[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO MARCH BEING THE AMERICAN RED CROSS SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA 
                             CHAPTER MONTH

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                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 15, 2006

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge 
that March is the American Red Cross Month for the Southeastern 
chapter.
  The American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter was 
officially formed on January 22, 1916, to ``carry out a system of 
national and international relief in times of peace, and apply that 
system in mitigating the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, 
floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry 
out measures for preventing those calamities.''
  The American Red Cross trained more that 11 million Americans in 
valuable life-saving skills last year, 64,144 of them right in 
Philadelphia. Of a population of 4 million, the American Red Cross 
Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, responded to 804 local disasters and 
provided relief services for 1,280 families and a total of 4,012 
people. Operating 18 disaster shelters, helped 2,933 military families, 
and trained 61,822 individuals in Red Cross health and safety courses, 
and another 24,631 people in the community disaster education. The 
American Red Cross has housed 367 families whose homes were 
unexpectedly destroyed by natural disasters.
  The American Red Cross has helped collect life-saving blood from 
92,587 donors. 175,000 residents across the 5 counties on southeastern 
Pennsylvania have been a part of this to help their fellow citizens in 
times of need. The American Red Cross is the place that more than 
25,000 people in these 5 counties turned to after the tsunami, and 
their contributions made it possible from 22,459 Red Cross volunteers 
from 40 countries to provide help and hope to 840,000 victims 2 
continents away.
  One in 5 Americans is touched by the Red Cross every single year. The 
southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Red Cross promotes economic 
self-sufficiency and community health through its Nurses Assistant 
Training program which educated 180 students last year.
  I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing 
March as the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter 
month.

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