Last Friday, representatives from the Tulalip Tribes presented the Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross with a check for $100,000 to be forwarded to the East Coast to be used in addressing needs following Sept. 11’s tumultuous events. What an apt symbol for the way that every facet of Snohomish County has responded to this tragedy. There has never been a time to be more proud of our diversity.
The Red Cross in Snohomish County fielded thousands of phone calls last week. They all asked the same question: “How can I help?” From the $2 that a 10-year-old wanted to donate to the Tulalip Tribes’ $100,000, everyone in Snohomish County wants to be a part of a positive response. We had numerous people contribute their tax returns, a newlywed couple who asked that their wedding guests contribute to the Red Cross in lieu of wedding presents, garage sales, bake sales – the list goes on and on. If we could have captured every fund-raising anecdote, we would have the feel-good best seller of the year.
I would also be remiss if I did not mention the overwhelming effort on the part of retailers and employers. It seems that every shop in the county has a container for contributions and employers are finding innovative ways to make it easy for their employees to contribute, sometimes matching their contributions with company funds.
Thank you to everyone in Snohomish County for being so caring. It is a privilege to represent the Red Cross in your community. We hope every citizen finds a way to be a small part of our response to the urgent needs of our neighbors on the East Coast. God bless you all!
American Red Cross, Snohomish County Chapter
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