Organization helping those in need

Published 11:00 pm Thursday, February 24, 2011

Dear Editor:

Our local office is busy preparing for March as this is Red Cross Month. We are asking people to join us in helping those in need by volunteering their time, making a donation, taking a class, or giving blood.

The Red Cross has been helping people for 130 years, responding to disasters, assisting members of the military, teaching lifesaving skills, and serving as one of the largest blood suppliers in the United States.

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Nationally, the Red Cross responds to an average of nearly 200 disasters every day.

The organization provides a round-the-clock link between those in the military and their families, and supplies blood and blood products to approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.

Our local Black Belt Office which serves Dallas, Marengo, Perry, and Wilcox counties responded last year to 107 Disaster cases and provided over $37,000.00 in direct financial assistance to victims.

The office processed 63 military calls, conducted 92 classes in Health & Safety, issued 505 certifications in various life saving skills, and collected 1,289 units of blood to save lives.

We work diligently to help those in need, and to keep our communities safe and strong. We hope you will join us this year in celebration at the 3rd Annual Mayors of the Black Belt Charity Ball, hosted by the Honorable George Evans, Thursday, March 31 at the Carl Morgan Convention Center.

This fundraiser is our main event to help us fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross. In an effort to become better stewards of the donated dollars we receive, we will offer tickets for sale at the following locations; Truax & Company, Selma-Dallas Chamber of Commerce Office, Black Belt Red Cross Office, and Calhoun Super Foods, in lieu of invitations. Your purchase of tickets to this event helps us touch the lives of those in their time of need.

The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work.

Our office has planned a number of events to improve the quality of life in our communities, such as a free CPR class, free Disaster Trainings, and free resources to prepare us for the “unthinkable”.

Please call us at (334) 874-4641 and allow us share with you how to join us and make a difference!

Tickets for the Mayors of the Black Belt Charity Ball are on sale now; they are limited so please get your tickets today.

We are determined to make this affair the “Quintessential Event” of the Black Belt!

Jakki Caldwell Phillips

Executive Director, Black Belt

American Red Cross