Congratulations to the American Red Cross. It is evident the local organization is making attempts to better prepare the community it serves for disaster.

What happened March 1 when a tornado touched down on Sand Island in Wilcox County was a reminder of how devastating weather can be.

Whether it’s the Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Edmundite Missions’ Catholic Social Ministries or smaller scale organizations that come to the aid of people in need, all are worthy of our help.

It was the aforementioned agencies that went to the aid of a family of six that recently lost everything when their home burned in Dallas County.

The opening of the Red Cross service center in Camden on Tuesday should be applauded.

Even though the Red Cross suffered more than its share of criticism in the aftermath of Sept. 11 the organization has never wavered in being there.

After all, Red Cross is a volunteer organization.

The local chapters are only as strong as its volunteer base.

We encourage residents to get involved in organizations that have the worthwhile endeavor of rendering assistance to mankind in times of crisis. If serving as a volunteer requires more time than allowed, it only takes about a minute to write a check.

The tornado that struck Miller’s Ferry only took a few minutes to take a man’s life, and ruin the lives of countless others. Let’s spend time getting ready, which is exactly what the Red Cross is trying to do.