By Staff
We sit in our homes, cooled by air conditioning, and watch the silver screen flicker repeated scenes of destruction.
Houses with water up to the roof lines, people huddled under blankets, trying to keep off the rain that began pouring through holes in the dome's roof, where they had sought shelter.
We often take the American Red Cross for granted but without pre-planning, training and volunteers waiting to spring into action, these natural emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina, would be all the more devastating.
Even when our local area may not be subject to a major disaster on the scale of this hurricane, the organization continually seeks blood donors and staff and organizes local blood drives to assure, if and when an accident or operation causes you to need blood - the blood will be on hand.
You may want to donate unused clothing or canned food to the victims of Katrina, but the logistics and expenses of transporting the items to the south has led the Red Cross to not accept such donations.
The best way to help those who have lost their homes and businesses is with a tax-deductible donation to the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) or to the Berrien or Cass counties American Red Cross chapters.
To donate on line, go to www.redcross.org. To donate by phone you may call toll free 1-800-HELP NOW. Donations also can also be mailed to American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
Take a moment now to help your fellow Americans, as they would for you.