This small collection primarily relates to the public relations and outreach activities carried out by a local Red Cross chapter. Included are radio and television spots, posters produced by the national organization but used by the chapter, photographs, newsletters and clipping scrapbooks. Few records except for the incomplete run of annual reports and the historical scrapbooks relate to the internal administration of the chapter.
The collection consists of ANNUAL REPORTS, NEWSLETTERS, SCRAPBOOKS, and PUBLIC RELATIONS MATERIAL. The scrapbooks, annual reports, and newsletters were returned to the Red Cross after microfilming.
ANNUAL REPORTS relate to both the administrative and financial activities of the chapter. They are not complete, covering only the period 1940-1941, 1947, and 1977-1979. (Our First Fifty Years indicates that annual reports were not begun until 1937.) Also useful, although dating only from the period 1959-1979, are NEWSLETTERS. Capital Communique and Repapswen contain general news about the chapter while the Hemoglobe provides monthly news about the Badger Regional Blood Center from 1959 to 1979. Many of the early issues of this title contain statistical reports on donations. At the end of the publications are some miscellaneous near-print items.
Although information about the Dane County Chapter is far from complete, the SCRAPBOOKS, which are primarily comprised of newspaper clippings and photographs, cover some of the main themes in the organization's history. They represent the years 1940-1990, with the period 1940-1958 being best covered. The scrapbooks are divided into a chronological run about general chapter activities and a similar run that documents the activities of the Junior Red Cross. In addition, three volumes relate to the early activities of the Badger Regional Blood Service, and one volume apparently prepared by Ruth A. Nelson documents the activities of the Dane County Civil Service Employees Red Cross Volunteer Service. This scrapbook not only contains press clippings but also a large number of informational memoranda sent to individual volunteers.
The strength of the collection lies with the PUBLIC RELATIONS MATERIAL which provides information on the national and local marketing of the American Red Cross and its programs. Non-paper media include films, audio recordings, posters, and photographs. The films consist of 39 16mm black and white television spots created by the American Red Cross. They cover the period from 1957 to 1965, they vary from 20 to 60 seconds in length, and they are arranged alphabetically by topic. The films represent the entire scope of Red Cross work including swimming and boating safety, disaster relief, volunteers, child care, service to the armed forces, home nursing, first aid, and youth services.
Two press kits consist of sound recordings for radio broadcast, together with their supporting paper documentation. The 1982 kit consists of a 45 rpm disc of spots by people helped by the Red Cross service to the elderly, CPR training, blood pressure testing, and disaster relief. Two of these cuts are duplicated in Spanish. The other press kit dates from 1976 and is focused around the theme “Brother, Can You Spare Some More Time?” It highlights Glen Campbell as a doughnut singing “The Good Neighbor Is You!” Other spots emphasize disasters, safety, and volunteerism. The text for both spots, as well as information on how they should be incorporated into local copy, is available on microfilm.
The photographs date from World War II to 1990. They primarily document disaster relief and blood-services. Of particular interest in the latter category are shots of the CC Riders motorcycle club at the blood center. Of additional interest are the photographs documenting overseas Red Cross work during World War II and photographs of the winning retail store window displays created as part of the 1934 Roll Call fundraising campaign in Dane County.
