Kalispell Red Cross expands to Missoula

By CANDACE CHASE

The Daily Inter Lake

The Kalispell Service Center for the American Red Cross will expand to cover Missoula as it transforms itself into a Regional Services Center for the northwestern part of the state next year.

With its monetary reserves expended, the statewide agency decided to close centers in Butte, Missoula and Helena in 2007 to save as much as $200,000. Red Cross has reorganized into four zones: Billings, Bozeman and Great Falls in addition to Kalispell.

Gayle Wilhelm, director of the Kalispell Service Center, said changes were expected with the agency running in the red.

"It's been something we knew was coming down the pike," she said.

The state director told the Missoulian newspaper that the agency had tapped its reserves for the last five years.

Kalispell got the nod as one of the new regional zones in part because residents contributed more dollars to the Red Crossby a large margin compared to Missoula.

Wilhelm attributed that success to Kalispell's "very tight community." She said the University of Montana brings a more transient influence to Missoula's population.

Although Congress chartered the Red Cross to provide disaster relief services, the organization receives no federal dollars to carry out its mandate. While volunteers remain the lifeblood of the agency, donations pay for their support system.

Wilhelm said Red Cross uses a simple approach in fund raising.

"We're constantly talking to people, building donor relations," she said.

Her plans include working to build visibility and recognition for Red Cross's mission in order to expand the donor base in the northwest region.

"The business community has really stepped up," she said.

Just this week, First Interstate Bank contributed $20,000, with $10,000 coming from northwest Montana offices and $10,000 from the bank's foundation.

"That's a big help," she said.

The closures don't impact the Red Cross blood centers which operate on a separate budget. Wilhelm said the reorganization won't affect the services provided within Missoula's coverage area either.

Volunteers remain on-call with pagers which mobilize them in case of emergencies.

"Our service will not stop," Wilhelm said. "The volunteer base down there is so strong."

She said if a large disaster occurs, such as a devastating fire, the agency's activation system can draw in volunteers from across the state.

Statistics show that each week Red Cross of Montana workers help three families with disasters (usually fires) and 21 military members and their families with communications through its Armed Forces Emergency Services.

Wilhelm said her immediate needs include donated office and classroom space in Missoula to continue administrative services and classes in First Aid, CPR/AED, or automatic external defibrillator, and water safety.

"We have openings for Vista volunteers," she said.

The Red Cross also needs donated climate-controlled storage for equipment and supplies such as comfort kits for disaster victims. The kits contain items susceptible to frost damage such as toothpaste and shampoo.

"Rental space down there is quite expensive," she said. "I know the mayor is helping us look."

The new region includes Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli and Sanders counties.

Although the reorganization brings an increase in the Kalispell director's workload up front, Wilhelm said the change will empower and strengthen the volunteer base overtime in the Northwest Region.

"Northwest Montana is one of the fastest growing areas of the state," she said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com