3-09-22 Douglas County Commissioners Issue Proclamation In Honor Of American Red Cross Month (Photo) - 03/09/22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 9, 2022

Douglas County Commissioners Issue Proclamation

in Honor of American Red Cross Month

(Douglas County, Ore.) – Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice, and Tom Kress issued a proclamation naming March 2022 as American Red Cross Month in Douglas County during their weekly business meeting today, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. The Commissioners expressed their support of the American Red Cross Cascades Region volunteers and donors who have been indispensable during various times of crisis in our community. 

Commissioner Chris Boice read the proclamation which recognized the residents of Douglas County who have come together time after time to care for one another, mentioning specifically those who volunteer, give blood, or donate financially to help the Red Cross Cascades Region do the work they do locally and throughout Oregon and SW Washington.  In fact, according to Carisa Hettich, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Cascades Region, the generosity of those donating to their local chapters has provided over 182,000 units of essential blood, more than 1,600 emergency overnight shelter stays, along with food and comfort for families devastated by over 680 local disasters. The Southwest Oregon Chapter serves the residents of Benton, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lake, Lincoln, and Linn counties.

“As a County Commissioner for the last seven years, we have encountered multiple major events that necessitated strategic coordination with the American Red Cross,” remarked Commissioner Tim Freeman. “The most involved and prolonged event was the Archie Creek Wildfire. We worked with local Red Cross volunteers to immediately stand up a temporary shelter at the Douglas County fairgrounds for wildfire evacuees. And continued to work with them to provide temporary housing for several months following the event.  When things get really bad, we get to work with local organizations and get to know them really well.  The American Red Cross is absolutely one of those organizations that shows up ready to help and we are very grateful.”

Merrill Gonterman, who is a local Red Cross Board Member and Volunteer, and the Assistant Fire Chief of Operations for the Roseburg Fire Department, was present to receive the proclamation certificate on behalf of the American Red Cross Southwest Chapter. Gonterman has been in the fire services industry since 1983, and has worked with the Red Cross in various ways while on the job.  He became an active volunteer and strong advocate for the Red Cross in 2018 when his pregnant daughter became ill with leukemia. In receiving the proclamation, Gonterman was visibly moved as he shared how the mission of the Red Cross had impacted his family personally.  Gonterman became a board member that same year and is a previous Chair of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross. He instituted Firefighters Care Blood Drives in Douglas County, and has conducted smoke detector installation drives, as well as provided various services to local veterans.

 “In February 2018, our daughter Hannah was diagnosed with leukemia and was in the ICU at OHSU for 8 weeks. We didn’t know if she or our grandchild would make it,” said Gonterman. “Our daughter needed 40 transfusions and 30 units of other blood products. To put it in perspective, that is 5 gallons of blood. But there’s a happy ending – our grandson was born three days after she was released from the cancer center and both are still doing very well with no return of the disease. It was at that point I felt I needed to do something.  Our thanks to the Douglas County Commissioners for their support of the Red Cross, our many local successful blood drives and for their personal donations.”  Read about his inspiring story on Red Cross Chat here.

The American Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton in 1881 with a mission to prevent and alleviate people’s suffering. 140 years later volunteers in Douglas County and across the nation carry out her lifesaving legacy. For more information, visit the Red Cross Southwest Oregon Chapter online or contact Executive Director Carisa Hettich at 541-344-5244 or email carisa.hettich@redcross.org.