of America

A Proclamation

Whenever disaster strikes, Americans everywhere count on the American Red Cross for immediate response.

This past year, Red Cross volunteers aided victims of fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and other tragedies on more than 50,000 occasions. In the last six months, the American Red Cross has faced a special challenge. It mobilized its resources to help provide food and medical relief to 14 African nations suffering from a famine of mammoth proportions. By providing funds contributed by generous Americans and seeing to it that they are converted into food for the hungry, the Red Cross is fulfilling its humanitarian mission of helping those in distress.

The American Red Cross has handled this unprecedented challenge without sacrificing any of its ongoing responsibilities. Annually, Red Cross teaches millions of our fellow citizens vital lifesaving techniques in CPR, first aid, small craft operation, and water safety. Its thousands of volunteer donors provide blood to more than half of the Nation's medical facilities. Red Cross also serves the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families, furnishing financial assistance and handling emergency requests through its worldwide communications network.

What all this adds up to is an organization of Americans who have volunteered their money, their time, and their hearts to ensuring that all of us are provided with the most efficient and effective health and human services possible.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, and Honorary Chairman of the American National Red Cross, do hereby designate March 1985 as Red Cross Month, and I urge all Americans to give generous support to the work of their local Red Cross Chapter.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and ninth.

Ronald Reagan

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 2:51 p.m., February 4, 1985]

Note: The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on February 4.