By KEVIN COUTURE
Contributing Writer
PLATTSBURGH — For Jeanie Roberts, executive director of the North Country Chapter of the American Red Cross, no two work days are ever the same.
The national Red Cross was formed by Clara Barton with two mandates: that it be an armed-forces emergency-contact service and that it aid in disaster recovery.
Locally, a total of 3,439 square miles and 150,000 people are served — and that keeps Roberts and the Red Cross staff and volunteers very busy.
LINK TO SOLDIERS
“We are a conduit between the families here in the North Country and their loved ones who are serving in the military somewhere in the world,” Roberts said.
Being the only organization that can get messages to soldiers anywhere isn’t taken lightly.
Volunteers from the Red Cross go with soldiers to war to assure that the communication line with the home front doesn’t get broken.
The volunteers often do clerical work or other such jobs.
“We are a verification and message-sending program,” Roberts explained. “We have peace workers, and when there is an emergency in the family, they contact us, the Red Cross, and we verify the emergency situation.”
She said that sometimes it is a joyous message, such as the birth of a child. Other times, it may be sad, like word of a death of a family member.
DISASTER AID
For people involved in disasters, such as fires, floods or earthquakes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, clothing or first-month rent.
“Some people have a wonderful base of support,” Roberts said. “Other people don’t have that.”
Twenty-two people from the area are trained in assisting in disasters such as these.
Roberts pointed out that once a person is trained, he or she can help people anywhere, because the Red Cross training is universal.
Volunteers are allowed to choose in what field they want to become skilled.
LOCAL FUNDING
The organization doesn’t receive state or federal assistance; it is totally funded by a few annual fundraisers and by community donations.
The largest fundraiser is Fire & Ice, a Texas buffet with both live and silent auctions, to be held this year at the Comfort Inn on April 5.
The Naked Turtle hosted its first-annual Cinco de Mayo celebration in 2007, with proceeds going to the local Red Cross. Once again this year, the establishment will offer the Mexican event, tentatively scheduled for May 1.
People wishing to attend the Cinco de Mayo should call the Red Cross at 561-7280 for prices of tables for businesses and individuals.
A new fundraiser will take to the road this year — a motorcycle ride on June 25.
The organization depends on three programs where charges subsidize what the fundraisers don’t bring in for revenue: cardiopulmonary-resuscitation program, lifeguard training and the Lifeline program, which is a medical-alert system that allows the elderly and disabled to live safely in their own homes.
ALWAYS READY
Two volunteers are on call each night, weekend and holiday, should a disaster, such as a local fire, occur or a Lifeline call come in.
Smiling, Roberts said, “We couldn’t possibly do what we do without our volunteers.”
Never knowing what is going to happen from day to day certainly makes it a challenge for Roberts.
“We live in a very interesting part of the country because we have a large variety of opportunities to have different kinds of events.”
To donate, send checks to North Country Chapter American Red Cross, 13 Guy Way, Plattsburgh, NY, 12901.
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