Red Cross Minn-Kota Chapter celebrates birthday

Fargo, ND – "The Minn-Kota Chapter of the American Red Cross has gone through some huge challenges in the last ten to thirteen years. Since 1990, the Chapter has relocated its offices five times in an attempt to keep pace with the growth or demand for services and other programs. Since 1990, this Chapter has witnessed a 287 percent increase in requests for services. So-how do you respond to that? You keep trying to get into a larger facility and respond to those needs. And while we have successfully responded to needs, it's been a challenge for our staff and volunteers."
Senior Director Evelyn Gedde says the Minn-Kota Chapter has done a juggling act for many years trying to get a permanent facility with enough space for disaster volunteer training, board meetings, and much more. Gedde says at one point, they only had one room for all of these functions. Today, the Chapter is not only celebrating its 85th birthday but also holding a dedication ceremony for their new Red Cross home located at 2602 12th Street North in Fargo. And Gedde says the new spacious facility will help the Chapter better serve the community. The Minn-Kota Chapter has come a long way. 1917 marked the beginning of three Red Cross Chapters locally-the Barnesville, Minnesota Chapter, the Moorhead, Minnesota Chapter, and the Cass County of North Dakota Chapter. These three chapters later formed the Minn-Kota Chapter.
"So there were three Red Cross Chapters that chartered in that year--all of them primarily because there had been a huge epidemic of flu, as well as the need for workers in World War One. And as a result of those two major events which both impacted this area in the Red River Valley, Red Cross became a known chartered organization here."
Gedde says when the American Red Cross name is mentioned to people, they immediately envision disaster response. She says yes, that is what the Red Cross is about-but that's not all.
"What many people don't envision when the name of the American Red Cross is mentioned is the health and safety education. Together with the community, our volunteer, and our donors, we save lives because of health and safety education. And as a matter of fact, each year we touch the lives of one in eight people right here in this community through health and safety education as well as emergency and disaster services and emergency communication for members of the military and their families. So it's that larger component of what we're doing 24 hours a day everyday out of the year that people don't necessarily know about. For example, CPR training to save lives, AED training-that's the automated external defibrillator, first aid skills, babysitting skills, worksite safety training, the list goes on and on."
The Minn-Kota Chapter is the largest Red Cross Chapter in North Dakota. And Gedde says this Red Cross Chapter will last another 85 years and then some.
"You know people always need to know how to save lives. And bad things always happen to people like floods, fires, deaths in families, and so forth. Those kinds of things are never going to change. People have basic human needs and that's what the Red Cross is about-responding to those human needs so that people have food, clothing, and shelter-and so that people know how to administer CPR, and know how to swim, and know how to take better care on the worksites so that injuries are prevented. So the need is always going to be there."
A birthday celebration and dedication ceremony of the Minn-Kota Chapter's new facility will be held today beginning at 4 p-m. The public is invited to the event at 2602 12th Street North in Fargo. For more information about today's event, Red Cross services or training at the Minn-Kota Chapter-call 701-364-1800 or go to the Minn-Kota Chapter's web site at w-w-w-dot-fargo-redcross-dot-org.