
Why the Mid-Hudson Bridge Will Be Red Tonight
Hudson Valley drivers will be treated to a light show tonight if they cross the Mid-Hudson Bridge tonight. Same goes if you're driving over the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge/Tappan Zee Bridge, arriving at the Albany Airport, or passing by ten other landmarks all across New York State. They'll all be lit up, and they'll all be red.
Specialty Lighting
Lighting up local landmarks to commemorate special events is nothing new. Some world-famous sites like the Empire State Building will use their multi-colored displays to celebrate everything from St. Patrick's Day to Hanukah, but with no national holiday on the horizon, what gives with the red?
National Giving Day
The answer is in the "theme" of March: we are currently in the middle of Red Cross Awareness Month. From the governor's office:
The American Red Cross has given their time, services, and programs to support New Yorkers in moments of distress and crisis. On National Giving Day, we recognize the invaluable work of every volunteer, member, and the entire American Red Cross as they continue to serve with passion and tremendous heart.
From One World Trade Center all the way up to Niagara Falls, the red-bathed landmarks will honor the organization that was founded in our nation's capital nearly 150 years ago.
What is Red Cross Month?
Throughout March, the Red Cross is highlighting "the individuals across the country who turn compassion into action, helping others in times of crisis". From their website:
Our Red Cross Month celebration has been an annual tradition since 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation. We invite you and others to join the Red Cross Month mission by making a financial donation, giving blood, volunteer or learning lifesaving skills.
Another way to celebrate? Being the person who gets to flip the switch on all those red lights. And speaking of our own Mid-Hudson Bridge, did you know any of these five facts below?