DILLON COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – The Dillon County Chapter of the American Red Cross is seeking volunteers who can pass a background check and spend some of their time helping others.
With only two active volunteers, many more volunteers are needed to help assist with disasters, that means everything from tornadoes to house fires.This year the Red Cross responded to 33 fires in Dillon County.
“It doesn’t take but an hour to do the paperwork and take care of the person and that includes putting them into a shelter or in a hotel, giving them financial assistance for food and clothing if everything is destroyed,” said James Leslie, Dillon Red Cross volunteer.
Wayne Tyler lost his home of 16 years in a house fire August of this year. He says without the help of James Leslie and Dillon County Red Cross his family would’ve been homeless.
“They came up to us and said they were the national red cross, said they was going to give us a place to stay and put us up in a motel for a couple days until we get on our feet,” said Tyler.
Leslie has been an active volunteer with the Dillon Red Cross Chapter for nine years. He says the job relies solely on the generosity of volunteers.
“When you help a family and they sit there and feel that this person has really helped me , at the end of the interview they get up and give me a hug,” mentioned Leslie.
The Red Cross will pay all of the training costs for volunteers and you don’t have a minimum level of experience.
James Leslie and Richard Schafer will begin training this year in Dillon County so volunteers will not have to go to Florence or Myrtle Beach to be trained.
Leslie says volunteers can choose the areas in which they volunteer. He says volunteers can also choose to volunteer locally, within the state, or nationally.
Volunteers choose the number of hours they wish to devote and can choose the days and times when they are available.
Interested volunteers can contact the Dillon County Chapter at 843-774-0125 or the Florence office at 843-662-8121.
To start the process to volunteer you must visit www.redcross.org. You must enter their zip code or choose the Eastern South Carolina Chapter and fill out the information. To volunteer, you must also be able to pass a background check. After a volunteer has been accepted you must complete a mandatory volunteer orientation class.
