|
|
|
Chapter History
Clara Barton
Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter History
American Red Cross History
1916
Dr. T. J. Turpin takes the first steps to organize a local chapter. The first meeting is held in City Hall at Corpus Christi. Nueces County Chapter is chartered on September 19th. Four thousand soldiers are entertained at camp grounds.
Home Service for the families of military men begins to help troops along the U.S./Mexican border.
1917
Loyalty Meetings held on Red Cross Sundays. Red Cross asks employers to hire temporaries and not to employ men eligible for military service to replace those enlisting. School children organize under auxiliaries called Junior League with 24-cent memberships. First headquarters are in a building owned by Mr. Emmert. Second headquarters are in the Corpus Christi National Bank building.
President Woodrow Wilson appoints a War Council to guide operations of the Red Cross during World War I.
Red Cross held the first War Fund drive surpassing a goal of $100 Million in one week.
Red Cross starts its Canteen service to provide refreshments to the military.
1918
Christmas membership drive nets $4,088 with 3,757 members. David Hirsch School the first to report 100% membership in Junior League, which changes its name to Junior Red Cross. National quota for surgical dressings and garments assigned to this chapter. Christmas Roll Call totals 7,574 members.
Red Cross starts Nurse's Aide program to make up for nurse shortages during wartime.
Frances Reed Elliott is enrolled as the first African-American in the Red Cross Nursing Service.
1919
Junior Red Cross totals 2,349 members. Diet kitchen maintained and food delivered for three weeks during flu epidemic. Gauze masks and pneumonia jackets made and distributed. A 10-foot tidal wave hits North Beach, causing many deaths.
Red Cross reports 204 of its nurses have died combating worldwide Spanish influenza pandemic.
League of Red Cross Societies (now the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies) is formed in Paris, France.
1920
Red Cross maintains Health Centers in Bishop and Robstown.
1921
Twenty-five percent of membership goes to American National Red Cross. Chapter retains 75%.
Red Cross holds its first national convention in Columbus, Ohio.
1923
Colored children's Health Center established jointly with State Board of Health.
Red Cross aids thousands of earthquake and fire victims in Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan.
1926
Offices move to Court House on Mesquite Street. Public Health Nursing is now turned over to the county.
1927
Major levee breaks in great flood on Mississippi River as Red Cross aids victims.
1930
Red Cross responsible for distribution of surplus commodities.
1932
Red Cross begins distribution of government surplus wheat and cotton products to victims of drought in the Dust Bowl.
1934
Civilian Relief Program turned over to city and county.
1938
Chapter reorganized after period of inactivity.
1939
Red Cross Volunteer Life Corps trained to assist paid lifeguards.
1940
Chapter outgrows headquarters in Court House and moves to Park Avenue. Twenty-nine Volunteer lifeguards save 79 lives.
Plasma for Britain program starts under direction of Dr. Charles Drew for English war victims.
1941
Red Cross assists district in nursing recruitment. Chapter establishes a First Aid Mobile Unit. All policemen are trained in both standard and advanced first aid. Chapter seeks other quarters and operates out of Kleberg Home, the Museum, and the First Methodist Church.
Red Cross begins National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the U.S. military with Dr. Charles Drew, formerly of the Plasma for Britain program, as medical director. Irving Berlin's "Angels of Mercy" becomes official Red Cross wartime song. Moments after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Red Cross volunteers go into action.
1942
Volunteer programs Gray Ladies, Staff Assistants, Canteen, Home Service Corps, Motor Corps, Nurses' Aides, and Production organized. Forty-four instructors train 5,000 in first aid. Corpus Christi Red Cross Hospital Council organized.
Red Cross convenes meeting with black leaders to encourage minority participation in organization. WWII Clubmobiles begin service in England. Red Cross opens famous Rainbow Corner Club in London for servicemen.
Red Cross responds to the fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts, that claims 494 lives.
1943
Canteen building completed at Pacific Railroad Station and 11,120 people are served. Nine thousand, nine hundred volunteers give 812,000 hours of service in Red Cross programs.
Jesse Thomas is the first African-American to join the American Red Cross executive staff.
