American Red Cross Honors Ken Thompson at Heritage of Service Dinner

A Celebration of Inspiration and Hope

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 14, 2008 — The American Red Cross will honor Ken Thompson with its prestigious Clara Barton Award at the organization's Heritage of Service Dinner this evening. The Heritage of Service Dinner is a celebration to recognize the outstanding dedication and commitment from individuals, organizations, partners and corporations who enable the Red Cross to achieve its noble mission each year. Ken, a long-time Red Cross volunteer, will be honored for his volunteer service, particularly for helping communities and families after the devastation of major disasters such as the Oklahoma City bombing and 9/11. This national, donor recognition event will bring together members of Congress, military leaders, Washington dignitaries, corporate representatives and Red Cross partners and volunteers.

"When you meet Red Cross volunteer Ken Thompson, you begin to understand the meaning of the triumph of the human spirit despite unbearable tragedy … just one example of how the kindness and selflessness of one person can make a difference in the lives of so many," said Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the Red Cross. "Volunteers are the very lifeblood of the Red Cross, and Ken Thompson is an inspiration to the entire Red Cross family. We are delighted to honor Ken as one of our organization's most dedicated volunteers at this year's Heritage of Service Dinner."

"I am honored yet humbled to be selected for this prestigious award. Being able to give back by helping those directly affected by tragedy, whether by the hands of man or acts of nature, has been a true blessing in my life," said Ken Thompson. "I appreciate the American Red Cross and all the opportunities for service that are afforded to me through this outstanding organization. The benevolent work of the Red Cross is unending and each day there are thousands of volunteers working countless hours to ensure that when tragedy strikes the needs of those affected are being met through this exceptional organization."

During the Civil War, Clara was a concerned Patent Office clerk who saw that exhausted troops had lost their supplies. She began a tireless campaign of bringing comfort to sick and wounded soldiers. Undaunted by the bullets that flew around her on the front lines of the war, she rushed food, supplies and medicine to the troops and soon was recognized as the "Angel of the Battlefield." When traveling in Switzerland in 1869, Clara became aware of the Red Cross Movement and found inspiration for an even more ambitious project. Clara founded the American Association of the Red Cross in 1881.

Ken Thompson became a Red Cross volunteer after he lost his mother in the Oklahoma City bombing. He chaired the Oklahoma City National Memorial Family, Survivor & Rescue Worker Conscience Committee. Following the 9/11 attack, he was a Red Cross volunteer in New York City where he was instrumental in guiding city leaders through a process to help family members and survivors begin to deal with long-term effects of the tragedy. Mayor Bloomberg, A&E Television Network and Biography selected him to receive the 2002 Biography Community Hero Award for his service after 9/11. The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation selected him for the President's Volunteer Service Gold Award for 2004 for his commitment to strengthening the nation and making a difference through volunteer service.

President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush will serve as Honorary Co-Chairs for the Dinner. General Richard B. Myers, USAF (RET), will serve as the Dinner Chair. General Myers and his wife, Mary Jo Myers, will be the emcees for the event. Preceding the dinner in the American Red Cross Hall of Service, there will be a reception from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the American Red Cross Board of Governors Hall in Washington, D.C.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.