Changes in the economy have forced the Red Cross to rely more on volunteers to carry out its mission.
The Northland Red Cross will cut an office staff position at its International Falls office in the Shannon Square Building.
Lisa Reller, the full time office manager of the Falls Red Cross office, was told her position was terminated on Oct. 31. She had served on the Northland Red Cross board of directors prior to taking the Falls position when it was vacated by Cathy Gordon in 2007.
As a field representative, Reller conducted fundraising, public awareness, and handled scheduling and provided materials to health education trainers. She said the news came as a surprise and that budget cuts led to a difficult decision.
“These are difficult times,” said Reller, who will look for administrative work as she and her spouse raise three children.
Reller said volunteers will carry on the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross and provide relief to victims of disasters. Volunteers will also train others to prevent and prepare for emergencies, in addition to instructing classes on first aid and CPR, water safety, and HIV/AIDS prevention.
The Falls will still have its volunteer disaster response team on call to respond to home fires and other disasters when first responders call them in for emotional and material support and comfort.
“The Red Cross is still a very important organization for our community and we need to make sure the community still receives the support and relief it needs and when it needs it, be it in health and safety classes or disasters,” she added. “We have very dedicated volunteers for that part of the mission those volunteers still provide services as we have in the past and with no change.”
Phone calls regarding administration, training and reaching military servicemen and women will be coordinated through the Duluth office of the Northland Red Cross. A six person staff oversees 500 instructors and 175 disaster volunteers that serve 350,000 residents in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis counties along with Douglas Counties in northwest Wisconsin.
“The mission is going to be fulfilled by volunteers in the Falls and they need financial and moral support,” said John Gladding, interim director, Northland Red Cross in Duluth. “The job is going to be a little bit harder and we need to do it.”
Gladding said the Falls office has a year and a half remaining on its lease and will remain open without fulltime staff. The trainers and volunteers will have access to equipment and forms for their classes and disaster support work.
He blamed serious financial and budget problems in the Northland chapter with not only closing the Falls office, but for transferring accounting and senior management activities to the Central Minnesota chapter in St. Cloud. The changes, he added, makes it possible to carry on the mission more efficiently and with less cost.
“St. Cloud is another part of the hierarchy,” said Gladding. “Duluth used to be an independent chapter and we are not any more.”
The third Northland Red Cross office in Hibbing will remain open, according to Gladding. He said that Hibbing was more fiscally sound and its one staff member has far more classes and disaster response training and activity than occurred in the Falls.
“There is simply more activity in Hibbing,” said Gladding.
There is now a greater need for volunteers with a variety of skills said Gladding. He encourages people to talk to current volunteers and to call the Northland Red Cross in Duluth at 800-950-4275 or the Iron Range office at 800-747-8644.
