Red Cross Celebrates A 90-Year Milestone

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Prince William County residents, like people throughout the country, wanted to contribute.

So they started a chapter of the American Red Cross in July of that year. By the end of 1918, the chapter's War Fund Drive had raised $2,513.80, exceeding local expectations.

Ninety years later, the chapter netted $45,000 for disaster relief in one event.

The Prince William Chapter will celebrate just how far it has come by throwing a party for the public on Tuesday at the Loy E. Harris Pavilion in Old Town Manassas from 4:30 to 6 p.m. It's free.

"I just think it will be a fun event," said Deborah Campbell, the chapter's public support director.

"It is nothing fancy, but it is a time when community members can come together and celebrate something positive in the community and show their support for the Red Cross."

The American Red Cross began in 1881, but a boom in local chapters started during World War I, causing the number to climb from just 107 in 1914 to 3,864 in 1918.

With offices in Manassas and on the Quantico Marine Corps Base, the chapter provides services in armed forces emergencies, natural disasters and house fires.

It also sponsors blood drives and a variety of programs, including classes in first aid and CPR.

"We are the longest-serving not-for-profit in Prince William, and that in itself is important," said Campbell.