The American Red Cross office in Plymouth is slated to close on June 30. Northern Indiana Regional Executive Director Sue Gulley says services and programs will still be offered. She adds shutting the office down will allow the nonprofit organization to combine valuable resources while still providing programs like CPR training, disaster response and blood drives. Marshall County Red Cross volunteer Carol Arnett works closely with emergency management and other local officials when disasters like gas leaks, fires and floods occur. She says local volunteers can respond within minutes versus the hours it takes for South Bend to mobilize.
Gulley says the Northern Indiana chapter will maintain key staff, volunteers, emergency response vehicles and supplies throughout the chapter’s service area in Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, Pulaski, St. Joseph and Starke Counties. She says they also welcome the donation of suitable office space in Marshall County. Arnett hopes something will come through within the next few weeks.
“It’s going to be a disaster for Marshall County if we don’t have something that we can run out of or function as a nonprofit organization, I guess,” Arnett said.
Contact the Northern Indiana American Red Cross headquarters at 574-234-0191 if you have space in Marshall County you would like to donate.
