The Alexander City Outlook

Red Cross begins fundraiser

Let the games begin.

It may not be a true competition, but for board members and volunteers of the Tallapoosa County Chapter of the American Red Cross it will be a race to the finish for a good cause.

The Red Cross started its Heroes for the American Red Cross fundraiser Wednesday.

‘The heroes fundraiser is kind of like a pyramid,” Director Melissa Poe said. “You have team leaders and heroes. Team leaders choose people to raise money and these are the heroes.”

Poe said each hero is asked to raise a minimum of $1,000 for the charity and the goal this year is a minimum of $10,000 total for the fundraiser.

“We hope to get $15,000,” Poe said.

The money raised goes to help people in Tallapoosa County, according to Poe. Last year the local chapter helped 206 military families and soldiers, 146 local disaster victims, and trained 1,436 people in CPR and first aid.

The chapter responded to 43 house fires in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties, according to Poe, which is twice as many as the previous year.

“There in lies the reason we need more money this year,” Poe said.

The fundraiser will wrap up March 30 at 6 p.m. with a celebration at the Shoppes of Queen’s Attic.