Jim Thorpe Resident Heads to Louisiana
News Release: August 30, 2008
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing; American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley (610) 865-4400, ext. 262; pager (610) 508-4378

Jim Thorpe resident Robert Gordon is the first Greater Lehigh Valley Red Cross volunteer to be recruited to help with relief operations under way in communities in the Gulf Coast region.

Gordon flew to Covington, La., this afternoon (8/30) where he will join other Red Cross disaster workers to help with the distribution of essential supplies such as cots, blankets, ready-to-eat meals and other necessities in preparation for Hurricane Gustav. This is the first national disaster assignment for the Air Force retiree, who began volunteering for the local Red Cross in Sept. 2005.

“Additional local Red Cross disaster volunteers are poised to leave next week, if called,” stated Cordelia E. Miller, director of emergency services for the local Red Cross.

The Red Cross has relief operations ready in four states: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. To date, the agency is in the process of moving 3,000 disaster workers to the region. Shelters will begin opening in some areas today and the agency is working closely with state, federal and local officials to ensure that enough shelters are open and in the right places.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 690,000 residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training; Lifeline, a personal response service for seniors; and emergency relief to more than 23,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.