On June 1, 1916, a small group of women representing the Elmira Chapter of the Needlework Guild, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and others interested in the urgent call for surgical dressings for European relief, met in the Federation Building, downtown Elmira, pledging the necessary funds for material, and taking up the work of making Red Cross surgical dressings.

Subsequently, a group of fifty individuals met in the Assembly Chamber of City Hall on September 7, 1916 to organize the ELMIRA CHAPTER OF RED CROSS. Judge George McCann, who acted as Chairman of the organizational meeting, was elected and served for many years as Chapter Chairman. Mrs. Harriet Arnot Rathbone, one of the very first to embrace the Red Cross and its principles, provided a house on Lake Street for the chapter's first Headquarters. So, the Red Cross officially came to Chemung County.

In 1928, the Chapter jurisdiction was extended to the entire county of Chemung. What has followed is years of dedicated service by trained Red Cross paid and volunteer staff. Throughout the history of this century-- from World War I, major disasters, World War II, national epidemics, the Korean War, Vietnam Conflict, through the Gulf War-- this Chapter has met the challenges and provided the high-quality services expected by the American people.

About the Red Cross in Schuyler County

In late summer, 1916, a group of friends met at the Montour Falls home of Miss Frances MacDowell to discuss organizing a Red Cross chapter. Working with Miss Jane A. Delano, Chairman of the National Committee on Red Cross Nursing Services, petition was made to form a new chapter and on December 5, 1916, an open meeting was held in Montour Falls, with Miss Delano in attendance, and the Red Cross was born in Schuyler County.

On March 6, 1917, a chapter Headquarters was formed in rooms offered on the lower floor of the Red Men's Building in Watkins Glen. Branches and auxiliaries were formed throughout the community as a result of growing enthusiasm for the Red Cross mission and its support of the men and women of the U.S. military serving at home and abroad. Following the first Christmas Roll Call in December 1917, the membership of the Chapter reached 5,055 individuals.

Services focused on support to the military but activities in public health were initiated early in the history of the Chapter. A Nursing Service was begun in 1920 as a fitting memorial to Miss Jane Delano whose death had occurred in Savanay, France, in April 1919. Operating from the new Headquarters over the Hughey Store on Franklin Street, a Public Health Nursing Program, with model rooms and public clinics, was a direct manifestation of Miss Delano's vision and passion.

Tragically, a fire destroyed the Headquarters building and all the Chapter's records in January 1934. However, the volunteers and staff of the Schuyler County Chapter continued their dedicated service throughout the challenges of World War II and into the present day.

Changing demographics and economics impacted the Schuyler County community. In 1989, consideration began of combining the Schuyler County Chapter with the Chemung County Chapter. The volunteer leadership of both Chapters initiated discussions to evaluate the benefits of such a move. Finally, in 1990, two neighboring communities, each with a long proud history, merged their energies, vision, and commitment to the mission of the American Red Cross. The Chemung-Schuyler Chapter was born.

About the Red Cross in The Valley

In August 1916, when World War I stirred the hearts of patriotic citizens, especially the women of our community, an appealing notice in the daily paper brought together a number of women of the three valley towns at the home of Mrs. F. R. Ahbe of Athens.  Some prominent women in each town were at once sufficiently interested to become charter members of a Red Cross Chapter.  The Chapter was known as the Athens, Sayre and Waverly Chapter.

The women started making surgical supplies and hospital garments.  The supplies were shipped for use by armed forces of Canada.

In July 1917, the National Society divided the chapters along state lines.  At that time the Athens Branch, Sayre Branch and Waverly Branch were born.  In 1918, a canteen was opened at the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Sayre.  The Sayre Branch was unable to sustain the canteen on its own and called upon Athens and Waverly for assistance.  The three units continued to work together through the years.  Finally, on February 24, 1964, the three branches became one chapter and was known as the Valley Chapter, American Red Cross, with its offices headquartered at the Mary Muldoon Building in Waverly, New York.

With the changes in our country and in the American National Red Cross after September 11, 2001, the Valley Chapter began considering partnering with its neighbor to the west, the Chemung-Schuyler Chapter.  After two years of discussions and shared services, the two chapters merged and on January 1, 2004, The Sullivan Trail Chapter was born.  The name has changed but the mission remains the same:  serving the people of The Valley with quality programs and services to meet their everyday and extraordinary emergencies, and to help people and communities cope with disasters and crises of all types.