He spoke about the mass killing last month at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, in which nine people were shot to death by a gunman.
“Barb and I had a conversation in the church parking lot this past Sunday. I admire those family members who could quickly forgive,” said Lambright. “Even though my father raised us to be good Christians, I don’t know if I could so easily forgive a perpetrator like that. But I’m glad there are people like that in the world.”
Those good people in the world embody what the Red Cross is all about. Most are volunteers who take time out of their busy lives to help others in need. Lambright talked about one of those nice people who shine a light into the darkness.
“Maryanne Urban was a Dayton Public School nurse and American Red Cross National Disaster Volunteer of the year in 1997. Although she worked forty-plus hours a week, she still found time to serve in the local Dayton Chapter,” said Lambright, a 13-year Washington Twp. resident. ”If a house fire occurred in Kettering or Eaton, she would go to that fire and tend to the needs of the family, setting them up with temporary housing. Then she would bring them in for additional services the next day.”
Lambright was CEO in Dayton for 12 years, from 1992-2004, responsible for services in Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties. He started working as an assistant field director in military installations for the Red Cross in 1970, in places like Ft. Bening, Ga., and Paris Island, S.C.
He moved 12 times during his Red Cross career. He retired in 2008, but still volunteers for the organization and serves on seven local boards, including Southminster Presbyterian Church, and the Centerville-Washington Township Diversity Council.
“I didn’t want to get bored just playing golf, so I said ‘yes’ to a lot of folks,” said Lambright, who graduated with a sociology degree from South Carolina State. “As a past president of Downtown Dayton Rotary Club, I assisted with third-grade readers and caroled during Christmas to nursing home residents.”
His wife, Barbara, was his friend in seventh grade, and best friend throughout his life. They reunited in 2002 when they attended a High School Band reunion in Charleston; he had played the drums, and Barbara the clarinet. They got married six years later.
“We stayed in touch and never disconnected as friends. This year will be our seventh year of marriage,” said B. Lambright. “We’ve had plans for some years now to move back home to South Carolina. We still have friends and relatives there; it will be a rediscovery.”
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