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‘Heroes’ campaign
Mar 19, 2010
The Pine Belt chapter of the American Red Cross will kick off its annual “Heroes” fundraiser campaign at 2 p.m. Monday at its downtown Laurel headquarters, 401 W. Oak Street.
Peggy Owens-Mansfield, executive director of the Pine Belt chapter, said the event will include comments from Laurel Mayor Melvin Mack, an appearance by area cheerleaders and a statement from honorary campaign chairs Mr. and Mrs. Billy Howard.
“This fundraiser is vitally important for us to be successful,” she said. “It’s the difference in us making it or not every year.”
Owens-Mansfield said individual donors, businesses and schools are asked to raise $1,000 for the “Hero” designation.”
“We need very badly to raise $40,000 or $50,000,” she said. “It would be ideal to get $1 from everybody in our four county area. That would be over $180,000 and far more than we could ever think we could get. We just got ‘Heroes’ going good when Katrina hit and, five years later, we’re still catching up.”
The Red Cross will set up bucket drives for schools who inquire to Owens-Mansfield at 601-426-9071. A fundraising Website will also be launched Monday at www.redcross-pbms.org and www.redcross-heroes.com.
In a letter sent Thursday to businesses, the Howards wrote, “Our communities are very dependent on our local Red Cross in time of disaster and other family crisis, to teach lifesaving CPR and First Aid Classes, to help elderly citizens, and many other programs and services to help our people. We realize that many groups call on the schools for support each year. But we also believe we would sorely miss the Red Cross if it were not a part of our community providing help to our own neighbors.”
According to information provided by the American Red Cross, the Pine Belt chapter in 2009:
• Responded to 117 single home fires
• Trained 6,900 students in life saving skills in 724 classes: CPR, first aid, hand washing, water safety and disaster preparedness/supervision. Empowering people with skills and confidence to be ready for disasters and life’s emergencies.
• Provided communications services to 99 U.S. service members, veterans and their families in our four counties through the Service to Armed Forces program
• Distributed 560 food boxes for the holidays to elderly, disabled and fire families through Granny’s Pantry Program supported by volunteer donations, Red Cross Youth Group and the Letter Carrier’s Food Drive
• Administered $29,096 in 273 utility assistance cases for elderly and disabled people through partnerships with Mississippi Power Company and grants from National Food & Shelter Grant Program and the Ellsworth Foundation
• Conducted a Youth Leadership Camp for 100 teens and increased Red Cross Youth participation in all four counties.
For more information, contact Peggy Owens-Mansfield at the American Red Cross at 601-426-9071.
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