Announcement: Friends of the Red Cross in Howard County Launches

The American Red Cross launched the Friends of the Red Cross in Howard County last Thursday at the home of Bernie and Connie Dancel in Ellicott City. The Friends of the Red Cross is aimed at raising awareness about the need to prepare ones home and business for disasters, as well as to raise financial support for the American Red Cross. 

The Red Cross responds to an average of three disasters every day in Maryland including two massive fires that recently devastated two apartment communities in Columbia.

“When the Red Cross showed up, I thought, ‘we’re covered,” Teresa Smith, Property Manager for Associated Estates Realty Company, told the crowd at Thursday night’s event. Her company owns one of the burned apartment complexes and has pledged to make a donation to the Red Cross. “There is nothing the Red Cross won’t do to hold your hand and get you through a difficult time.”

The Red Cross is also near and dear to the evening’s host, Bernie Dancel, because his home burned to the ground when he was a child.

“As a kid my family was served by the Red Cross,” Dancel to the audience of about 75 Howard Countians who gathered at his current home. “The least we could do is have this event to support the Red Cross.”

Thursday night’s reception was not a fundraiser but rather an opportunity for Howard County business and community leaders to learn more and appreciate all that the Red Cross does in their community.  Last year the Red Cross provided disaster relief after home fires and other disasters to more than 55 Howard County families; certified over 1,100 local people in CPR and First Aid; instructed 450 youth in disaster preparedness education; and distributed more than 20,000 units of blood to area hospitals.

The Friends of the Red Cross has begun planning for their next major event, the 2^nd Annual Project: Prom Dress, a boutique sale of gently worn prom dresses, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross. The event takes place in February but the public is invited to volunteer to be a part of the planning committee by attending a planning happy hour at Eggspectations in Ellicott City on Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. 

Help is needed to promote the event, collect and sort dresses and on the day of the sale. To RSVP for the planning happy hour email projectpromdresshoward@gmail.com.