Volunteers Return From Hurricane Relief Efforts
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross volunteers recently returned from serving in shelters in Louisiana and Texas.
Hurricane Gustav hit landfall Sept. 1 near Concodrie, La., and Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, Texas, Sept. 13. Both hurricanes caused residents to be evacuated from their homes.
Gene and Beverly Minton, North Webster, left Aug. 28 for Louisiana to volunteer in evacuee shelters. They returned Sept. 16 from Baton Rouge after volunteering in shelters for 20 days.
The Mintons, who have been volunteers with the American Red Cross for two years, said their volunteer experience was rewarding.
They worked 12- to 13-hour shifts to assist the evacuees with food and shelter needs. They also cleaned cots, sleeping quarters and bathrooms.
Other responsibilities were to record information such as names, addresses, family and medical conditions for evacuees that needed to stay at the shelter.
The Mintons volunteered with other American Red Cross volunteers from around the United States.[[In-content Ad]]The Mintons said the experience was memorable because they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 30 while volunteering at a shelter in Leesville, La.
"We spent our anniversary serving food to those who stayed at the shelter, but didn't mind," Gene said. "We saw people come into the shelters who were concerned and almost in a daze because they did not know if they would come back to a home."
The Mintons said one of the most rewarding things about volunteering was how appreciative the evacuees were of the support they received.
"The people who came to the shelters were very appreciative of our efforts and the other volunteers we worked with and thanked us," Beverly said.
Randy Schmucker, Warsaw, left for Baton Rouge, La., Sept. 3 and returned Sept. 16.
He volunteered at a shelter at Dutchtown High School, Geisman, La., as a shelter manager and was a night shift supervisor for a shelter in Baton Rouge. His responsibilities were to oversee the volunteers at the shelter.
He said one of the challenges he faced when he was a shelter manager in Geisman was that there were not enough cots in shelters to provide sleeping quarters for evacuees.
He said to solve the problem, he went to Red Cross headquarters where he got cots for the evacuees to sleep on.
"There is a special feeling assisting the evacuees, and the experience energized me," Schmucker said.
Mike Hollar, Warsaw, served as a night-shift supervisor at Dutchtown High School. He also served in logistics in Baton Rouge in material supply and support. He left Sept. 3 and returned Sept. 18.
"It was a positive experience to volunteer. People went to the shelter not by choice, but because they didn't have any other option," Hollar said.
Bob Harkness, Winona Lake, a Red Cross volunteer left Sept. 6 to assist with Hurricane Ike relief efforts and returned Sept. 14.
He served as a volunteer in San Antonio, Texas, providing blankets and feeding evacuees who stayed in the shelter.
"Most of the people who came to the shelter lost everything and had no money or clothes," Harkness said.
He said his experience serving as a Red Cross volunteer was eye-opening and rewarding.
Red Cross volunteer Marti Mudd, Warsaw, left Sept. 18 for Texas.
Red Cross volunteer Ann Sweet left Sept. 16 to serve as a manager of a shelter in Northwest Indiana effected by flooding in Lake County.
Carol Stanton, Warsaw, director of program services for the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, left Sept. 19 for northwest Indiana to work in the staffing area.
Larry Peppel, executive director of the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, said funds are still needed to assist with hurricane relief efforts.
The funds will provide shelter, food, cots, toiletries, first aid and counseling services for evacuees. People can donate to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.
People can donate to the relief fund by mailing donations to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
People also can drop off or mail financial donations to the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 320 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN 46580. Make checks out to: National Disaster Relief Fund.
People also can donate online at www.redcross.org
Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross volunteers recently returned from serving in shelters in Louisiana and Texas.
Hurricane Gustav hit landfall Sept. 1 near Concodrie, La., and Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, Texas, Sept. 13. Both hurricanes caused residents to be evacuated from their homes.
Gene and Beverly Minton, North Webster, left Aug. 28 for Louisiana to volunteer in evacuee shelters. They returned Sept. 16 from Baton Rouge after volunteering in shelters for 20 days.
The Mintons, who have been volunteers with the American Red Cross for two years, said their volunteer experience was rewarding.
They worked 12- to 13-hour shifts to assist the evacuees with food and shelter needs. They also cleaned cots, sleeping quarters and bathrooms.
Other responsibilities were to record information such as names, addresses, family and medical conditions for evacuees that needed to stay at the shelter.
The Mintons volunteered with other American Red Cross volunteers from around the United States.[[In-content Ad]]The Mintons said the experience was memorable because they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 30 while volunteering at a shelter in Leesville, La.
"We spent our anniversary serving food to those who stayed at the shelter, but didn't mind," Gene said. "We saw people come into the shelters who were concerned and almost in a daze because they did not know if they would come back to a home."
The Mintons said one of the most rewarding things about volunteering was how appreciative the evacuees were of the support they received.
"The people who came to the shelters were very appreciative of our efforts and the other volunteers we worked with and thanked us," Beverly said.
Randy Schmucker, Warsaw, left for Baton Rouge, La., Sept. 3 and returned Sept. 16.
He volunteered at a shelter at Dutchtown High School, Geisman, La., as a shelter manager and was a night shift supervisor for a shelter in Baton Rouge. His responsibilities were to oversee the volunteers at the shelter.
He said one of the challenges he faced when he was a shelter manager in Geisman was that there were not enough cots in shelters to provide sleeping quarters for evacuees.
He said to solve the problem, he went to Red Cross headquarters where he got cots for the evacuees to sleep on.
"There is a special feeling assisting the evacuees, and the experience energized me," Schmucker said.
Mike Hollar, Warsaw, served as a night-shift supervisor at Dutchtown High School. He also served in logistics in Baton Rouge in material supply and support. He left Sept. 3 and returned Sept. 18.
"It was a positive experience to volunteer. People went to the shelter not by choice, but because they didn't have any other option," Hollar said.
Bob Harkness, Winona Lake, a Red Cross volunteer left Sept. 6 to assist with Hurricane Ike relief efforts and returned Sept. 14.
He served as a volunteer in San Antonio, Texas, providing blankets and feeding evacuees who stayed in the shelter.
"Most of the people who came to the shelter lost everything and had no money or clothes," Harkness said.
He said his experience serving as a Red Cross volunteer was eye-opening and rewarding.
Red Cross volunteer Marti Mudd, Warsaw, left Sept. 18 for Texas.
Red Cross volunteer Ann Sweet left Sept. 16 to serve as a manager of a shelter in Northwest Indiana effected by flooding in Lake County.
Carol Stanton, Warsaw, director of program services for the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, left Sept. 19 for northwest Indiana to work in the staffing area.
Larry Peppel, executive director of the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, said funds are still needed to assist with hurricane relief efforts.
The funds will provide shelter, food, cots, toiletries, first aid and counseling services for evacuees. People can donate to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.
People can donate to the relief fund by mailing donations to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
People also can drop off or mail financial donations to the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 320 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN 46580. Make checks out to: National Disaster Relief Fund.
People also can donate online at www.redcross.org
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