Red Cross volunteer receives proclamation
The Woodland City Council proclaimed March as American Red Cross Month during its Tuesday meeting, recognizing “the compassion of people in Woodland” and reaffirming the city's “commitment to care for one another in times of crisis.”
LaVonne LaMoureax, a Woodland resident and Red Cross volunteer, attended the meeting to accept the proclamation. She is a member of the local disaster action team, which she explained is a group of Yolo County individuals who are available 24 hours a day to respond to local disasters such as home fires.
“We provide immediate help in the way of resources for food, clothing and shelter to those individuals who have been displaced by either a fire or some other damaging event that has occured to their home,” LaMoureax emphasized. “A few weeks ago… we
installed over 100 fire alarms at Leisureville Mobile Home Park and next Saturday we are installing fire alarms in Casa Del Sol. We partner with the local fire departments and others in order to get that accomplished.”
LaMoureax said she has been deployed to 23 natural disasters across the country including fires, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes that result in people “experiencing the very worst days of their lives.”
“It is very satisfying to me as a volunteer to be able to be there and to help these individuals at that time,” she stressed. “We're fortunate in our county not to have experienced those kinds of terrible disasters, but if they ever happen we're going to be here and the Red Cross nationwide will be here to help in Yolo County.”
She noted that last fiscal year, the local disaster action team responded to 27 home fires and similar kinds of events.
“This fiscal year, we have had about half that many so we're very lucky,” she emphasized.
The proclamation, which was presented to LaMoureax by Councilwoman Mayra Vega, highlighted the “kindhearted individuals” in the community who exemplify American Red Cross Founder Clara Barton's “commitment as they step up” to “provide a beacon of hope for our neighbors in need.”
Additionally, the proclamation highlighted the work of these individuals who make a lifesaving difference in people's darkest hours.
“Whether it's delivering shelter, food and comfort during disasters; providing critical blood donations for hospital patients; supporting military families, veterans and caregivers through the unique challenges of service' saving lives with first aid, CPR and other skills; or delivering aid and reconnecting loved ones separated by global crises,” the proclamation stressed. “We hereby recognize this month of March in honor of all those who lead with their hearts to serve people in need and we ask everyone to join in the commitment to strengthen our community.”
According to the Red Cross' website, the annual celebration was created in 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation.
The organization and Red Crescent teams from around the world have helped in major military conflicts such as Ukraine, and Turkey and Syria after the devastating earthquakes that took thousands of lives, according to its website.
“There are 192 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the globe and the American Red Cross is one of them,” the website noted. “Along with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, these 192 societies make up the world's largest humanitarian network which helps people facing crises all over the world.”
To read more about the Red Cross Month, visit redcross.org/about-us/redcross-month.html.