American Red Cross

Hagerstown Trust Co. donated $377.90 to the American Red Cross through proceeds collected in March from the bank's self-serve coin-counting machines. Pictured are Mike Mowen of American Red Cross; Barbara Gaver, branch manager of Hagerstown Trust Co.; and Tony Pirrone of American Red Cross.

Betty Frantz Boyer, 85 AUG. 19, 1923-APRIL 22, 2009 WILLIAMSPORT -- Mrs. Betty Frantz Boyer, 85, of Homewood Retirement Community, 16505 Virginia Ave. in Williamsport, Md., died Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at 7:20 a.m. Born Aug. 19, 1923, in Greencastle, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Mark F. Frantz Sr. and Margaret K. (Martin) Frantz. Mrs. Boyer was a graduate of Fairfax Hall High School in Waynesboro, Va., and later attended Penn State University.

NOV. 24, 1939-MARCH 31, 2009 CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Gilbert Albert Mehling, 69, of Charles Town, died Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at City Hospital. Born Nov. 24, 1939, in Waukesha, Wis., he was the son of the late Gilbert M. Mehling and Caroline Nelson Mehling. He was semi-retired, and self-employed as a systems analyst and Web site designer. He volunteered with the local American Red Cross, C&O Canal bike patrol and Jefferson County CERT. He served in the U.S. Army.

The Washington County Chapter of the American Red Cross held four blood drives Monday. Officials were hoping to collect 115 pints of blood.

Fonnie R. Crawford Jr., 76 AUG. 24, 1932-FEB. 20, 2009 CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Fonnie R. Crawford Jr., 76, of Charles Town, died Friday, Feb. 20, 2009, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.Va. Born Aug. 24, 1932, in Wardensville, W.Va., he was the son of the late Fonnie Crawford and Pearl Mae Cassel Crawford. He retired from the Bank of Charles Town as senior vice president with 33 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army.

AUG. 3, 1917-JAN. 24, 2009 SUMMIT POINT, W.Va. - Julia Shirley Creamer, 91, of Locust Grove Farm, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Ranson, W.Va. Born Aug. 3, 1917, at Locust Grove Farm, Summit Point, she was the daughter of the late George Thomas and Julia Grantham Shirley. Her husband, John Philip Creamer Jr., died Nov. 7, 1986. She was a graduate of Stuart Hall, Staunton, Va., and St. Hilda's Hall of Ranson. She served as a Red Cross representative at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center during World War II and until 1958.

Citing an urgent need for Type O negative blood, the Washington County Chapter of the American Red Cross encourages the public to donate blood at one of two blood drives scheduled this afternoon. The Hagerstown Donor Center at 1131 Conrad Court is open until 6 p.m. Sharpsburg Bible Church, corner of Antietam and South Potomac streets in Sharpsburg, is hosting a blood drive until 6:30 p.m. The local Red Cross hopes to collect 60 units of blood today. According to The Greater Alleghenies Region of the American Red Cross, at the beginning of the day only 14 units of O negative blood were available for 97 hospitals serving 100 counties in the region.

Please consider helping Red Cross this Christmas To the editor: As the holiday season is upon us now is a great time to get into the sprit of giving. There are many organizations worthy of your consideration; one that I would encourage you to take a good look at is the Washington County Chapter of the American Red Cross. This group of mostly volunteers provides a great service to our county as well as our country. On the local level, they provide services to our veterans and assist the fire departments with helping to find shelter and clothing for people who have been forced from their homes by fire.

The Washington County Chapter of the American Red Cross held its 91st annual business meeting and burning of the mortgage June 25 at Red Cross Headquarters on Conrad Court. Charlie Newcomer was nominated as a lifetime honorary board member and honored with the Clara Barton volunteer award for meritorious volunteer leadership - the second time in chapter history this award was presented. Newcomer has been a Red Cross volunteer since 1975. He began his service as a board member and served for nine terms.

Beginning this week, the Washington County chapter of the American Red Cross' donor center at 1131 Conrad Court in Hagerstown has extended its hours and added an additional day for people to donate blood. Teresa Elwood, who heads up the blood program for the Washington County chapter, said donors now will be able to come in and donate blood on Monday from noon to 6 p.m. in addition to continuing to come in on Wednesday during those same hours. "We want to make it as convenient as possible for donors to come in and donate blood," said Meghan Stahl-Skinner, senior field representative of the Greater Alleghenies Region, American Red Cross Blood Services.