Red Cross expands services, helps in Louisiana

The Ozarks Red Cross chapter, chosen as one of 20 chapters in the country for the project, is looking for 250 volunteers that can fly to Louisiana with 12 hours notification to set up evacuation shelters. The state’s disaster-response human resources were drastically weakened by Hurricane Katrina, and about 70 percent of its coastal population remains in unstable mobile homes.

Volunteers must be able to lift 50 pounds and work long hours and must be in good physical health. Training is required; sessions are 1–4 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. today and 8 a.m.–noon Thursday.

The chapter also announced this morning that it is expanding its service area to include three more southwest Missouri counties.

Effective Sept. 1, the chapter will serve Cedar, St. Clair and Hickory counties, bringing the chapter’s total service area to 19 counties. Volunteer recruitment in the new areas is under way.

For details on volunteering for the Louisiana project or in the chapter’s new service areas call (417) 832-9500 or (866) 206-0256.