Senate Resolution No. 2272

BY: Senator BOYLE

COMMENDING The American Red Cross on Long Island
upon the occasion of celebrating its 100th
Anniversary, and paying tribute to this year's
honorees on June 15, 2017

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities across New York
State are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those
organizations, and their employees and volunteers, that are devoted to
the welfare of the community and its citizenry; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend The American Red Cross on Long Island upon the occasion of
celebrating its 100th Anniversary, and to pay tribute to this year's
honorees; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross on Long Island will commemorate this
most auspicious occasion at its Centennial Celebration to be held on
Thursday, June 15, 2017, at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, New
York; and

WHEREAS, This year's theme is "100 Years of Heroes" which recognizes
the selfless American Red Cross volunteers across Long Island who
deliver both help and hope during a disaster; and

WHEREAS, The 2017 honorees include: Alan J. Murray, President and
CEO of CareConnect who will be receiving the Corporate Leadership Award;
Gwen O'Shea, recipient of the Superstorm Sandy Hero Award; James
Aronson, recipient of the Home Fire Campaign Hero Award; and the Long
Island Coalition for the Homeless, recipient of the Service to the Armed
Forces Hero Award; and the

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led
by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps
people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies; it does this
through services that are consistent with its congressional charter and
the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement; and

WHEREAS, On May 29, 1917, Henry P. Davison chartered the Nassau
County Chapter of the American Red Cross, the first chapter of many to
form across Long Island; since its inception, its workers and volunteers
have worked tirelessly to fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross;
and

WHEREAS, In its first two years, the Chapter directed its activities
almost exclusively to World War I; Camp Mills, later Mitchel Field,
became the center of its Military Relief Program; and

WHEREAS, After the War, volunteers assisted returning soldiers in
filing claims for disabled servicemen, widows and dependents, and

collected and provided clothing and other articles for hospitalized
veterans, needy families and victims of disaster; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross on Long Island then worked with
other local authorities to improve community and individual health; free
clinics were established at Red Cross headquarters for mental health
patients, prenatal care, tuberculosis, and eye and heart patients; and

WHEREAS, In 1932, during the Great Depression, the production unit
of the Chapter dispersed over 200,000 yards of government cotton and
thousands of finished garments, and distributed innumerable bags of
flour to needy residents; and

WHEREAS, With the onset of World War II, The American Red Cross of
Long Island expanded and demands for Chapter services doubled, tripled
and quadrupled; however, with a serviceman in almost every family,
volunteers were always available to help; and

WHEREAS, In 1941, the United States Army officially requested the
Red Cross to supplement existing production of essential hospital
dressings; the Nassau Chapter Production workers filled gigantic quotas
year by year; and

WHEREAS, As the Armed Forces swelled, so did the Chapter Home
Service Program; volunteers became liaison between these recruits and
their families back home, handling thousands of pieces of correspondence
and countless calls through both Chapter and Branch offices to keep the
lines of communication open between Nassau County and its fighting men;
and

WHEREAS, The Chapter's Motor Corps grew to be one of the largest in
the country during World War II, providing round-the-clock ambulance
service to three hospitals, staffing the Mitchel Field Evacuation and
Debarkation Service, driving police cars for messenger service, and
aiding Chapter Service, day and night; and

WHEREAS, The first Red Cross Blood Session in Nassau was held at
Meadowbrook Hospital on October 16, 1941; by the time the war was over,
65,507 pints of blood had been collected for the Armed Forces; today,
the Red Cross supplies 40 percent of the nation's blood; and

WHEREAS, After the end of World War II, the Chapter focused on
civilian programs; Disaster Service, organized during the war years to
meet any national emergency, has turned to the relief of victims of
fires, flood and storm; in 1954, the Office of Volunteers was
established to recruit and train the men and women who make these
programs possible; and

WHEREAS, During the Vietnam War, The Voice From Home Program, first
offered in 1960, presented a new way of meeting its chartered obligation
to servicemen and their families; by direct request of the Department of
Defense, The American Red Cross on Long Island took on assigned quotas
of blood for the Armed Forces, of hospital ditty-bags, sewing kits and
recreational items; and

WHEREAS, In the 1970s, many Vietnamese refugees made a home in Long
Island with the help of the Red Cross; in addition, both the Red Cross

and Heart Association trained instructors to teach Nassau County
employees how to perform CPR; and

WHEREAS, During the 1990s, the Red Cross responded to the crashes of
Avianca Flight 52 and TWA Flight 800, and an AIDS Awareness Program was
launched in partnership with AIDS Institute of the New York State
Department of Health for teenagers and young adults; and

WHEREAS, The dawn of the 21st Century came with tragedy; after the
horrific attacks of 9/11, the Red Cross immediately responded to lower
Manhattan and set up "Drop-in" Disaster Counseling services at the
Garden City Hotel for impacted adults and children; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross on Long Island's diligent response
to hurricanes and natural disasters, including Hurricane Irene in 2011,
and Superstorm Sandy in 2012, strengthened partnerships with local
government and community partners, as they managed shelters across
Nassau and Suffolk counties for months and assisted in rebuilding
efforts; and

WHEREAS, Preparing the community to respond to disasters remains a
focus, with the launch of the Home Fire Campaign in 2014, and The
Pillowcase Program in 2015, ensuring safer communities across Long
Island; and

WHEREAS, As The American Red Cross on Long Island honors its past
and looks to the future, they see a local organization with a national
and international reach, powered by its volunteers to deliver its
mission of alleviating human suffering; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross on Long Island is always there to
help people, and to prevent, prepare for, and respond to life's
emergencies; and

WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion presents a unique opportunity for
this Legislative Body to commend The American Red Cross on Long Island,
its expert staff and dedicated volunteers, fully confident that it will
continue to play a leadership role in the community for many years to
come; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend The American Red Cross on Long Island upon the occasion of
celebrating its 100th Anniversary, and to pay tribute to this year's
honorees on June 15, 2017; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The American Red Cross on Long Island, and the
aforementioned honorees.