Red Cross Seeking Volunteers, Donors

The Western Carolina Region of the American Red Cross is looking for financial support and additional volunteers, as the organization continues to stay busy while assisting during the winter, marked by the frequency of house fires. 

Across the country, the Red Cross opened 1,019 shelters, served 6.7 million meals and snacks, and distributed 2.6 million relief items with the help of 27,622 disaster workers during large-scale disasters in 2011. This included 45 multi-family fires, 29 tornadoes, 27 floods, 15 hurricanes, 10 wildfires, four blizzards and one earthquake. 

Just since Dec. 14, 25 families in the Western Carolinas were devastated by home fires. The Red Cross swiftly responded to each incident, offering food, clothing, emotional support, cash assistance and hotel lodging to 80 adults and children. 

On Dec. 23, in Rutherford County, the excitement surrounding the coming holiday was dampened by an electrical fire which destroyed the entire mobile home of a family of two adults and one child. Two Red Cross volunteers assisted the family during this time of unimaginable devastation with food, clothing and seasonal garments to replace those that had been destroyed in the fire and a hotel. 

On Christmas morning, The family was uninjured, but the home was destroyed. Red Cross volunteer caseworker Victoria King met with the family, who lost their two dogs in the blaze. A total of four Red Cross volunteers responded to the scene and assisted the family with lodging and help with food and clothing. 

Those interested in lending a helping hand to those in need can inquire about becoming trained as a disaster volunteer or make a financial contribution to the American Red Cross by calling (864)271-8222 or (828)258-3888 or sending a contribution to P. O. Box 9035, Greenville, SC, 29604, or visit us on the web at www.redcross.org.