By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Each year the women's relief society at the Church of Latter-Day Saints in Niles does a service project. This year they were planning on helping the American Heart Association, but when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States, they knew much more help was needed there.
Briggs said the South Bend Red Cross told them there wasn't much they could do unless they were trained volunteers.
The group was then contacted by the Berrien County Red Cross, Briggs said. They told the ladies that there was a great need for Red Cross volunteers in the Niles-Buchanan area and that they were looking to do training of volunteers to form a disaster relief team.
The Red Cross provides emergency aid and shelter for people displaced by disasters such as tornadoes, fires, etc., volunteers are needed for both local and national needs.
The training sessions in Niles will qualify those who participate to help in any local or national disaster.
Participants will learn what it takes to get those affected by a disaster, such as a house fire, tornado or flood, the food, clothing and shelter they need.
Briggs added, at any one time only one third of all the trained Red Cross volunteers are able to go and help in a disaster situation.
The Berrien County chapter of the American Red Cross is looking to create a disaster relief team in he Niles/Buchanan area.
A local disaster relief team will bring Niles and the surrounding communities the quick response needed in times of emergency.
The Red Cross will be providing free training in Niles, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, located at 1409 Niles-Buchanan Road, in November. For information on how to register for this training contact the Berrien County Red Cross at (269) 683-3180 or (269) 927-2288. Information can also be found at www.berrienredcross.org.
Those interested in becoming a volunteer are asked to act quickly on signing up. Red Cross volunteers are required to have an e-mail address, but are allowed to use that of a friend or relative who would be willing to pass messages along to them.