Lee County Red Cross: Southern Union Community College and Covington Rec Center Shelters are Busy

Opelika, AL – September 1, 2008 – The Lee County Red Cross disaster relief shelter located at the Covington Recreation Center at 213 Carver Avenue in Opelika is currently housing 193 people who fled Hurricane Gustav.  That shelter has now been filled to capacity and the Lee County Red Cross has partnered with Southern Union Community College to use its Health Sciences building on the campus located at 1701 LaFayette Parkway in Opelika to house additional evacuees. 

Southern Union currently has approximately 60 evacuees, including two buses of evacuees sent from Louisiana.  The Red Cross has been working with the Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau who has identified approximately 5,000 additional hurricane evacuees staying in local hotels using their own financial resources.

Trained volunteers are at the Southern Union shelter with supplies to house and feed additional people seeking shelter from the storm. Mental Health volunteers are also offering emotional support. Evacuees in Lee County who are not staying at the shelters can still come for meals. They will just need to show ID and register with the Red Cross at either shelter so arrangements can be made to order extra food.

Nationally, the American Red Cross has mobilized over 3,000 volunteers to assist with its Hurricane Gustav relief efforts and has sent 200 emergency response vehicles near the areas in the direct path of the storm.  Bulk shipments of relief supplies were also pre-positioned nearby so that they can be rushed in when the Red Cross is cleared to go back in after the storm has passed. Those who live in affected areas who have evacuated and are safe can register themselves as “Safe & Well” at http://www.redcross.org.  Those trying to locate loved ones can also go to the site to search for them.

The Red Cross is set up to accept bulk supplies and is not equipped to receive individual donations of clothing, food or supplies. The best way to help the American Red Cross is with gifts of time, blood and money.  The Lee County Red Cross office located at 206 26th Street in Opelika was open all weekend and is open this week its normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. to sign up local volunteers and accept financial donations. 

Citizens who would like to volunteer with the local Red Cross relief efforts can also call the local chapter at 334-749-9981 or visit the website at http://www.leeredcross.org.  Volunteers will be asked to fill out an application and complete a background check. Volunteers will meet with a volunteer coordinator who will discuss their skills and availability.

Blood collections in regions affected by the hurricane could be suspended. Please help the American Red Cross continue to collect the blood we need to supply hospitals in our region. Upcoming blood drives will be held at the following locations:

• Wednesday, September 3, 12-6 p.m. at Red Cross office, 206 26th St., Opelika, AL
• Tuesday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 10; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day at Auburn
  University New Student Union
• Friday, September 12; 1-6 p.m. at Philly Connection, South College St., Auburn
• Tuesday, September 16; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Lee County Justice Center on Gateway Drive in
  Opelika

Due to recent responses to wildfires, flooding, tornadoes, Hurricane Dolly and Tropical Storm Fay, the American Red Cross disaster relief fund is almost empty. Financial donations are desperately needed to help with all current disaster relief efforts. Donors can contact the local Red Cross chapter at 334-749-9981 or via the web at ww.leeredcross.org to make donations through the local chapter.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.

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