The Good Life – March-April 2015

volunteer membership grew from 17,000 to over 20
million. During that time the Red Cross trained, staffed
hospitals and ambulance companies, and registered a
small army of nurses to serve the military as well as
combat the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918.
During all of the wars the United States has been
involved in to this day, The Red Cross has played an
integral part in aiding our soldiers and their families,
our Allies and countless civilian war victims. After
World War II, it was the Red Cross who began the first
nationwide civilian blood program. Today it supplies
at least 40 percent of the blood and blood products
used in the United States.
THE RED CROSS TODAY AND WHAT HAS CHANGED
One of the primary changes has been funding.
The government no longer subsidizes each and every
chapter in each and every city and town. Secondly,
the Red Cross responds to disasters, be they natural
or man-made regardless wherever they occur the same
everywhere. The reason for this is because, about a
year ago, The American Red Cross realized in order
to remain effective they needed to change how they
manage what they do.
Today each section of the country is broken
down into “regions” that the Red Cross is primarily
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responsible for. There are seven National Divisions
of the Red Cross. Within the seven divisions there are
sixty-four Regions.
The Dakotas Region is large, as it encompasses
all of South Dakota, North Dakota and ten counties
in Northwestern Minnesota. Population wise, that is
approximately 900,000 people. What is so amazing
about that is that the Red Cross has an employed staff
of only 17 — that’s SEVENTEEN people. Everyone else
who serves and helps during any and all times of need
is a volunteer. Brian Shawn, Sean Coffman and Terry
Askin are three of the key people who communicate,
coordinate and handle whatever needs to be done
when a disaster is called in.
“Without the amazing people we have who are
willing to help and volunteer time after time, we
couldn’t do what needs to be done” Brian Shawn says
often during our conversation. Locally there are 150
volunteers. On a regional level estimates range to
about 850 volunteers. Terry Askin, who often works
on the line with the volunteers, says “they are usually
a very diverse group. Many are moms and dads with
grown kids and retired people who like to pitch in and
help.”
The Red Cross today does more than respond to
disasters—they do whatever they can to prevent them