Dear Red Cross Supporters:

"We'll be there." Three simple words that speak volumes about your Red Cross. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the American Red Cross is there -- delivering high-quality, relevant and caring services thast help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

The Greenwich Chapter echoes this call, always there to serve the community with direct response, assistance and training. All of this is made possible by people such as yourselves, donors and volunteers whose caring and concern ensure that Red Cross services continue to be available to those in need. Last year, over 1,000 volunteers supported the Red Cross in our community, working on a wide variety of programs, services and events, impacting on the lives of over 16,000 individuals in the Greenwich area. We hope you will join us in taking special pride in such inspiring efforts.

While this annual report looks back on 1998-1999 and its accomplishments, we want you to know that the chapter is also looking forward, energized by the millennium challenges that the National Red Cross has established for the field. In areas such as youth servies, needs of diverse populations, expanded community programming in health and safety training, and increased emphasis on disaster preparedness through mitigation, your local chapter has taken up the National challenges so that the Greenwich community may be better served.

As the chapter enters its 85th year of service, we will be celebrating with a renewed charge from the National Red Cross, having once again successfully met the rigorous standards of excellence required for rechartering. For all these years, the Red Cross has been there -- helping, training, educating -- making a difference in the lives of local residents every day. And because of you and your support, we know that the Red Cross in Greenwich will be able to meet the challenges of the future. We thank you and ask you to continue your support of this great organization.