The Montgomery, Howard and Frederick Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
Every single day, the American Red Cross helps people in emergencies. Whether it’s one displaced family, thousands of disaster victims, or providing care and comfort to a service member, our vital work is made possible by people like you. It is through the time and care of ordinary people that we can do extraordinary things.
A conversation with Curt Luthye, Executive Director
The American Red Cross has an incredible history, can you tell us a little about it?
Clarissa Harlowe Barton, known as Clara, is one of the most honored women in American history. Guided by an intense devotion to helping others, she forged a bold path of service to help those in need. As founder of the American Red Cross, Clara is considered a visionary whose humanitarian spirit helped change the world.
Born December 25, 1821, in North Oxford, Massachusetts, Clara Barton was the fifth child of Stephen and Sarah Barton. After an early career in teaching, Clara moved to Washington, D.C., and worked at the U.S. Patent Office. She was one of the first women to work for the federal government.
Clara was still living in Washington when the American Civil War began in 1861. During that time, she bravely provided nursing care and supplies to soldiers — activities that ultimately defined her life and earned her the nickname, Angel of the Battlefield. When the war ended, Clara found new ways to help the military. With permission from President Lincoln, she opened the Office of Missing Soldiers, helping to reconnect more than 20,000 soldiers with their families.
During a trip to Switzerland in 1869, Clara learned about the Red Cross movement, a European humanitarian effort to provide neutral aid to those injured in combat. Inspired by that cause, Clara volunteered with the International Committee of the Red Cross, providing civilian relief during the Franco-Prussian War. This experience, along with her work during the Civil War, inspired Clara to bring the Red Cross movement to America.
On May 21, 1881, Clara founded the American Red Cross, and by 1882, the U.S. ratified the Geneva Conventions — laws that, to this day, protect the war-wounded and civilians in conflict zones. This later resulted in a U.S. congressional charter, officially recognizing Red Cross services.
Clara Barton served as Red Cross president for 23 years, retiring in 1904. After a lifetime of service, Clara died at her home in Glen Echo, Maryland, on April 12, 1912.
To this day Clara’s legacy lives on, reflected in the spirit of Red Cross volunteers and employees. Because of one woman, Clara Barton, the American Red Cross brings help and hope across the nation and around the world.
What do you like most about being a nonprofit that serves the Frederick community?
One of the best things about being a part of the Frederick community is that we see daily neighbors helping neighbors. Whether responding to a house fire, educating and inspiring high-school leaders, educating seniors about what they might need in a disaster, teaching business leaders and employees CPR and first aid or even helping a person get their first job through lifeguard training, the Red Cross mission is woven into the very fabric of Frederick.
What makes the Red Cross unique?
The Red Cross is the largest collector and distributor of blood and blood products in the US. The blood that is collected in Frederick supports 50 hospitals in the area. Volunteers from Frederick are trained to deploy through the Red Cross to disasters around the county.
We are also funded almost exclusively through donations from individuals, families, foundations and businesses.
What do you want the Red Cross to be known for?
We want to be known as the best place to volunteer and as an organization that partners well with other organizations, business and the community at large.
What ways can people in the community support you?
Three easy ways to support the Red Cross:
Sign up to donate blood at www.redcrossblood.org
Sign up to volunteer at www.redcross.org
Donate financially at www.redcross.org/donate
Tell us about your signature event and why it is important.
Our signature event is called Sound the Alarm. We educate families to the dangers of home fires and help them create and practice an evacuation plan from their home. As needed, we also install new alarms or replace batteries. Learn more here: www.soundthealarm.org
Is there anything coming up that you would like the Chamber membership to know about?
We are actually coming into hurricane season and now is the perfect time for someone who wants to support affected communities to take all the needed training to deploy. Be trained and ready so you can go where needed. Contact Kristi.Giles@redcross.org for more information.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.