Veterans

New Jerse's 15 American Red Cross chapters were represented at the League of Municipalities Conference today in Atlantic City.  Hundreds of officials from towns across the state stopped by and spoke with us about how the Red Cross can work with towns to prevent disasters and respond to emergencies.


Here's Camy Trinidad, Executive Director of the Camden County Red Cross chapter, with her husband Joe Surowiec at our booth.

Today is Veterans Day.

November 11, 2009, is Veterans Day, honoring all Americans who have served their country in the armed forces. November 11th was originally called Armistice Day because it was on this day in 1918 that the First World War came to an end. The armistice was signed at 11:00am, which was the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of that year.

The Tri-County Red Cross thanks all veterans today for their service, and recognizes the sacrifices they have made for our country.

 During his Veterans Day address at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11, 1961, President John F. Kennedy said:

We celebrate this Veterans Day for a very few minutes, a few seconds of silence and then this country's life goes on. But I think it most appropriate that we recall on this occasion -- and on every other moment when we are faced with great responsibilities -- the contribution and the sacrifice which so many men and their families have made in order to permit this country to now occupy its present position of responsibility and freedom, and in order to permit us to gather here together.... In an age that threatens the survival of freedom, we join together to honor those who made our freedom possible.

To learn more about what services the Tri-County Red Cross offers veterans and active duty member of the armed forces, please visit our Armed Forces page.

Elizabeth, NJ: Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and the Tri-County Red Cross Chapter honors all of America's former prisoners of war and service members missing in action. While numbers alone do not tell the whole story, they can help us begin to appreciate the sacrifices we are recognizing today. Since World War I, more than 142,000 American service members have been captured and imprisoned, more than 130,000 of them during World War II. More than 17,000 died while interned as POWs. As the majority of these former POWs were held during World War II and the Korean War, they are now well into their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Observances of National POW/MIA Recognition Day are held across the country on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools and veterans' facilities. We will be joining the ceremony at the Union County Courthouse steps at 11:15am on 9/18/09.

To learn more about the Red Cross services available to active military personnel, veterans and their families, please visit our Armed Forces page.

 

 

Lyons, NJ: Tri-County Red Cross staff and volunteers, along with a group of volunteers from Johnson & Johnson's Skillman NJ office, held a picnic for the veterans and staff at the VA hospital in Lyons, NJ on Thursday, July 9, 2009.

 

Click here to see more pictures at our Flickr site!

"These types of events are great corporate group projects and help us with volunteer staffing on one-day events. We greatly appreciate the hard work and fun attitude that the folks from Johnson & Johnson brought to this picnic - and I believe the veterans felt the same way, too," said Michael Prasad, Director of Emergency Services for the Tri-County Red Cross.

The Tri-County Red Cross has many one-day group projects for corporate teams, clubs and social organizations to perform either at our chapter house in Plainfield or at corporate offices in our chapter area. For more information on these projects, please contact Mr. Prasad at (908) 756-6414 x15 or by e-mail at prasadm@usa.redcross.org.

 

 

 

Volunteers from the Tri-County Red Cross held a Sunday coffee social at the Veteran's Affairs (VA) Hospital in Lyons, NJ on May 17, 2009.

 

The volunteers went around to the different wards of one of the hospital buildings, and served more than 40 patients coffee and snacks. Pictured (from left to right) are Kathy Kirk, Helen Naseer and Donna Fletcher. 

There are many opportunites to volunteer at the VA hospital with the Tri-County Red Cross, including two Thursday picnics this summer - the first on July 9th and the second on August 20th.

If you would like to learn more about volunteering with the Red Cross at the VA Hospital in Lyons, please contact Mike Prasad at (908) 756-6414 x15 or by e-mail at prasadm@usa.redcross.org.