Red Cross honors volunteers at annual meeting

Children, grandchildren, and friends of Red Cross employees waved Red Cross flags and greeted guests as they arrived. The American Red Cross of Central South Carolina and the South Carolina Blood Services Region hosted the Past, Present & Future 2009 Annual Meeting at the South Carolina State Museum on June 24.

The meeting was a chance for the Red Cross to honor staff, key volunteers, and sponsors and to celebrate its lifesaving work in the local community and beyond.

Award recipients were Donor of Distinction - Francis Herndon, David Shealy & Robert Stump; Bill Carroll Health & Safety Award - Jade Dean; George Hall Disaster Award - Ron Smithwick; Elizabeth Poat Award - Larry Nettles; and the Charlotte Berry Ambassador of the Year Award - Michael Fey, S.C. State Museum.

The Red Cross also presented Gene Sansbury, Biscuit House owner, with a photo collage of the "Final Drive" blood drive and fundraiser held June 5.

Charlotte Berry was keynote speaker for the meeting encouraging those in attendance to be more active with their local Red Cross and detailing the work she put into bringing the Red Cross museum exhibit to life. Following Berry's remarks, attendees were invited to view the exhibit one last time.

Larry Nettles is presented with the Elizabeth Poat Award, the highest honor a volunteer can receive at the chapter level. The nearly threemonth

run of Our National

Treasure: The American

Red Cross ended June 28. Following the meeting, attendees were invited to view the exhibit.

Our National Treasure: The American Red

Cross made its debut here in Columbia and will soon travel around the country.

Willie Calloway, executive director of the South Carolina State Museum, accepts the Charlotte Berr y Ambassador of the Year award on behalf of Michael Fey from Charlotte Berry. The Donor of Distinction is presented to Robert Stump.