The tradition dates back to 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the honorary chairman of the Red Cross, declared the whole month of March “Red Cross Month” to promote Red Cross services to the American public and for fund raising. Every year since, each American president has issued a similar proclamation, stating the contributions of the American Red Cross to the United States.

Thank you to the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall and the hundreds of shoppers who stopped by the Red Cross Village on March 7 to learn more about the Red Cross in a fun and educational environment.

Visitors of all ages penned well wishes to our armed forces personnel, learned how to make a disaster emergency supplies kit, signed up to become Red Cross volunteers, practiced escape routes out of their homes, received valuable information on our senior services programs and even spent some time getting Red Cross tattoos, coloring, and having their blood pressure taken.

Special thanks to DJ Dion Parenti and Elyse Savaki for energizing the crowd with their music, and to Action Party Rentals for supplying the materials to "build" our Village.

Congratulations to all our prize winners and drawing contest winners.

We hope to see you again next year!

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Congratulations to this year's drawing contest winners! "Volunteers are the heart of the Red Cross" was the focus of the students' artwork. The contest, held in commemoration of March is Red Cross Month, drew entries from students in grades 1 - 6 across Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties.

First Grade: Hannah Miller of Whitehall; Lehigh Valley Lutheran School in Whitehall

Second Grade: Keith McCall of Summit Hill; Our Lady of The Angels Academy in Lansford

Third Grade: Rebecca Packo of Bethlehem; Governor Wolf Elementary School in Bethlehem

Fourth Grade: James Dailey of Bethlehem; Farmersville Elementary School in Easton

Fifth Grade: Jocelyn Burns of East Greenville; Lower Milford Elementary School in Coopersburg

Sixth Grade: Bernadette Goetz of Emmaus; St. Ann Elementary School in Emmaus

For more information, contact Janice Osborne, director of communications and marketing, at (610) 865-4400, ext. 262, or osbornej@usa.redcross.org or Alli Echelman, intern of communications and marketing, at (610) 865-4400, ext. 270, or echelmana@usa.redcross.org.