Red Cross announces reorganization

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The American Red Cross is making some changes to become more efficient and Van Wert County will be affected by those changes, to some extent.

David Collins, executive director of the American Red Cross of West Central Ohio, a 10-county region that includes Van Wert County, talked Tuesday about some of the changes that will be seen locally, which include the loss of the current Red Cross office on East Main Street and elimination of Community Director Sandy Lane’s position, although Lane has agreed to remain in her position as a volunteer to help with the organizational transition.

Collins said the local office would close next June, unless donated space is found in the community to maintain an office, something that has already been done in Paulding County.

“We’re just buried in real estate,” Collins said, noting that office rental costs and other related operational costs were a financial drain on the Red Cross, eating up a large portion of the Red Cross’ donated funds.

Following the transition, operations for Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Williams counties will be handled through the West Central Ohio office in Lima, Collins noted, although the local Red Cross board will remain in force and the local volunteer organization will continue.

“Really, the community won’t see much difference in the delivery of services: blood, health and safety, service to armed forces, and disaster services will all be maintained through the transition,” Collins noted, adding that the Red Cross also hopes to upgrade the local disaster services vehicle, with the help of Eaton Corporation.

Collins said reasons for the planned changes, which have been ongoing for several years at the national level, include the fact that donations weren’t going where they really need to go: to help others in need because of disasters, a need for blood and other reasons.

“The main purpose for this (transition) is to cut down overhead and get more funds out to do services with,” Collins said, adding that the Red Cross is also increasing fundraising efforts to ensure services are maintained — and even improved in some areas.

Also because of the changes, more volunteers will be needed to maintain Red Cross services in the community, Collins said, while he also thanked current and past volunteers for their service during the transition.

“One of the things we want to make very, very clear is how much we appreciate the support we are getting from this (county) board and from our volunteers in Van Wert County during this transition,” Collins said.

One thing that won’t change, Collins said, is the Red Cross’ relationship with the local United Way organization.

“We want to emphasize our relationship with the local United Way,” he stressed, adding that funds donated through the United Way will continue to be used locally. “Those donations, submitted through the United Way, are always intended for local use, and the Red Cross intends to honor that donor intent.”