Peppel Retires As County Red Cross Executive Director, Louthain Takes Role
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Peppel Retires As County Red Cross Executive Director, Louthain Takes Role
By Jennifer [email protected]
Karen Louthain was named executive director Jan. 19. Louthain served as the United Way of Kosciusko County campaign coordinator for eight years.
Peppel has served as the chapter's executive director since March 2002 and said it is time for new blood to lead the chapter.[[In-content Ad]]
He said the chapter's Red Cross is going through a transition period and he agreed to stay on as a resource liaison and train Louthain in her new executive director role.
Peppel's last day at the Red Cross is April 1, but said he hopes to volunteer with the Red Cross after his duties end.
Peppel said although he will miss his duties as executive director, he looks forward to retirement.
He said he retired from the position because he said there are other things he would like to accomplish.
He said he would like to teach children to read and has discussed his goals with the Kosciusko Literacy Services staff.
"I think it's so important to make sure that children get started with the ability to read," Peppel said.
He said he has five young grandchildren and likes to read books to them.
"Reading is so basic and elementary that if you don't have a good solid skill there are a lot of things you can't do," Peppel said.
Peppel was in the Air Force from 1966-1971 where he was a pilot and would like to continue his passion for flying by serving as a volunteer at the air museum in Grissom Aeroplex in Peru.
He would like to volunteer at the military museum and said him flying an airplane again is not out of the question.
He said he will miss the people he has had the opportunity to work with and served over the years at the Red Cross.
"It can be a satisfying thing when you can help someone who has had a serious fire and they have lost a lot of their possessions and you can help them and give them some real assistance in terms of a place to stay and that has been important to me," Peppel said.
Peppel worked at Sprint In Ohio and transferred to Sprint, Warsaw, in 1995 and became the Kosciusko County chapter of the American Red Cross executive director in 2002.
As executive director he said he has seen the Red Cross chapter grow in terms of resources, financial stability, and the services it provides.
"When I came here we were collecting about 3,000 units of blood and our goal this year is 6,000," Peppel said.
He said the Red Cross last year collected 5,200 units of blood.
He also said the chapter's disaster response team has grown working with the local fire departments and providing support to families who need assistance.
Peppel said if a person loses a home in a disaster the Red Cross provides them with a place to stay, food to eat, financial assistance to purchase clothing or eyeglasses, and medicine until they are stabilized.
"We have been successful as a chapter not because of me, but because we have a wonderful community that supports us and our wonderful staff and volunteers," Peppel said.
Karen Louthain was named executive director Jan. 19. Louthain served as the United Way of Kosciusko County campaign coordinator for eight years.
Peppel has served as the chapter's executive director since March 2002 and said it is time for new blood to lead the chapter.[[In-content Ad]]
He said the chapter's Red Cross is going through a transition period and he agreed to stay on as a resource liaison and train Louthain in her new executive director role.
Peppel's last day at the Red Cross is April 1, but said he hopes to volunteer with the Red Cross after his duties end.
Peppel said although he will miss his duties as executive director, he looks forward to retirement.
He said he retired from the position because he said there are other things he would like to accomplish.
He said he would like to teach children to read and has discussed his goals with the Kosciusko Literacy Services staff.
"I think it's so important to make sure that children get started with the ability to read," Peppel said.
He said he has five young grandchildren and likes to read books to them.
"Reading is so basic and elementary that if you don't have a good solid skill there are a lot of things you can't do," Peppel said.
Peppel was in the Air Force from 1966-1971 where he was a pilot and would like to continue his passion for flying by serving as a volunteer at the air museum in Grissom Aeroplex in Peru.
He would like to volunteer at the military museum and said him flying an airplane again is not out of the question.
He said he will miss the people he has had the opportunity to work with and served over the years at the Red Cross.
"It can be a satisfying thing when you can help someone who has had a serious fire and they have lost a lot of their possessions and you can help them and give them some real assistance in terms of a place to stay and that has been important to me," Peppel said.
Peppel worked at Sprint In Ohio and transferred to Sprint, Warsaw, in 1995 and became the Kosciusko County chapter of the American Red Cross executive director in 2002.
As executive director he said he has seen the Red Cross chapter grow in terms of resources, financial stability, and the services it provides.
"When I came here we were collecting about 3,000 units of blood and our goal this year is 6,000," Peppel said.
He said the Red Cross last year collected 5,200 units of blood.
He also said the chapter's disaster response team has grown working with the local fire departments and providing support to families who need assistance.
Peppel said if a person loses a home in a disaster the Red Cross provides them with a place to stay, food to eat, financial assistance to purchase clothing or eyeglasses, and medicine until they are stabilized.
"We have been successful as a chapter not because of me, but because we have a wonderful community that supports us and our wonderful staff and volunteers," Peppel said.
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