Stretch of Ohio Highway Named for Vietnam-era Volunteer

The Virginia E. “Ginny” Kirsch Memorial Highway is being dedicated on Sunday July 30, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. in Brookfield, Ohio.  Ginny was in Vietnam, serving as an American Red Cross “Donut Dollie” when she was murdered in her quarters at the 25th U.S. Infantry Division base camp in Cu Chi, Vietnam on August 16, 1970.

“Donut Dollies” were young women with college degrees who volunteered to serve their country by going to Vietnam to operate Red Cross Recreation Centers, and to help boost morale by staging audience-participation games for U. S. troops.  The military asked the Red Cross to provide this service.  Volunteers like Ginny wanted to do something important, to make a difference in the world.

State Senator Sean O’Brien recently introduced an amendment to rename State Route 7 in Trumbull County between State Route 82 and State Route 62 the “Virginia E. ‘Ginny’ Kirsch Memorial Highway.”

“The sacrifices made by Americans during wartime come in all shapes and sizes,” O’Brien said.  “Looking at her sacrifice, we knew something had to be done for her.”

Governor John Kasich signed the bill on March 31, 2017.

Ginny’s six siblings plan to attend the dedication ceremony at the Brookfield Village Green.  Karen Conklin, Executive Director of the Red Cross Lake to River Chapter has been invited to speak.  Several other Red Cross representatives plan to attend, and volunteers will hand out water from a Red Cross emergency response vehicle.

Red Cross workers continue to provide critical services with a caring touch to men and women in all branches of the United States military, active duty personnel, reservists and members of the National Guard, and their families, both here and abroad.  Learn more about Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces here.