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American Red Cross officers are sending out an urgent appeal to businesses and individuals for donations necessary to cover the group’s operational costs in the near future. The call for help came during a recent press conference held at the Delmarva headquarters in Seaford.
Red Cross officials estimate a minimum of $500,000 will be needed before June 30 to keep the local chapter functional in 2009.
The group’s “What if…?” campaign kicked off in late March in response to a growing deficit and has spearheaded the effort to raise funds by demonstrating the importance of the Red Cross on Delmarva. The program has used special cultivation events aimed at educating the public on what Delmarva might be like without Red Cross services and assistance.
Margi Prueitt, the CEO of the American Red Cross of Delmarva, said that she is proud to serve the group that has assisted thousands in need throughout Delaware and Maryland. She was particularly reminded of the Seaford flooding disaster of July 2006, when Red Cross volunteers delivered some 8,000 meals to more than 140 families.
Not only during major emergencies does the Red Cross take action, said Prueitt. “Our organization has responded to an average of one fire a day,” she said. Last year, the group assisted more than 700 people in 177 local disasters, completely free of charge. The local Red Cross chapter was also responsible for training 17,000 people in lifesaving skills, including CPR and first aid. They have also installed 400 Lifeline personal emergency response programs in the houses of seniors on Delmarva.
The group’s large service area as well as the need to set aside cash reserves for major disasters has exhausted their funds. Another reason for the lack of Campaign
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assets seen in the past few years, explained Pete Booker, president of Delmarva Broadcasting and a Red Cross leadership volunteer, is the routing of funds to national disaster relief in different areas across the nation. Booker says that while many individuals may donate to the Red Cross each year, the Delmarva Chapter may see little to none of these contributions.
What many do not know is that the Red Cross is donor supported, with a very small portion of its funds coming from government grants, said Alan Levin, a board member and president of Alan Levin and Associates. “[The Red Cross] depends on people like us to support it,” said Levin. “Now is a time when we especially need everyone’s support to continue to serve our community and those who need it most.”
Since March 25, the ‘What if Campaign’ has raised more than $15,000 from individuals and businesses. Officials believe the campaign is off to a good start, but fear that without continuing support from the community, the Delmarva chapter may be forced to close.
Although faced with a large deficit, the leaders of the Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula are confident that the business and private sectors will realize the importance of their group and support them with much needed cash.
“What everyone should realize is that you are being served on a daily basis by the Red Cross whether you know it or not,” said Levin. “We would appreciate any support possible to our longstanding humanitarian organization.”
To learn more about the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula, visit www.redcrossdelmarva.org. To learn more about the “What if…?” campaign, visit www.whatifdelmarva.org.
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Ride for the Red April 28
The American Red Cross Delmarva Chapter is sponsoring a Ride for the Red fundraising event Monday, April 28. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., motorcyclists will be riding from Salisbury, Md. to Cumberland, Md. with stops in Easton, Baltimore, Frederick and Hagerstown. The event will feature members of the Red and Blue Knights, American Legion Riders, Ft. Detrick Road Warriors and Delmarva Lady Cruisers. For more information, visit www.redcrossdelmarva.org.
Tom Walsh can be contacted at tomwalsh1@verizon.net
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