SR0838 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0838 LRB103 39921 ECR 70948 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In Illinois, the contributions of more than 3,500 local Red Cross volunteers give hope to the most vulnerable in their darkest hours; and

WHEREAS, The Red Cross provides emergency shelter, food, and comfort for families devastated by local disasters and responds to approximately 2,000 disasters annually throughout Illinois, most of which are home fires; and

WHEREAS, The Red Cross donates blood for accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer, or sickle cell disease and annually collects more than 150,000 units of blood at 5,000 blood drives in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Red Cross supports service members and veterans, along with their families and caregivers, through the unique challenges of military life, and local Red Cross volunteers facilitate more than 9,000 emergency services for the military annually; and

WHEREAS, The Red Cross helps to save the lives of others with first aid, CPR, and other skills, and annually, local Red Cross volunteers train approximately 100,000 people in lifesaving skills; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the month of March 2024 as Red Cross Month and March 14, 2024 as Red Cross Giving Day in the State of Illinois in honor of all who fulfill Clara Barton's noble words, "You must never think of anything except the need and how to meet it"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge everyone to join in the commitment to give to others, and we encourage all citizens of Illinois to support the noble efforts of the Red Cross; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the American Red Cross as a symbol of our respect and esteem.