[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 17, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, SOUTH FLORIDA REGION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 17, 2010

  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, just this week, 
Congress declared March as Red Cross Month. Today I rise to honor the 
American Red Cross, South Florida Region chapter and its leadership. 
Since 1917, this chapter has been mobilizing South Floridians to aid 
those in need and has provided relief in times of crisis.
  The American Red Cross is a community funded and supported 
organization, which arrives on the scene of an emergency, natural 
disaster or catastrophic event, almost immediately, to offer moral and 
material support. Volunteers assist all disaster victims, whether that 
disaster is a house fire or a storm.
  Time and time again the South Florida chapter has been at the 
forefront of meeting our community needs. Last year, they responded to 
388 local disasters, providing 727 families with direct emergency 
assistance. Most recently, the South Florida chapter has played a 
leading role in providing aid and relief to the people of Haiti in the 
aftermath of the earthquake. The chapter helped in sending more than 80 
American Red Cross Creole-speaking volunteer translators to Haiti to 
support the medical mission of the USNS Comfort. The chapter also 
fielded volunteers at the three airports in our region to greet and 
offer assistance to repatriated Haitian Americans, and the Chapter's 
headquarter office was responding to an average of 500 calls daily in 
the wake of the earthquake.
  Under their excellent leadership the South Florida chapter staff 
works with professionalism every day and is dedicated to helping those 
in need. They are local community heroes. As we celebrate Red Cross 
Month, I thank the South Florida chapter for its service and 
congratulate its leadership, staff and members for their continued 
success. I am honored to recognize them and their work and appreciate 
their invaluable contributions to our community.

                          ____________________