[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 12989-12990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5189]



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Part IV





The President





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Proclamation 7408--American Red Cross Month, 2001



Proclamation 7409--Irish-American Hertiage Month, 2001
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2001 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 12989]]

                Proclamation 7408 of February 26, 2001

                
American Red Cross Month, 2001

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara 
                Barton, a woman selflessly devoted to the needs of 
                humanity. Many of the Red Cross's guiding principles--
                compassion, courage, character, and civic duty--are 
                timeless ideals shared by the people of the United 
                States.

                Chartered and authorized by the Congress to act in 
                times of need, the American Red Cross serves our Nation 
                and the world, providing compassionate assistance to 
                people afflicted by personal, local, national, or 
                international disasters. Every day, millions of Red 
                Cross volunteers and employees follow in Clara Barton's 
                footsteps by providing essential services to people in 
                their communities.

                For more than 120 years, Americans have relied on the 
                expertise of the American Red Cross in disaster relief. 
                Last year, the Red Cross helped people during 
                devastating wildfires in New Mexico and Montana and in 
                communities hit by massive ice storms in Nebraska, 
                Arkansas, and across the Midwest. Volunteers respond to 
                an estimated 63,000 disasters each year and help 
                millions of people during trying times of loss. The 
                American Red Cross also saves lives long before tragedy 
                strikes by helping individuals and entire communities 
                learn to prepare for disasters.

                The educational information distributed by the American 
                Red Cross helps people feel safe at home, at work, at 
                school, and at play. Last year, the Red Cross trained 
                nearly 12 million people in lifesaving CPR and first 
                aid, in the use of automated external defibrillators 
                (AEDS), on HIV/AIDS education, and in lifeguarding and 
                water safety. Many people also know about the Red Cross 
                because of the organization's blood collection drives. 
                In 2000, more than 6.3 million units of blood were 
                collected from 4 million generous blood donors.

                Under its charter, the American Red Cross is entrusted 
                to deliver emergency messages and provide vital 
                services for military members and their families. Staff 
                members deploy with our Armed Forces to provide 
                emergency communications and a caring presence to 
                service men and women separated from their families. 
                Almost 40,000 Red Cross volunteers work at more than 
                100 military sites here and around the world.

                Through the years, the American Red Cross has reached 
                out to people worldwide, preventing and relieving the 
                most desperate cases of human suffering caused by 
                crises abroad. For families in need right now--in more 
                than 50 developing nations--the American Red Cross is 
                helping to establish sanitary and healthy living 
                conditions by creating reliable sources of food and 
                water. The organization's international services save 
                the lives of people threatened by calamities such as 
                epidemics, natural disasters, armed conflict, deadly 
                weather, social strife, or economic collapse.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the 
                United States of America and Honorary Chairman of the 
                American Red Cross, by virtue of the authority vested 
                in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim March 2001 as American Red 
                Cross Month. I request, as my predecessor Franklin 
                Roosevelt did 58 years ago, that

[[Page 12990]]

                each American enlist in the Red Cross ``army of 
                mercy''--and give part of themselves to advance this 
                organization's noble humanitarian mission. We have a 
                long way yet to travel, but together, we can save 
                lives. On behalf of a grateful Nation, we applaud and 
                salute the selfless dedication of generations of Red 
                Crossers.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 01-5189
Filed 2-28-01; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P