1944
Kleberg property sold to Catholic Church and the chapter moves again, to 702 Antelope Street. Prisoners of War Clubs organized.
1945
Chapter ranked 2nd in state for nurse recruitment in competition with Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio. "Round Robin" newsletter sent to all nurses in military from this area. "Nearest of Kin" meetings held for relatives of prisoners of war.
President Franklin Roosevelt's last radio talk to nation is in support of the Red Cross War Fund.
Red Cross ends its WWII blood program for the military after collecting more than 13 million pints.
1946
Last year swimming lessons taught at Cole Park. Pier is demolished during tropical hurricane in August.
1948
Moved from 702 Antelope Street to 1116 Laredo Street. Started Handicap Swim Program using facilities at the YMCA.
Red Cross opens its first civilian blood collection center in Rochester, New York.
1949
George C. Marshall, WWII hero and creator of the "Marshall Plan" to help Europe recover from war, becomes Red Cross President.
1950
Recruited graduate nurses for polio program. Military build-up being felt for Korea.
Red Cross becomes blood collection agency for military during the Korean War.
1951
First Disaster Relief Appeal since 1937. Chapter's quota $12,420 towards a $10,000,000 need for Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
1953
Military caseload is 7,625 for the year.
Red Cross aids in Operation Big Switch exchange of POWs at end of Korean War hostilities.
1955
Red Cross liberalizes fundraising policy to allow chapters to participate in federated campaigns, such as Community Chest, forerunner of the United Way.
United States ratifies the Geneva Conventions of 1949 that still apply today.
1957
Over 6,000 children enrolled in summer swim program. Coastal Bend Association of Red Cross Chapters organized.
1959
First Aid and Water Safety programs discontinued because of lack of funds.
1961
Hurricane Carla causes chapter to open 70 shelters for 37,000 homeless people.
1962
Red Cross begins collecting medicines and food for Cuba in exchange for release of Bay of Pigs POWs.
1964
Red Cross aids victims of massive earthquake that hits Anchorage, Alaska.
1965 Names change from "Home Service" to "Service to Military Families" and from "Junior Red Cross" to "Red Cross Youth.." Vietnam build-up begins.
Red Cross Movement adopts its Seven Fundamental Principles: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.
1967
National Headquarters reports it will host a national Rare Blood Donor Registry for blood types occurring less than once in 200 people.
1968
Nueces County Chapter receives new charter under the name Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter.
1969
Three chapter vehicles are equipped with two-way radios. KZTV Channel 10 televises Red Cross Standard First Aid course in 12 lessons. Presented by the Corpus Christi First Aiders Club, it airs on Saturday afternoons. Headquarters move to a new location at 1608 South Brownlee Boulevard.
1970
Hurricane Celia brings death and destruction to the Coastal Bend. Relief efforts continue for several months. Over 60,000 Disaster Welfare Inquiries are handled.
1972
Red Cross calls for national blood policy that the federal government sets up in 1974 supporting standardized practices and an end to paid donations.
Red Cross responds as Hurricane Agnes slams eastern United States.
1973
Youth Disaster Action Team established at W. B. Ray High School and sponsored by the South side Rotary Club.
1974
Chapter makes it possible for the little town of Artreaga, Coahuila, Mexico to have its own X-ray machine through efforts with the Mexican Red Cross in Saltillo.
Red Cross begins 4-month Operation New Life for Vietnam refugees brought to the United States.
1976
Nursing and Health Programs screens over 3,000 children for vision problems.
1977
President Jimmy Carter makes his 52st blood donation in bloodmobile at the White House.
1979
Jim Wells County Chapter merges with the Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter.
1980
Hurricane Allen causes over 200,000 to flee the Texas coastline and chapter shelters 10,200 refugees in 23 shelters.
1983
Building at 1721 South Brownlee Boulevard is purchased and chapter moves from temporary quarters on Everhart. Nursing and Safety volunteers combine efforts on "Health Tips" for 23 live television spots on KRIS-TV Channel 6. Chapter becomes a Key Resource Chapter.
