Red Cross volunteers respond to Crow Wing County blaze
Area Red Cross volunteers Terry Sluss and Tina Jay assisted a family of three, including two children, who lost their Pine River area home in a New Year’s Day fire. The family received emergency lodging at an area hotel for three nights, food, clothing, including seasonal wear, personal items, and a Red Cross kit to help them clean their home.
“This is the time of year when many northlanders are heating with wood, and everyone needs to be aware of the danger of chimney fires,” said North Star Chapter executive director, Judy Hanne Gonzalez. “Cleaning chimneys is just one way to be safer from fires, and the Red Cross offers lots of other free tips at its website, www.redcross.org <http://www.redcross.org> .”
The North Star Chapter responds to about 40 local disasters annually. Red Cross disaster relief includes emergency housing, food, clothing, medicine and medical supplies, eyeglasses, health services, and disaster counseling. Relief takes the form of preloaded debit cards, that are used in local businesses by clients, thus pumping up to $40,000 in charitable contributions back into the community it serves.
The Red Cross depends on the support of the American public to assist people affected by disasters. Interested donors may consider making a donation today by visiting www.redcrossmn.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross chapter at 2524 Maple Grove Road, Duluth, MN 55811 or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
