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Meet Me at the Corner
A former newspaper reporter who has lived in Franklin for nearly 40 years, Marjorie is active in several Franklin and Hales Corners organizations.
Want to be a hero? Try the Red Cross
By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Apr 8 2008, 12:55 PM
After her retirement, Margie Sutton, a friend from Brookfield, decided to volunteer for the American Red Cross. Her work took her all over the country, including New York City immediately following the events of 9/11.
Margie shares her enthusiasm for the Red Cross whenever she can. At a small group meeting in her home earlier this year, I learned there was much about this organization I didn’t know. In this blog I’m going to highlight some of the interesting information about this organization.
First, just a bit of history: You probably remember the name of the woman who started the Red Cross in this country: Clara Barton. She and a small group of acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. in 1881. Barton, a nurse who provided aid to wounded and dying soldiers in the Civil War, later became inspired by the International Red Cross Movement, which began in Switzerland. Barton headed the American Red Cross for 23 years.
The American Red Cross had its first opportunity for action just six months after it was formed – called to fight wildfires in Michigan. Nearly 300 people were killed, and there was $2.5 million in damage. (To see photographs and other information about that national tragedy, click on http://www.redcross.org/museum/history/wildfires.asp)
In 1906 the American Red Cross assisted local government with emergency service following the San Francisco earthquake, and in 1909 the organization set up a pension fund for widows and orphans of miners killed the St. Paul Mine at Cherry, Illinois. This eventually led to creation of workers’ compensation laws.
Providing disaster assistance to victims of hurricanes, tornados, fires and floods is one of the main functions of the American Red Cross. A current news story tells that more than 50 volunteers are right now in the Jackson, Mississippi area, helping with disaster relief for storm victims. Wherever a disaster may strike tomorrow, we can count on the Red Cross to be there.
While the Red Cross is recognized for its efforts in peacetime, the organization is respected world-wide for its service to those injured in war. It doesn’t matter what side an injured soldier has been fighting for – all human beings receive the same care and concern by Red Cross workers. Although the Red Cross does not take sides on any political issues and avoids being involved in controversy, it did work for ratification of the Geneva Convention, providing that injured soldiers and prisoners of war are treated humanely while in custody of their captors.
According to the website of the International Committee of the Red Cross, The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are part of international humanitarian law – a whole system of legal safeguards that cover the way wars may be fought and the protection of individuals. They specifically protect people who do not take part in the fighting (civilians, medics, chaplains, aid workers) and those who can no longer fight (wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, prisoners of war).The Conventions and their Protocols call for measures to be taken to prevent (or put an end to) what are known as "grave breaches"; those responsible for breaches must be punished.
The United States and 193 other countries have agreed to abide by the conventions. (For more specific information about the Geneva Conventions, see: http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/genevaconventions
Sometimes, Margie Sutton said, the most important work a Red Cross volunteer can do is get word to someone’s family that their loved one is alive and safe. Since she is no longer able to go into emergency relief areas (where volunteers may find it necessary to work long hours without rest and then sleep outside in primitive conditions), she continues to work as a community educator.
Numerous volunteer opportunities in this area are available. From the website of Red Cross – Southeast Wisconsin, we learn: Each year hundreds of people from southeastern Wisconsin serve as Red Cross volunteers. With their help, time and commitment, the Red Cross is able to help people in emergencies, teach first aid and CPR courses, deliver emergency messages to members of the military, organize programs for the elderly and youth, and much more. Red Cross volunteers work directly with people or provide behind-the-scenes support. Be a Red Cross volunteer! Helping others feels good and helps you feel good about yourself. Your local Red Cross can work with you to provide rewarding experiences, opportunities to utilize your talents, or provide training to help you serve your community.
To learn about these opportunities, or just to check on the Brave Heart awards presented in 2007 to local heroes and heroines who risked their own lives to save another, check out: http://www.redcrossinsewis.org/content/category/14/33/117 While you’re browsing the local website, find out how you can be “Red Cross ready.”
If you just want to shop, check the online store at that link: you can buy a T-shirt for $8, a first aid set for your cat or dog for $17, or a babysitter backpack for $8.
Note: The Red Cross is asking donations of your old cell phones. Call 414-342-8680 for more information.
There’s another way to be a Red Cross hero – and it will take less than an hour of your time: Donate blood!
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