Join the Red Cross on the Day of Giving – Dec. 13, 2008

Your support is needed to help promote this one-day nationwide campaign to raise enough money to pay for relief work during future disasters

MID-FLORIDA REGION — The Red Cross has designated December 13 as “National Day of Giving for the American Red Cross as part of its efforts to reach the $100 million fund-raising goal for the Campaign for Disaster Relief, the organization launched in September.

We’ve made some incredible progress toward our goal in a short period of time,” said Jeffrey Towers, Chief Development Officer of the Red Cross, “and we’re confident that the National Day of Giving for the American Red Cross will bring us that much closer.”

Local Red Cross volunteers and employees will reach out on Dec. 13 to their friends and neighbors to help raise money for the Campaign for Disaster Relief, which aims to replenish the Red Cross disaster Relief Fund. The fund was depleted as a result of a very busy year of disasters, including a record number of tornadoes, an early wildfire season, severe flooding in the central United States, and an active hurricane season. From January through October 2008, the Red Cross had already responded to more than 70 large-scale disasters.

In the Mid-Florida Region, which consists of the Central Florida, Florida’s Coast to Coast, Space Coast and Polk County Chapters, the Red Cross provided relief for several wildfires and Tropical Storm Fay as well as a large number of single- and multiple-family house fires. From Polk County alone, more than 95 volunteers deployed to Texas to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

There are several ways Mid-Florida and Tampa Bay area residents can help the Red Cross meet its $100 million goal, which will go toward helping the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year. Look for volunteers on Dec. 13 at the following locations:

Fixed Sites

1. Krispy Kreme (3113 Kennedy Bvld., Tampa) from 7 a.m.-2p.m.
2. Krispy Kreme (8425 North Florida Ave., Tampa) from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
3. Krispy Kreme (2128 West Brandon Blvd., Brandon) from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
4. Krispy Kreme (32130 U.S. Hwy. 19 North, Palm Harbor) from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
5. Lakeland Square Mall (3800 U.S. Hwy. 98 North, Lakeland) from Noon-6 p.m.
6. Belk at Lakeside Village (1400 Town Center Drive, Lakeland) from Noon-6 p.m.
7. Eagle Ridge Mall (451 Eagle Ridge Drive, Lake Wales) from Noon-6 p.m.
8. Golden Corral (3928 U.S. Hwy. 19, Port Richey) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
9. Ron’s BBQ (9400 State Route 52, Hudson) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Drive-Through Sites

1. Red Cross Branch Office (818 4th Ave. North, St. Petersburg) from 8 a.m.-2p.m.
2. Bob Lees Tires and Gas (1631 4th St. North, St. Petersburg) from 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

Other Sites

1. St. Pete Beach Holiday Land Parade (starts on 70th Avenue and Gulf. Blvd.) at 9 a.m.
2. Pinella Park Christmas Parade (starts on Park Blvd.) at 6 p.m.
3. Downtown New Port Richey Holiday Street Parade (starts in Sims Park) at 7 p.m.
4. Dade City Country Christmas Stroll (Downtown) from 5-9 p.m.

If you cannot visit one of the above, please consider:

1. Donating to the Red Cross by going to www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (for Spanish speakers, 1-800-257-7575).
2. Giving to the Disaster Relief Fund through your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013
3. Using your cell phone to donate $5 by texting the keyword “GIVE” (4483) to “2HELP” (24357).
4. Paying bills and sending funds through Western Union’s Quick Collect service at any of its more than 45,000 U.S. agent locations. To find the Western Union agent nearest you, visit www.westernunion.com and click on “Find Agent Location.”
5. Giving your lunch money for the week to the campaign through the American Red Cross Charlotte County Chapter’s “Brown Bagging It for Disaster Relief” program. For more information, call (941) 629-4345.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org.