CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 43 giving I t's that time of the month where you begin to dig for loose change. You're sure you can make it to payday but only by scrimping – and that's assuming nothing goes wrong. Imagine getting a call that your house or apartment has caught fire and you've lost many if not all of your personal belongings, including your only pair of glasses, daily medi- cine, all of your clothes and taken-for-grants necessities of daily life. Now imagine a flood, hurricane or tornado triggering a crisis that hits you and your neighborhood. You feel as if there's no place to go for material or emotional support. Or imagine that your spouse is deployed in a foreign country and needs to be told immediately about a death, illness or birth in the family, an accident or simply to share a joyous memory. Yes, cell phones seem to be everywhere these days, but this time the service is unavailable. Screaming, crying and kicking a wall offer little relief. You need help and you need it now. ese and many other scenarios are not as far fetched as they seem. In fact this "Twilight Zone" nightmare happens on a daily basis in the greater Fayetteville area. While someone may eventually offer help, you can count on the American Red Cross to be a first responder. "We re- spond 24/7 and 365 days," said Phil Harris, executive direc- tor of the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter, which blankets Cumberland, Bladen, Hoke, Harnett and Samp- son counties. "Not responding is just not an option." Har- ris said the statistics say there is about one fire a day in his coverage area. How the Highlands Chapter of the American Red Cross gives back and how you can help By MIChaEL JaEnICkE Now follow this through on a personal level. Imagine having a disaster and getting a message at the office of the Red Cross, saying it ran out of emergency resources – blood, blankets, cleanup and hygiene kits, volunteers, and money to allocate temporary shelter, keeping in mind Uncle Sam isn't funding the nonprofit organization. Andrea Ziegenfuso prays that day never comes and is doing her part to ensure it won't happen. She's giving back because the Red Cross helped her in a time of need. Ziegen- fuso, who has volunteered at animal clinics, fitness centers and food kitchens, found that becoming a Fellow in their Mission Continues program not only aids others but gives her indefinable happiness and fulfillment. "It's an amazing feeling that can't be put into words until you experience it," said Ziegenfuso, who is in the fourth month of a six-month fellowship where she will volunteer at least 20 hours per week. "We can't carry their cross, that's their burden, but we can at least help them for awhile as they get on the road to recovery." Ziegenfuso gets a small stipend during her fellowship, but it's the other perks that bring her the most blessings. "Helping others is the biggest blessing and that's incred- ible, but it's also great for enhancing your public speaking and communication skills, connecting and networking and another way for us to report for duty… but this time in our own country," she said. Some people find it convenient to give by participating in the Highlands Chapter's annual Run for the Red, which is August 2, playing or being a sponsor in the group's March golf tournament, or booking a table and having a glass of RED bE IN THE

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