Almost 800 Red Cross volunteers are temporarily calling Augusta home. A few are local, but Red Crossers from across the states of Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida are pitching in to answer the need. The East Central Georgia Red Cross based in Augusta is currently serving as disaster response headquarters for what continues to unfold as a catastrophe for all three states.
“We couldn’t serve as homebase for this disaster response without our community partners like Golden Harvest for warehousing supplies and the Exchange Club Fairgrounds for providing space to park our Disaster Response vehicles,” explained Susan Everitt, Executive Director of the East Central GA Red Cross Chapter.
Thirty of the local volunteers serve on the Chapter’s Board of Directors. They are business owners engaged with helping fundraise and utilize community connections to provide help and hope in the face of disaster.
“Our Board is helping to put Augusta and the CSRA in the best light. Both Azalea Real Estate Group and Jordan Trotter have offered space for volunteer meetings. Fat Man’s BBQ has provided lunch. So many businesses have called to ask how they can help, it’s overwhelming and gratifying.”
The storm is slow-moving and is forecast to make a second landfall in South Carolina today. The National Weather Service expects continued historic rainfall amounts on the East Coast.
“We’ve had calls from Red Cross volunteers located in California, Vermont, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio wanting to help. Some have deployed 40 times to disasters and for others, it’s their first time.”
You can help by making a financial donation or an appointment to give blood or platelets by visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). Financial donations to Hurricane Debby will enable the Red Cross to prepare, respond, and help people recover from this disaster.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means! If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
