THE PUBLIC MIND: COUNTY RED CROSS CHAIRMAN SAYS ORGANIZATION IS WELL-RUN, DOESN'T SQUANDER MONEY

To the Editor:

I would like to share some information about the Red Cross which will give a different perspective from the views expressed in the Speak Out column on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Mrs. Dole did not get a salary of $200,000 last year. Until Feb. 1 of this year, Mrs. Dole received NO salary whatsoever. Mrs. Dole stated that she wanted to be a volunteer herself to get the true spirit of what volunteerism really means.

Mrs. Dole heads 2,700 chapters of the American Red Cross throughout the United States, and 229 Service to Military Family stations. Mrs. Dole provides leadership to 20,000 paid staff, and 1.1 million volunteers, as well as managing a 1.4 billion dollar budget. The magnitude and complexity of Mrs. Dole's job responsibilities would overwhelm the average worker.

Mrs. Dole oversaw Red Cross's response to over 55,000 disasters last year. Aside from this immense responsibility, there are missions with international commitments; health and safety programs to oversee and implement, with regard to providing the public with the highest quality, and most up-to-date training; Service to Military Families programs which provide emergency communications between the service personnel and their families; and providing the safest and highest quality blood supply for one-half of the nations transfusion needs.

Mrs. Dole's salary for the coming year is in line with or less than comparable salaries of equivalent organization's CEOs. Mrs. Dole works seven days a week tirelessly for a cause in which she truly believes, the American Red Cross. Without competitive salaries, how are quality people to be attracted? If you have ever had the pleasure to meet Mrs. Dole, you would know immediately that she is definitely "quality" people. Her caring and dedicated nature epitomizes what Red Cross stands for.

Money Magazine recently identified the Red Cross as one of the four best managed non-profit organizations in America, with less than eight cents of every contributed dollar going to pay for overhead and fundraising. Very few non-profit organizations can say that 92 cents of a donated dollar will be used strictly for the intended programs.

The United States Congress has mandated that the Red Cross provide disaster services and service to military families, but not one penny of government money is given to the Red Cross to carry out these programs.

In the recent Hurricane Andrew, the Red Cross was mobilized 72 hours before the hurricane hit Florida. By Sept. 4, 475 Red Cross shelters housed 161,484 people in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and had served 2.3 million meals. This does not even take into account the assistance provided to the victims of Hurricane Iniki and the typhoon in Guam.

These disaster operations are going to cost the Red Cross over $100 million. To date, $37 million has been donated by individuals and corporations. The relief efforts are still in progress, and the Red Cross will remain in these areas until all the victims' needs are met.

Every dollar which is sent to the Cape County Red Cross for hurricane victims goes directly to assist those victims. We do not keep one penny of that money.

The Cape County Chapter of the American Red Cross has been in operation in this area for 75 years. We are the largest and strongest chapter in all of Southeast Missouri. Why is this fact true? Because the people in the Cape County area care and support the Red Cross. Cape County should be proud of the fact that surrounding towns with more resources and wealth can not achieve the height of caring and compassion exhibited by this community.

The United Way is another example of that caring. The Cape County Red Cross receives a portion of its funding through the local United Way. Without this support, we would be unable to provide the services and programs which are now available.

The local United Way in no way contributed to the salary of William Aromony. The very small amount of money spent to the national United Way could not even have compensated for the supplies and other services which are received by the local United Way. Likewise, the donations made to the local Red Cross do not pay for Mrs. Dole's salary either.

Granted, there are organizations who abuse donated funds, and the public certainly needs to be made aware of those organizations, but Cape County can rest assured that the local Red Cross and United Way are organizations which this community can trust and have great pride in.

Kim Groves

Chairman

Cape County American Red Cross