Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 16, 1994 TAG: 9407160039
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Those memories came back Friday, when the Roanoke woman packed her duffel bag, hopped into one of the Roanoke Valley Red Cross emergency rescue vehicles and drove to flooded parts of southwestern Georgia.
"I was eager," said Taylor. "I've always liked doing stuff like this."
Taylor is one of five Red Cross disaster volunteers from the Roanoke area who are toiling in three flooded Southern states hit this month by remnants of tropical storm Alberto.
Two of the volunteers - Taylor and Joe Stover - are on their first field assignments. Three - Jerry Stewart, John Ballou and Kaki Cormany - are seasoned volunteers who have worked on relief efforts after Southern California earthquakes, Florida hurricanes and last summer's Midwestern floods.
"It's almost eerie," said Terry Lewis, communication director for the Roanoke Valley chapter of the American Red Cross. "This time last year, we were out in the Midwest helping those people. You don't normally think of summer being time associated with floods.
"With this and the earthquake, it's been a very busy year at the Red Cross."
The disaster relief efforts have drawn attention to the organization. The number of trained disaster volunteers in the Roanoke area has doubled from 15 to 30 since Red Cross efforts in the flooded Midwest were publicized last summer, Lewis said.
A federal security guard and private investigator, Taylor had been a volunteer for the Roanoke Lifesaving Crew. She stopped after going back to school part time but wanted to continue "to do something along the lines of helping people," she said. In March, she started Red Cross disaster volunteer training.
Taylor and Stover are in Bainbridge, Ga., based in a shelter where 75 families are temporarily housed. Both are working in "mass care," driving meals - "and plenty of bug spray" - to people in outlying counties.
"We have seen some things that are pretty sad - people losing their homes and their belongings," Taylor said. "But everybody's spirits are high, even the people who have lost everything."
Stewart is coordinating emergency response vehicle activity from the Red Cross Disaster Relief headquarters in Columbus, Ga. Ballou is doing similar work in Tallahassee, Fla. Cormany is in Dothan, Ala., assigning disaster workers to places they are needed most.
"I get a lot of satisfaction coming in and helping people in the disaster areas," said Stewart, who has been dispatched as far away as Hawaii for Red Cross relief efforts. "And you get to meet a lot of extremely nice people - people who are willing to go out of town and put their lives on hold to go help other people."
The Red Cross has 1,558 volunteers in the flooded area. Nearly 11,000 people have sought shelter at 47 Red Cross shelters.
It is estimated that the Red Cross relief effort will cost more than $14 million.
Anyone wanting to contribute may send checks to the American Red Cross, Roanoke Valley Chapter, 352 Church Ave. S.W., Roanoke 24016. Checks should be earmarked for the Red Cross Disaster Fund. The local Red Cross is not able to take clothing or small contributions of food from individuals.
by CNB