While most people know that the Red Cross exists worldwide, few realize what a rich history the Red Cross has in Hawai'i.

Officially chartered as a chapter of the American Red Cross in 1917, the humanitarian work of the Red Cross began as early as 1898, when 300 women, including Princess Ka'iulani, cared for sick and wounded soldiers en route from the Philippines during the Spanish American War.

In 1917, Queen Lili'uokalani sewed a Red Cross flag that soared above 'Iolani Palace during World War I, while volunteers rolled bandages in the throne room. When the flag was presented to the territorial governor on Sept. 14, 1917, the queen said, "The flag is an expression of my warm and hearty sympathy for the cause of humanity."

Soon after the Red Cross was founded, the Red Cross held its first membership drive. On Sept. 29, 1917, the Royal Hawaiian Band boarded a special street car that drove around Honolulu while the band played "There'll be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight." Ambulances paraded through the streets, and the Hawaiian Electric Co. sounded a big whistle several times each hour — once for every 500 new members. More than 16,000 people joined the Red Cross that day, or one-sixth of the entire population of O'ahu. Among them was Queen Lili'uokalani, seated in a wheelchair on the lanai of her Washington Place home, who presented a $100 check to become a patron member of the Red Cross.

In the months that followed, daily newspaper reports of mounting casualties stirred more people into action to demonstrate their compassion and patriotism. As future territorial governor George Carter put it in an address to the Civic Convention in Honolulu: "The Red Cross is to humanity what our flag is to liberty. They are symbols of our faith and liberty. The Red Cross organization is the channel along which the generosity of our hearts may be carried into action."

Volunteers were desperately needed to prepare surgical dressings, sew hospital garments, and knit blankets, sweaters, socks, hats, and gloves. For the duration of the war, the 'Iolani Palace throne room became the production center, with long makeshift tables for folding gauze and rolling bandages. The firemen at the Makiki Station became well known for their knitting, and by 1918, over 280,000 items had been produced by the men, women and children of Hawai'i to be sent to the war front.

After World War I, the Hawai'i Red Cross focused on first aid, water safety and nursing programs. Throughout these years, the Red Cross assisted victims of floods, fires, and flu and measles epidemics.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, the Hawai'i Red Cross, the only American Red Cross chapter in a combat zone, sprung into action. Red Cross Motor Corps volunteers evacuated people from the danger zone, transported supplies to Tripler, and cared for the wounded. Canteen Corps fed 300 evacuees and volunteers at 'Iolani Palace that day, 1,000 the next day, and continued to feed until the emergency situation was over. The Surgical Dressings, Knitting, and Sewing Corps produced phenomenal amounts of items, including children's gas masks with bunny ears, operating tents, and ditty bags for service men in hospitals during the holidays.

On April 1, 1946, a 55-foot tsunami traveling 500 miles per hour devastated Hilo, killing 159 people and leaving 5,000 homeless. The Red Cross immediately set up shelters, shipped 260 tons of food from Honolulu the very next day, and helped 565 families rebuild their homes and lives.

For 90 years, the Red Cross has played a vital role in helping the people of Hawai'i recover from every major disaster, including Hurricanes Iniki and Iwa, Sacred Falls landslide, New Years and Manoa floods, Kaloko Dam burst, volcanic eruptions, air crashes, mercury contamination, hostage situations, and last October's earthquake. But it's not only the big disasters that count. Red Cross volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, responding to everyday fires and other disasters that occur at least twice a week statewide. We provide not only food, clothing and shelter, but mental health counseling to help people get back on their feet after a tragedy.

Beyond responding to disaster victims with caring and compassion, our mission is to save lives by training 36,000 people per year in CPR, first aid, lifeguarding, swimming, nurse aide, family caregiving, babysitting, and pet first aid. And even though we are mandated by Congress to respond to disasters and provide emergency communication between deployed military service members and their loved ones, we are not a government agency and must rely on the generosity of Hawai'i's people to provide these free services to our community.

Mahalo to all of our Red Cross donors and volunteers for all you have done for the past 90 years. This is indeed a significant milestone for us as well as a very special volunteer, Goldie Brangman Dumpson, a Red Cross volunteer for 67 years, who is 90 years young this year!

Coralie Chun Matayoshi is chief executive officer for the American Red Cross, Hawai'i State Chapter. She wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.