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Editorial
American Red Cross plays vital role, deserves help
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Volunteers are lining up today and Thursday at the Community Building at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, giving blood for one of the regular blood drives conducted by the American Red Cross.
The drive was to be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, and we hope everyone who was able to give blood did so, or will consider doing so.
Certain types of blood, specifically O negative, which can be given to everyone, are sorely needed, especially this time of year when vacations and disrupted schedules cut into the regular supply of blood.
But blood drives are only the most visible way the American Red Cross helps provide vital services.
Fortunately, most of us haven't been exposed to another major service, disaster relief, which the Red Cross is busy providing elsewhere in the state.
By last Friday, the American Red Cross had already served more than 10,000 meals, snacks and bottles of water to Nebraskans affected by severe flooding.
More than 200 Red Cross volunteers and staff from 11 states were working statewide, providing client casework, damage assessment and mental health support to address emotional and physical needs.
The organization's website points out that "the American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to survivors of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families."
It makes another important point: "The Red Cross is a charitable organization -- not a government agency -- and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission."
The next time, heaven forbid, your loved one needs blood, your neighbor's home burns down or you are driven from your home by a flood, the American Red Cross will be there to help -- or will it?
Not without the financial support and volunteer hours we can supply. For more information, visit www.redcross.org or join the blog at http://blog.redcross.org