Published: July 17, 2008 11:34 pm            

City Hall now home for Red Cross

Richmond City Hall has become the home for the Daniel Boone Chapter of the American Red Cross, and volunteers, as well as a moving crew, worked hard Thursday to get the office ready for Monday’s emergency certification classes.

The chapter is located in what used to be the Richmond Police Department, which has since moved out on Lexington Road.

The city is donating the space, charging no rent and no utilities.

“We will be on a month-to-month agreement,” said Richmond City Manager David Evans. “This helps them out, and it helps the community out,” Evans said. “It would be a good location in time of a disaster. They would be right here readily available.”

The offices being used by the Red Cross used to be offices for Richmond Police officers.

“They’ve been vacant since (police) moved out,” Evans said.

The local Red Cross chapter is no stranger to moving vans, and this year, Sexton & Sons Moving & Storage Inc. volunteered to move the group for no charge.

In past years, the organization has moved from: Chestnut Street in Berea to the United States Forestry Department in Berea; from the forestry department to an office on Main Street; from Main Street to Atwood Drive on the Robert R. Martin Bypass; and from Atwood Drive to the Richmond City Hall location.

“We are so thankful for the opportunity and look forward to being downtown again,” said Erin Ward, regional development coordinator for the American Red Cross Bluegrass Area Chapter. “We’re grateful for such a supportive community.”

The chapter recently raised $27,297 by the Red Cross “Heroes” campaign, and $27,572 was raised through the United Way of the Bluegrass, which is a strong funding source for the chapter.

“There was a lot of community support for the last campaign,” said local Red Cross volunteer Debbie Belairs.

The chapter has only one paid employee, but salary, benefits and other operating expenses, including rent, left the chapter with a $1,432 deficit on May 31.

The “Heroes” campaign was launched in response to a projected funding shortfall this past winter.

“We did not make as much in (campaign) donations as we had hoped for, but we’re still pushing toward being a viable chapter,” said Mary Kate Jones, director of the Daniel Boone chapter of the American Red Cross. “We’re cutting expenses in every place we can to stay in the community.”

The local chapter of the American Red Cross is funded by Kentucky River Foothills Community Action Partnership, FEMA (Federal Emergency Agency) and local churches to help in times of disaster.

Call 623-1336, visit www.danielbooneredcross or send an e-mail to arc@qx.net for more information.

Donations may be mailed to PO Box 1478, Richmond, KY 40476.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234

        

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