Letter from Heart of Tennessee Executive Director, Mike Cowles - July 2015

Greetings, Heart of Tennessee Red Cross-

We just wrapped up our fiscal year 2015, and WOW, what a year it was!  In October 2014, the Heart of Tennessee Chapter and the Caney Fork Chapter based in McMinnville became one chapter, and with it came a lot of new challenges.  We had a larger territory to cover, our volunteers were concerned as to how we would function as a larger team, county officials were concerned about our response time, and our staff was concerned, well, about everything.

Through all the change, we continued to serve the community by being prepared and serving with our mission in mind. Our chapter was incredibly successful and our volunteers performed marvelously.  Our Chapter now covers 17 counties from the Alabama/Tennessee state line to the Tennessee/Kentucky state line (Bedford, Cannon, Clay, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Rutherford, Van Buren, Warren and White Counties).

Below are some stats to show just how big of a difference we made:

•    985 clients affected by house fires/disaster were served

•    Responded/supported a winter ice storm on the Cumberland Plateau that affected over 100,000 residents/supported emergency personnel with food and drink

•    Distributed over 10,000 holiday cards to our military personnel and their families

•    Provided services and information to over 900 military personnel and their families

•    8,756 blood donations were made at our fixed and mobile sites

•    4,200 enrolled in Health and Safety courses

When a disaster strikes our volunteers, look at it as an opportunity to serve.  When blood is needed, a donor says I will give.  When someone’s life is in jeopardy, a trained citizen says let me handle it.  When a Hero needs a helping hand, a patriot reaches out. 

I encourage you to give us a call or stop by our office to find out how you can become a part of the team that strives every day to make a difference in the community, and most of all, to help those in their dire time of need by providing strength, encouragement and a “its going to be alright” smile.

Mike