DeKALB | March marks American Red Cross Month, and DeKalb is ready to ring it in.

“Our first priority is to help those who have been affected by disaster,” said Valerie Shive, Red Cross Service Coordinator at the DeKalb County Chapter, 2727 Sycamore Road. “Our volunteers will go out on the scene once the location is safe. We’ll talk to those affected, see what they need, provide them with a hotel stay and work with them to meet any of their immediate needs. We also act as a direct referral to those other agencies that can help.”

Planned events include an after-hours reception for the DeKalb/Sycamore Chamber of Commerce and an end-of-the-month March Campaign.

“Our membership [in the Chamber of Commerce] was donated this year,” Shive said. “It’s something that’s new and different. The reception will provide an opportunity for people to come into the Red Cross and see where we are. This is also a good time for those interested in volunteering to come find out some more information.”

The reception will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Red Cross building. Scheduled for March 30 and 31, the March Campaign is one of the DeKalb chapter’s largest fundraisers.

Volunteers are needed to stand with Red Cross donation canisters outside of locally participating businesses for two- to three- hour shifts during campaign days.

“Over the last several years, our chapter has used March as a community awareness month,” Shive said. “We depend so much on the people coming in to help. This is a great opportunity for those in the community to get involved by volunteering.”

For those who want to get involved, but are unable to volunteer their time, the Red Cross also accepts monetary donations.

“There [are] disasters going on all over the county that you don’t hear about because they’re local,” said Nance Morgan, disaster services volunteer coordinator. “That’s why the money is so necessary to the Red Cross. The largest portion of disasters we see are single-family fires. That’s what really uses up most of the money.”

Morgan said the Red Cross prefers donations that can be applied toward any disaster relief.

“When Hurricane Katrina struck, we received a great deal of support through donations,” Morgan said. “But then [Hurricane] Rita hit, and we weren’t able to use any of the other hurricane money for it because most of it was designated specifically for Katrina. It’s when the money becomes earmarked for one particular cause that it becomes somewhat of a hindrance.”