Published: June 09, 2009 12:13 am      

Red Cross Heroes campaign ‘success’

The Northeast Kentucky Chapter of the American Red Cross Heroes Campaign came to an end this week, and chapter members were very pleased with the results.

“It was very successful,” Cody Wales, the chapter’s chairman, said of the six-week campaign to raise funds to help the people of Greenup and Lewis counties in an emergency.

Wales said when they began planning last year, the economy wasn’t in the shape it is now. When the campaign began in March, no one was sure how it would go.

“We were hopeful but it went better than we expected,” he said.

American Red Cross volunteers raised $19,126 by going to local civic groups, churches, businesses and political organizations. Some raised money by going door to door in their neighborhoods explaining how the local chapter didn’t receive funds from the national agency and the money would be used to help county residents. They even sponsored a chili-cook off at the Greenup County Court House.

In the end, the chapter raised more money than counties with bigger populations.

“We raised twice as much money as Clark County and that is where Winchester is, just outside of Lexington,” Wales said. “I think that says a lot about our community.”

The campaign raised nearly $3,000 in Lewis County, a first Wales credits to the campaign’s honorary chairman, retired Marine Lt. Col. Vance Huston.

“He had a lot of friends there and they really gravitated to the idea,” Wales said.

Huston said there were many people in Lewis County who stepped up to the plate when asked.

“It was wonderful to see friends standing by friends,” he said.

Huston for his part was honored to be a part of the campaign.

“It was a thrill for me,” he said. “I see it as a way of giving back to the community where I have lived for the past 30 years.”

Wales said a second goal of the campaign was to raise awareness of the chapter and its mission.

“We have gotten a lot of new volunteers from all over the county,” he said. “And it showed the community we are here to help provide disaster relief, disaster training and services to our armed forces.”

Wales said with additional volunteers, the chapter hopes to provide services out of South Shore and Lewis County in addition to their office in Greenup. One of the goals is to raise enough funds to be able to open a shelter during emergencies such as February’s ice storm.

“We should be able to do that now since we have so many good people willing to help,” Wales said.

For more information can call the Northeast Kentucky Chapter of the American Red Cross at (606) 473-9594.