2017 Wrapped in Red Gala

The 2017 Wrapped in Red Gala celebrated 100 years of Red Cross service in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, and paid special honor to our military personnel. 

Preparations for Wrapped in Red began early Saturday morning as volunteers arrived at the Marriott to begin setting up. Within hours, roses and crystal centerpieces adorned the tables and auction items were arranged for display in the hall. The dining area was transformed from a handful of boxes and chairs into an elegant ballroom, bathed from all angles in red. 

Each of the guests that arrived that night was greeted with volunteers in Red Cross uniforms from decades past. Of note were several volunteers dressed as canteen workers from the 1970s, Gray Ladies, and Red Cross nurses. Past the red carpet and registration, a 1920s bouncer waved guests into the Red Lounge speakeasy, where they could mingle with volunteers in flapper dresses to the tune of a live jazz duo or sample cocktails specially made for Wrapped in Red. 

The dinner program featured a specially prepared three-course meal and guest speakers Heather French Henry, Bill Lamb, and Jerry Abramson. Then the crowd gave our guest performers, Linkin' Bridge, a standing ovation as they sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” and honored our military personnel for their service. Finally, Elizabeth Monarch hosted the thrilling live auction, which included packages ranging from a LMPD SWAT training experience to exciting vacation getaways to Barcelona and Florida.

When the program ended and the lights went down, the Endless Summer Band took the stage and the guests flooded to the dance floor to celebrate 100 years of Red Cross service in style. 

The Wrapped in Red Gala is the signature event of the American Red Cross Louisville Area Chapter. The Gala has become one of Louisville’s premiere philanthropic events serving up a specially prepared, three-course dinner, live entertainment and a live auction featuring exciting trips and one-of-a-kind items. The Gala would not be possible without our sponsors, including Brown-Forman, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and Norton Healthcare, or our board members and volunteers, who dedicate their time to make the event a truly spectacular experience.

You can see more photos from this year's Wrapped in Red on our Flickr.

Kentucky Region Board Member, Madeline Abramson, Receives National Red Cross Presidential Award for Excellence

The American Red Cross Kentucky Region is proud to announce that regional board member and volunteer, Madeline Abramson, has been selected to receive the National Red Cross Presidential Award for Excellence.

Madeline has been with the American Red Cross Louisville Area Chapter for nearly 25 years and in that time, has served as a living example of community service, leveraging her relationships to further the mission of the Red Cross by increasing statewide involvement with community partners, corporate leaders, increasing the number of volunteers throughout Kentucky, as well as helping support fundraising efforts.

The Presidential Award for Excellence is given each year to American Red Cross employees and volunteers who demonstrate superior job performance aligning with the organization’s priorities. This award is presented to only 30 Red Cross individuals across the country. She was recognized by Red Cross national CEO Gail McGovern and her Executive Team at a national awards dinner and ceremony held at the Red Cross Square in Washington, DC on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. 

Madeline’s extraordinary work as a chairperson of the statewide Volunteer Steering Committee has pave the way for the Kentucky Region to rebuild the Red Cross volunteer workforce infrastructure. Under her leadership, the steering committee has established groundbreaking programs such as: Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement Task Force Teams in 1 strategic locations throughout the state. This has resulted in the appointment of more than 30 leadership volunteers in key positions which spread throughout all lines of business. To ensure volunteers have a smooth intake experience, Welcome Teams have been formed in 10 locations and these teams paved the way for 1,236 volunteer to join our workforce in FY16. This contrasts with the 417 new volunteers in FY15--- a 280% increase. Madeline also led the charge to forma a Professional Development Training program for Red Cross employees and volunteer in FY16, resulting in an engagement workshop for all regional leadership, and a “Leading Through Change” seminar for the regional Disaster Services Team. She also led the region to a model of success, achieving 129% of the target in volunteer satisfaction.