ON BEHALF OF THE WASHTENAW COUNTY CHAPTER ’S

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ITS COMMUNITY ADVISORY
COUNCIL: A LETTER OF PROFOUND THANKS TO THE
COMMUNITY.

January 26, 2009

In the last two weeks since the earthquake struck Haiti , we
have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community: 
your visitsto the chapter, donations through checks, cash, from
waitress’ aprons and kids’ piggy banks.  And more of you have
been going on line, phoning in or texting to give.  Thank you
ALL—and to annarbor.com for all the stories of the generosity
and ingenuity of our community, individuals, schools, companies,
health institutions which inspire continued response.

Each year in communities large and small, victims of some
70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new—the more
than 700,000 volunteers and 34,000 employees of the Red
Cross--to help them get back on their feet. More than 15 million
people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to
emergencies in their homes, communities and the world. This
includes our own Washtenaw disaster response volunteers who
have the same superb training—allowing all of us to link up and
create a mighty pull of strength to help a neighbor recover,
wherever they live, next door or across the ocean.

And while we are extending our generosity to those in this
huge tragedy, our chapter is still responding 24/7 to the more
silent disasters in our own neighborhoods here in Washtenaw
County . It is the personal tragedy of a home fire, where a family
loses everything they own, or the child at Motts’ who needs
blood products for chemotherapy treatments, or a soldier’s family
who just experienced a death and needs to get their loved one
home for emergency leave.  We rely on local support to fund these
life-saving programs.

We are so grateful to all of our community for their support and
involvement—the financial donations, volunteering, attendance at
health and safety classes, and giving of blood.  We are working hard
to continue to earn your support---because even more of it is needed,
here at home, and for international disasters such as the Haiti
earthquake.

·         People who want to help those affected by the Haitian
earthquakecan make a donation to the American Red Cross
International Response Fund at Redcross.org or by calling 1-800-
RED-CROSS. Briefings regarding the progress of the Red Cross
relief effort are available at www.wc-redcross.org/Haiti.php

·         To donate to support our local disaster response programs
in Washtenaw County , visit www.wc-redcross.org and click on
the DONATE button.  Or call the chapter at 734-971-5300.