United States blood banking groups issue their first warning about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Board of Governors approves expansion of Red Cross bone marrow program that leads to stem cell collection and distribution.
1984
Nursing and Health Services represent the chapter with a vision screening display and booth at the National Convention.
1986
San Patricio County Chapter and the Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter merge.
1987
Chapter plays a major role in the campaign to educate the public about the fatal disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. 57,750 pamphlets on AIDS are distributed at community presentations.
Red Cross opens its Holland Laboratory dedicated to biomedical reaseach.
1988
A busy year for local disasters. Disaster workers assist in relief efforts at Chandler Mills, Racquet Club, and Omaha Street Apartments. A fire also takes place at the Hoover Hotel. Hurricane Gilbert billed as the worst storm of the century but does not make landfall in the Coastal Bend.
1989
Volunteers and paid staff work with major disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico and South Carolina for Hurricane Hugo and in California for an earthquake.
Red Cross responds to Hurricane Hugo and aids 14,000 familes affected by the Loma Prieta earthquake in California.
1990
Summer floods in Jim Wells, San Diego, and Refugio counties keep chapter disaster workers busy most of the summer and into the fall.
Red Cross Holocaust & War Victims Tracing & Information Center opens in Baltimore, Maryland.
1991
The chapter supports Operation Desert Storm by providing a total of 926 services to military families. Volunteer instructors train more people than ever before in this chapter, reaching a yearly total of 18,279 certificates issued. Project "I'm O.K." organized to assist the elderly.
Elizabeth Dole becomes the first woman president of the American Red Cross since Clara Barton.
1992
The chapter sends 13 trained volunteers and staff to assist with hurricane Andrew" relief in Florida and Louisiana. Disaster and Military and Social Services merge to form Emergency Services. The chapter is awarded a Special Projects Allocation Committee (SPAC) grant by national headquarters for continued community development.
First National Testing Laboratory, applying standardized tests to ensure safety of Red Cross blood products, opens in Dedham, Massachusetts. Hurricane Andrews blasts Florida and leads to multi-year Red Cross aid.
1993
The chapter is assigned a national Emergency Vehicle (ERV), one of several strategic chapters selected. Disaster Services Human Resource (DSHR) volunteer membership grows to 49, ten of whom assist at the catastrophic Midwest floods.
Record crest of Mississippi River occurs at St. Louis in worst Midwest flooding to date.
1994
The chapter sends 12 volunteers to assist with California earthquake relief effort. This year alone, the chapter provides a record 164,995 services to those in need.
1995
The chapter assumes all administrative responsibilities for the Armed Force Service Center at the Naval Air Station, including communication services, financial assistance, and health services training for more than 5,000 military personnel and their families.
Red Cross aids victims of the bombing of Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
1996
The chapter trains 200 people in First Aid and adult CPR during the "Save a Life Day" event.
Congress passes Aviation Disaster Act that leads to creation of Red Cross Aviation Incident Response (AIR) Teams to assist victim families.
1997
Judith Oestreich is Chapter General Manager when Jim Tait retired after 19 years in the position. There where two disasters, a flood in the Corpus Christi area and the Banquette Tornado.
1998
Chapter expands its staff and gets a facelift with building repairs. Chapter volunteers responded to Central Texas Flooding, in which 24 affected counties in Texas were declared disaster areas.
Red Cross opens an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center with hi-tech emergency communications service for the military.
1999
The chapter added two counties, Kenedy and Kleberg, to our eight counties, bringing our total service area to ten (10) counties. We also opened a Branch Office in Kingsville, Texas. Our volunteers and paid staff responded to the threat of Hurricane Bret, a category 4 hurricane that hit in the Kleberg County area.
Red Cross initiates Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) which provides early detection of HIV and Hepatitis C in blood.
2000
The chapter added three more counties, Bee, Live Oak, and Goliad to our ten counties. We opened a new Branch Office in Beeville, Texas. Our chapter held the First Annual King Ranch Bike Tour in Kingsville, Texas on the King Ranch.
2001
A very busy year for the local Chapter. Volunteers and staff worked Tropical Storm Allison in the Houston area in June, a refinery explosion in July, a severe flood in three of our counties in August, the Terrorist Attacks in September, the South Padre Bridge Collapse in September, and another major flood in November.
