Even miles away, community members can do their part to help those recently affected by ravaged areas in Texas impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
As preparation for local events continue on the horizon, American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee is lending a helping hand to the Lonestar State.
Residents wanting to help in Texas can do so by providing monetary donations. Glenda Bobalik, executive director for the American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee, announced the organization has launched a massive response to assist, including the recent deployment of volunteers to the region.
Individuals can help by either visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or texting the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. The public can also donate a check by writing in the memo line that it is for Hurricane Harvey. Checks can be mailed to: American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee, 660 Eastern Star Road, Kingsport, TN 37663.
Bobalik also stated the Red Cross is accepting individuals looking to become a volunteer. Training sessions are being offered 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, Bobalik added. To inquire about becoming a volunteer, call the Kingsport office at (423) 765-4222.
According to information provided to the Elizabethton Star from the AccuWeather Global Weather Center, some of the worst flooding from Harvey could still be on the horizon as rain diminishes over the next couple of days in Texas and Louisiana.
“This is a devastating flooding event, the likes of which we have not seen in at least the last 12 years, since the Hurricane Katrina disaster,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio indicated in a statement issued to the Elizabethton Star Tuesday, adding Hurricane Harvey could already be the costliest natural disaster in United States history.
To learn more about different volunteer events and blood drives throughout the region, be sure to visit the Red Cross website or contact the local office.
Thomas Hensley, with the Red Cross, added residents of Carter County will soon have the opportunity to participate in the annual Battle of the Badges blood drive, which is scheduled to take place on Patriots Day – Monday, Sept. 11.
Details about the drive are expected to be released in the coming days and will appear in a future edition of the Elizabethton Star.