Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox proclaimed March 2024 to be “Red Cross Month” at the Tuscaloosa City Council meeting Tuesday.
This aligns with the national Red Cross Month, proclaimed annually by every U.S. president since World War II.
Maddox presented his proclamation to the American Red Cross, represented at the meeting by Tomalisa Washington, executive director of the Central-West Alabama chapter.
Washington explained the organization’s smoke detector program, and Councilor Raevan Howard thanked the organization for recently installing smoke detectors in her district.
Washington said that Tuscaloosa was selected as a “signature city” by the Red Cross this year, meaning the organization is targeting the city’s most vulnerable communities to provide them with smoke detectors.
She said the Red Cross canvasses the areas with the highest risk of fires, going door-to-door to talk to residents, letting them know which day Red Cross will be there for smoke detector installation.
“We actually [hang] door hangers on different homes to let them know they can scan the QR code and actually get an appointment set up for us to come on that day,” Washington said.
Washington said the organization also conducts blood drives, assists with disaster relief and provides CPR training in the Tuscaloosa area, among other programs.
The City Council also recognized the Stillman College cheerleaders, who will be competing in the National Cheerleaders Association college championship April 10-13.
The team’s coach, Emerald Jemison, thanked Howard for donating to support the team’s trip. The money will cover travel costs and pay for some of the expenses of the team’s bus driver. Jemison said that Howard has previously helped the team with fundraising efforts.
“We’re just very grateful that members of the community have come together and want to invest in supporting our athletes,” Jemison said. “It definitely makes a difference.”
The council also set the cost for demolition at multiple properties, approved liquor licenses and authorized minor public works projects.
