093_SJ0024
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1 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Today, the mission of the American Red Cross is
3 more relevant than ever as it confronts a changing America
4 full of unique challenges; the heroic efforts of the first
5 responders to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks became
6 a source of strength for millions of people around the world
7 struggling to comprehend this terribly tragedy; from their
8 example came a new resolve, to be better prepared in the
9 event of another wide-scale attack anywhere in America; and
10 WHEREAS, In a collaborative effort with the State of
11 Illinois, the federal government, and other members of the
12 emergency planning community, the Red Cross and its partners
13 are better able to serve the nation; through its bold, new
14 Together We Prepare initiative, the Red Cross is leading the
15 way in empowering individuals and families to protect
16 themselves; with five simple steps, make a plan, build a kit,
17 get trained, volunteer, and give blood, the Red Cross and
18 Americans from coast to coast will help make their
19 communities safer; and
20 WHEREAS, For more than 121 years, the American Red Cross
21 has honored its mission to provide relief to victims of
22 disasters while helping people prevent, prepare for, and
23 respond to emergencies; last year alone, more than 27,000
24 silent heroes in Illinois helped their neighbors by
25 volunteering at their local Red Cross chapter, and 500,000
26 more took the time to learn lifesaving skills such as first
27 aid, CPR, and defibrillator use; thousands of Illinoisans
28 rolled up their sleeves to donate over 100,000 gifts of blood
29 and blood products, the gift of life, through the American
30 Red Cross, and over 31,000 people across Illinois turned to
31 the American Red Cross for disaster education training; and
32 WHEREAS, All of these services, and many others, are
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1 provided through 36 locally governed and supported Red Cross
2 chapters and 5 Blood Services regions; community involvement
3 is critical for programs that prepare individuals, families,
4 and neighborhoods for emergencies; through its presence
5 across the country, the Red Cross is the leader in empowering
6 people in every neighborhood to be ready and prepared for the
7 unexpected; and
8 WHEREAS, The victims of more than 2,500 disasters, from
9 fires that affected a single structure to large-scale events
10 such as floods that devastated central Illinois, tornadoes
11 that ravaged southern Illinois, and other emergency events
12 across the State, received help from the Red Cross last year;
13 the Red Cross also responded to international emergencies by
14 aiding other countries devastated by natural disasters and
15 helping people in other nations get access to safe drinking
16 water and battle malnutrition and life-threatening diseases
17 such as measles; more than 13,000 Illinois military families
18 received direct assistance from the Red Cross, keeping them
19 connected in times of great personal sorrow and joy; and
20 WHEREAS, Those who need blood, those who are victims of
21 disaster, or those who are the recipients from the broad
22 spectrum of community services rely on the American Red Cross
23 every day; compassionate and caring people who wanted to make
24 a difference in their community and across the nation, at
25 home and abroad, channeled their support through the American
26 Red Cross; and
27 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois and the American Red Cross
28 have worked strongly together to make our communities safer;
29 the American Red Cross was an original member of the Illinois
30 Terrorism Task Force and makes important contributions to our
31 State efforts for homeland security; the State of Illinois is
32 proud of its relationship with the American Red Cross;
33 therefore, be it
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1 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
2 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
3 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we proclaim March
4 2003 as American Red Cross Month in Illinois and urge all our
5 citizens to become partners in preparedness with their local
6 Red Cross chapters and to become active participants in
7 advancing the noble mission of the Red Cross; and be it
8 further
9 RESOLVED, That we applaud and recognize the selfless
10 dedication of generations of Red Cross volunteers and staff;
11 and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13 presented to David T. McLaughlin, Chairman of the American
14 Red Cross.