Red Cross responds to terrorist attacks by airplane in New York, Pentagon and Pennsylvania.
President George W. Bush announces America's Fund for Afghan Children with contributions to be distributed by the Red Cross.
2002
The chapter responds to 3 devastating floods from July to October. The 1st Tornado in over 100 years touched down in Corpus Christi and causes damages to Del Mar College West Campus, Driscoll Middle School, destroys several buildings in the Casa de Maña Apartments and the surrounding area.
Red Cross joins other groups to launch Measles Initiative, 5-year plan to eradicate the disease in sub-Saharan Africa by immunizing children.
2003
General Manager Judith Oestreich retires after 20 years of dedicated service and David Chayer is hired as the new Executive Director. The chapter deploys the Emergency Services Director to assist with the Red Cross response to the Shuttle Columbia crash in Northeast Texas. Hurricane Claudette is predicted to make landfall in Brownsville Texas and makes landfall just north of Bee County, the chapter initiates a multi-chapter response.
2004
This year brought several floods including major flooding and hail damage in Falfurrias in Brooks County. The American National Red Cross initiates a new "Service Area" concept the chapter is in the Southwest Service Area/Service Area 4 Headquartered in Houston, Texas and covers 5 states, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisana.
Hurricanes Chalrey, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne slam into Floridia and calls for major Red Cross relief in Southeartern states.
Magnitude 9.0 earthquake off west coast of Indonesia triggers massive tsunami that brings death and destruction to 12 countries. American Red Cross joins the relief efforts.
2005
The Hurricane Season of 2005 was the most costly in history. The Coastal Bend-Texas Chapter assisted over 1,000 evacuee families, provided over 10,000 meals, and provided over $800,000 in direct emergency financial assistance. We trained over 300 volunteers to work in shelters and provide mass care - thanks to Flint Hills Resources. We deployed 18 volunteers to work in Orange, Beaumont, Houston, Baton Rouge, and Southern Louisiana.
Once again Red Cross takes on a multi-year relief effort following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
2006
This year brought many changes to the Coastal Bend - Texas Chapter. We celebrated our 90th Anniversary of service to the Coastal Bend. David Chayer moved up to National Headquarters to work on the Community Presence Initiative. Omar Lopez joined the staff as Director of Financial Development. We responded to the flooding in El Paso and wildfires in North Texas and Oklahoma as well as Hurricane Ernesto in South Carolina.
2007
Linda Whitmire was promoted to Assistant Executive Director. Quentin Masters was hired as our new Executive Director. New changes to help the American Red Cross grow as an organization were put in place and area chapters were grouped together to support each other. The Coastal Bend grouping consists of Coastal Bend - Texas Chapter, Crossroads Chapter in Victoria, Rio Colorado Chapter in Bay City and South Texas Chapter in Harlingen. Volunteer and paid staff disaster workers responded to the ice storms in McAllister, Oklahoma; tornados in Cactus and Eagle Pass.
2008
July and August were really busy for the chapter as DR151 Texas Floods finally hit the Coastal Bend. Red Cross in conjunction with our partners operated a shelter at the Annaville Baptist Church for 26 days while the Nueces River stayed above flood stage. Over 19 inches of rain fell during July and many families lost their homes due to the water. We received a grant from the Community League which allowed us to purchase a new chapter-owned Emergency Response Vehicle and a four-wheel drive car for Disaster Services.
2009
The first part of fiscal 2009 was a wake up call to South Texas. Hurricanes Dolly and Ike devastated the Southeast and Southern Texas coastlines. Volunteers from this chapter spent weeks in McAllen, Brownsville, Galveston, Beaumont and other Texas cities assisting victims of the hurricanes. Linda Whitmire retired after over 25 years with the chapter. Chapter received a grant from the WalMart/Sam's Foundation for Chapter Readiness which also funded two AmeriCorp/Vista volunteers for one year to provide preparedness education in the area schools.
As of July 1, 2009 there are now 789 chapters with 168 of them being Regional chapters.
|
|
|
