Backup Documents 03/10/2020 Item # 4A 4 A
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the American Red Cross fulfills a unique and vital role in our community, providing help and
hope, in the face of emergencies and disaster, and is a true reflection of the humanitarian
and volunteer spirit of the American people; and
WHEREAS, the Red Cross has been helping people in Collier County for 103 years, responding to
disasters, and assisting members of the military, and teaching lifesaving skills; and
WHEREAS, this past year Red Cross volunteers helped 89 people affected by 19 home fires by addressing
their urgent needs and providing recovery support. Meanwhile, when large disasters like the
Western wildfires, coastal hurricanes and Midwest tornadoes and floods devastated families in
other parts of the country last year, 46 volunteers from our community were among the
nearly 9,000 Red Cross workers -- 90 percent of them volunteers — who left their homes to
work alongside partners to provide refuge, food, relief items, emotional support, and recovery
planning; and
WHEREAS, the Red Cross continues to work with its partners to prevent fire tragedies through its
national Home Fire Campaign. This past year in Collier County, 311 free smoke alarms where
installed, making 130 households more safe. Since 2014 in Collier County, the Red Cross has
installed more than 1,600 free smoke alarms and made 675 households more safe from the
threat of home fires; and
WHEREAS, the Red Cross provided more than 95 services for veterans and launched a first in the nation
civilian hospital Veteran Visitation program; and
WHEREAS, for over seventy-seven years, United States Presidents have called upon people to support the
American Red Cross and its humanitarian mission. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the
first to proclaim March as Red Cross Month in 1943. Since that time, every president has
issued proclamations designating March as Red Cross Month; and
WHEREAS, we applaud the American Red Cross' mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the
face of emergencies, and our community depends on the American Red Cross, which relies on
volunteers and the generosity of the public to perform its mission;
NOW THEREFORE, be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, that
March be designated as
AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH
IN COLLIER COUNTY
DONE AND ORDERED THIS 10th Day of March, 2020.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
/ 717.
BURT L. SAUNDERS, CHAIRMAN