Kiwanis Club hosts LG, Red Cross

CHIPLEY - The Chipley Kiwanis Club met for its weekly luncheon at Pattillo’s Restaurant at the Washington – Holmes County Technical Center. 

Lunch was provided by the staff of the Washington-Homes County Technical Center. 

Russ Mathis, the Kiwanis Region 2 Lieutenant Governor was present. 

Mathis, a member of the Panama City Kiwanis Club, was presented the Lieutenant Governor Club Flag by Darrin Wall, the immediate past Lieutenant Governor and a member of the Chipley Kiwanis Club.

The guest speaker was Bob Pearce, Executive Director of the Central Panhandle District of the Red Cross. 

The Central Panhandle District encompasses 6 counties: Jackson, Washington, Holmes, Calhoun, Gulf, and Bay. 

The local chapter was first incorporated in 1917 in Bay County and was reorganized by the American Red Cross in the 1980s to include the present 6 counties. 

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881.

Pearce discussed some of the different missions performed by the Red Cross. 

First, he explained the blood donation services for which the Red Cross is well-known are coordinated in our region out of the Mobile office. 

He informed the club that the Red Cross is responsible for providing 60% of the blood used by the U.S. Armed Forces.

He next told the club about a much-used but little known program called the Armed Forces Emergency Services. 

If a deployed soldier (or sailor) has a family emergency while overseas, such as a death in the family, the soldier may learn of the family event rather quickly through email or cell phones. 

However, the U.S. Military needs official notification and verification from a local source in order to approve emergency leave for the service member. 

The Red Cross maintains constant liaison with the U.S. Military to provide the needed verification and assists the service member’s return if needed.

The Kiwanians also learned of a relatively new program called the “Brave Fund.” 

This program allows the Red Cross to assist the families of soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan with temporary financial assistance to deal with everyday “emergencies” that many families face – such as appliance or auto repairs and utility bills. 

The program is grant funded but the Red Cross will continue to assist local families as long as there are remaining funds.

Perhaps the role for which the Red Cross is best known is its response to disasters. 

The Red Cross responds to disasters as diverse as a home fire to hurricanes. 

Pearce was especially appreciative of local volunteers Butch and Margaret Harden for their work with families following fires. 

Pearce stated that he already has begun coordination with the Emergency Operations Centers, Schools, County Commissioners, and local health departments to ensure all six counties have their hurricane shelter and evacuation plans ready for this year.

Other services for which the Red Cross is well-known are its health and safety courses. 

The local district provided training to over 6,000 people in 2009 in areas such as lifesaving, CPR, and swimming.

On the subject of the Haiti relief efforts, Pearce informed the Kiwanians that as of March 10, the American Red Cross had collected $345 million and spent $165 million on relief efforts in Haiti. 

To date, the Red Cross has fed one million people in Haiti and distributes a million liters of water every day. 

The Red Cross has deployed three complete field hospitals to Haiti and is working to fix the local water systems. 

He noted that the relief effort in Haiti will last years.

Nationally, the American Red Cross has over 500,000 volunteers and 35,000 employees. 

The Central Panhandle District has over 100 volunteers and four paid employees.

The Chipley Kiwanis Club meets Tuesdays at Patillo’s Restaurant at noon. 

For an invitation, contact any Kiwanian or call Mark Collins, Membership Chairman, at 850-258-9453.

For more information about the Chipley Kiwanis Club, visit the club’s website at www.chipleykiwanis.com.