It would probably cost a fortune just in the volunteer extras that would have to be catered for, never mind appearance fees or location costs, which I imagine would be donated for free (as hopefully would the airtime) if the Red Cross ran an ad that showcased all the programs they run. It would probably have to be an infomercial slot; seconds or a few short minutes couldn’t reasonably convey the size of the organization’s work in the community. Try for yourself to name all the programs that the ARC runs. You’d probably be pleased if you could come up with four or five and be quite impressed that they did so much.
So what would most people mention? If they came from a forces background they would undoubtedly mention the emergency communications service, the casualty travel assistance program, counseling for military personnel (active-duty, National Guard and Reserves-and their families) and veterans affairs. At the front of many people’s minds would be the joining of forces with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as part of the disaster preparation program. How many incidents do you think might be disastrous to a local community? Read the following items on the list:
• blackouts
• chemical emergencies
• droughts
• earthquakes
• fires
• floods
• heat waves
• hurricanes
• mudslides
• pandemic flu
• terrorism
• tornadoes
• thunderstorms
• wildfires
• volcanoes
• and tsunami
I have brought your attention to these in particular because they are the big ones and they do require a lot of funding when they happen. I just have to get in a little buzz for one of the simpler ways of making a donation that raises a lot, and when you think about it – costs you nothing! Should you donate your car, quite a bit of money could result from its sale at auction. You don’t have to rid yourself of your car you use to get to work each day but if you could donate a used car or make some other type of vehicle donation like a boat trailer or camper van, that auto donation can make a significant contribution and if you do donate a car, collection is fast and free.
