in order for the Red Cross to meet commitments to our communities now and in the future, citizens are needed to be "Heroes" for the American Red Cross by agreeing to raise at least $1,000.00, and for generations, the Red Cross has been providing Heroes to our Mississippi communities and all across America; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to support and encourage generous humanitarian efforts that provide tremendous benefits to the citizens of this great state, such as those provided through the American Red Cross:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby proclaim March 2011 as American Red Cross Month and urge all Americans to continue to give blood, volunteer their time, and give generously to the American Red Cross and its local offices.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross and made available to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.