Tight on funds, Red Cross looks for local growth

Whenever hurricanes leave a trail of lost homes and businesses, we expect to see those familiar Red Cross emergency response vehicles. It’s been seven years — Isabel in 2003 — since a hurricane last caused widespread local damage. So Dare County residents haven’t seen much of the Red Cross here.

But it It hasn’t been the absence of natural disasters that has put the organization out of sight and out of mind. For the past several years, Dare County has not actively participated in the Greater Albemarle Area Chapter, which operates out of Elizabeth City.

There have been no local board members, meetings or fund raising appeals in Dare or Currituck counties.

Richard Hess of Dare and Suzanne Everhart of Currituck, new board members of the regional chapter, are aiming for a revival of the Red Cross here. Their goal is to expand representation from both counties on the board of directors, increase fund raising, reintroduce Red Cross programs to the area and raise the profile of the organization.

It’s been more than a decade since Currituck and Dare had their own Red Cross chapters. Since the 1990s, they have been part of the Greater Albemarle Chapter, which has seen its own struggles in recent years.

Executive Director Carolyn Self said the Greater Albemarle Chapter covers a wide area on a slim budget. It now includes Dare, Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Gates and Hertford counties on a budget of only $145,000.

The structure of the organization means the local chapters have to work hard for their money. The national and international Red Cross — what you see on television commercials — does not share any operating budget with local chapters, Self said. It contributes to a local chapter only if there is a significant disaster requiring a massive mobilization. In addition, some 18 percent of the money raised by a local chapter goes to the national organization.

The Red Cross enforces what is called “donor intent” for contributions received locally. For example, checks mailed to Elizabeth City by local residents during the pleas for Haiti were most likely forwarded to the national organization unless the donor noted in the memo section of the check “Local Use” or “Greater Albemarle Use.” Checks made out simply to the Red Cross are assumed to be intended for the national organization.

All of the activities of the local chapter must be funded by the local budget. Relocating fire and flood victims is probably among the most costly. Last year, the regional chapter helped between 40 and 50 families in burned-out structures at an average cost of $1,000 per incident.

Self noted that since the recession began, the number of occupants per household has increased as families blend to cope with job losses. These days, the number of people under one roof can range from seven to 15, doubling the cost of aid to $2,000 per fire.

Here are some of the other things the chapter does:

All of this adds up to a lot more than $145,000.

To help fill the gap, the local chapter is hosting a major fund raiser July 9. The “Swing for Disaster Relief” golf tournament will be held at the Kilmarlic Golf Club in Powell’s Point. Teams can sign up for $400 a foursome or $100 per individual. Sponsorships, which include multiple teams, media recognition and prominent signage can be had for $2,000, with other levels of support available at lower prices.

On the same day, a helicopter golf ball drop will take place on the 18th hole at 6 p.m., just after the tournament. Raffle tickets, or balls, can be bought for $10 each. The balls will be dropped, and the first ball in or the one closest to the hole will win. Sales will be limited to 1,000 balls, and the potential top prize will be $2,000.

Information is available by calling (252) 335-2185. Volunteers wishing to serve on the board can also contact this number. See more about the local Red Cross at www.gaacarc.org.

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