Tug Valley Red Cross seeks aid from Mingo Commission

By Audrey Carter Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Red Cross relief focuses on meeting people’s immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.

Oftentimes, the American Red Cross needs help, and such is the case for the Tug Valley chapter. On Wednesday, director Paul McAllister and Diane Shafer, board member, approached the Mingo County Commission asking for financial assistance.

Shafer explained the many services they provide and the fundraising techniques used to strengthen their coffers. She also informed the commissioners the Red Cross is celebrating its 91st anniversary.

“The Red Cross does many important things. We continue to respond to floods, fires and other natural disasters,” Shafer said. “During the Hatfield McCoy Marathon, we provided a first aid station. We’ve also trained 120 kids in CPR which makes the county a safer place to live and taught lifeguard classes.”

Commissioner Greg Smith questioned if the local chapter’s funding had been cut on the national level and learned they receive very little funding.

“Our local United Way has disappeared, so we’ve lost that money,” McAllister said. “All our funding is locally raised. This year the board set a budget of $55,000 to keep the office running and for disaster relief funding.”

Smith asked that the board submit the figures for last year and this year and allow the commission to review the budgets and place the request on next month’s agenda.

“We haven’t had a flood and that’s good,” Smith said. “We don’t want to stop showing our support for the Red Cross.”

McAllister said they would get the figures together and return next month.

He advised they also work with families of servicemen and women when tragedy strikes.

Following the appeal, newly-wed grant writer Leigh Ann Ray updated the commissioners on the progress made on the Twin Branch Motorsports Complex.

Ray explained the engineering firm, E.L Robinson was working to get five needed permits approved. Ray said it appears they will meet the Sept. 1 deadline set by the U.S Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA).

Approximately three years ago, the EDA awarded the county commission a $1.2 million grant to be used for economic development at the race track. Since then the project has stalled and the county was in danger of losing the funding. The commission had asked for an extension on the project and learned last week the engineering plans for the installation of water and sewer at the site had been approved by the EDA.

The project can now be advertised and placed out to bid.